Forwarded from Regeneration Tattoo...
Mr.Butch (Harold Madison Jr.) Sept. 11, 1950 - July 12, 2007
Harold Madison Jr. better known as Mr. Butch Passed away today at Brigham and Women's Hospital after a tragic scooter accident. He had many friends and will be severely missed.
A memorial service will be held at 153 & 155 Harvard Ave (Ritual Arts and Regeneration Tattoo) in Allston on Monday July 16th.
All friends of Mr. Butch are welcome.
Thank you all,
Everyone at Regeneration Tattoo
Full Version: Mr. Butch R.I.P.
The people at Regeneration, Flyrabbit, and Ritual Arts did more for Mr. Butch than most folks will ever know. Only appropriate that he will get his send-off there, where he spent so much time and had so many people that cared about him.
As someone said in the open forum-- this is a loss to the city, not just to individuals. I hope the cops have to block off the street because of the turnout. If everyone who Butch ever made smile were ti show up, it would be total insanity. Just what he would have wanted.
Forwarded from Regeneration Tattoo...
Mr.Butch (Harold Madison Jr.) Sept. 11, 1950 - July 12, 2007
Harold Madison Jr. better known as Mr. Butch Passed away today at Brigham and Women's Hospital after a tragic scooter accident. He had many friends and will be severely missed.
A memorial service will be held at 153 & 155 Harvard Ave (Ritual Arts and Regeneration Tattoo) in Allston on Monday July 16th.
All friends of Mr. Butch are welcome.
Thank you all,
Everyone at Regeneration Tattoo
As someone said in the open forum-- this is a loss to the city, not just to individuals. I hope the cops have to block off the street because of the turnout. If everyone who Butch ever made smile were ti show up, it would be total insanity. Just what he would have wanted.
QUOTE(K 2 @ Jul 12 2007, 04:47 PM) 
Forwarded from Regeneration Tattoo...
Mr.Butch (Harold Madison Jr.) Sept. 11, 1950 - July 12, 2007
Harold Madison Jr. better known as Mr. Butch Passed away today at Brigham and Women's Hospital after a tragic scooter accident. He had many friends and will be severely missed.
A memorial service will be held at 153 & 155 Harvard Ave (Ritual Arts and Regeneration Tattoo) in Allston on Monday July 16th.
All friends of Mr. Butch are welcome.
Thank you all,
Everyone at Regeneration Tattoo
NOT...FUNNY!!.....GRRR..........
Nothing beats the time that dude was carrying a long wooden staff leading a bunch of tourists around Kenmore Square. I think he was acting as some sort of misguided tour guide. All the while the back of his jacket said in huge letters "THE VAGINA LAPPERS". Not sure how he gained their trust with that one.
QUOTE(tenebr8 @ Jul 12 2007, 05:06 PM)
The people at Regeneration, Flyrabbit, and Ritual Arts did more for Mr. Butch than most folks will ever know. Only appropriate that he will get his send-off there, where he spent so much time and had so many people that cared about him.
As someone said in the open forum-- this is a loss to the city, not just to individuals. I hope the cops have to block off the street because of the turnout. If everyone who Butch ever made smile were ti show up, it would be total insanity. Just what he would have wanted.
what time?
QUOTE(jonah @ Jul 12 2007, 05:30 PM)
what time?
Uncertain-- just talked to some folks tracked down Butch's family, so they are waiting to see what the family wants to do before making a plan.
my APOLOLY above didn't know........
DAMN IT!!!,he jut got that thing........
sad day indeed.
DAMN IT!!!,he jut got that thing........
sad day indeed.
QUOTE(green eggs&ham @ Jul 12 2007, 05:56 PM)
my APOLOLY above didn't know........
DAMN IT!!!,he jut got that thing........
sad day indeed.
Understood-- nobody wants to believe this, and there was a weird chunk of time there when people believed it wasn't true, which makes the reality even harder to deal with. I had to write an e-mail to a friend of Butch's who does not have a phone or at-home e-mail access-- he will get the news at the public library tomorrow. I would have preferred to cut off a finger than to have to write that e-mail.
R.I.P.
