The Darrows were aR.E.M.-inspired Philadelphia area rock trio from 1985-1990 led by Derek Chafin (vocals, guitar) with Mark Schreiber (drums, percussion, vocals) and Dan Silver (bass, vocals). They released the 'Cellar Into Eaves' LP in 1986 and the 'And It Goes' Mini-Album in 1989, both on the a.i.r. records imprint.
Jangle-punks The Outnumbered formed in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois in 1982 by singer/guitarist Jon Ginoli and singer/bassist Paul Budin, who first met while both were reviewing records for the University of Illinois' student paper "The Daily Illini". Teaming with lead guitarist Tim McKeage and drummer Ken Golub, the group played their first show that Halloween -inspired by local heroes The Vertebrats, The Outnumbered set out to fuse the melodicism of The Byrds with the energy of the Ramones, quickly emerging as a favorite on the local underground music scene. They recorded their debut LP 'Why Are All the Good People Going Crazy?' for the Homestead label in 1985, scoring a college radio hit with "I Feel So Sorry Now" and touring the country in support of bands including The Replacements, The Violent Femmes and Soul Asylum. 'Holding the Grenade Too Long' followed in 1986, but as their popularity seemed to plateau at the cult level The Outnumbered disbanded a year later; a third LP, 'Work...Buy...Die', was issued posthumously on the local Edible label in 1988. Ginoli later relocated to San Francisco, where he formed the pioneering queercore band Pansy Division; an Outnumbered retrospective titled 'Surveying the Damage' appeared on Parasol in 1998. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Vandykes
were a power pop band from Boston formed by Craig Kutner (later in Tall Paul), Frank Dehler (The Chord Rockers, The Gremies, Tomato Monkey, Unnatural Axe, Tall Paul), Roger Tripp (La Peste, The Mighty Ions, Unnatural Axe, The Transplants) and Kurt Henry. They only released the 7" single 'Breakin My Heart / Heaven Will Fall'
on Black Records, a Boston-area label that released also the La Peste 7".
Some of The Crippled Pilgrims' press has suggested that they were sort of a blend of late-'60s psychedelia and early new wave. Overall, however, this little-known mid-'80s group were more grounded in the sounds of early guitar-oriented post-punk, though their approach was less common when they were founded than it would be in the indie scene later in the 1980s. Forming in Washington, DC, some of The Crippled Pilgrims had connections with the city's punk and alternative bands; bassist Mitch Parker had been in Government Issue, and early drummer Rummager was in The Velvet Monkeys. The founders, however, were singer-guitarist Jay Moglia and lead guitarist Scott Wingo; they never would settle on an official drummer, though Dan Joseph played on most of their recordings.
After getting a song on the various-artists compilation LP 'Bouncing Babies', The Crippled Pilgrims released a 1984 debut six-song EP, 'Heads Down - Hand Out', on the Fountain of Youth label. Although they did record a full-length album in late 1984, by the time 'Under Water' came out in 1985, the group had broken up, in part because Moglia had moved to New York. In 2004, everything from The Crippled Pilgrims' slim discography -their EP, LP, and compilation appearance- was combined onto the CD 'Down Here: Collected Recordings (1983-1985)', which also included a previously unreleased alternate take. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
It’s pretty cool to be label mates with a band like R.E.M. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers’ first single was released on Atlanta’s Hib-Tone Records in 1981. Four years later, a band named Three Hits would also be on that label’s roster with the 7″ single 'Pressure Dome b/w Numbers', produced by Don Dixon at Mitch Easter’s Drive-In Studio, just like R.E.M.’s.
Three Hits was started by Michael Kurtz, with his brother, Danny, and two friends, Sheila Valentine and Jim Biddell. They’d rehearse between the bins at Schoolkids Records, eventually touring up and down the East Coast -even sharing the bill with Alex Chilton at CBGB in New York.
