The Zainiacs pay tribute to the great Dianne Zain

By John Tierney

I can’t remember when it was, I know it was snowing, and I, even in the days when the drinking age was 18 was still too young to get into the place.  The place was The Firebarn Tavern, if you look for it now, you’ll find Wolff’s Biergarten (Go Chelsea!), but back in the day it was a mecca for punk and new wave music in Syracuse’s vibrant and celebrated late 70’s early 80’s music scene.

I was trudging through the snow from my Tipperary Hill home to go see The Most, maybe the first punk-pop band I had ever heard, or even heard of, and they were fronted by a pint-sized force of nature named Dianne Zain.  The Most were fantastic, both in your face and charming, with tight fast songs like “Take A Chance” & “Let’s All Go Out Tonight”.  The Most were every bit as good as their contemporaries 350 miles away at CBGBs like Blondie and Dianne was a ball of what she would later call “bubble gum punk” fury on stage.

The Most opened for Iggy Pop and others through their brightly lit, but ever so short time as a playing band.

Sadly, for me, that first time was the last time I got to see The Most except for their appearance at the first reunion showcase of bands of that era called Bright Lights.  I would see Dianne around town, always stage side wherever rock n’ roll was being played.   I can’t say I knew her well, but I knew her like everyone knew her, as a groundbreaker in the Syracuse music scene.

The last time I saw Dianne was at the Art on the Porches festival in Syracuse’s Strathmore neighborhood and true to form she was stage side watching a band made up of neighborhood kids play.  “The future is in good hands.” she said to me.

Dianne passed away this past July and among the tributes to her life and music that have taken place since, I was lucky enough last Friday to be able to hear those great songs one more time at the annual Moletrax Black Friday food drive and party held at the legendary Moletrax Studio and organized by the man who brings the thunder Jeff Moleski.

Sammy Award Hall of Famer Paul Armstrong (The Flashcubes, 1.4.5., The Richards), a surviving member of The Most, put together an all-star lineup consisting of fellow Most alum Tom O’Riley (1.4.5., Tommy Gunn Band), along with Bobby Budd, Paul Doherty (The Trend), & Jo Agopovich (Distortion, The Va Va Voodoos) to form “The world’s only authorized Dianne Zain tribute band” and they rocked the house old school.

Loud, fast, and fun, the “Zainiacs” blasted through a collection of songs by The Most, lead vocalist Agopovich approached the performance by diving headfirst into the formidable task of standing in for Zain delivered a performance with humor, charm and the requisite reckless abandon that the event called for as the band led by Armstrong drove like a freight train.

The band completed their set with a cover of the Johnny Thunders by way of the Ramones traditional Black Friday anthem “Chinese Rocks”.  I think Dianne would have loved every minute of it.

Also performing was our host’s long-time band Amerikan Primitive who offered their usual, take-no-prisoners brand of rock n roll which culminated with a sing-along version of Cheap Trick’s “Surrender”.    People wondering where all the rock n’ roll went should seek out this band the next chance they play, any time you can see Sue Karlik (formerly of Slang Girl) play you definitely should.  Jeff hits those drums like he’s mad at them!

Jeff Jones played an acoustic set accompanied by his I would guess no older than five-year-old son Colton. 20 years from now Colton will be headlining this event, you heard it hear first.  The short set was highlighted by a cover of Caspar Babypants’ “My Flea has Dogs”.  Anyone who doesn’t think that kid’s music can be fun and clever for adults should check out Caspar Babypants (Chris Ballew of The Presidents of the United States of America).

Kicking the whole night off was the three-piece Plastic Sunface, a band I had not heard of before, who I instantly fell in love with.  This is a punk rock band filled with self-deprecating humor, great songs with power and hooks.  At times channeling a bit of Bleach era Nirvana with a touch of Sabbath thrown in, Plastic Surface are a great young band that I hope to see more of soon.  Diane would have loved them.  The future is in good hands indeed.

Huge credit for the whole night goes to Jeff Moleski for opening the doors of his recording studio for the annual food drive, this year collecting 373 pounds of food for the less fortunate.

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