~ Malden Musings ~ MHS Alumni Hall of Fame Banquet

By Peter Levine

Fellow Maldonians, it is that time of the year again! The Malden High School Alumni Association’s 6th Alumni Hall of Fame Banquet will take place Friday, May 3, at (the iconic) Anthony’s of Malden on Canal Street. Nomination forms are available at the main office at Malden High School or at: http://maldenhighalumni.com/. Don’t be left out, get your choice in asap; nomination papers are due back by February 24 and can be mailed to: MHSAA, Inc., PO Box 47, Malden, MA 02148. If you have any questions, contact: Anthony Dickinson at anthonyndickinson@gmail.com.

This year it is an honor and my extreme (pun intended) pleasure (actually, mine, my sister Barbara and Gary Cherone’s) to nominate bassist Philip Bynoe for consideration for induction into the Alumni Hall of Fame. Philip, being one of the most successful, most well-known, most talented musicians ever to graduate MHS, is still performing and creating music in 2024. At MHS the 1979 graduate was involved in the orchestra/band and studied music theory all the while playing in a ton of groups before college. After Malden High (pre-stardom), Phil attended Berklee, where he studied with Berklee giant Wit Brown, practicing relentlessly and changing bands several times in the ensuing years. Destiny stepped in. Nuno Bettencourt and Gary Cherone from the band Extreme introduced Philip to Mike Mangini (Extreme/Dream Theater drummer). Soon, he and Mangini were playing together in the “Rick Berlin Band.” They entered and won a local rhythm section competition, and it was Mangini who later got Philip an audition with Steve Vai. The rest, as they say, is history. Philip went on to work regularly with superstar guitarist Vai (and Joe Satriani), touring with him/them since 2012, a role he previously held from 1996 to 2000. He has also played on four of Vai’s studio albums. Amazing stuff for a Malden guy!

Speaking of Amerige Park’s Gary Cherone, here’s a well-deserved nod to GC for remaining true to his down-to-earth Malden roots – never getting lost in the insanity of the profession he chose. This is what Gary had to say about Phil’s Hall of Fame nomination: “Phillip, my classmate and dear friend was the first in the flesh musician I looked up to in high school, long before my dreams of being in a band materialized, Phil was already a pro playing in nightclubs around town. I was in awe of his talent then and still am! He has gone on to tour the world over with many elite artists and Phil has played second fiddle to none! He cannot help but shine on any stage! And may I add a personal note: throughout his whole amazing career Phil has remained a true gentleman. I am honored to call him my friend and a very worthy candidate for the hall.”

Check out some of these famous Maldonians now ensconced in the Alumni Hall of Fame:

• Gary Cherone – Extreme frontman, pretty decent hoop player, and Amerige Park’s most famous son (besides Cliff Cioffi, of course – insert smiley face).
• Bobby Sager – billionaire philanthropist, Park Street’s most famous son, and the only person I know who has a working ATM machine in their living room.
• John Volpe – MHS Class of 1926, United States Ambassador to Italy, second United States Secretary of Transportation, 61st and 63rd Governor of Massachusetts and in his spare time Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration. Amazing career.
• Kevin Cullen – renowned journalist and author – his time at The Boston Globe is legendary. Also, not a bad little athlete when we were growing up.
• Richie “Ace” Howard – former mayor of Malden overseeing the beginning of our renaissance in Malden and Malden Square, which we are all benefitting from today. On a personal note, one of Malden’s best athletes and stand-up guys!
• Marc Phaneuf – think about this: We got a Malden boy (straight outta Greystone Road) who has worked with Iggy Pop, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Roger Daltrey and Lou Rawls. Think about that! And his dad Paul was the most beloved Superintendent of the past 75 years.
• Heather (Kahn) Braver – Arthur’s little girl is an award-winning broadcast journalist who anchored the number one rated newscast at WCVB-TV in Boston for nearly 10 years – also serving as the station’s chief medical reporter. On a personal note, thank goodness Heather has her mom’s good looks. (I kid, Arthur!)
• Also, my former boss at Cataldo Ambulance, Diana Cataldo; my Miller High Life drinking buddy back in the day at Anthony’s, Albert Spadafora; political kingmaker and landsman Michael Goldman; the most well-known hippie to ever call Malden home, Norman Greenbaum; the Malden MVP of the past 50 years (?), Ron Cox; Lenny’s wonderful wife, Joanne (Assetta) Iovino; former MPD Chief, Saint Peter’s congregant and YMCA regular, Eddie Trabucco; amongst others.
• So, hurry, get your nomination papers in (by Feb 24) for the next worthy candidate: Mike Boyle? David or John Surette or their band, Boy’s Life? Charlie Farren? Paul “Quadzilla” DeMayo? Mayer or Aaron Mintz? Paul Gilligan? Al Barriss? Dom Fermano? Dave Russo? Norman Pashoian, Sr.? Dan Ford?
• On a personal Philip Bynoe note, I’ve known Philip for a very long time – a sweetheart of a man from that first time I met him in 1981 to this very day. I know I speak in hyperbole at times (at times!?), but Malden, please believe me when I tell you this time, Philip is a monster at his chosen profession. Just ask four of the most prolific gunslingers in the music business: Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, John Petrucci or Nuno Bettencourt. He would not be holding down the bottom for these guys all these years if he were not.

