The Music Museum of New England , an online-only museum, is one of the best rabbit holes about music that you’ll find. Harry Sandler, museum cofounder, joined GBH’s Henry Santoro on Henry in the Hub to talk about the museum’s offerings. The transcript below is slightly edited for clarity
Henry Santoro: The motto for the Music Museum of New England is “to preserve, honor and showcase New England’s rich musical heritage.” How did this whole thing come together?
Harry Sandler: It really sprung out of a previous organization called dirtywater.com. And when it folded, we got together and spoke about the need for continuing what they were doing, but expanding it so that we were taking in all of New England, not just the Boston rock and roll music scene inside the 128 beltway.
Santoro: Got it. And it was you and a guy named Steve Nelson.
Sandler: Steve was the original manager for the Boston Tea Party, a visionary booking agent and a man about town. He was the guy that brought in LED Zeppelin and brought in everybody. The Who previewed “Tommy” at the Boston Tea Party.
Santoro: And then you were in the band Orpheus, and as the drummer, the band played the hit song “Can’t Find the Time.”
Tell us about that song. Tell us about that band. That was a Boston band?
Sandler: Well, I was technically the only Boston musician. The other three musicians were from Worcester.
Santoro: I know the music museum is an all-volunteer organization. It’s about as grassroots as an organization can get. Each entry is extremely well researched. It’s very well written. You’ve got great writers. What is the criteria for getting a band or a performer into the Music Museum of New England?
Sandler: There is a small criterion. Your band would have to have been around at least 15 years ago. So, if you started five years ago and you’re band is rocking it out somewhere in Somerville, you’re not ready for what we’re doing.
We’re looking for people that have really made a contribution to the music scene of New England.
I mean, everybody knows the big names — the Aerosmiths, The Cars, Boston, J. Geils. But there’s so many bands and so many musicians that started here and have gone on to great acclaim elsewhere. But they germinated their styles here.
