The Steel Press dates to the early 1980s. First published in April 1982, the premiere issue featured a cover story of Bad Brains playing the Hot Klub, as well as interviews with The Assassins and The Judys and various local concert listings. The two issues I've been able to obtain date to August 6th of that year and to an unspecified date after that (apparently also in 1982). Studio D, the Hot Klub, and VVV Records (all subjects of upcoming Ghosts installments) feature prominently, as do advertisements from Metamorphosis Records and listings of top-selling punk and new wave releases... read more

Not counting open mic performances, I only attended 42 shows in 2010, down dramatically from my peak of 76 in 2008. My responsibilities with the Lost Art Open Mic were a factor in this, but they weren't the whole story. Over time, I had shifted my focus more and more to shows featuring bands and performers with whom I had forged personal relationships. This trend would become more and more the norm for me in the months and years ahead, with exceptions becoming increasingly rare and eventually almost nonexistent... read more