This post was left on my space from K2. But first, a quote from Mr. Butch's not quite successful gubernatorial campaign in 1986, as stated in the park on Comm Ave, "Everybody has something that some one else wants, and I'm going to give it to them." To this day I can't believe he didn't win. Here's the storry:
Allston, Mass. -
By Richard Cherecwich/Staff Writer
Allston / Brighton TAB
Thu Jul 12, 2007, 05:53 PM EDT
Mr. Butch, the charismatic, dread-locked, “honorary mayor of Allston,” died this morning after an accident on his motor scooter.
Mr. Butch, whose real name was Harold Madison Jr., was traveling inbound on Brighton Avenue on his scooter around 8 a.m. at a speed close to 50 miles per hour when he appeared to lose control of the vehicle, fly over the handlebars and strike a light pole,
witnesses told police. He was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He was 56.
As news of his death spread through the Allston Village neighborhood, friends remembered Mr. Butch as charismatic and friendly.
“That happiness was always there in him. That’s the only thing I ever saw of him,” said Toni Fanning, a friend of Butch who worked at Ritual Arts on Harvard Avenue. “I never knew him to be mean, I never knew him to be sad.”
Butch came into the public consciousness by hanging around the Kenmore Square area in the 1980s, playing guitar outside of the nightclub The Rathskellar (known as The Rat) and interacting with the local punkrockers who congregated there.
“We thought he was funny and he was awesome,” said Sue Jeiven, owner of Regeneration Tattoos on Harvard Avenue. Jeiven used to see Butch when she came to Boston on tour with rock bands. “Everyone was always psyched to see him,” she said.
In the late 1990s, he moved his base of operations to Allston, where he hung out near the intersection of Commonwealth and Harvard avenues, near businesses such as Marty’s Liquors.
“We kind of took care of Butch over here,” said Joe Hession, a manager at Marty’s. The store kept what Hession described as a “bank of Butch,” where the store would hold Butch’s money that he could withdraw as needed, a practice that many local businesses became involved in.
“People you would never have expected to take on a homeless man in any level were willing to help him,” said Fanning.
Butch, usually found wearing his trademark leather jacket, was beloved by the community. Local business owners helped him get social security and health insurance, and in the winter, they helped him buy a van so he would have a place to sleep.
“It’s sad. We lost a good guy,” said Rob Tybor, a manager at Marty’s. “Everyone in the neighborhood knew him. He was kind of the
figurehead of Allston.”
Butch, who got his nickname as a child, had recently purchased the scooter with money saved from his social security and panhandling.“We were really nervous,” said Jeiven, “but he’s a grown man and there was only so much we could do to make him not use it.”
A memorial service is planned for Monday night at 8:00, with a candlelight vigil beginning at Regeneration Tattoo, 155 Harvard Ave., and proceeding to Ringer Park.
Tybor and Hession said that they are setting up a memorial fund for a memorial plaque to go up in the intersection.
Allston, Mass. -
By Richard Cherecwich/Staff Writer
Allston / Brighton TAB
Thu Jul 12, 2007, 05:53 PM EDT
Mr. Butch, the charismatic, dread-locked, “honorary mayor of Allston,” died this morning after an accident on his motor scooter.
Mr. Butch, whose real name was Harold Madison Jr., was traveling inbound on Brighton Avenue on his scooter around 8 a.m. at a speed close to 50 miles per hour when he appeared to lose control of the vehicle, fly over the handlebars and strike a light pole,
witnesses told police. He was taken to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He was 56.
As news of his death spread through the Allston Village neighborhood, friends remembered Mr. Butch as charismatic and friendly.
“That happiness was always there in him. That’s the only thing I ever saw of him,” said Toni Fanning, a friend of Butch who worked at Ritual Arts on Harvard Avenue. “I never knew him to be mean, I never knew him to be sad.”
Butch came into the public consciousness by hanging around the Kenmore Square area in the 1980s, playing guitar outside of the nightclub The Rathskellar (known as The Rat) and interacting with the local punkrockers who congregated there.
“We thought he was funny and he was awesome,” said Sue Jeiven, owner of Regeneration Tattoos on Harvard Avenue. Jeiven used to see Butch when she came to Boston on tour with rock bands. “Everyone was always psyched to see him,” she said.
In the late 1990s, he moved his base of operations to Allston, where he hung out near the intersection of Commonwealth and Harvard avenues, near businesses such as Marty’s Liquors.
