1. The… Read Full Bio ↴There are several bands that go by the name of The Atlantics.
1. The Atlantics were an Australian surf rock band in the early 1960s and arguably Australia's most successful of the genre. Most well-known for their classic hit, "Bombora", their later recordings such as "Come On" are examples of 1960s garage rock. They were the first Australian rock band to write their own hits. In 2000 the group reformed with three of the original members, and they are still actively releasing new material and performing live.
2. The American powerpop band was formed in January 1976 by guitarist Tom Hauck and bass player Bruce Wilkinson, who were two students at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, just outside Boston. Erik Lindgren, a mutual friend, introduced them to drummer Boby Bear and lead guitarist Jeff Lock. To complete the lineup Bruce recruited singer Bobby Marron, a friend from his hometown in New Jersey. The Atlantics played their first gigs in the spring of 1976 at The Rat in Kenmore Square and at a concert at Tufts University with Willy Alexander and Foxpass. In May of 1976 they scored the opening slot for the Ramones, who were playing two nights at The Club in Central Square. It was one of the Ramones’ first Boston appearances, and the shows helped establish the Atlantics as one of the leaders of the emerging punk/new wave movement in Boston.
The band made their first trips to New York in the summer of 1976, playing at CBGB and Max's Kansas City. At Max's they met their first manager, Fred Munao. The following spring Ray Boy Fernandes replaced Boby Bear on drums. In the summer of 1977 the band recorded its first independent 45 on Jukebox Records, “When You're Young” by B Wilkinson, backed with “Where Would I Be Without Your Love,” by Jeff Lock. A thousand copies were pressed but never released, and the single is now considered a collector’s item.
In the spring of 1978 Jeff Lock left the band and was replaced by Fred Pineau. Fred Munao got the band signed to ABC Records that summer, and in December the Atlantics recorded their album “Big City Rock” at the Hit Factory in New York. Producer John Stronach vowed to make the band “the Eagles of the new wave,” but even before the record was finished the group realized that their Los Angeles producer did not share the band’s more contemporary East Coast viewpoint.
The record was ready in March, 1979, but a few weeks before the release ABC Records was unceremoniously sold to MCA Records. Consequently, some copies of ”Big City Rock” carried the ABC Records label, while later copies carried the MCA label. Their new label was notoriously adverse to punk and new wave, and made little effort to promote the group. The company, together with Premier Talent, put the Atlantics on tour with Roxy Music, but the record was not supported. The single “One Last Night” by Bruce Wilkinson received limited airplay, and the album, despite a glowing review in Rolling Stone, did not sell. By July, 1979 the band was back in Boston. MCA had dropped them like a hot potato, and drummer Ray Boy Fernandes had left.
Later that summer Paul Caruso joined the group as drummer, and the band came back in 1980 with what was to become one of New England's biggest indy singles, “Lonelyhearts,” by Tom Hauck, the flip side to “Can't Wait Forever,” a Motown-flavored song by Bruce Wilkinson. “Lonelyhearts,” a hard-driving dance tune, was originally the b-side because it was deemed by management to be too fast and too loud for mainstream radio. First played by Carter Alan on WBCN, “Lonelyhearts” rocketed to the top of radio and dance charts and stayed for months, and can still be heard on Boston radio stations including WFNX over twenty years later. “Lonelyhearts” had huge crossover appeal, and as a result the Atlantics appeared with such diverse artists as Prince (at the Metro in Boston on St. Patrick's Day, 1981), Foreigner (at the Cape Cod Coliseum), and Alice Cooper (at the Fitchburg Auditorium).
Unfortunately, the recording of “Lonelyhearts” deepened the growing division between Fred Munao and the band, and just before the single was released the band split from Munao. The timing was not good, because the band lost momentum until they joined up with Steve Paul and Teddy Slatus, who managed Johnny Winter and David Johansen. During the next two years the Atlantics released a few more songs on tape to Boston radio stations, including “Pop Shivers” and “Weekend.” The latter became a staple on WBCN, being played dutifully every Friday at lunchtime by DJ Ken Shelton.
Despite the band's ferocious live show and extensive regional radio play, by 1983 they still had not gained acceptance from the mainstream music industry. In June 1983 the band played their final show at the Channel in Boston. Tom Hauck and Bruce Wilkinson went on to form Ball and Pivot, Bobby Marron did a stint in Cut 299, and Fred Pineau worked as a producer with singer John Warren, and has since continued to perform in Boston-area rock bands. Paul Caruso opened a CD production company, Boston Disc, and later became the studio head for Aerosmith’s Joe Perry.
