If you were a regular at The Rat, Bunratty’s, Axis, or any of the beloved Boston rock venues of the late ’80s and early ’90s, prepare to take a trip.
Presto Records, the local label that released Boston-based rock from 1989-1994, is reissuing it’s entire catalog digitally. Presto pumped out 11 albums over that 5-year span, and their roster no doubt has a band or two that will jog your memory: Classic Ruins, Miranda Warning, The Terrible Parade, Miles Dethmuffen, The Visigoths, Evol Twin, and The Trojan Ponies.
Presto and their bands were just a few years before my time; I didn’t start hitting rock shows in the city until I started at Northeastern University as an undergrad in 1995. But I can remember grabbing copies of the Boston Phoenix in the Student Center, pouring over the concert listings, and having my mind blown by the names of the bands: “Miles Dethmuffin? Is that a guy or a band?”
Check out the Presto discography and release schedule below. The fun starts on Tuesday, May 5. We’ll update this space with links when they go live.
Presto Records Discography
1989 PLP 1001 Classic Ruins Ruins Café
1989 PLP 1002 Miranda Warning It’s All Part of Growing Up
1990 PLP 1003 The Terrible Parade Where Were You When The Lights Went Out
1990 PLP 1004 Miles Dethmuffen Nine-Volt Grape
1990 PCD 1005 The Visigoths Full Treatment
1991 PCD 1006 Miranda Warning Your Life Is Excellent Now
1992 PS 101 The Terrible Parade “Ed McMahon Says/Telephone Man” 7”
1992 PS 102 Evol Twin “Say Goodbye/Uncle Carlos/Song for the Dead Girl” 7”
1992 PS 103 The Trojan Ponies “Growing Old/Dean I” 7”
1992 PS 104 Miles Dethmuffen “Mouth of Hell/Painting the Bridge” 7”
1993 PCD 1007 Miranda Warning Twelve Speed Pop Blender
Spotify & YouTube Release Schedule (all releases from each respective band per week)
May 5 Classic Ruins
May 12 Miranda Warning
May 19 The Terrible Parade
May 26 Miles Dethmuffen
June 2 The Visigoths
June 9 Evol Twin
June 16 The Trojan Ponies