The Stompers were an American rock band formed in East Boston, Massachusetts, in 1977 by lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Sal Baglio, drummer Mark Cuccinello, bassist Stephen Gilligan, and keyboardist Dave Friedman. They played their first show on November 7, 1977, in Beverly, Massachusetts. In 1978, the band released the vinyl single “Coast to Coast” / “I'm in Trouble” on Double Eagle Records; the track later appeared in John Sayles’ film Return of the Secaucus 7. They played local venues such as The Rathskeller and Jonathan Swift's, and on January 3, 1979, became one of the first unsigned acts to perform at Boston’s Paradise Rock Club. In 1980, The Stompers toured with The Beach Boys and The J. Geils Band, and their song “Shutdown” was featured on the compilation Best of Boston Beat Volume 2 in 1981. After signing with Boardwalk Records on October 6, 1982, their single “Never Tell an Angel (When Your Heart's on Fire)” entered the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 88 in July 1983. That month, Cuccinello left the band, replaced by drummer Lenny Shea, and pianist Jeremy Brown joined. The group released albums including Unfinished Business (1990), Greatest Hits...Live (1994), and Record Album (2000), before disbanding in 2021.
