Bedlam
Bedlam was born out of boredom and angst from the working class suburb of Union, NJ in very late 1982. Their first show very close to the holidays that year at a theatre in Newark,NJ supporting The FU’s from Boston MA.
March of 1983 Bedlam recorded a demo tape and played many shows that ADRENALIN O.D. got them.Later in the year the band wanted to add another guitar player and added Tom Koprowski whom had just left Mourning Noise . Tommy fit right in ; learned the songs , wrote a few new ones and Bedlam went into the studio in December of 1983 to record the first full length Buy Our Records release, the self titled Bedlam. With that being the second release under the Buy Our name financed by James who decided to make it a record label in the continued D.I.Y. spirit. Bedlam tagged along with AOD and played shows thru NJ, NY and CT. Stephen left the band briefly moving to San Jose for a few months ingesting too much Rice a Roni and hallucinogenic but rejoined the band in a whirlwind of guitar feedback…..
The band chugged along playing gigs and eventually going back into the studio some time in 1985.They had friends of friends who had connections with the state of the art recording facility in the woods and hills of West Orange New Jersey. Located on Pleasant Valley Way (the one based on the Monkees song “Pleasant Valley Sunday” ). The House Of Music a studio where Kool & the Gang, Meatloaf , Patti Smith , Joe Cocker ,to name a few….and now Bedlam! Recorded in May of 1985 this 7 song ep released in 1986.
In early 87 as Bedlam was getting ready to record their next record that would of been the songs included on the Beer City reissue as “live” versions , the band broke up at a rehearsal and it is all 100% captured (and on that reissue) … before the reality bullshit world that we live in today.
After that Bedlam was put to sleep …. Until a short stint of shows in the 2000’s with Jack And Paul of Adrenalin OD … it couldn’t be done without them.
2021 will bring the reissue ‘Bedlam -Final Bedlam – Millennium Edition LP ‘ on Beer City. Some shows may take place in the future. Only time will tell and the BEDLAM will always continue!