“We kind of took care of Butch over here,” said Joe Hession, a manager at Marty’s. The store kept what Hession described as a “bank of Butch,” where the store would hold Butch’s money that he could withdraw as needed, a practice that many local businesses became involved in.
“People you would never have expected to take on a homeless man in any level were willing to help him,” said Fanning.
Butch, usually found wearing his trademark leather jacket, was beloved by the community. Local business owners helped him get social security and health insurance, and in the winter, they helped him buy a van so he would have a place to sleep.
“It’s sad. We lost a good guy,” said Rob Tybor, a manager at Marty’s. “Everyone in the neighborhood knew him. He was kind of the
figurehead of Allston.”
Butch, who got his nickname as a child, had recently purchased the scooter with money saved from his social security and panhandling.“We were really nervous,” said Jeiven, “but he’s a grown man and there was only so much we could do to make him not use it.”
A memorial service is planned for Monday night at 8:00, with a candlelight vigil beginning at Regeneration Tattoo, 155 Harvard Ave., and proceeding to Ringer Park.
Tybor and Hession said that they are setting up a memorial fund for a memorial plaque to go up in the intersection.
Wow. It sucks to think that I'll never again be able to visit Boston and say, "Well, there's Mr. Butch. This place never changes."
Pretty damn sad. To those of you that were close with him, my condolences.
Pretty damn sad. To those of you that were close with him, my condolences.
Some facts about the life of Mr. Butch.
Born Harold Madison III in 1951(?), of Virginia Moore and Harold Madison Jr. One of seven brothers and sisters. A native of Worcester MA. Started playing a Harmony acoustic guitar at age 11. Began making frequent visits to Boston in 1972. Settled in Boston some time in 1976. Lived on Weselyn Avenue for five years. Lived on the streets since about 1981.
I first met him about 1981, when he was crashing at Billy Ruane's apartment in the Grolier building. He seemed intimidating at first, but once you got to know him you realized that he was an exceedingly gentle soul.
Gigged at venues such as Chets with his band the Holy Men in the Summer of 1983. The Holy Men were Zeus [Jack Harshman] (gtr), Odin [Bu Pol] (dr) and The Lord [Mr. Butch] (gtr., vc.)
His next band, The Mr. Butch Show, played such venues as the Rat in the Fall of 1988. The lineup was Jeff Morris, gtr.; Terrence Burke, Bass; Zoo (M.C.), and Mr. Butch (gtr./vc.)
Butch had a regular Saturday afternoon gig at the Middle East from August 19th of 1989 to Spring of 1990. Although he largely performed solo and told jokes, he had a house band accompanying him called The Mystery Band.
They were so-called because, initially, at least, they performed in masks. Mr. Butch would get up on stage in a white mask and a red cape (actually a tablecloth) and perform, calling himself "The Phantom". (The joke was, we weren't supposed to know it was Butch.) The Mystery Band, aka Kildevil Blues, was John Tangeman (gtr.); Ron Werdebaugh (bs); Jon Jonson aka J.J. (gtr.) and Rick (dr.)
Before each show, me and my future wife would invite Butch up to my apartment in the Longfellow over Hi-Fi Pizza where he would indulge in his usual pre-show intoxicants.
I last spoke to Butch in Allston, some time in the early 1990s. He asked me for some weed. I was very sorry to tell him I didn't have any.
Mr. Butch quotes:
I do art with all my heart.
All I want to do is drink my beer
Then I'm tellin' you I'm outta here.
Drink my beer and go away.
Officer, you have an excellent day.
I'm not seeing myself in any way but God. And I'm telling you the truth.
I am God almighty, the ruler of men
Truth, hate, and even disloyalty,
I am the one who invented sin.
I make the rain and fire,
I flood you with my sea.
If you don't like to pray to me,
I'll send you to hell, naturally.
A little fuzz or wah-wah is okay, but I don't need all those echo-chamber, multi-track reverb things.
As Mr. Butch will always say, have yourself an excellent day!
RIP Mr. Butch, The King of Kenmore Square.
Born Harold Madison III in 1951(?), of Virginia Moore and Harold Madison Jr. One of seven brothers and sisters. A native of Worcester MA. Started playing a Harmony acoustic guitar at age 11. Began making frequent visits to Boston in 1972. Settled in Boston some time in 1976. Lived on Weselyn Avenue for five years. Lived on the streets since about 1981.
