The Amplifier Heads blast off in the ‘They Came To Rock’ music video
Sal Baglio and Barrence Whitfield race across a rock and roll galaxy in a new visual for Norty Cohen’s alien rock opera on Tuesday, April 30
NOW PLAYING: Watch the ‘They Came To Rock’ video on YouTube
‘Songs From They Came To Rock’ now out on vinyl, CD, and digital on Rum Bar Records
BOSTON, Mass. [April 30, 2024] -- Who are they, and what do they want? That’s a loaded question no matter the topic, but when it comes to aliens and why they’ve visited us here on Earth, the answer is relatively simple – They Came To Rock.
And rock they have, as executive producer Norty Cohen’s immersive rock opera about an alien invasion and its undeniable connection to rock and roll gets the proper soundtrack treatment courtesy of The Amplifier Heads. The project of Boston music scene icon Sal Baglio unleashed Songs From They Came To Rock, a masterclass in extra-terrestrial rock and roll with sound that spans decades, earlier this month via Rum Bar Records on vinyl, compact disc, and digital.
First debuting in Nashville three years ago and receiving praise from Rolling Stone, Cohen’s theatrical production of They Came To Rock details a story about friendly little green men coming to Earth – which they call The Vinyl Frontier – in search of the type of music heard through static and noise on their radio.
“The term rock opera has come to mean different things to anyone's interpretation,” Baglio says. “There is a lyrical and musical line that follows through the record. Some fantasy, some fact. It is a musical speed rocket trip and the seat belt sign is off!”
The soundtrack’s barnstorming title track, “They Came To Rock,” featuring Barrence Whitfield was premiered in February by Spill Magazine. And now it gets the proper music video treatment, as the Harry McCoy-directed, David Kennedy-edited, Cohen-written visual finds Baglio and Whitfield racing across a rock and roll galaxy as aliens bring rock and roll to planet Earth.
“The video is an homage to Ancient Aliens and the never-ending search for ‘Who are they and what do they want?’,” says Cohen. “Clearly, the only rationale that we can agree on is that they clearly heard our radios, got the signal and came here to experience the fun and feel of turning up the amps and cranking out a back beat. They came to rock. That's all there is to it.”
The music video was filmed at The Cut in Gloucester, the new northeast Massachusetts music venue that hosts the Songs From They Came To Rock vinyl release party, part of Barrence Whitfield & Sal Baglio’s Giant Rocket Roll Show, on Saturday, June 15. In addition to Baglio and Whitfield, alongside historical footage of UFOs and alien invasions, the clip also features “They Came To Rock” players Brad Hallen (bass) and Kevin Rapillo (drums and percussion).
“I prefer making records, however we had an absolute BLAST and lots of laughs filming the green screen segments,” admits Baglio. “It was like the rock and roll Three Stooges!”
Written and produced by Baglio, who also performs guitar, mellotron, glockenspiel, and backing vocals, “They Came To Rock” features the aforementioned Hallen and Rapillo as well as Samantha Goddess on vocals; Tom West on piano; Henley Douglas Jr. on baritone sax; and David Bryce on theremin. But it’s Whitfield who helps take it across the galaxy and back again, hurling through his vocals like a man possessed.
“Songs From They Came To Rock is a soundtrack record and I felt that it should have different voices besides my own for various tracks,” Baglio adds. “Barrence Whitfield was the only artist I thought of for singing the title track. Barrence is a brilliant instinctual artist and his interpretation of the song kicked it up and out of this stratosphere.”
Whitfield is not alone in joining forces with Baglio on the record, who rounded up some notable players to help tell the story of how the invention of rock and roll sent out guitar signals through the galaxy – drawing those spacemen into our own orbit. Also appearing on Songs From They Came To Rock are Jen D’Angora, Dan Kopko, Dave Mattacks, and others.
“Songs From They Came To Rock is very different from all of my previous Amplifier Heads records which are essentially recorded solo with the assistance of one or two other musicians,” says Baglio. “With it being a soundtrack, I chose to work with many good friends which gives the record an entirely varied and different sound than anything prior.”
