Dan's Papers - August 29, 2008

The Bogmen, quirky, '90s alternative rockers, may have broken up about 10 years ago, but over the past few years the group has treated fans - and themselves - to annual reunion shows in New York City.

This year, in addition to two December shows at the Nokia Theater, The Bogmen will also be playing at the Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett on August 29 and 30. "The band played at the Talkhouse years ago, before we ever signed to a label," said Brendan Ryan, who plays keyboard in the band and says members of the group stayed in touch with staff members at the Talkhouse over the years. "This was a fun part of The Bogmen days. These shows were always ones we looked forward to."

The Bogmen, with the core of the group hailing from Long Island (specifically Huntington and Smithtown) actually formed in Boston, where they all attended college. After steadily building a fan base in the northeast, especially in New York City, Boston and Providence, the group hired a manager, who set them up in a house in Lynbrook with a recording studio in the basement so they could write and record their songs.

Eventually, they attracted the attention of a major label - Clive Davis' Arista Records. "It took one to two years of touring, getting in a van and roughing it out and not having any money for gas to get on a major label," Ryan said. "But it paid off." Arista signed them for a two-record deal for $1 million.

As exciting as the move to Arista was for the young band, it also contributed, in part, to their undoing. Their first album, Life Begins at 40 Million, released in 1995 and anchored by the strength of its single "Suddenly," sold 50,000 copies, and the group opened for well-known acts like The Barenaked Ladies and Shane McGowan, lead singer of the Pogues. But relations between the band and the label soon fizzled, especially when the group opted for an edgier sound, not as accessible to a mainstream music audience, for their second album, 1998's Closed Captioned Radio.

"At first, of course, [being signed] was exciting," Ryan said. "But I think in the end it wasn't a very positive relationship or experience for us. The record label really did not have an alternative rock department. They were known for rap and country. We were the lost band. I don't think it was the right place for us."

Ryan says they got little support from the label, especially when it came to touring and radio play, which was "frustrating" and "depressing" for the group. At a time when MTV and powerful radio stations across the country decided which bands would be heard, The Bogmen never made the play list (though "Suddenly" did get some attention from radio and MTV). "It took its toll on the band," Ryan said.

Eventually, in 1999, The Bogmen broke up, partially because of the Arista debacle, partially because of creative differences. Since then, all members of the band have continued working in music, in various bands and other projects.

Then, in 2001, The Bogmen reunited under the most tragic of circumstances. Ryan's wife, Kristy, who worked at a non-profit organization, Secret Smiles, died in the 9/11 attacks. The band sprung to action, performing a series of benefit concerts for a charity, Kristy's Smile, started in her honor.

They didn't reunite again until 2006, but since then, the reunion concerts have become an annual affair. And in between, the group kept in touch, with various members sometimes playing together at small, local bars in Manhattan, such as Bar 9. The group has even been exchanging musical ideas lately. "There's a chance. We never say never," said Ryan, of the likelihood of the group getting together to release new material. "I think [the new ideas] are really good. We just all need to set some time aside so we could put out a record."

The Bogmen will be performing at The Stephen Talkhouse on August 29 at 9 p.m. and 30 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $45. For more information, go to www.thebogmen.com, www.myspace.com/thebogmen or www.stephentalkhouse.com.