28 years after 'Pressure Dome' was released, Kurtz co-founded Record Store Day -a yearly feast for music junkies, where references to labels like Hib-Tone are commonplace- as well as being Knighted in France’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his work with Record Store Day. [SOURCE: OMNIVORE RECORDINGS]
The self-described "strum-and-drum" outfit Sex Clark Five formed in Huntsville, Alabama in the mid-'80s. Founded by the trio of singer/songwriter James Butler, guitarist Rick Storey and drummer Trick McKaha, the power-pop group issued their debut single "Neita Grew Up Last Night" in 1985 on their own Records to Russia label before enlisting bass player Joy Johnson and embarking on a tour of the southeast. Their debut LP 'Strum & Drum!' surfaced in 1987; a collection of 20 brief, infectious pop tunes, it attracted significant notice from the British underground press, where influential DJ John Peel became a vocal supporter of the group's music. After touring Europe, the band issued their sophomore effort 'Battle of the Sex Clark Five' in 1989, followed by 'Antedium' in 1993. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
In 1983, Scott Kellems and Kurt Stake, drummer and bassist respectively, formed a band called The Jetz. Their musical influences were essentially British: The Beatles, The Who, The Kinks, The Yardbirds, The Zombies, and also The Jam. Part of the Punk/Mod/Ska explosion in Southern California in the early 1980s, The Jetz were a fixture on the local club circuit, playing with other major bands of the era such as The Bangles, The Untouchables and The Three O'Clock. In all, The Jetz recorded two EPs, 'Point Of View' and 'Just A Picture', which are hard to find.
In 1987, Kurt Stake and Scott Kellems reunited with another guitarist, Tom Sheppard, under the name The Love In. Despite their experience, the trio wasn't very old -Kellems was 23 and Sheppard 21. But they managed to write and record 6 tracks -21 minutes- heavily inspired by The Byrds. As a result, the band can be classified in the somewhat catch-all musical genre of Jangle Pop. The voices blend, the arpeggios are effective, the melodies harmonious, and it's surprising that the album doesn't have more followers than that. Despite the erratic distribution of the self-produced album, The Love In toured the Los Angeles scene until the early '90s, playing gigs with everyone from L7 to No Doubt, before disbanding. [SOURCE: DISQUES OBSCURS]
The Bangtails were from Kansas City. These days, the band is considered to be a minor footnote in the career of Archer Prewitt (Mudhead, The Coctails, The Sea And Cake), whom he served as bass player for. Sonically, they are awash in chiming jangle pop, straight out of R.E.M., circa 'Chronic Town'. The Bengtails were further defined by singer Mike Winston, who's strained-to-the-max croon echoes of Squirrel Bait vocalist Peter Searcy. Though these diametric facets sound seemingly uncomfortable on paper, they actually translate well onto record. [SOURCE: WILFULLY OBSCURE]
While Georgia and the Carolinas were Southern hot spots in the jangle pop sweepstakes of the 1980s, the Primitons demonstrated that there were great modern pop bands brewing in Alabama, too. The Primitons (the name was meant to be an abbreviation of "Primitive Tones") were formed in Birmingham, Alabama in 1984 by guitarist and vocalist Mats Roden and drummer and accordionist Leif Bondarenko, who had previously worked together in the band Jim Bob & the Leisure Suits. Teaming with bassist Brad Dorset, who studied alongside Roden at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, the group began playing locally and wrote songs in collaboration with Stephanie Truelove Wright, a lyricist who didn't perform with the group. In 1985, the group recorded a self-titled seven-song EP, produced by Mitch Easter, which was released by the prestigious but short-lived Boston indie label Throbbing Lobster. The record received enthusiastic reviews and the Primitons toured through the South and the East Coast in support. By the end of 1985, Dorset had left the group, and Don Tinsley stepped in as the Primitons' new bassist. The new lineup recorded a 12" single, 'Don't Go Away b/w Something on My Mind and Come What May', which was released by What Goes On Records in 1986. In 1987, the Primitons released their first full-length LP, 'Happy All the Time', which featured a guest appearance by Tim Lee of The Windbreakers, but despite strong reviews the band struggled to expand its audience beyond a cult following, hampered by lackluster promotion and poor distribution of its recordings. The Primitons continued on as a live act before breaking up in 1990. In 2012, Arena Rock Records released 'Don't Go Away: Collected Works', which brought the Primitons' three vinyl releases to CD for the first time. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
The Cyclones were a rock and roll band that helped pioneer the new wave music scene that erupted in the New York City area during the late 70s, early 80s. A female fronted trio, they began as a rockabilly cover band, became an original group in 78/79 which lasted until 1984. Original members included Dan Reich on drums (who remained throughout the band's tenure) and Walter Sczesny on bass. The group came into its own with addition of singer/guitarist/songwriter Donna Esposito. After a few transitions on bass guitar (including Mitch Easter of Let's Active), the band's stable lineup was complete in late 79 / early 1980 with the addition of Marc Seligman.