And it sounds different from song-to-song. With 10 original compositions held together by eight transmissions, pulling historical news and radio broadcasts on alien sightings over the past several decades, the 18 tracks on Songs From They Came To Rock draw from a history of American rock and roll.
There’s Whitfield declaring arrival with a soul dynamo fever on the title track; D’Angora shaking out a ‘60s retro-pop bop in “Something Went Down,” about the most famous UFO event in England's history, taking places at Rendlesham Forest on Christmas 1980; and a ‘70s psych-glam transmission through “Bienvenue” and Kopko’s “Dead Star.” Early single “Space Cadette,” a riff-rocking shaker that landed in 2022 and received heavy airplay and attention on Little Steven’s Underground Garage on SiriusXM, details Betty and Barney Hill’s 1961 encounter of a UFO on a deserted highway in New Hampshire.
Some of the tracks penned by Balgio ended up on his 2021 Amplifier Heads’ record SaturnalienS – but the ones destined for the theatrical stage helped bring Cohen’s sonic vision to life.
“After Norty Cohen explained his concept, the first song that I wrote was the title track,” Baglio says. “I continued writing songs with the theme of space, aliens, alienation and rock and roll. I merged fact with fantasy along with a personal take on the story line. I was given the idea that aliens heard radio signals from Earth and came here in search of the source of rock and roll.”
Cohen provided a list of historical incidents and situations of alien sightings and interactions, like the Betty and Barney Hill abduction, and Baglio not only referenced those stories, but augmented them outward to include what others may have thought of their adventure. The ‘60s girl group-themed ballad “That Girl Betty” taps into that approach, bringing more varied storylines into the mix.
And while Cohen aims to bring They Came To Rock back to the stage for a theatrical run sometime in the near future, Baglio is set to perform some of these songs live at a pair of upcoming live dates in addition to the June show at The Cut, including a free solo show May 10 at the Menino Arts Center in Hyde Park, and the return of Barrence Whitfield & Sal Baglio’s Giant Rocket Roll Show at The Bull Run in Shirley on August 9.
Future plans for the Songs From They Came To Rock soundtrack could include more live shows, bringing this rocking and rolling alien adventure to the masses. After the successful launch in Nashville, and now Boston acting as ground-zero for the music of this space odyssey, it only makes sense to take things national.
"Whatever the aliens are thinking,” Cohen adds, “rock and roll has a song for it.”
‘Songs From They Came To Rock’ production credits:
Words and music by Salvatore Baglio
“Something Went Down” written by Renee Wahl & William F Maier (BMI)
“They Heard My Radio” written by Dave Coleman (SESAC)
Produced by Sal Baglio
Words & Music Salvatore Baglio (ASCAP) © ℗ 2024 Sunset on Mars Publishing (ASCAP)
Recorded and mixed by Warren Babson at Bang-A-Song Studios in Gloucester, MA
Except “Space Cadette” mixed by Ducky Carlisle Ice Station Zebra in Medford, MA
Mastered by Jonathan Wyner at M-Works Mastering Studios in Somerville, MA
Artwork by Sarah Downen
Executive Producer Norty Cohen
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Appearing on ‘Songs From They Came To Rock’:
Vocalists: Barrence Whitfield, Sal Baglio, Jen D’Angora, Dan Kopko, Allen Estes, Samantha Goddess
Guitars: Sal Baglio
Bass: Sal Baglio, Brad Hallen, Jamie Rubin
Drums and percussion: Dave Mattacks, Kevin Raplillo
Keyboards: Sal Baglio, Tom West, Richard Hilton
Sax: Henley Douglas Jr
Theremin: David Bryce
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‘Songs From They Came To Rock’ artwork:
Media praise for ‘They Came To Rock’:
“Songs From They Came To Rock, the fifth album by The Amplifier Heads, is the most essential soundtrack album to be released in a good while… The concept for the story is the stuff of genius: in 1947, the birth of rock and roll brought aliens to our planet in search of these wondrous sounds they were picking up on their radios… Songs From They Came To Rock can stand alone as a great spacey garage rock album and companion piece to The Amplifier Heads' third album SaturnalienS. On another level, you might find yourself getting lost in the story and eagerly awaiting a revival of the theatrical production.” _Faster & Louder
