Already Dead stand in punk rock solidarity with ‘Bread and Roses’
Massachusetts punk band reworks a traditional hymn from the Bread and Roses strike, set for release on Friday, September 1
Already Dead perform the song with collaborator Felipe Collazo at
Lawrence’s Bread & Roses Heritage Festival on September 4
BOSTON, MA [September 1, 2023] – Despite their band name, Already Dead are invested in everyone’s quality of life. Last year’s debut album My Collar Is Blue offered a raised glass to the working class, and now the Massachusetts punk band stands in solidarity with citizens across the country with a fiery reboot of the classic strike song “Bread and Roses.” The cover is set for release on Friday, September 1 – timed to arrive ahead of Labor Day weekend in America, and an appearance at the Bread and Roses Festival in Lawrence on September 4.
Dedicated to the women and children striking for better working conditions in the Massachusetts mill manufacturing city, “Bread and Roses” was first born as a poem and strike song in 1912, written by James Oppenheim with its title taken from a speech given by American women's suffrage activist Helen Todd. It has existed as a sign of solidarity and strength for the past century, and now is rebooted with proper punk rock fury as Already Dead teams with Bread and Roses festival producer Felipe Collazo on guest vocals, with the introductory verse provided by his sister, AnnMarie Collazo, a nod to the women who have stood on the frontlines for worker rights and equality for all.
Already Dead’s Dan Cummings has held the idea of giving “Bread and Roses” the punk-rock treatment for the past few years. But as working class issues dominate this summer’s news cycle, from the SAG-AFTRA strike in Hollywood to UPS workers strategically positioning for better wages, the time was right to ignite Already Dead’s take on the classic.
“It aligns with what I hope Already Dead projects as an ethos,” says Cummings, himself a Boston union pipefitter alongside Already Dead bassist and Boston union ironworker Brandon Bartlett. “And that’s standing up for yourself and for your fellow people and to fight for what is fair. In my opinion, there is evidence of that in all class struggles. I picked this song in particular because I have a personal tie to it – volunteering at the festival in the past – and also after learning about its significance. It is a song/poem that was a rally cry for a strike which is considered to be a real watershed moment in the Industrial Revolution and U.S. history.”
Cummings collaborated with Felipe Collazo on the cover after the latter confirmed that there hasn’t been a punk version of “Bread and Roses” to go alongside its various other renditions over the past several decades. The two lend their vocals to the track, with Cummings on guitar, delivering its impact after AnnMarie Collazo’s introductory hymnal verse over crackled vinyl to illustrate the history that comes with it. AnnMarie Collazo’s contribution is a vital one to Cummings, since the song and poem is written from the perspective of the women who were the driving force behind the strike.
Already Dead’s “Bread and Roses” was recorded at the Bridge Sound and Stage in Cambridge Massachusetts; engineered and mixed by longtime Already Dead co-conspirator Jimmy Corbett, and mastered by: Alex Allinson. It was co-produced by Cummings and Corbett, and features Bartlett on bass and Bobby Forand (The McGunks, Degenerates of Punk, Pint Killers) on drums.
“It felt pretty natural to give this a bit of punk rock treatment because the song already had a strong melody,” Cummings notes. “That is in the forefront, all that was added was some heavy power chords and a strong drumbeat to back it up. I’m a big fan of taking songs that were never meant to be punk and making them punk. Also, growing up on the Dropkicks Murphys, their first albums always had at least one old labor force hymnal turned to heavy punk. I think because punk is rooted in the basics it really opens up possibilities to do things like this.”
Cummings is excited to not only release the track, but to also play it live at the Bread and Roses festival on September 4, joining a lineup at Lawrence’s Campagnone Common that welcomes performances by Oompa, Bia Javier, Grace Givertz, the Bread and Puppet Theater, and others. “It is a real honor to play the opening ceremony; it feels like we are really a part of the festival and not just a featured act,” Cummings admits. “And after our work is done we get to enjoy the festival itself and all the great acts that are performing that day.”
And given the ongoing issues the working class is facing in 2023, from rising costs of living to stagnant wages to unfair treatment, “Bread and Roses,” all of its renditions and performances, is as vital as ever. The uprisings will continue until there is equality for all workers from coast to coast.
“History shows that times like these are not from working class people suddenly becoming greedy or lazy,” Cummings states. “They are born from income inequality at its most extreme, and when working and living conditions are just not sustainable – or even moral. If any particular workforce decides to strike, it means they were pushed to that point, where they will sacrifice their day-to-day comforts and wages in the moment for a better future.”
Cummings stops, pauses, and adds: “So when I hear about an uprising, I love to think of some rich CEO fat cat getting checked and disrupted from their daily luxuries, because the working people that keep whatever machine they profit off of moving, have finally had enough.”
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Already Dead is:
Daniel Cummings – Guitar and vocals
Brandon Bartlett – Bass
‘Bread and Roses’ production credits:
Recorded at the Bridge Sound and Stage in Cambridge MA
Engineered and mixed by Jimmy Corbett
Produced by Dan Cummings and Jimmy Corbett
Mastered by Alex Allinson
Visual Art by Mark Saffie @saffiedesign
Performing on ‘Bread and Roses’ are:
Brandon Bartlett: Bass guitar
AnnMarie Collazo: Vocals
Felipe Collazo: Vocals
Dan Cummings: Vocals and Guitars
Bobby Forand: Drums
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Already Dead short bio:
Punk rock… kinda. Already Dead are a three-piece band from north of Boston Massachusetts, composed of blue collar musicians that unequivocally support the middle class and the true builders and visionaries of every city and town. Before forming this band, the members of Already Dead were raised on punk, ska, and hardcore bands, and mix in other influences across a spectrum of genres to create a sound that’s entirely their own. Debut album My Collar is Blue was recorded at The Bridge Sound and Stage in Cambridge, Mass., and the seven-song sampler platter of punk – led by three singles in “Stability,” the title track, and “City’s Burnin’” – was released in October 2022, helping earn Already Dead a nomination for Punk Artist of the Year at the 2022 Boston Music Awards. A video for “My Collar Is Blue” dropped in November 2022, and the band kickstarted 2023 with a collaboration with BOS The Rapper titled “Don’t Wake Me” in April. They raise a glass to labor workers and unions across the country with a punk cover of “Bread & Roses,” set for September 1 release ahead of Labor Day weekend.
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Media praise for Already Dead:
“[‘Don’t Wake Up’] showcases hip-hop smarts, punk snarl, and dynamic synths and riffs blending together and creating a dynamic aural experience.” _New Noise Magazine
“Three- or four-chord progressions and chainsaw stompboxes rule the day on the bouncy, uptempo punk thriller. The trio romps n’ rolls their truth like a well-oiled machine. No fussy solos or curlicues to the sound – all killer, no filler.” _Hump Day News
“Boston’s Already Dead is the best kind of aural enigma. They’re along the lines of Against Me! or Dropkick Murphys with their anthem crafting ability and then you throw in a little bit of the more melodic NYHC of the ’90s à la Life Of Agony’s classic ‘River Runs Red’ plus some Bad Religion, some hip-hop, some ska, and some country twang and you have a local outfit that absolutely sounds like NO ONE in the scene today. _Rock And Roll Fables
“‘Stability’ is a fast and bouncily furious song with some killer shout-along choruses and that blue collar edge that only New England pop punk bands can truly pull off. It has all the anger a song needs to be punk, but it doesn't forget that you're supposed to have fun, too.” _If It’s Too Loud
“Holy smoke! This is a red-hot-boiling racecar exploding from the very first chord. A non-stop speedball stirred up by a merciless rhythm section, riff-insane guitars, and in-your-face vocals. At times, it feels as if this punked-up bolide is about to crash. I swear you will be out of breath after these 3 1/2 minutes of never-looking-back vociferousness. Already dead? Absolutely not! They’re a turbulent turbo.” _Turn Up The Volume
"If you are feeling nostalgic for VFW Hall shows and punk rock of the late 1990's then you are going to love this. It's totally in the vein of Big Wig, Rise Against, Bouncing Souls, although a little more polished even though the recording maintains all of the aesthetics of the analog age. Another BMN editor thought maybe a heavier Frank Turner or a good mix of Off With Their Heads and Hot Water Music. Big fun group vocals make this something you'd want to check out live!” _Blood Makes Noise
“Boston has a great history of blue collar punk, and the latest is Already Dead. The Stoughton based band has a new single out called "My Collar is Blue." This new song might go a little more pop punk than what you may typically consider working class Boston punk, but there is still a lot more edge here than you would typically find in a pop punk song. I suppose this would be the definition of melodic punk. Already Dead inject just the tiniest bit of a Celtic sound on this new one, and maybe just the slightest hint of a country twang. There is still some killer gang vocals and choruses on "My Collar is Blue," so even punk purists won't be able to avoid singing along.” _If It’s Too Loud
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Already Dead can be heard and found on Angel’s Indie Lounge on Belter Radio UK, Banks Radio Australia, Bay State Rock, Blood Makes Noise, Boston Groupie News, BumbleBee Radio, Christian's Cosmic Corner Radio show on Mark Skin Radio, Code Zero Radio, Digital Revolution Connecticut, Enigma Online, Everything You Know Is Wrong on WMWM Salem State, Good Music Radio, Hump Day News, If It’s Too Loud, Original Music Showcase and Marc’s Alt-Rock Playground on Mark Skin Radio, Moosic Entertainment, New Noise Magazine, Odyssey Radio Maryland, Punk Rock Demo, Punktastic’s The Pickup, Rhode Island Free Radio, Rising With Skybar on WMFO, Rock And Roll Fables, Steve Garnett’s New Music Radio on Revival Radio UK, Struggling Artist Podcast, Sunshine Music iRadio, That’s Good Enough For Me, The Bad Copy, Top Radio Network, Turn Up The Volume, Valley FM Australia, YFM Indie Radio, Your First Listen on KNNZ/Eardrum Buzz, and other fine shows, stations, and outlets.