The Cyclones had a local hit, "You're So Cool" on Little Ricky Records (where they were label-mates of The Smithereens), released in 1981. The 45 marked the production debut of famed Dictator and punk pioneer Andy Shernoff. The record was played extensively on college (such as WNYU) and independent stations (such as WFMU where it is still played to this day) with a few commercial stations (such as WNEW-FM and WLIR) taking some spins as well. Critical darlings, they were the subject of numerous reviews and mention in articles in New York Rocker. They were also known to perform regularly at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ, CBGBs in NYC and spot appearances at Danceteria, The Peppermint Lounge and The Ritz. The song "You're So Cool" was a mainstay in the jukeboxes of CBGBs and Maxwell's for many years. The band also toured the Southeastern US in 1982 where they became acquainted with the then up and coming group R.E.M. during their appearance at the famed 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia Comrades of their scene included The Fleshtones, The dBs, The Bongos, and The Individuals. Fans included well respected rock critic Jim DeRogatis as well as Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley who were brewing Yo La Tengo up at the time.
In 1983 the Cyclones released a 4 song EP entitled 'Out in the Cold' on Plexus Records (Ivan Julian and The Individuals). Produced by Mark Abel, the band felt the material strong however it was less well received than their initial release. Dan Reich and Marc Seligman, while the band was on hiatus performed and recorded with other local acts such as The Mad Violets (featuring Wendy Wild of Pulsallama) plus The John Glenn Band. They later reunited as rhythm section for the in 1986 with Hoboken favorites, and Cyclone influenced The Vines (not to be confused with the Australian band of the same name).
The band disbanded in 1984 after which Donna Esposito continued on with musical partner Frank Bednash in Cowboy and Spingirl / Toothpaste 2000 / Mas Rapido. They have released a dozen albums for Parasol Records. Dan has played, recorded and performed in numerous bands including The Corvairs and Tex Wagner. Marc performs locally with Garage rock band The Von Ghouls and local Alternative rock band The Michael Collins Band. He also currently works in developing the music of his son Evan Seligman (star of MTV2's "Wondershowzen") with their band Fools on Sunday. They record annually at Mitch Easter's Fidelitorium in North Carolina. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Start, from Lawrence, Kansas, produced one of the finer overlooked new wave / power pop / indie albums of the early '80s, 'Look Around'. Once described as a hybrid of The Doors and The Jam, their haunting keyboard-based minor melodies mesh with the straightforward rush of mod / power pop to form a surprisingly successful hybrid. Start was distinguished from the many similar bands of the era by a sense of brooding poignancy, sounding in some respects like a more understated and vulnerable Elvis Costello. Little known even in the underground, they broke up shortly after their sole LP, their only other studio effort being a rare three-song 7". [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
The Reverbs was an American jangle pop band from Chicago, IL. Active in the early to mid 80s, the band featured John Brabeck (guitar, vocals, ex Drats!) and Ric Menck (drums, vocals). Rick Menck formed the groups The Springfields and Choo Choo Train with Paul Chastain in the mid-late 1980s. They then formed Velvet Crush and both moved to Providence, Rhode Island.
The Reverbs only released the LP 'The Happy Forest', very much evocative of the mid-'80s college-rock scene, and filled with clanging, jangly guitars, reverb drenched vocals, and a herky-jerky rhythm section. Unfortunately, it isn't filled with many memorable songs or melodies. "Nevermore" is a keeper with its circling guitar line and give-and-take chorus, and the acoustic guitar in "Mumble" is a welcome break from all the tinny electric guitar, but overall the record sounds like a cheap knockoff of R.E.M.'s landmark debut 'Murmur'. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC]
Mark Beer is an English musician and producer that released various records on his own Waste Records and My China Records labels between 1978 and 1981 which were distibuted by Rough Trade Records (for whom he recorded the single 'Pretty'). Also, some solo and collaborative pieces were released in Belgium and Germany on singles, EPs and compilation albums. He has always thought of his work as art rather than entertainment. He makes that distinction to emphasise his view that art is intended to nourish, whereas entertainment is intended to amuse -the difference between food and chewing gum. Over the years he has worked with many different live bands, and privately, as an experimenter. In recent years, he has been continually writing and recording. [SOURCE: BANDCAMP]
Jesús Saiz Alcántara, known artistically as Suso Saiz (Cádiz, 1957) is a Spanish musician and music producer. He is considered one of the pioneers of New age music in Spain, and was one of the founders of Orquesta de las Nubes in 1980. Saiz has been a member of bands such as Esclarecidos and Los Piratas -of which he was also producer-, and has also produced works by artists such as Iván Ferreiro, Luz Casal, Christina Rosenvinge, Los Planetas, Tahúres Zurdos, Duncan Dhu, Celtas Cortos and Luis Eduardo Aute, among others.
He has also composed original soundtracks for feature films, documentaries, television programs and short films. He is also a composer of chamber music, and composed the musical setting for the Spanish pavilion at the Expo Zaragoza 2008. He also composed the musical score for the successful TV show "Al Filo de lo Imposible", broadcast since 1982. For his extensive work, he has received nominations and awards from the Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España (Goya Awards), Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas, American Phonographic Industry Association, Premios de la Música, Premios de la Academia de la Televisión, Premios Zinebi and Premio del Festival Internacional de Cine de Foyle. In 1998, together with Antonio Dyaz, he launched Artificial World, the first Internet record company in Spain. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
Mataparda is José Mesa Acosta (Güímar, Tenerife, 1963). From the end of the 1970's until 1987 he worked on personal projects of electronic music and mail-art. He self-released several cassettes and participated in a couple of national and international compilations.
Self-edited works:
'Viajes por Tierra', 'El Monte de la Soledad' (1985), 'Ris Ras' (1986), '(T.I.M.) Te Ite Maledite'
(1986) and 'Liferfe' (1987); a collaboration with Línea Táctica, 'Dramático' (1986), and some aparitions on compilations: 'Necronomicon Vol 4' (1987), 'Baile del Sol 1' (1987)
and 'Rythmetic II' (1987)
[SOURCE: ESPINITA]
Luis Delgado (born 16 July 1956 in Madrid) is a Spanish instrumentalist, composer, and producer. Delgado's work combines organic elements from Arab-Andalusian music, oriental and Medieval styles, with electronic elements from the avant-garde.
Delgado formed the electronic and industrial musical duo, Mecánica Popular with Eugenio Muñoz. In 1978, he formed Finis Africae with Javier Bergia and Juan Alberto Arteche, who joined in the mid-80s. He also formed the folk group Babia with Arteche and Luis Paniagua. Delgado's works includes 'El Sueño de Al-Zaqqaq' ("The Dream of Al-Zaqqaq") (1998), which sets to music a collection of poems by Ibn al-Zaqqaq, 'El Hechizo de Babilonia', 'Alquibla' o 'As-Sirr'. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]
