The Conversions

By JOE BERNARDI

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I should probably toss how "all good things must come to an end" into my lede, but here are the facts: After an LP, a couple of 7-inches, a live tape and about three years, Conversions have decided to call it quits.

"I feel proud that we managed to maintain a consistent work ethic throughout our entire existence," says bassist Rob Noyes. "We accomplished pretty much everything we set out to do as far as songwriting, touring and releasing records goes, which is much more than I can say for any other band I've ever been in."

Forthcoming Conversions releases include a 12-inch entitled "Spineless Wonders" ("It should have been out a long time ago," says vocalist Terry Cuozzo, "but shit happens"), a six song 7-inch and one song on an unannounced compilation. "We were still firing on all cylinders," says drummer Chris Strunk. "I would have loved to make even more records." The band has been busy with new projects: Noyes and guitarist Beau Mooney with the abrasive post-punk band General Interest, Strunk as drummer for garage-pop act The Closet Fairies and Cuozzo on guitar in Like Rats, a Poison Idea-influenced hardcore band.

Much of Conversions' acceptance came from a broad swath of Boston's musical community. "At a certain point in the band's existence," says Noyes, "I felt equally comfortable playing shows with [noise] bands like Major Stars as I did with [hardcore] bands like Blank Stare." More than anything else, that universal element underscores what Boston's going to be losing when Conversions disband. The way in which disparate scenes embraced Conversions caused them to become emblematic of the city's music scene in general. "Our band is definitely a product of Boston and wouldn't have sounded the same anywhere else," says Strunk.

Score one for us, then.

[Conversions play their final show w/ Life Partners, Brain Killer and Scapegoat 8.02.08 at the Papercut Zine Library, 45 Mt. Auburn St., Harvard Sq., Cambridge. 617.492.2600. 7pm/all ages/$6 suggested donation. papercutzinelibrary.org]