If you were in Boston in the late 90s and early 2000s, you know the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry was big. Our guest made it even bigger.
Chris Wrenn has been focused on two complimentary passions since he was a teenaged skateboarder kicking around Mission Hill. Those passions? Putting out albums by hardcore bands he loves and finding creative ways to fund it those releases. He started the indie label Bridge Nine in his apartment in the mid-90s. He’s since gone on to release over 300 punk records, building a global following in the process. He also launched Sully’s, a Boston-themed brand that grew from sports rivalry gear into a broader celebration of the city—popularizing the slogan “Believe in Boston.”
Chris just released his first book, Fenway Punk: How a Boston Indie Label Scored Big on Baseball’s Greatest Rivalry The book tells the tale of how the Boston hardcore punk scene, specifically Wrenn’s Bridge Nine Records, funded itself by selling “Yankees Suck” merchandise outside of Fenway Park during a time when fan passion was at a peak. That passion was defined not just by hate for a heated rival, but love for a misfit home team that extended to the city itself. Chris joined us in the studio to talk about the book and share his story.
Red Sox Rivalry, Hardcore History
Right off the bat, Toucher & Hardy got Chris talking about the legendary Boston Beatdown videos that were coming out of Boston’s punk and hardcore scene decades ago. Those were Fred’s introduction to the scene and, if you’ve ever seen any of the clips, they make a pretty heavy impact. Chris granted that, but talked about how the scene he came up in exemplified family and loyalty. So much so, that a lot of the members of the bands he was seeing and then signing to Bridge Nine were also working for him, hawking t-shirts outside Fenway on game days.
It really is as simple as that, we learned from Wrenn. After chasing a group of frat boy merch sellers out of Fenway, Chris and his crew took over the turf. They’d sell tees, stickers and buttons emblazoned with “Yankees Suck” and other catchy slogans crafted by Chris. The cash in their pockets at the end of the game would end up funding Bridge Nine, putting out records, putting bands on tour, and more. So if you bought a tee outside Fenway back in the Pedro-era? Your money might have helped put a local hardcore band on the road. Pretty cool!
I read Wrenn’s book and it really took me back to those days. Going to punk shows on Lansdowne when I was at Northeastern in the late 90s, then working pregame events in Kenmore Square with WBCN in the early 200s. Chris captures that era perfectly while telling his story. If you’re a fan of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, Boston sports or Boston punk and hardcore, it’s a must-read. Watch our interview with Chris up top, then grab a copy of Fenway Punk here.