| Author | Message | ||
     Paul Swinford Member Username: Prema Post Number: 17 Registered: 11-2005 |
So, how about a moment for all those struggling local musicians whose noise gave us cheer at the nearby pub or club. Who were/are your favorites? Any mixed feelings now looking back on past favorites (groups whose sound you outgrew more or less); any whose music has grown on you over time? The decade of the 1980s and the early 1990s involved four local scenes: Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, and Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island. I'll keep my list to bands whose shows I would rarely miss. Milwaukee The Shivvers - a power pop band. No matter how well performed, power pop is a product of its time. If you're lucky, you outgrow it. If you don't, well, you probably find your Elixir of Youth at Rick Springfield concerts... Madison The White Sisters - Jeffrey Underhill's first band. Very pleasant, toe tapping band inspired by Go-Betweens, Aztec Camera, et al. The Weeds - a rootsy, punky, rollicking outfit who released only one cassette. A lot of fun. Appliances SFB - they ruled the roost, releasing two LPs and a CD. They never had their big break, unfortunately. They kept it small and real. The first two LPs should be re-released as CDs on Rockhaus Records later this year or early 2007. Boston Salem 66 - my favorite band for many years. Their live shows were not all that eventful, but the songs were so good. Big Dipper - always fun. Providence Honeybunch - Jeff Underhill's successor to the White Sisters on the East Coast. He kept at Honeybunch during and after Velvet Crush. Coat of Arms - more power pop but more power and underground credibility than the Shivvers. They just reunited for a show in Providence a couple weeks ago (was unable to attend for medical reasons). They're releasing a CD of their older output. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 459 Registered: 04-2005 |
San Francisco, '79-81: Two local bands I saw several times open for bigger name acts that I liked a lot: Units - Mildly Devoesque electronic band with three analog synth players, two singers (male and female), and a very good drummer who obviously was a fan of African percussion and other nonrock styles. They were intoxicatingly loud and projected abstract films behind them as they played (before this became a cliche). The first time I saw them (opening for XTC), they completely knocked me out. But then they put out an album on 415 Records (SF's big punk/new wave label of the day) and it was a major letdown--the live experience just didn't translate to vinyl. They faded away, but I think if they'd been in an area more receptive to their music, they could have been players in the postpunk scene. Translator - Moody power-pop; could be roughly categorized with early R.E.M., the dB's, Let's Active, etc. They had a bit of a college radio hit with "Everywhere I'm Not." But they were probably too pop for the postpunk crowd and not quite catchy or visual enough for the mainstream. I saw them open for others a bunch of times and they were always great. Their first album, "Heartbeats and Triggers," is quite good, but as with so many bands, their followup was a dud. They hung around for a few more albums I never heard. Now I live in Seattle and honestly, I can't think of any local bands that mean anything to me, unless I have friends in them. One such band is Ball with Tail, a trio with a singing drummer that has a lot of Wire, Joy Division, Killing Joke, Big Black, etc., influence. Maybe they're getting more credit than they're due because they're friends, but I like 'em and have seen them live many times. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 504 Registered: 03-2005 |
This is a great idea for a thread. Unfortunately I was too busy being a law student to see very many bands and I also had too few musical friends. Of the local LA bands I saw the only one I really rate is the original Stan Ridgway-fronted Wall of Voodoo. Sorry, I never saw X; I had a strong bias against anybody the LA Times' music critic (Robert Hilburn) liked. Paul, I got a great antho of Salem 66 in 1987 or so. Did you ever see the Bush Tetras? What did you think of Human Sexual Response? I saw them here in LA maybe around 1981 and thought they were fantastic on stage. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 620 Registered: 05-2005 |
All local bands are no good. | ||
| Paul Swinford Member Username: Prema Post Number: 18 Registered: 11-2005 |
Spence, wow, strong statement! Remember, the Go-Betweens were somebody's local band. Randy, I never saw the Bush Tetras or HSR. I had a record by the Tetras - that famous "Too Many Creeps" EP. They've regrouped at least for occasional concerts. You'll find them on MySpace.com. Their music still works, must be especially good live. I didn't hear that much from HSR. I remember hearing one side of Figure 15 on a college station in the early 1980s. Clearly inventive. I got to Boston in the later 1980s, and they had disbanded by then. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 506 Registered: 03-2005 |
I think Spence was being funny. |