The Real Kids

Before punk gained widespread traction across America courtesy of the Ramones' first LP, several early-'70s outfits fused the drive of 1950s rock, the melodic craft of the British Invasion, and the surly demeanor associated with acts like the Stooges. The Real Kids embodied that combination in Boston, where John Felice led the group through a turbulent early decade that culminated in a 1977 album followed by an immediate breakup. Felice persisted nonetheless, first with the Taxi Boys and later by reviving the Real Kids, whose limited commercial footprint belied a lasting stylistic impact that resurfaced in numerous 2010s bands.

Felice launched his own path after serving as teenage bassist for the Modern Lovers, departing in 1972 to establish the Kids alongside bassist Rick Coraccio, guitarist Steve Davidson, and drummer Norman Bloom. Their local reputation grew from sharp original material, vigorous live sets, and high-energy interpretations of classic rock & roll numbers, turning the band into a Boston fixture. Hometown acclaim failed to secure a contract, however, so the rechristened Real Kids—now featuring Felice, guitarist Billy Borgioli, bassist Allen "Alpo" Paulino, and drummer Howie Ferguson—finally entered the studio in 1977 under producer Marty Thau for a Red Star release that mixed Felice compositions with amplified oldies.

Although the self-titled LP later earned recognition as a notable East Coast punk artifact, scant sales prompted the musicians to scale back their goals at the time. Felice took a road-crew position with the Ramones, then assembled the Taxi Boys in Boston with guitarist Scott Parmenter, bassist Billy Cole, and drummer Bobby McNabb; the two subsequent releases—an EP and a single—retained the earlier sound. When Alpo returned on bass the group resumed the Real Kids name, cut Outta Place in Boston with Andy Paley producing and Bobby Morin on drums, and issued the slightly polished result on Red Star before relocating to France, where audience interest proved stronger. There they recorded Hit You Hard, issued by New Rose in 1983.

Alpo and Borgioli soon exited to launch the Primitive Souls, prompting another dissolution. Felice formed John Felice & the Lowdowns, releasing Nothing Pretty on Ace of Hearts in 1987. A reunion of the Real Kids followed, yielding concerts through 1988–1989 highlighted by a notable New Year's performance in New York City. Activity ceased afterward until Norton Records reissued the 1978 album in 1991, initiating an extended reissue program that introduced the catalog to fresh listeners. In the mid-'90s Felice assembled the Devotions, whose 1996 album produced by Steve Wynn remained unreleased until 2010, though the band did issue the EP Make It Go Away in 1999 before another Real Kids reformation intervened. The reconstituted lineup, absent bassist Alpo who had died in 2006, tracked new Felice songs and previously unissued older material for the 2014 Ace of Hearts album Shake...Outta Control, a characteristically forceful yet melodic rock & roll statement confirming the group's enduring vitality. Post-release shows led to discussions of further recording until Borgioli's death in 2015 paused those plans; the band next appeared in 2018 when Crypt Records issued the compilation The Kids November 1974 Demos/The Real Kids 1977 Demos/Live at the Rat.