Bruce Wilkinson died in October, 2000 at his home in Florida. Paul Caruso passed away in May, 2006.
In September 2006 the surviving members (Fred Pineau, Tom Hauck and Bobby Marron) released “ATLANTICS,” a 13-track CD of archival recordings dating from 1979 to 1982.
When the band broke up in 1983, these tapes—mostly cassettes with a few ¼” safety masters—had been put into a storage for over 20 years. After Bruce Wilkinson died in 2000, Bobby, Tom, Paul and Fred got together and started planning a release. The band recovered the tapes, and Paul Caruso took the tapes for restoration and conversion to digital format. He produced 13 tracks at his studio in Kingston, and had just completed the job when he suddenly passed away in May, 2006.
The tracks on “ATLANTICS” are untouched, archival studio recordings from 1979-1982, with no contemporary overdubs. A few are 24 track recordings from Syncro Sound, while others are 16 track or even live-to-2-track recordings, probably from Downtown Recorders.
Weekend
The Atlantics Lyrics
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Then sing at a different pace
That way it's hard to feel a thing
And your mind isn't racing
Who are you
Who are you
Each lyric laid in perfect place
To help guide the way
Out of the mess you've made
So who are you
Who are you
Who are you
Who are you
And everything I ever knew will come down
Crashing to the floor
And with every metaphor I try to write out
There is still much more
That cannot be explained
God severed everything that I loved
He took back what he gave
It's time for me to reap what I've sown
Come down now
Come down now
Come down now
Come down now
The Atlantics's song "Weekend" is a reflective and introspective piece, featuring lyrics that explore the aftermath of difficult times and the struggle to move on. The opening lines, "Make the song tough to play, then sing at a different pace, that way it's hard to feel a thing and your mind isn't racing," suggest that the singer is trying to distract themselves from their pain by immersing themselves in music. By making the song more challenging and singing it at a slower pace, they can focus on the technicalities of the music and avoid confronting their emotions.
The repeated question "Who are you" serves as a plea for self-discovery and understanding. The lyric "Each line divides the pain, each lyric laid in perfect place, to help guide the way out of the mess you've made" suggests that the singer is actively trying to navigate their way out of their difficult situation through their art. However, the next lines indicate that they are still struggling to make sense of their emotions and experiences.
The chorus, with its plea of "Come down now," seems to suggest a desire for some sort of resolution or closure. The final lines, "It's time for me to reap what I've sown," indicate that the singer acknowledges their role in the situation and is ready to accept the consequences of their actions. Overall, the song is a powerful exploration of personal growth and self-discovery.
Line by Line Meaning
Make the song tough to play
Intentionally make the song difficult to perform, physically and emotionally.
Then sing at a different pace
Sing the song in a way that is unique and varies from the norm.
That way it's hard to feel a thing
By making the song challenging to play and singing it differently, it's difficult to connect to the emotions within the lyrics.
And your mind isn't racing
With the pace and nature of the song, it's hard for your thoughts to race and overthink.
Who are you
Questioning one's identity and purpose.
Each line divides the pain
The lyrics in the song break up the pain and emotions felt by the writer.
Each lyric laid in perfect place
Every word in the song is strategically placed.
To help guide the way
The lyrics assist in finding a way out of turmoil and struggles.
Out of the mess you've made
Escaping from the difficult situations that have been created.
And everything I ever knew will come down
The artist's entire foundation of knowledge and understanding is being questioned and potentially destroyed.
Crashing to the floor
The destruction of previous knowledge is severe and sudden.
And with every metaphor I try to write out
The writer is attempting to convey the emotions felt through clever comparisons.
There is still much more
There is a vast depth of emotions that cannot be fully expressed through language.
That cannot be explained
Some emotions are beyond what can be summarized with words.
God severed everything that I loved
The singer is struggling with a traumatic experience and feels as though a higher power is responsible for their pain.
He took back what he gave
The writer believes they are being punished by a higher power for something out of their control.
It's time for me to reap what I've sown
The artist has come to terms with the consequences of their past actions and must face them.
Come down now
Urging a higher power, or someone of importance, to take action and make things right.
Come down now
Repeating the previous line to reinforce the need for intervention.
Come down now
Continuing to plead for help and guidance.
Come down now
Finalizing the plea for assistance.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Mark Ciaramitaro
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind