Joe Viglione

Before learning guitar, writing songs, donning a cape, and taking the stage name The Count, the Somerville native grew up in a home where his parents played records by Gerry Vale and Mario Lanza, and he listened to “Louie Louie” and “Pushin’ Too Hard” on WMEX. The name and the outfit came from his early love of monster movies, and he started a fanzine (1969) and later a record label (1976), both called Varulven (Swedish for werewolf). His band Still – with Jack Daniel and Jack Inza – did their first gig in  1973 at the Coral Reef in Everett. Starting in 1978, Viglione would eventually perform at the Paradise 49 times. He started hosting the Somerville public access show “TV Eye” in 1979, and has been producing and hosting the public access show “Visual Radio” (currently from studios in Winchester) since 1995. Viglione has also made his mark as a record producer, working with dozens of Boston bands including Unnatural Axe, and releasing 20 volumes of “The Boston Rock & Roll Anthology Series.” In 2008, he directed and produced the DVD “Marty Balin Live on the Boston Esplanade.” In 2011, he’s executive producing a Bobby Hebb box set. He has, for years, written music and film reviews. “I’m still doing some composing,” he said. “I have a piano in the house and I have songs in me. But who has time?”

(by Ed Symkus)