THE BONGOS' The Shroud of Touring: Live in 1985 review!
I’m breaking several of my own rules writing about this release. I’ll fill you in on those rules AND give The Bongos’ THE SHROUD OF TOURING: LIVE IN 1985 a real proper review while I’m at it. Yes, I know that that this seems a bit self-serving, but some people who know me may question why I am writing about a LIVE album, so here we go…
RULE #1: I don’t care for live albums. In fact, I often dislike and despise them. ‘Hate’ is too strong of a word…
In my younger years, I listened to – and loved – live albums. You know, the usual: WINGS OVER AMERICA, CHEAP TRICK AT BUDAKON, almost any ELVIS live album… But by the time the late ’70 and early ‘80s rolled around, I became disillusioned by live B-sides and crappy ‘best of’ collections by classic artists that contained current live re-recordings of their ‘60s hits. So, those audio turds kinda turned my off of live recordings. The ultimate sin was the ‘sing-along’ bits on a live album. I paid for Queen to perform their hits on LIVE KILLERS, not the audience! So, when Freddie let the audience sing huge chunks of “Love of My Life,” I wanted to take the album back and demand a full refund: “I didn’t pay to hear 1/4th of Wisconsin (or wherever) sing on a Queen album! I paid for Freddie, Brian, John, and Roger!”
So, what made me break RULE #1 for this review? Well, I saw THE BONGOS – Richard Barone, James Mastro, Rob Norris, and Frank Giannini – on this 1985 tour promoting their BEAT HOTEL album. It was electrifying… and Mr. Barone himself shook my hand at the end of the show and thanked me for my excitement. Well, I was excited because it was the fucking BONGOS! So, when I heard that there was a forthcoming ‘unreleased’ Bongos album, I was excited. Imagine my disappointment when it ended up being a fucking live album. My pop boner went limp, and I growled at the neighbors for several days… So, when I was given the opportunity to hear THE SHROUD OF TOURING: LIVE IN 1985, it took me a few hours but I eventually – and hesitantly - pushed play…
While this was not the show that I saw them at – that show was at the Palace in Hollywood – THIS show took me right back to that magical night. The sweaty and fun energy on this set of live tracks from Hoboken’s finest left me stunned. This is what The Bongos are all about: melody, charm, electricity, originality… all the stuff I love about proper Pop bands. Is this Punk? Nah, but it has the same kind of energy. Is it Power Pop? Not really, but the hooks come fast and furious and you’ll be reeled in once you chomp down on these sweet, sharp, and shiny treats. THIS is what made (and sometimes still makes) Pop music the greatest thing in the world. You’ll hear early Bongos gems like “In the Congo,” “Zebra Club,” and “Telephoto Lens” alongside stellar tracks from their RCA releases including “Numbers with Wings,” “Blow Up,” “Come Back to Me,” “Blow Up,” and “Barbarella.” This is an audio smorgasbord of delicious tunes and unbridled passion. It’s like getting nekkid with your favorite person and eating pizza while angels dance above your head and refill your glass with your favorite beverage of choice. It is fun and exciting. And most importantly, THE SHROUD OF TOURING: LIVE IN 1985 adds to the Bongos’ legacy and should inspire you to seek out the original studio recordings as well!
As I’ve always said, Richard Barone is the Paul McCartney of Post-Punk: he’s cute, charming, and has this sweet, commanding voice that lifts his melodic songs up to another level. Oh, James, Frank, and Rob are cool, too, but they didn’t shake my hand after that gig 40 years ago, so…
RULE #2: Do NOT review something too far in advance.
I broke this rule because I’m too damn excited about this release and I’m here to encourage each and every one of you to pre-order / order it right now! It will be released on May 23, 2025.
RULE #3: Stop writing reviews. Just make silly YouTube videos instead.
This is the straw that broke that camel’s back, baby! I’ll still cover it on my YouTube channel, but I’m branching out and putting my thoughts down on paper again! Well, not real ‘paper,’ actually…. Can we call this ‘internet paper’?
God bless The Bongos and Jem Records for releasing THE SHROUD OF TOURING: LIVE IN 1985.
Oh, one last thing: I still don’t like live albums, but there are exceptions to every rule, and this is one of them!
Your pal,
Schnee
THE BONGOS: THE SHROUD OF TOURING: LIVE IN 1985 will be released by Jem Records on May 23, 2025.