It is said in “Malden Musings”…

• Had a great “phoner” recently with Maldonian Bobby Stead. We spent 15 or so minutes traveling back in time to when life was a lot less complex. We tossed around the names of Kevin Hannon and Karl Ryan, Sean Gilligan, John “Fieldsy” Fields, Greg & Jeff Carroll, as well as Jimmy “Moe” Molinari to name but a few – the “Connah Gang” (Highland & Whitman), where some of the nicest boys and girls Malden ever produced got into mischief. Thanks for the memories, Bobby.
• Caught Paulie “G” Gilligan’s act at his home away from home (Prince Pizzeria) last week. In case you were wondering, Paulie is as funny as he was the first time you saw him. Never, ever a dull moment with Paulie G! More on this amazing comedian (and proud Maldonian) in the future.
• Ain’t DPW Director Bobby Knox doing a great job over there on Commercial Street. And his early morning inspirational Facebook posts are becoming stuff of legend in Malden. Thank you, Bobby!

As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say, “Just one more thing, sir” – once again, we salute the most awesome decision made by the current occupants at 215 Pleasant St. since they agreed to tear down “The Beast That Ate Pleasant Street” (thank you, Mayor Christenson!) and reinvent Malden Square in the process. In the 1980’s Malden acquired $17.4 million from the Urban Development Action Grants program for office construction, beautification projects, and infrastructure improvements, used $60 million in private sector money for the construction of commercial housing and $2.8 million in state transportation bonds. With this infusion of cash, we still could not dig ourselves out of our decline. We still were a city that young couples and businesses avoided – despite throwing all kinds of money at the problem and having great, forward thinking leadership teams led by Jim Conway, Tom Fallon, Eddie Lucey, Richie Howard and now Gary Christenson. Until we tore that Beast down!

Continuing in the spirit of forward thinking or thinking outside the box three years past, Malden made a change to when we begin our winter parking restrictions. In prior years, winter parking restrictions began November 1, regardless of the weather. The winter parking restrictions placed a great burden on those who rely upon the street to park. Malden’s prior policy often left residents restricted to one side of the street for months on end when snow wasn’t even on the ground. Common sense prevailed. Parking Director (and much more) Ronny “Hoganater” Hogan decided to begin restrictions with the arrival of what he called the “first big winter event” – a snowstorm significant enough to warrant the ban. For three straight years it has been a godsend for residents who rely on street parking, particularly last year because winter (once again) never really materialized. Thank you to Mr. Hogan and all our elected officials who have finally started to think creatively. As Malden continues its remarkable comeback, after decades of stagnation, it is good to know that our mayor and his staff are up to the task of guiding Maldonians to the next step in our evolution.

Postscript 1: Donnie from China Garden has passed away. I do not exclude Donnie’s last name (Quon) out of disrespect. I exclude it out of great respect for a most remarkable human being. I will follow up on this iconic Edgeworth figure soon. May his memory be a blessing.

Postscript 2: Speaking of Richie Howard, my sincerest condolences to you and your family on the loss of your wife Lisa. May her memory be a blessing, my friend.

—Peter is a longtime Malden resident and a regular contributor to the Malden Advocate and can be reached at PeteL39@aol.com for comments, compliments or criticisms.