Lyres

by John DouganFew bands in Boston rock & roll history have lasted as long, and made as much good music, as Lyres. Led by garage rock obsessive, record collector, Farfisa organ king, and world-class megalomaniac Jeff Monoman Conolly, Lyres rose from the ashes of Conollys first band, DMZ. Sporting a similar high-energy trash-rock sound indebted to the Seeds, ? & the Mysterians, the Stooges, and the early British Invasion (especially early Kinks), Lyres, for a brief, shining moment, were the kingpins of Bostons punk rock scene. Resembling venerable British blues-rockers Savoy Brown because of a constantly changing lineup (something like 40 musicians have passed through the ranks), Lyres (or more specifically, Monoman) gleefully party on, oblivious of trends or the assorted vagaries of the alternative rock marketplace. A dinosaur in his own right? Perhaps, but as long as Jeff Conolly has his organ, a few guys behind him, and a place to play, the simple joy that can only be had through rock & roll will exist in this world — hipness be damned!