HellohellO!

Big news on the BGL front tonight! The Official Website for Ben Flash and his Boyish Good Looks is now located at www.sunpolarrecords.com/bgl. This site has been in the works since late May, so I hope you all like it. I made an attempt to, well, "un-crap" our web presence just a little bit. This meant removing some of the features of the site that I never really got to update, and trying to make the page look a little sleeker.

I guess I'll be removing this page from the web pretty shortly. This makes me really sad...Maybe the two sites will co-exist for awhile. Besides, I could use some feedback...and I should find a way to integrate Nixon into the new page. Oh the tangled webs we weave...

So I'm sure Aaron is doing Jolly-well in England. He WILL be back before the end of the summer, though, so my fingers are crossed that everyone's schedules will line up, and we can have a full, albeit accoustic, reunion show at the old stomping grounds (You know where I mean).

Hey, that reminds me! I got a new drumset today! It totally rules!!! It's SOOO much louder than my old one. This means good things for fans who are anticipating the next BGL record already - IT WILL HAVE AWESOME SOUNDING DRUMS!

Ok, so I've got to crash. See a lot of you at camp...and keep an eye out for some collaborations with BGL members :)

Love, Mike

NEWS: June 14

As reported on the Sun Polar Records site, the BGL show on June 8th went very well, maybe even a little better than we had expected. Thanks to everybody who came out, and who took advantage of our new "Buy 5, Get One Free" clearance sale on our CDs.

The goal is to break even. We're getting there.

Hey, speaking of BGL setlists (play along), here is the complete setlist of the June 8 show:

Part 1:
The Boyish Good Looks Make a Sale*
Christmas Opus
Our More Introspective Side
The Boyish Good Looks Attend the Sock Hop*
RA!
Jam Transition into...
"Ride Wit Me"
The Boyish Good Looks Defy Gravity*
Opus #3
Bass Transition into...
The Boyish Good Looks Self Destruct*

Part 2:
The Boyish Good Looks Reunite*
The Social Experiment
The Boyish Good Looks are an American Rock Band*
Everyman's Opus
The Boyish Good Looks Write a Song Inspired by the Motion Pictre Canadian Bacon, Starring John Candy*
Leidi-Lo
Opus #1
The Boyish Good Looks Sell Out*

The songs with a * are possibilities for the next record. The group is beginning to organize plans for recording this second full-length, tentatively titled, The Adventures of Ben Flash and his Boyish Good Looks (though we change our minds faster than NASCAR around here, so don't get used to the working title). There is a list of possible songs for the disc around here someplace - perhaps the entire thing will be posted sometime in the future.

NEWS: May 28

Hi there, BGL Fans. I sincerely apologize for the lack of updates lately. Between studying for finals, moving back home, and spring cleaning, it's been tough to squeeze in much at all. Not to mention the big graduation (sniff, I'm so...proud of you! (Excuse me as I weep in joy!)).

But in BGL news, we are excitedly preparing for our big June 8 show at the School of the Arts in Rochester (3:30pm, $2). We will be playing two full sets with an intermission inbetween. We'll be debuting FOUR brand new songs, including "The Boyish Good Looks Make a Sale," and "The Boyish Good Looks Defy Gravity." The latter is based on the SOTA Student Ensemble production "Defying Gravity" which goes up at 7:30(?), right after the BGL show. Ben Flash acts and directs - it ought to be really great.

I've been working on re-designing the BGL website. The process has been extremely slow-going, so there is no telling when the new site will be up. Just keeping you kids updated.

Man, so that's what you've been waiting a whole month for? I'll expect a minor revolution at the guestbook.

NEWS: April 23

Greetings, flash bulbs, how's the ole rat race? Good, well listen closely, because you're all in luck.

The Boyish Good Looks are booked to play a show. Boo-yeah! It's on Saturday, June 8th and we go on at 3:30 at the Rochester School of the Arts. The cost is a measely two dollars. And if you stick around, you'll be able to catch the Ben Pattison directed production of "Defying Gravity." Remember, you can always find information on shows and whatnot at www.sunpolarrecords.com when you click on the "Shows" page.

In another exciting bit of news, Ben Flash has blessed us all with a new letter. Happy new year, by the way ;-) Read Ben's letter here.

I gotta finish this entry (vroom vroom). Don't give money to people outside the mall, for god's sake, but DO sign the guestbook.

NEWS: April 10

Hey all.

I'm running a little short on time this week, so here is the lowdown really quick.

Ben Pattison now has an mp3 of The Lydia Song posted at www.sunpolarrecords.com If you missed it over the summer, be sure to check it out.

Ben and Mike stayed up until 3:30 one night to write a song called: "The Boyish Good Looks Write a Song Inspired by the Motion Picture 'Canadian Bacon' Starring John Candy." It's brilliant, in case you hadn't figured that out already.

Thanks and good night! (Sign the guestbook)

. NEWS: March 27

Whutup evreebuddy.

Ok, there is so much stuff going on that it's hard to think of a goofy original way to say it, but here goes nothin...

I (mike) have started a record label. No, a musical collective. Eh, a label. It's called Sun Polar Records, a name you may remember being written on the backs of your copies of Kids Find 'The Boot' Buried in the Trash. Visit www.sunpolarrecords.com to see exactly where it stands at present. I have been working like a maniac on it, and you can probably expect to see this very site moved there in the future.

The concept of Sun Polar Records is that I have a ton of friends who are musically inclined, and I get a chance to bring them all together as one happy musical family. There is no money involved, so I'm not like Jive Records, on the phone with Britney, telling her to crank out 3 more albums before her cheeks collapse. Everyone just does what they want. No Money = Happy. Now you won't hear THAT at the Virgin Records Mega Store!

