Lost Notes S2 Ep. 1: Teenage Offenders: Reckoning with a Punk Past

Rob and his buddy Clif were teenagers when they founded The Freeze, a Boston punk band, in 1978. One of the definitive compilations of music from the Boston’s '80s hardcore punk scene was named after a Freeze song: "This is Boston, Not L.A." They opened for Black Flag, Fear, the U.K. Subs, and toured across the U.S. and Europe. The Freeze remains Cape Cod’s longest running punk band. Like most punk bands from this era, they sang about what they were against: religion, jocks, and conformity. But they were bratty, too, and aimed to offend. Now, 40 years later, Rob and Clif reckon with the lyrics they wrote as teenagers.

Clif "Hanger" Croce performing today


Clif "Hanger" Croce & Rob "DeCradle" Rosenthal

The “I Hate Tourists” sleeve Clif made out of construction paper


The “I Hate Tourists” vinyl Rob listens to at the end of the story


The Freeze - Clif Croce, Lou Cataldo, Rik Andrews, Rob Rosenthal, Steve Wood


Rob Rosenthal and Rik Andrews performing with the Freeze


Gig Flyer - The Freeze with Black Flag


Rob Rosenthal and Clif Croce today