Band and Member Bios
The Dogmatics: A Dogumentary
They were Boston’s house band
A documentary by Rudy Childs
Band Bio:
Formed in 1981 and still writing and performing new music today, The Dogmatics is a Boston-area band known for its pioneering garage rock sound, including punk and rockabilly elements.
In the 1980s, they released one single and two albums and toured with renowned acts such as The Bangles, The Fleshtones, The Replacements, and Beastie Boys. Multiple bands, including The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Letters to Cleo, have covered their songs.
After the tragic loss of founding member and bassist Paul O’Halloran in 1986, the band disbanded for some time. However, they never lost their friendship or love for playing together, and in the following years, they would occasionally regroup for charity events.
In 2019, they teamed up with Rum Bar Records to record their first new material in over 30 years with the release of their EP “She’s The One.” The new tracks delighted long-time fans and newcomers alike. Despite the disruption of the pandemic, they kept up their momentum and released the EP “Drop That Needle” in 2022.
In 2023, Massachusetts film director Rudy Childs, in collaboration with band archivist and O’Halloran family niece Jada Maxwell (and others), completed a four-year documentary effort crafted as a tribute to Paul. The resulting full-length documentary titled “The Dogmatics: A Dogumentary (They Were Boston’s House Band)” won awards across film festivals through 2024 and widely released in early 2025 on Roku, Tubi, and YouTube.
The band released the single “I Can’t Get Over You” in 2023, followed by two singles, “Library Girl” and “With A Scarlet Letter,” in 2024. They released the single “You’ve Got What I Want” a month ahead of the LP “Nowheresville”, a punchy, poignant, and eclectic set of tracks that serves as their first full-length album in nearly 40 years, set for release on Friday, July 18, 2025 on Rum Bar Records.
Current Band Member Bios:
Jerry Lehane is a founding member of The Dogmatics, playing guitar and contributing as a singer-songwriter. His lead vocals and catchy song structures are a crucial ingredient to the band’s garage-rock-meets-pop sound.
Peter O’Halloran, also a founding member, plays guitar and contributes as a singer-songwriter, adding his signature growling vocals and a furious punk sound to The Dogmatics.
Tommy Long has been drummer in The Dogmatics since 1982, providing a jazz-inspired genre-bending beat that is the foundation of the band’s unique sound.
Jimmy O’Halloran, who joined The Dogmatics in 1986, plays bass in memory of his late brother Paul. He brings a dynamic, hard rock-influenced sound to the band.
James Young joined The Dogmatics in 2019 as a singer-songwriter and mandolin player (from Peter O’Halloran & The Hired Men, 2008 – present), offering backup vocal harmonies with a hint of American roots music energy.
See a list of previous band members on Wikipedia…
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