Biography
Peter Montgomery launched the Boston power pop outfit the Irresponsibles toward the end of the 1980s, taking the roles of lead vocalist, chief songwriter, and guitarist. The sharp-tongued yet hard-hitting group spent years honing its stage show in local venues, refining the distinctive material Montgomery supplied, until a pivotal accolade finally opened doors to wider recognition. Core membership has remained stable since the beginning: mutual friends introduced Montgomery to drummer Dan Rudack at the outset, while bassist Mark Nigro also joined as a founding member. The second-guitar and backing-vocal chair, however, has seen turnover, first occupied by Dave Thomas through the middle of the 1990s, briefly held by Paul Santo, and occupied since 2000 by Andrew Kuhn.
Montgomery has maintained steady output as a songwriter, occasionally sharing credits with Rudack or Santo. His memorable pop hooks combined with dry, self-effacing words produced a sound frequently at variance with prevailing trends in the Boston scene. Without major-label support, the musicians issued self-funded recordings to cultivate listeners and draw industry notice. Their debut collection, the thirteen-track Aggravator, appeared independently in 1992. Five Irresponsibles songs appeared on the 1995 fifteen-track various-artists set Snacks and Prizes, which Montgomery also produced. The following year brought the thirteen-song follow-up Big Orange.
A decisive break arrived late in 1996 when the band entered Musician Magazine’s Best Unsigned Band in the Country Competition. Judge Adrian Belew, renowned for his refined and perceptive approach to pop and rock and for earlier stints with Frank Zappa and King Crimson plus an established solo career, was sufficiently impressed to offer his services. The resulting sessions at Belew’s Nashville studio yielded the six-song EP Backwards Boy, issued in 1997 on his Adrian Belew Presents imprint. Six additional tracks from subsequent dates were appended to form the full-length When Pigs Fly. The Irresponsibles supported Belew on a thirty-two-state summer tour in 1999 and mounted their own southeastern states trek the ensuing winter, both runs expanding their national following. Additional opening slots included dates with the Del Fuegos and Emmy Lou Harris. In spring 2001 the group signed with the independent label Bad Amerikan. Montgomery later established the site www.reelsongs.com to pursue film and television placements for the band’s material.
Montgomery has maintained steady output as a songwriter, occasionally sharing credits with Rudack or Santo. His memorable pop hooks combined with dry, self-effacing words produced a sound frequently at variance with prevailing trends in the Boston scene. Without major-label support, the musicians issued self-funded recordings to cultivate listeners and draw industry notice. Their debut collection, the thirteen-track Aggravator, appeared independently in 1992. Five Irresponsibles songs appeared on the 1995 fifteen-track various-artists set Snacks and Prizes, which Montgomery also produced. The following year brought the thirteen-song follow-up Big Orange.
A decisive break arrived late in 1996 when the band entered Musician Magazine’s Best Unsigned Band in the Country Competition. Judge Adrian Belew, renowned for his refined and perceptive approach to pop and rock and for earlier stints with Frank Zappa and King Crimson plus an established solo career, was sufficiently impressed to offer his services. The resulting sessions at Belew’s Nashville studio yielded the six-song EP Backwards Boy, issued in 1997 on his Adrian Belew Presents imprint. Six additional tracks from subsequent dates were appended to form the full-length When Pigs Fly. The Irresponsibles supported Belew on a thirty-two-state summer tour in 1999 and mounted their own southeastern states trek the ensuing winter, both runs expanding their national following. Additional opening slots included dates with the Del Fuegos and Emmy Lou Harris. In spring 2001 the group signed with the independent label Bad Amerikan. Montgomery later established the site www.reelsongs.com to pursue film and television placements for the band’s material.
Albums
