The Dogmatics celebrate family and friendship at home in ‘Nowheresville’
Legendary Boston garage rock band unleash first new full-length album in nearly 40 years on Friday, July 18 via Rum Bar Records
Eight-band record release party July 26 at The French American Victory Club in Waltham
‘Nowheresville’ features guest appearances by Tom Baker, Nervous Eaters’ Billy Loosigian, and John ‘J.G.’ Goetchius of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
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Photo Credit: Nicole Tammaro Photography
BOSTON, Mass. [July 18, 2025] -- Nearly 100 years ago, iconic writer F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote about how there are no second acts in American lives. The sentiment does not hold true for bands.
And perhaps the most prime, and recent, example of this are The Dogmatics, the legendary Boston garage rock pioneers that put an exclamation point on a lively new era with Nowheresville, a punchy, poignant, and eclectic album that serves as their first in nearly 40 years, set for release on Friday, July 18 on Rum Bar Records.
And the common thread that links the band from its ‘80s heyday to now is family. Music history is littered with collectives known loosely as family bands, but it can be argued there has never been a family band quite like The Dogmatics. The sentiment fueled their inaugural run 40 years ago, launching out of the vibrant Boston music scene in 1981, and is the creative conduit that energizes this awe-inspiring second act.
“The best part of this new era is what it has always been – fun and friendship,” says co-vocalist and guitarist Jerry Lehane, joined in The Dogmatics by longtime confidants Peter O’Halloran (rhythm guitarist and vocalist); Jimmy O’Halloran (bass); and Tom Long (drums), with 2019 recruit James Young on mandolin, guitar, and assorted vocals.
“The familial connections and friendship have always been a constant for this band,” adds Young. And Nowheresville proves that, boasting guest appearances by Tom Baker, Nervous Eaters’ Billy Loosigian, and former Dogmatics keyboard player John “J.G.” Goetchius of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
Everything The Dogmatics do revolves around this keen sense of family pride, and the album reflects this on several fronts: Honoring fallen brother and bassist Paul O’Halloran, whose tragic 1986 death brought a sudden end to the first iteration of the group; presenting Nowheresville with artwork of a vintage photo snapped by Mary Lou O'Halloran depicting two kids from the Pacific Northwest, rocking perhaps the very first Dogmatics t-shirt design several decades ago; and taking its title from a song Lehane and Paul O'Halloran were working on just before he passed, enduring after only as a long-lost live recording on WERS’ classic Metrowave radio show and a few efforts to record it with later projects that never came to fruition.
Even the album’s record release party, a raucous one-day mini-festival at Waltham’s French American Victory Club on Saturday, July 26, serves as a communal collection of The Dogmatics’ extended network of friends and family. The inspired lineup, in addition to The Dogmatics, features Black Cheers, Jay Allen and the Archcriminals, Last Stand, Gypsy Moths, Tom Baker and the Double Down, Stop Calling Me Frank, and Band 19.
The release party marks a celebration, bridging eras and bringing The Dogmatics to a new generation, all while retaining the spirit of the past by honoring the present. Part of that is fueled by director Rudy Childs’ acclaimed 2023 documentary The Dogmatics: A Dogumentary, a comprehensive look at the band’s career that has dominated the indie film circuit since its release, chronicling their impact and influence on Boston’s ‘80s music scene. Now available on streaming services, it’s exposing the band to a whole new audience.
“We have evolved from the band we once were based on our life experiences, and the experience you get from playing together for so long,” Lehane says. “We feel so grateful that we have the opportunity to release a new album.”
Since reforming just before the pandemic, The Dogmatics have consistently released new music in drips and drabs, from a series of well-received singles to a 2022 EP for Rum Bar in Drop The Needle. Incredibly, with Nowheresville’s 10 tracks, including four singles currently streaming, the band’s modern-day output of 20 contemporary recorded songs accumulated since 2019 nearly matches that of their 22 classic tracks from the 1980s.
But uninterested in being purely a throwback or nostalgia band, the newly-released Dogmatics material sounds like it came from a new band emerging out of an Allston basement or Somerville loft. Some of the tracks trace roots directly to the ‘80s era, like powderkeg skate-punk banger “You’ve Got What I Want,” penned by Lehane at his infamous Thayer Street loft after seeing The Outlets at The Channel in the early-’80s, and the jangly, Byrds-esque “Rainy Nights,” a track written in 1986 but properly recorded recently with scene veteran Baker on guest vocals and Loosigian of Nervous Eaters fame on lead guitar.
“The 10 songs on the album show a lot of variety and breadth beyond the classic garage-rocking reputation,” says Young, who grew up listening to the band before officially joining for this second act. “As a new-ish member to the band who started as a fan, it’s great to see the feedback about the band making new music that’s relevant today, and not just being a reunion act. I’ve always had so much respect for the individual band members as musicians, it’s a pleasure and privilege to be part of demonstrating the flex of those skills.”
