Boston Skyline Records

The story of Mr. Butch is a strange and triumphant onea tale of overcoming adversity and supporting musical expression in whatever form it comes. It’s also a story of communityone of the hallmarks of the Boston music scene.Mr. Butch’s real name was Harold Madison, Jr., and he was born on September 11, 1951. Besides “Mr. Butch,” his most common nickname, he was also known as “King of Kenmore Square” and “The Mayor of Allston.” Mr. Butch lived on the streets of the city, and slept wherever a friendly Bostonian would take him in. Students from the Berklee College of Music and Boston University often reached out a helping hand to him.Butch traveled with his Fender Stratocaster guitar (the brand of choice for Jimi Hendrix). His hairstyle also gained him comparisons to the famed rocker. However, Mr. Butch’s playing style was completely his own, utilizing a special type of open tuning which let him play chords with one finger. He often played at the Underground in Allston, the Rat in Kenmore Square, and the Channel Club on the waterfront. All of these were famous clubs in the Boston scene. The Channel hosted many underground acts like Mr. Butch, along with big names like Alice in Chains, Echo & the Bunnymen, Meatloaf, and even James Brown. Occasionally, Mr. Butch would play with a full band, known as the Holy Men.Several artifacts of 1980′s Boston culture make reference to Mr. Butch. Among these are The Noise, a music fanzine published by T. Max, the liner notes of the local music compilation Bands That Could Be God, and in the artwork of the CD comp I’ve Got My Friends. This last album was a dual-city compilation featuring bands from both Boston and San Franciscoit included tracks from iconic groups like The Unseen, Dropkick Murphys, The Outlets, Swingin’ Utters, and Showcase Showdown.Sadly, Mr. Butch passed away in 2007 at the age of 56 after a scooter accident on Brighton Avenue. His memorial service in the streets of Allston was attended by almost 1,000 people, with a performance by the Second Line Social Aid and Pleasure Society Brass Band. Many videos of Mr. Butch (and the men and women who knew him) can be found on Youtube. An underground documentary, Searching for Mister Butch, was also produced and was featured at the 2003 Boston Underground Film Festival.