Another rerun from the BHT haunted vault.
Back in the early 1980s, Bohemia’s high-energy approach, led by charismatic lead vocalist/keyboards player Carla Evonne, prompted a Chicago daily newspaper critic to proclaim the band was every bit as good as X from Los Angeles. Following the release of a self-titled, three-song 10 inch EP in 1980, Bohemia struck again a year later with their impressive debut LP, Deviations. Among the energetic and offbeat highlights were “Plastic Doll,” “Standard Deviations,” “Empty Room,” and “Dr. Werner.”
“Hydrogenic” was a punk rock masterpiece, offering a girl meets mutant love story with an underlying jab at the perils of nuclear energy. Bass player Zirbel’s revved-up playing leads an extended instrumental intro before Carla Evonne sets the romantic tale in motion. “Since I met you baby/I haven’t been the same/You hit me like an H-bomb and now I hardly know my name.”
Even though her boyfriend’s appearance has been drastically changed by exposure to massive doses of radiation, the woman’s devotion is unwavering. “Momma says you’re different/With your long green hair/You got webs between your fingers/But I don’t even care.” Additional lyrics such “I can see you glowing in the dark/In my life you really caused a spark” are punctuated by an overjoyed chorus of, “Ooh, our love is new/Our love is new . . . nuclear.” It’s a protest song you can pogo to.
Sadly, Bohemia never found the fame and fortune it deserved, although the band did go on to release a few more recordings on its own label. On a personal note, Bohemia was the inspiration for a novel I based on Chicago's punk scene in the 1980s. It's been through several rewrites over the decades, but I'm convinced the latest version just needs a few edits and it will be ready for another round of submissions to independent publishers and literary agents.
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