I first met him about 1981, when he was crashing at Billy Ruane's apartment in the Grolier building. He seemed intimidating at first, but once you got to know him you realized that he was an exceedingly gentle soul.
Gigged at venues such as Chets with his band the Holy Men in the Summer of 1983. The Holy Men were Zeus [Jack Harshman] (gtr), Odin [Bu Pol] (dr) and The Lord [Mr. Butch] (gtr., vc.)
His next band, The Mr. Butch Show, played such venues as the Rat in the Fall of 1988. The lineup was Jeff Morris, gtr.; Terrence Burke, Bass; Zoo (M.C.), and Mr. Butch (gtr./vc.)
Butch had a regular Saturday afternoon gig at the Middle East from August 19th of 1989 to Spring of 1990. Although he largely performed solo and told jokes, he had a house band accompanying him called The Mystery Band.
They were so-called because, initially, at least, they performed in masks. Mr. Butch would get up on stage in a white mask and a red cape (actually a tablecloth) and perform, calling himself "The Phantom". (The joke was, we weren't supposed to know it was Butch.) The Mystery Band, aka Kildevil Blues, was John Tangeman (gtr.); Ron Werdebaugh (bs); Jon Jonson aka J.J. (gtr.) and Rick (dr.)
Before each show, me and my future wife would invite Butch up to my apartment in the Longfellow over Hi-Fi Pizza where he would indulge in his usual pre-show intoxicants.
I last spoke to Butch in Allston, some time in the early 1990s. He asked me for some weed. I was very sorry to tell him I didn't have any.
Mr. Butch quotes:
I do art with all my heart.
All I want to do is drink my beer
Then I'm tellin' you I'm outta here.
Drink my beer and go away.
Officer, you have an excellent day.
I'm not seeing myself in any way but God. And I'm telling you the truth.
I am God almighty, the ruler of men
Truth, hate, and even disloyalty,
I am the one who invented sin.
I make the rain and fire,
I flood you with my sea.
If you don't like to pray to me,
I'll send you to hell, naturally.
A little fuzz or wah-wah is okay, but I don't need all those echo-chamber, multi-track reverb things.
As Mr. Butch will always say, have yourself an excellent day!
RIP Mr. Butch, The King of Kenmore Square.
the service on Monday is at 8:00 pm
sad week is more like it
sad week is more like it
This is very sad news.
I remember my first encounter with Mr. Butch . I was walking by an alleyway in allston when I was around 16 or so ..and I hear "psst..hey kid, come here". I walked down the alley to find Mr. Butch " I have a problem, maybe you can help" .." what's the problem?".." I have this joint and no one to smoke it with"..needless to say I don't remember much of the rest of day.
What an amazing man..a true Boston Icon
His presence will be sorely missed
Rest in peace
I remember my first encounter with Mr. Butch . I was walking by an alleyway in allston when I was around 16 or so ..and I hear "psst..hey kid, come here". I walked down the alley to find Mr. Butch " I have a problem, maybe you can help" .." what's the problem?".." I have this joint and no one to smoke it with"..needless to say I don't remember much of the rest of day.
What an amazing man..a true Boston Icon
His presence will be sorely missed
Rest in peace
Rest peacefully, Mr. Butch.
Cheers, man. You will be missed.
Cheers, man. You will be missed.
Just a note-- the memorial may NOT be on Monday-- there are some plans in the making that involve Butch's family. I'll post details as soon as I have them.
Yeah, it wont be Monday. They wont have his ashes ready by then and his family can not make it by then. It will be posted as soon as details are worked out.
I gotta say this news made me cry. Which, honestly, I haven't done since I visited Johnny Ramone's grave in LA last summer. I began in Boston Rock in 1983. First show was at the Rat. First person I met was Mr. Butch. Whenever I think of Kenmore, I think of Mitch and Mr. Butch. And whenever I walk through Kenmore today on the way to a Sox game or something, I tell the kids about how this place used to be a lot different, in a better way, and there was this guy named Mr. Butch who....
"Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied.
And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand."
Bobby
"Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied.
And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand."
Bobby
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