Also, three of the Ben Flash and his Boyish Good Looks dudes (Mark is MIA) are getting together this week to talk about the next album - writing and playing and stuff. If anything really awesome happens, well, we'll let you know how it goes.

I'm still looking for Mark. I suspect he's grown a handlebar moustache, and is wandering about the country side doing odd jobs for bowls of soup. If you know that there is any truth to this, please let us know at the guestbook. We're oh so worried...

NEWS: March 18

Hey Hey, Bagelfans. I realized it has been a really long time since the last update, so I'd drop a quick hello.

HELLO!

...And just to keep all you guys in the loop, here are some things to be looking out for:
...Mark has been performing with several experimental performance groups around Buffalo. If you are a Buffalo native, look for Mark in the ARTVOICE listings, or anyplace else where you might find experimental music...
...Ben has been looking to complile his solo accoustic tunes into something resembling an album. He'll probably be doing some work on that this Spring/Early Summer, and he might work to make it available to more than just his immediate friends...
...Mike has been focusing attention on a solo project of his own, taking some cues from Thursday and the Desaparacidos. No word on whether the unrecorded songs written for last year's release will ever be completed. Also, he is heavily weighing the possibility of creating a little record label on which to release and promote music made by his musician friends...
...Aaron is in school, and is a cool guy, but you already knew that...

But don't fret, Loyal BGL kids, we haven't forgotten you. Coming up soon, the Ben Flash feature from the School of the Arts newspaper will be transcribed for your reading pleasure. Also, Ben Flash and his Boyish Good Looks are looking to get together for some writing and arranging pretty soon. You'll hear the results on the "Adventures" album, which we hope to release in Summer 2003.

But for now, just sit back, revisit, "Kids Find the Boot Buried in the Trash," and think about how much you miss your summer friends.

...Oh, and if anybody has any information concerning the whereabouts of Mark Karwan, please alert the guestbook!

NEWS: February 23

Here at Boyish Good Looks Headquarters, ('Bagel Hut' for short) we've recieved a letter from a derranged fan. Following are the contents of said letter:

To my Disgraceful Boyish Good Looks:

Ever since you played "Love Shack," making your world debut, at the end of Summer 1999, I was hooked. The amazing lyrics, the vivacious delivery, the cunning wit. It was everything I've always searched for on the radio, but have never been able to find. If anyone could, Ben Flash and his Boyish Good Looks could make me feel complete. Well, you guys or Train. But I was right about BGL.

You returned the next summer with a new batch of opuses, and a new found maturity. Whereas your cover songs fulfilled a youthful need within me that no one else could, the new songs reached me in ways that I had never even felt before. I had once doubted that I ever would fall in love, but suddenly, I was infatuated with each and every one of you. Especially dude long-hair, who wasn't even around.

As Summer 2000 neared its end, I was heart broken. I saw your group perform four times over the course of two months, but it wasn't enough. How would I survive an entire year without seeing your beautiful faces? To my delight, someone clued me in to the Boyish Good Looks Website. It was less sophisticated at the time, but that was all right. I had pictures of my gorgeous fresh fellows to sustain me until the next summer. Well, there was only one picture at the time, but the new ones were on their way!

Over the year, I watched your site and your band grow to new heights. Every month, I would enjoy a new installment in the Ben Flash letter series, and there were new song lyrics, interpretations and updates all the time. Best of all, there was talk of an album! Recording was finished by May, and I was sure that by the time I saw you again next summer, it would be pressed and available for me to buy.

But then the problems started. I watched as you guys disbanded on stage during a show, and I was so upset I had to go home and cry for days. I heard you reformed at the end of the week, but your arguing really damaged my angelic perception of the Boyish Good Looks. To make things worse, there were delays in the making of the record, and it was only available at the special Autumn event which I could not attend. By the time December rolled around, everybody seemed to have a copy of the "Kids" album but me, and Ben owed me four open letters. I hated you all for having loved you so much. You were still a million times cooler than Train, but that's beside the point. Who names their band after a train anyway? It's a plain stupid idea.

At the start of the new year, I resolved to never think of Ben Flash and his Boyish Good Looks ever again. This only lasted for about four hours. I logged on to the Ben Flash and his Boyish Good Looks Website at 4:08am on January 1st to find a new and relieving bit of news. You, the men of my dreams were planning to play a show on February 2nd, and you promised to make CDs available! This would be my big chance to find myself again, and to own a copy of the greatest music imaginable. My mom promised to get me to the show by 1:00, when you were set to go on.

When I climbed out of bed that Saturday morning, I found a note on the kitchen table: Went to Groundhog's Day Breakfast, be back by one to pick you up. -Love, Mom. I panicked. How could my Mom have screwed up such an important event in my life??? It was 9am, and the show was a 50 minute drive away. I put on my sneakers and began running hopelessly along the 390 expressway.

By the time I arrived, I was exhausted, covered with mud, near-deaf from the expressway traffic, and it was long dark outside. The last band to play that day, the Marla Singer Affair, was packing up after their set. You were long gone. I missed the show, I missed the CDs, I missed my livelihood. I could blame my mom, but I have to live with my mom. Instead I choose to blame you. I hate you. I will dance on your graves someday. Expect to see some dead animals arriving in the mail.

See you at the Train concert, you scum of the Earth.
Veronica, Age 11

Veronica,
Too bad you missed the show. Check out some pictures from the day at the Tibet Show Photo Page.

Happy Trails,
Ben Flash and his Boyish Good Looks