Those perhaps expecting Nowheresville to be a straight garage rock record are in for a surprise, as the 10 tracks here showcase an eclectic spectrum of genres and styles. Recorded at Edsbarn in Canton, produced and engineered by Ed Riemer, and mastered by Dave Westner, the album runs the gamut from punchy garage rock (“You’ve Got What I Want”, “Key of B”) and snarling punk (“With A Scarlet Letter”) and glossy power-pop (“Nothing To Be Learned”); to gritty folk-rock (“No Likes No Comments”) and bluegrass and alt-country (“Con Job”). The album closes with a cover of DMZ’s classic ‘70s punk barnburner “Ball Me Out”, and opener “Key of B” features keyboard wizardry from Goetchius of The Bosstones.
“I would not say this is a classic Dogmatics album,” admits Lehane. “It is a mix of political punk, pop, and bluegrass-abilly… ok, I made that last one up.”
Young agrees, adding: “I think the tracks that first came out as singles, like ‘I Can’t Get Over You’, have Jerry’s classic love song vibe. But to his point, we are keeping it varied. I like to think that ‘No Likes No Comments’ follows in the footsteps of contextually-relevant and humorous coming of age and culture-commentary classics like ‘Teenage Lament’, ‘MTV OD’, and possibly ‘Hardcore Rules’.”
The eclectic taste of the band is another throughline that extends back to The Dogmatics’ ‘80s era, where Lehane and the O’Halloran brothers would trade off on vocals, a tradition that carries into today, now with Young in the mix. Young, who has played with Peter O’Halloran for years in The Hired Men, hopes some of the material, like June single “You”ve Got What I Want,” will challenge some expectations about what longtime fans might expect from The Dogmatics. And it might also appeal to a new generation of listeners.
“I think it hints at the power and continued relevance of the band’s ability to make simple fun music that touches on contemporary issues in a light-hearted, not preachy, way,” Young adds. “I also think it signals that the cumulative talent across the band has all this diverse musical influence and there’s something new about how that’s all coming together at this point in the band’s history.”
Lehane is quick to point out that Young has been instrumental to this new era of The Dogmatics, taking the more traditional, folk, Irish, and roots musical styles of The Hired Men and bringing that influence to new recordings. Young handles a lot of the business and promotional aspects of the band, from running the social media to designing the band’s visual aesthetic, including the artwork for the singles.
“The addition of James has changed the band in a very good way,” Lehane notes. “You will hear the influence on the new album. We just do our thing, and we are again so grateful that we have friends – dare I say fans – that come out and cheer us on. I am proud to still be playing with my friends and making rock n' roll music that I believe will have an impact.”
A personal highlight for Young is “Con Job,” a lively sing-along pub rock number soaked in bluegrass and country vibes, and a track in which he provides vocals. And it has a strong family tie for Young, which he feels the band appreciated.
“My dad sent me and Peter the lyrics only back in 2013,” he notes. “I put it to music soon after. I had done that in the context of Peter’s side project band, The Hired Men, which explains the arrangement. But the Dogmatics really liked it and loved the family connection. Being able to release a recording of this song in the memory of my late dad who passed away in 2022 has a lot of meaning for me because my parents were both really supportive of my artistic leanings from an early age.”
And while Young was too, ahem, young to experience The Dogmatics in their first go-round, being a central figure to the band now just extends the family lineage that runs back decades. It’s heard on the record, it’s heard throughout the band’s storied history, and it'll be present all day at the Nowheresville release party in Waltham. The band deliberately selected the French-American Victory Club because the Waltham venue provides everything The Dogmatics needed to ensure everyone was welcome and part of the celebration. When you lean on family for more than 40 years, that family tends to be large in size, after all.
“The venue was chosen because we could offer a fair cover, free parking, and inexpensive drinks at the bar – and allow for all the bands to play,” Lehane says. “We also are able to accommodate different times that people prefer. We wouldn't be able to do this at any other venue this size.”
And that’s a second act worth celebrating.
Contact: Direct media inquiries to Michael O’Connor Marotta at michael@knyvet.com, label inquiries to Lou Mansdorf at malibuloupr@gmail.com, and reach James Young of The Dogmatics at rumbardogmatic@gmail.com.
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Record release party lineup:
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The Dogmatics are:
Jerry Lehane: Vocals, lead and rhythm guitar
Peter O’Halloran: Vocals, lead and rhythm guitar
Jimmy O’Halloran: Bass
Tom Long: Drums
James Young: Vocals, backing vocals and mandolin
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‘Nowheresville’ artwork:
Photo by Mary Lou O'Halloran; design by James Young
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‘Nowheresville’ production credits:
Recorded at Edsbarn in Canton
Produced and engineered by Ed Riemer
Mastered by Dave Westner
Front cover photo by Mary Lou O'Halloran
Back cover photo by Katie Fitzpatrick
Inside photo montage by Nicole Tammaro, Stevo Rood, Greg 'Mongroll' Munroe, Katie Fitzpatrick
Art design by James Young
© The Dogmatics 2025 - Released on Rum Bar Records
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The Dogmatics short bio
Formed in 1981 and still writing and performing new music today, The Dogmatics is a Boston-area band known for its pioneering garage rock sound, including punk and rockabilly elements.
