Back in the 1980s and ’90s, bands would hold record release parties when their new LP became available. Those parties slowed down in the following decades. But on May 10, local Boston rocker Hilken Mancini is bringing back the fun with a record release party at Sonia in Cambridge for her new LP, “New and Notable.” The interview is slightly edited for clarity.
Henry Santoro: First, congrats on the new album and, like, everything you do. It’s a labor of love.
Hilken Mancini: It’s so true. This was because of the pandemic and having time at home, I was going to put a record out with Chris Colbourn a long time ago, Buffalo Tom. So, this was supposed to be like a second release for us. That’s why he’s on half the record. We were going in the studio and making it happen. And yeah, it is a labor of love. You just do it because you love it.
Santoro: It’s called the Hilken Mancini Band. Do you consider this a solo record? Because there’s rock royalty on this — there’s local and national rock royalty on this record that you were able to round up and bring in.
Mancini: Well yeah, the Buffalo Tom dudes, we did that because Chris Colbourn and I were going to put this out together. I was doing five songs, he was doing five songs, but then he got so busy. So, half of it is with Buffalo Tom.
Santoro: Well, you have Jen Trynin and Mary Lou Lord.
Mancini: Yes, well just from years of putting in time and having the people that are awesome supporting each other, I think that’s what this whole record and this party are about.
Santoro: Let’s say you’re on stage playing songs from your new record. What songs are you going to play for me that’s going to make me sign you? Pick two.
Mancini: “Ghost,” and maybe “Weight.”
Santoro: All right let’s hear a little “Ghost.” What is the backstory to that song?
Mancini: It’s just thoughts about people dying and moving on, and that their ghosts are present no matter what. That the dead keep living on. Kind of what we were talking about earlier, how the people that you love, you hear them live on in their art and in their music, and they always will.
Santoro: Yeah, thank God we have that.
Mancini: Yeah, exactly.
Santoro: This past February, you opened for J Mascis, Dinosaur Jr, at the Sinclair. How awesome was that?
Mancini: It’s great. J’s been a good friend. He always was. He took Fuzzy on tour in the ’90s. We’ve been friends with him forever. His wife, Louisa —
Santoro: And he’s so supportive of local musicians. And immensely talented.
Mancini: So talented, to the point where it’s genius. The music he comes up with and the solos — you know, you just don’t want to stop playing. He played with us at our show in Amherst at the Drake. He got on stage and played with us there.
Santoro: So, the record release party is May 10 at Sonia in Cambridge. How can folks get tickets and how can they get the LP?
Mancini: Well, I’ll have the LP there. And you can look it up with Bandcamp. But I will have vinyl at the show, and I’ll will sell T-shirts and fun stuff. Just look up Sonia in Cambridge.
