Already Dead stay one step ahead of the ‘Landlord’
Massachusetts punk band led by Dan Cummings addresses our collective financial insecurity on an impassioned new single and video out October 6
New single follows this month’s ‘Bread And Roses’ cover and performance at the Bread And Roses Heritage Festival in Lawrence, Massachusetts
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Photo Credit: Brian Ferrazzani
BOSTON, MA [October 6, 2023] – The rent is due on the first of the month. A few days later, Already Dead have something to say about it.
The Massachusetts punk band led by songwriter Dan Cummings releases its new single “Landlord” on Friday, October 6, complete with an official music video directed by Berto Media. As acoustic as it is raw and primal, “Landlord” is a barroom folk-punk track that feels traditional based on its sing-along nature, but is solely rooted in problems of the modern day. It follows Already Dead’s Labor Day release of their punk rock version of strike hymnal “Bread and Roses,” and carries forth the band’s working class ethos first established on last year’s debut album My Collar Is Blue.
Perhaps most importantly, the arrival of “Landlord” is timely. According to a CNBC report in June, roughly 61 percent of all Americans are currently living paycheck to paycheck, while 72 percent of citizens don’t feel financially secure, and more than a quarter don’t believe they ever will be. “Landlord,” with the traditional passion and storytelling prowess of Shane McGowan and the acerbic commentary of Frank Turner, sparks from the speakers as a cautionary tale for the innocent.
“I guess you could say ‘Landlord’ is all about a feeling,” says Cummings. “The feeling of just getting by in life, with the looming knowledge that you’re one bad month or even week from falling behind. I’ve certainly lived with this before. Bills are paid, life is stable, but you still know if you take any type of hit – financial, personal, whatever – it could still fall like a deck of cards. But you keep pushing, and keep those lights on.”
“Landlord” furthers Already Dead’s growing legacy as New England’s independent punk rock voice for the working class. Over the summer, Cummings grabbed his acoustic guitar and performed his songs outside a Massachusetts UPS facility as its workers made headlines striking for a living wage. Last month, the band plugged in and performed “Bread and Roses” during the opening remarks at the annual festival of the same name in Lawrence.
And as working class issues dominate the news cycle, from the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike in Hollywood to the rising United Auto Workers strike at production at plants in Michigan, Ohio and Missouri, Already Dead’s message resonates far beyond music fans. It’s music for the people by the people, and a reflection of who the band is: Cummings is a Boston union pipefitter; bassist Brandon Bartlett is a Boston union ironworker; and drummer Nick Cali is a CDL operator.
“Unfortunately, I think the literal lyrics are timely for 2023,” Cummings admits. “The story of someone who is caught in between the rising cost of living and an unethical wage gap. Forced to make choices between bare necessities so they may pay for rent somewhere that raises the price year after year. It really is a feeling I’ve had during different periods of my life, and to be honest I still do, sometimes worse, sometimes better. A lot of people are stuck in situations where they feel they’ll never get ahead.”
Cummings wrote “Landlord” in an act of creative spontaneity. He was cleaning out his garage one day while listening to a podcast, and the person being interviewed mentioned they grew up always living “one step ahead of the landlord.” Cummings grabbed his guitar, used that line as a launching pad, and the rest came together that night. He added some polish to “Landlord” in the studio, teaming back up with longtime collaborators: It was recorded at the Bridge Sound and Stage in Cambridge; engineered and mixed by Jimmy Corbett; and mastered by Alex Allinson. “Landlord” was co-produced by Cummings and Corbett, with the single’s visual art done by illustrator Mark Saffie.
The video drives home the track’s themes, finding a young man (played by Ronny Camara) working in the kitchen of a local pub, only able to afford a few bucks of gas, only to come home to an empty residence, greeted by a pile of bills and collection notices. Finally off work, he heats up a Hot Pocket, cracks open a beer, and takes solace in a drawing made by the son who loves him. But the stress of reality is clear across his face, and the crush of debt means there is no time to relax and enjoy the moment. The clip was filmed on location at North Reading’s Sports Spirits and Steaks, and the Kilpatrick homestead.
“The storyline of the video just lines up perfectly with the lyrics, and overall vibe of the song,” Cummings says. “It tells the story of one person's day, struggling to earn for basic needs. After we brainstormed a bit, I left the video completely in the hands of the director, Berto Media. He absolutely crushed it. The storyline is subtle, but by the second half you are invested and actually give a shit about the actor.”
While an amplified, full-band version of “Landlord” may appear on the next Already Dead album, right now it exists as an acoustic piece of music, the pain and passion in Cummings’ weathered voice acting as much an instrument as his guitar and harmonica. Cummings has been playing the occasional acoustic gig around town when his Already Dead bandmates can’t make the show, and this - as well as spring single “Don’t Wake Me,” a hip-hop collaboration with BOS the Rapper – shows another side of the band.
But whether plugged-in with all the piss n’ vinegar of punk’s usual fury, or sing-shouting along with his acoustic guitar, the message from Cummings and from Already Dead is clear: There’s a message in the music, and that message is unity.
“Music is such an effective way to get a message across and out there to the masses,” Cummings concludes. “A song can contain a whole history lesson. You can learn so much from Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, The Clash, Rage Against the Machine, Public Enemy, KRS-One… the list goes on. Also, it can spark interest for people; it can reach a teenage kid on a level a history book may not.”
And right now, history is all around us.
Media Contact: Please direct all press inquiries to Already Dead at alreadydeadmusicc@gmail.com or Michael Marotta at michael@knyvet.com.
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Already Dead is:
Daniel Cummings – Guitar and vocals
Brandon Bartlett – Bass
Nick Cali - Drums
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‘Landlord’ single artwork:
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‘Landlord’ production credits:
Words and music by Dan Cummings
Performed by Dan Cummings (vocals, guitars, piano, harmonica)
Recorded at the Bridge Sound and Stage in Cambridge, MA
Engineered and mixed by Jimmy Corbett
Produced by Dan Cummings and Jimmy Corbett
Mastered by Alex Allinson
Visual Art by Mark Saffie
Music Video credits:
Directed and Edited by Roberto Terrones Jr.
Featured Actor: Ronny Camara
Filmed on location at:
Sports Spirits and Steaks in North Reading, MA
Special thanks to Cheena
The Kilpatrick homestead
Special thanks to Ian
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‘Landlord’ video stills:
Photo Credit: Berto Media
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Already Dead short bio:
Punk rock… kinda. Already Dead are a three-piece band from north of Boston Massachusetts, composed of blue collar musicians that unequivocally support the middle class and the true builders and visionaries of every city and town. Before forming this band, the members of Already Dead were raised on punk, ska, and hardcore bands, and mix in other influences across a spectrum of genres to create a sound that’s entirely their own. Debut album My Collar is Blue was recorded at The Bridge Sound and Stage in Cambridge, Mass., and the seven-song sampler platter of punk – led by three singles in “Stability,” the title track, and “City’s Burnin’” – was released in October 2022, helping earn Already Dead a nomination for Punk Artist of the Year at the 2022 Boston Music Awards. A video for “My Collar Is Blue” dropped in November 2022, and the band kickstarted 2023 with a collaboration with BOS The Rapper titled “Don’t Wake Me” in April. On Labor Day, they raised a glass to labor workers and unions across the country with a punk cover of “Bread & Roses,” and in October release new single “Landlord”, about our society’s collective financial instability.
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Media praise for Already Dead:
“[‘Don’t Wake Me’] showcases hip-hop smarts, punk snarl, and dynamic synths and riffs blending together and creating a dynamic aural experience.” _New Noise Magazine
“Had the band’s name been Dropkick Murphys, I might just have believed it.” _WoNoBlog
“It’s a ferocious, Pogues-style take on the song [‘Bread & Roses’], and its sentiment certainly resonates.” _Worcester Magazine
“Three- or four-chord progressions and chainsaw stompboxes rule the day on the bouncy, uptempo punk thriller. The trio romps n’ rolls their truth like a well-oiled machine. No fussy solos or curlicues to the sound – all killer, no filler.” _Hump Day News
“Boston’s Already Dead is the best kind of aural enigma. They’re along the lines of Against Me! or Dropkick Murphys with their anthem crafting ability and then you throw in a little bit of the more melodic NYHC of the ’90s à la Life Of Agony’s classic ‘River Runs Red’ plus some Bad Religion, some hip-hop, some ska, and some country twang and you have a local outfit that absolutely sounds like NO ONE in the scene today. _Rock And Roll Fables
“‘Stability’ is a fast and bouncily furious song with some killer shout-along choruses and that blue collar edge that only New England pop punk bands can truly pull off. It has all the anger a song needs to be punk, but it doesn't forget that you're supposed to have fun, too.” _If It’s Too Loud
“Holy smoke! This is a red-hot-boiling racecar exploding from the very first chord. A non-stop speedball stirred up by a merciless rhythm section, riff-insane guitars, and in-your-face vocals. At times, it feels as if this punked-up bolide is about to crash. I swear you will be out of breath after these 3 1/2 minutes of never-looking-back vociferousness. Already dead? Absolutely not! They’re a turbulent turbo.” _Turn Up The Volume
"If you are feeling nostalgic for VFW Hall shows and punk rock of the late 1990's then you are going to love this. It's totally in the vein of Big Wig, Rise Against, Bouncing Souls, although a little more polished even though the recording maintains all of the aesthetics of the analog age. Another BMN editor thought maybe a heavier Frank Turner or a good mix of Off With Their Heads and Hot Water Music. Big fun group vocals make this something you'd want to check out live!” _Blood Makes Noise
“Boston has a great history of blue collar punk, and the latest is Already Dead. The band has a new single out called ‘My Collar is Blue.’ This new song might go a little more pop punk than what you may typically consider working class Boston punk, but there is still a lot more edge here than you would typically find in a pop punk song. I suppose this would be the definition of melodic punk. Already Dead inject just the tiniest bit of a Celtic sound on this new one, and maybe just the slightest hint of a country twang. There is still some killer gang vocals and choruses on "My Collar is Blue," so even punk purists won't be able to avoid singing along.” _If It’s Too Loud
“It should be noted we have never met Dan Cummings or anyone else from Already Dead , However, we too have a strong belief in fighting for what is right and just . So we are in full support of Already Dead and believe that their version of ‘Bread and Roses’ is pure punk rock perfection.”_The Whole Kameese
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Already Dead can be heard and found on Angel’s Indie Lounge on Belter Radio UK, Banks Radio Australia, Bay State Rock, Blood Makes Noise, Boston Globe, Boston Groupie News, BumbleBee Radio, Christian's Cosmic Corner Radio show on Mark Skin Radio, Click Roll Boom, Code Zero Radio, Digital Revolution Connecticut, Dying Scene, Enigma Online, Everything You Know Is Wrong on WMWM Salem State, Good Music Radio, Hump Day News, If It’s Too Loud, Original Music Showcase and Marc’s Alt-Rock Playground on Mark Skin Radio, Moosic Entertainment, New Noise Magazine, Odyssey Radio Maryland, Phoenix Remix, Punk Rock Demo, Punktastic’s The Pickup, Rhode Island Free Radio, Rick’s Rock Shop on Wave Radio Boston, Rising With Skybar on WMFO, Rock And Roll Fables, Steve Garnett’s New Music Radio on Revival Radio UK, Struggling Artist Podcast, Sunshine Music iRadio, That’s Good Enough For Me, The Bad Copy, Top Radio Network, Turn Up The Volume, Valley FM Australia, WoNoBlog, Worcester Magazine, YFM Indie Radio, Your First Listen on KNNZ/Eardrum Buzz, and other fine shows, stations, and outlets.
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Press Contact: michael@knyvet.com
Artist Contact: alreadydeadmusicc@gmail.com
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