Boss_Tweedy Posted July 21, 2021 Share Posted July 21, 2021 Anyone who knows of the Connells knows how criminally underrated they were in the late 1980s and the 1990s. They're back! Well, kinda. The Connell brothers, Doug MacMillan, and keyboardist Steve Potak are still in the band (along with a couple of new members), but singer/songwriter/guitarist George Huntley and drummer Peele Wimberley. They're releasing a new album this fall, and the first single from it is OK. Perhaps more exciting is that they're touring! Their live shows were always so good. One time in college my girlfriend at the time asked me to have dinner with her family on the night the Connells were playing in town. I went to the show and caught a good bit of flack. A couple of years later my girlfriend went with me to the show when the Connells passed through again. She was so blown away that she told me she, too, would've skipped dinner with her folks had she known how good they were live. https://www.theconnells.com 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kidsmoke Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 I've never heard of them before, but I like this! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Boss_Tweedy Posted July 23, 2021 Author Share Posted July 23, 2021 21 hours ago, kidsmoke said: I've never heard of them before, but I like this! If you're interested in exploring their catalog, I recommend starting with the album Fun & Games. If you like that one then I'd move on to Boylan Heights, One Simple Word, and Ring. It's always boggled my mind that these guys weren't huge. During my college senior year both my roommate and I had our cars broken into on the same night. The first thing i did when I discovered that one of the windows in my car had been broken out was to check on whether my Boylan Heights CD was still in the car. It was! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chez Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 I like "Still Life." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Boss_Tweedy Posted July 25, 2021 Author Share Posted July 25, 2021 2 hours ago, Chez said: I like "Still Life." That's a solid record as well. I like all of their albums except Darker Days. They hadn't really developed their sound at that point, but by Boylan Heights they'd found it. One album that a lot of people either don't know about or have forgotten is Old School Dropouts. They released it after being dropped by TVT, and it's been out of print for years. I thought it was pretty good. Apparently some of the songs on it were unfinished, and updated versions will be on the new album. They also recorded a great cover of Nick Lowe's "Cruel to be Kind" that was supposed to be on a movie soundtrack but never saw the light of day on any release. I got a digital copy from the guy who ran a Connells fan site back in the day. I need to find that file, but it's on YouTube. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uncool2pillow Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 I remember '74-'75 being played heavily on the adult alternative radio station in Des Moines when it came out. I liked it enough to buy the CD. Listened to it a few times and it didn't really click. I had completely forgotten about them, until a few years ago and re-listened. Still really love that song, but nothing else has soaked in. I will give Fun & Games a spin soon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Boss_Tweedy Posted July 26, 2021 Author Share Posted July 26, 2021 3 hours ago, uncool2pillow said: I remember '74-'75 being played heavily on the adult alternative radio station in Des Moines when it came out. I liked it enough to buy the CD. Listened to it a few times and it didn't really click. I had completely forgotten about them, until a few years ago and re-listened. Still really love that song, but nothing else has soaked in. I will give Fun & Games a spin soon. They're one of those bands that reach some people when seen and heard live. I associate them and their shows with making great memories with college friends. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Boss_Tweedy Posted July 28, 2021 Author Share Posted July 28, 2021 They've released another song off the new album. Hear The Connells’ “Steadman’s Wake” From First New Album In 20 Years 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tongue-tied lightning Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 I saw this record pop up, and total remember this band. I haven't listened yet, but hoping it's at least good. Lots of bands get lost. I always loved the band The Saints, Australian group. same kinda vibe. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Boss_Tweedy Posted October 7, 2021 Author Share Posted October 7, 2021 5 hours ago, tongue-tied lightning said: I saw this record pop up, and total remember this band. I haven't listened yet, but hoping it's at least good. Lots of bands get lost. I always loved the band The Saints, Australian group. same kinda vibe. I was nervous before hearing the new album due to the passage of time as well as the departures of singer/songwriter/guitarist George Huntley and drummer Peele Wimberley. After one listen I thought that many of the songs would sound very good live. After the second listen something clicked, and for several days I couldn't stop listening to the album. I miss George's contribution to the band, but all things considered it's a terrific record. I saw them live in Atlanta a couple of weekends ago, and so many amazing memories of their shows during my college years flooded my mind. Coincidentally I was listening to a podcast interview with singer Doug MacMillan recently, and he mentioned that the Connells and the Saints toured together at some point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tongue-tied lightning Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 that's crazy, I thought they were aren't at the same time. Any idea what George is doing ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Boss_Tweedy Posted October 8, 2021 Author Share Posted October 8, 2021 4 hours ago, tongue-tied lightning said: Any idea what George is doing ? He's a successful realtor in the Raleigh, North Carolina area now. Here's a great podcast interview with him from not long ago. https://bsidepodcast.com/podcast/episode-7-george-huntley/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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