In the 1980s, they released one single and two albums and toured with renowned acts such as The Bangles, The Fleshtones, The Replacements, and Beastie Boys. Multiple bands, including The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Letters to Cleo, have covered their songs.
“All time favorite garage rock band ❤️” – Dicky Barrett
After the tragic loss of founding member and bassist Paul O’Halloran in 1986, the band disbanded for some time. However, they never lost their friendship or love for playing together, and in the following years, they would occasionally regroup for charity events.
In 2019, they teamed up with Rum Bar Records to record their first new material in over 30 years with the release of their EP “She’s The One.” The new tracks delighted long-time fans and newcomers alike. Despite the disruption of the pandemic, they kept up their momentum and released the EP “Drop That Needle” in 2022.
In 2023, Massachusetts film director Rudy Childs, in collaboration with band archivist and O’Halloran family niece Jada Maxwell (and others), completed a four-year documentary effort crafted as a tribute to Paul. The resulting full-length documentary titled The Dogmatics: A Dogumentary (They Were Boston’s House Band) won awards across film festivals through 2024 and will be widely released in early 2025.
The band released the single “I Can’t Get Over You” in 2023, followed by two singles, “Library Girl” and “With A Scarlet Letter,” in 2024. They are currently recording material for a full album release in 2025.
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Recent media praise for The Dogmatics
“Who let the dogs out! Woof.” _Bill Kelly's Blackhole Bandstand in The Underground Garage
“Oooooo! I dig it!” _Palmyra Delran in The Underground Garage
“The Dogmatics have been at it making great rock n’ roll for a while now. The passion is clearly still there …spin those records!!” _Rising with Skybar on WMFO
“On the harder track, we have The Dogmatics punk-pop of ‘You’ve Got What I Want’ and it speeds through our headphones quick.” _Power Popaholic
“Of all the legendary bands in history that have reformed after long breakups, The Dogmatics have had one of the most successful second acts. They've pulled off an extremely difficult feat: coming back decades later with an evolved sound — yet still sounding distinctively like themselves. In recent years, they've built a body of work that rivals their classic output without trying to recreate it. [‘Youu’ve Got What I Want’ ] is an exhilarating blast of three-chord rock 'n' roll. It sounds like The Dogmatics, and it sounds like Boston.” _Faster and Louder
“On the basis of ‘You’ve Got What I Want’, the veteran band have lost none of their energy. Clocking in at around 90 seconds, this track is definitely economical, but it doesn’t sell the fans short in any way. The opening riff powers forth with a punky edge, but some great production values bring out the best in its sharp edges. Those looking for a deeper sense of melody get their fix here too, since the track’s simple and repetitive hook comes absolutely loaded with harmony vocals, bringing in a touch of power pop to balance out the knockabout quality. If you liked Jerry Lahane and the lads before, this throwback to the energies present in their early 80s output will definitely be a hit.” _Real Gone
“The Dogmatics were essentially Boston's house band at a time when Boston boasted some of the best garage bands in the land. A tragedy derailed the band in 1986 but they have returned with a great series of singles and EP's on Rum Bar Records. ‘You've Got What I Want’ is the proof that The Dogmatics have still got it, in fact they never lost it.” _Renny’s Riot
“[‘You’ve Got What I Want’] would be considered skate punk by modern ears, being both incredibly catchy and melodic while also having a rough around the edges sound. It’s an interesting mix, as the song sounds like it’s nearly out of control and only being held together by the harmony of the vocals. By the time the garage rock guitar solo kicks in, you’re completely enamored with the song. Somehow, ninety-five seconds ends up being the perfect length…” _If It’s Too Loud
“‘You’ve Got What I Want’ is a melodic and sonic dream. Nobody brings it like The Dogmatics… NOBODY! We were dancing and singing along instantly.” _The Whole Kameese
“‘Library Girl’ is the kind of rock song any fan of this kind of music should get to know to draw The Dogmatics out of the Boston circuit. Yes, Library Girl is that good, believe me.” _WoNoBlog
“The years seem to just melt away when you hear the new Dogmatics song ‘I Can’t Get Over You’. The song is mid-’80s Dogmatics ...the sound, the song style, the sound of the voices and the feel of the lyrics. It has two of the attributes we love the most with punk songs – it’s catchy and short.” _Boston Groupie News
Media Contact: Michael O’Connor Marotta at michael@knyvet.com
Label Contact: Lou Mansdorf at malibuloupr@gmail.com
Band Contact: James Young at rumbardogmatic@gmail.com
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