“Post Capitol. Post Compromise.” Annie Golden & THE SHIRTS Unleashed

Recorded at a moment of rupture and release, **Live feat. Annie Golden** captures THE SHIRTS at their most fearless. Post-Capitol and newly unrestrained, the band leans into risk, new songs, and raw New York energy. In this conversation, Annie Golden, along with bandmates Artie Lamonica and Bob Racioppo, looks back on that night, the scene that surrounded it, and how a long-hidden recording finally resurfaced.

It’s such a vivid, alive recording. Listening to it, I can’t help but imagine that night as a moment where everything came together, like you might have been completely on top of the world. I’m curious how that evening felt to you, from the inside.

Annie: That evening was indeed magical! The stars were aligned for us to soar! I see on the CD cover: “THE SHIRTS Unleashed!” How wonderful — I had not noticed that, Patrick, until just now after reading your questions.

My response to hearing those recordings was: I loved singing in that free way, with complete abandonment — just letting it rip! The players, too, commanding such controlled chaos and joy!

Again, to the CD cover banner describing what these recordings are: “Post Capitol. Post compromise!!!” Isn’t that glorious? “Pure NYC rock power!” You bet your ass! There was always such joy with THE SHIRTS’ performances.

Fortunately, the jubilation translates through these recordings!

The recording feels incredibly immediate, yet it stayed hidden for such a long time. How did those tapes manage to remain out of sight for all those years, and what led to them finally resurfacing?

Annie: I am so grateful that Artie Lamonica carried these recordings with him through his life journey, hoping to have them heard one day. Then, with his bride and ROME 56 bandmate Kathy Lamonica, and their relationship with record label TLAK, this dream became a reality for all THE SHIRTS original members. Who knew?!

It’s striking how much of the set consists of new material. Choosing to play mostly new songs live is a bold move. Was that a deliberate statement, or simply a reflection of where you were creatively at that moment?

Artie: We had a wealth of new material, and it seemed like a novel idea to perform a live album of new songs as opposed to live renditions of previous recordings.

Annie: New material was bursting from the band. The rug was pulled out from under us when Capitol dropped THE SHIRTS, but we carried on writing and playing and growing together as artists. These recordings are the evidence. The new material is proof positive of THE SHIRTS’ progress and promise!

The New York scene of that period is often heavily mythologized in hindsight. How did it actually influence you day to day as an artist while this performance was taking shape?

Bob: In terms of being influenced by the scene, as a bass player, hearing Tina Weymouth’s punchy style did affect me. The line I played on “The Story Goes” from THE SHIRTS’ first album provides some evidence of that, I think.

Artie: THE SHIRTS had definite prog-rock tendencies when we arrived at CBGB’s. Back in 1975, the bands that played there were not punk in the way the UK punk movement emerged a year or so later. My point being: the downtown vibe had less of a musical impact on us and more of a cultural one. Any musical morphing came from within THE SHIRTS themselves.

Here in the Netherlands, “Tell Me Your Plans” had a life of its own. With hindsight, “Don’t Say Forever” feels like it might have extended that moment. How do you look back on those songs now, in terms of what could or couldn’t have happened?

Artie: THE SHIRTS were polystylistic — we just didn’t do one style. Musically, we pushed the envelope in a rock-pop way… but we didn’t do disco!!

[embed]