“East Boston-bred Sal Baglio has been a leading light of the Boston rock scene ever since he formed The Stompers in the late 1970s. More recently, he’s been penning songs from a rock opera about rock ‘n’ roll aliens. The piece has been performed in Nashville and now has been put on wax by a cast that also includes Boston musical luminaries Jen D’Angora, Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks, and screamer supreme Barrence Whitfield. Let’s hope this most fun extraterrestrial affair gets mounted on a Boston stage in the near future.” _WBUR, Boston’s NPR, Spring Music Preview
“What I love about albums like Songs From They Came To Rock is that they are either going to annoy you or float your boat but for me it was the latter category and had me on that cruiser out at sea. It had a cosmic, galactic almost other-worldly charm about it and runs at around the thirty minute mark so won`t overtake your life to any significant degree.” _Maximum Volume Music
“Songs From They Came To Rock is an intergalactic musical experience that you can’t afford to miss.” _The Whole Kameese
“Is there a genre called ‘extra-terrestrial rock’? If so, Sal Baglio has mastered it. The Amplifier Heads’ latest release, They Came to Rock, was created as a soundtrack to a rock opera about an alien invasion. It’s a trip through space and time – emphasis on trip. And it’s outta this world good.” _Power Pop News
“Barrence Whitfield steals the show on Sal Baglio’s Amplifier Heads’ release ‘They Came To Rock’. This is from a live rock opera that played in Nashville a few years ago. Aliens come to earth to find out who are these people making this ‘rock music’? The song is stamped with that Barrence vocal that is hard to deny…” _Boston Groupie News
“Wham bam bloody wham bam. Move your furniture, put on your blue suede shoes and get ready to go out off your head on this riff-roaring retro rocker. Boogie woogie yourself around and around, turn up the horns, play air guitar and sing your lungs out. Get my drift? Now open your windows and doors and let the neighborhood go bonkers too. Hells bells. Hallelujah. Rock ‘n’ roll is here to stay.” _Turn Up The Volume
“The Amplifier Heads have a new album due next month that’s also a rock opera about an alien invasion. The first single sees the Boston band join forces with Barrence Whitfield, so we simply can’t resist this one. ‘They Came to Rock’ is a groovy and swinging garage rock song that is going to work for anyone that enjoys music that is just fun. And that’s what this song is. Any song called ‘They Came to Rock’ better be fun, and The Amplifier Heads break out the horns to insure that. Plus, Whitfield might be the most underappreciated vocalist in all of Boston. The man has a truly powerful voice that is just meant to provide a good time. This might be the best pairing in all of the Boston music scene this year.” _If It’s Too Loud
Media praise for The Amplifier Heads:
“It has five of the five elements I look for in music, not unlike my five essential audio/video food groups. Those include Blondes, Martians, hooks, melodies and Willie & the Hand Jive, among others. Baglio barada nikto!” _Bill Kelly’s Blackhole Bandstand in Little Steven’s Underground Garage
“Set your phasers to stun and crank this one up. Loud. Repeatedly.” _The Secret Weapon Radio Show, Woody Radio
“Sal Baglio and Jen D'Angora have been involved in some of the best Boston bands from back in the day as well as the present. That's the great thing about it, they both continue to be active in the ‘scene’ and crank out fantastic music!! It's only fitting that Sal and Jen get together on this newest hit single by The Amplifier Heads called “Something Went Down!’” _Rising with Skybar, WFMO Radio
“Always great news concerning any developments with The Amplifier Heads. It’s a spaced out sonic spectacular with an outta this world sax supernova! Love Jen’s vocals!” _Rock Never Rusts
“As a singer, guitarist and composer, Sal Baglio has touched all the bases that have rounded out a successful musical career. But with his recent work as a solo artist, Baglio embarks upon a new path that looks backward in the most delightful way. Baglio's music and solo performances dial up a past that is easily imagined in a less-distracted age where music bursts boldly out of a car's AM radio on a summer drive or floats in the imagination of a young solitary artist learning to strum his first guitar.”_Frank Conte, Editor and Publisher, EastBoston.com
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