Who was PULSE?
Early in 1978, four Boston musicians gathered in a Dorchester basement and sparked a fire that would become PULSE. Fueled by the songwriting talents of Fred Carfagna and Mark McKenna, the band quickly built a repertoire of original rock songs that blended raw energy with melodic sophistication.
The band — Mark McKenna (keyboards, vocals), Fred Carfagna (bass, vocals), Joe Capone (guitar), and Jim Bacon (drums, vocals) — rehearsed relentlessly, refining their sound to a razor’s edge. They hit the Boston club scene hard, expanding across eastern New England and building a loyal following. Under the guidance of manager Joe Leto, the band entered the studio multiple times to capture their momentum on tape.
Just as they seemed poised for a major label breakthrough, a series of unforeseen setbacks led to the band’s dissolution.
Decades later, spurred by persistent fan interest, PULSE has unearthed and restored their archival recordings — both studio and live — along with rare 16mm film footage shot by the band’s photographer, David Fox. These materials now form the foundation of a long-overdue tribute, documenting the band’s journey and sharing their music with a wider audience.