Paisley Underground Recommendations?

Being a long time fan of the Bangles early stuff I always wanted to check out other Paisley Underground bands of the period. Which one do I need to hear and what CDs? And what about Rainy Day comp - was it ever released on CD? Susanna Hoffs' Nico and VU covers are killer! Would love to upgrade em from bootleg level.

 

The one essential album (IMHO of course) is The Dream Syndicate - 'The Days of Wine and Roses'. This is one debut album that really holds up - there is Crazy Horse influence, the Velvets, but really, it has its own sound. The current remaster sounds good (the recording is on the primitive side), has some interesting bonus tracks and very entertaining liner notes. The Dream Syndicate's 'The Medicine Show' is also highly recommended, but it HTF on CD (though easy on vinyl, if you have that option).

Other than than, Green on Red's 'Gas Food Lodgings' would be my pick. Dan Stuart's voice is an acquired taste to say the very least, but this album has their best songs on it. The album also features Chuck Prophet on guitar, who is one of the great under-rated guitar players.

Tom

 

I think you both mentioned the essential LPs (which thankfully I have my vinyl copies of from way back), but worth checking out are other Paisley fellow-travelers like:

The Three O'Clock (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_O'Clock)
The Rain Parade (http://guitarbands.de/rainparade.htm)
The Long Ryders (http://guitarbands.de/longryders.htm, http://www.sidgriffin.com/)

Other items to add (and I just don't know if they ever made it to CD) is Green on Red's pre- 'Gas Food Lodgings' s/t LP from May '82. Chuck Prophet hadn't yet joined. The record is on indie Down There records, which I think folks from some of the aforementioned bands were involved with. IIRC, Down There also released a pre- 'The Days of Wine and Roses' EP on the label as well.

Like so many other things, it was good fun while it lasted. I still have fairly impressive memories of the Dream Syndicate opening up for Wall of Voodoo while touring for Days (when Karl Precoda and Kendra Smith still played with them) somewhere in the LA region (Perkins' Palace?) in late '82/early '83. Band sure wasn't the same animal once the original lineup changed.

 

What about Rainy Day comp - was it ever released on CD?

 

I don't think so -- I just did a quick search and no CDs come up. However, someone blogged about it at http://turquoisedays.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_archive.html (yeah, I know the post is over a year old), but it does mention that "the album is nigh on impossible to find on Cd and vinyl version change hands for around $50 a time", so it may still not be out on that format.

 

It is listed as having being released on CD on AMG, but whether this is accurate or not I do not know.

The pre-Dream Syndicate EP that listener_matt mentions is included as part of the 'Days of Wine and Roses' remaster.

Tom

 

It is on cd and I own a copy. I don't have it in front of me, but i think it is on the Imaginary label.

 

Thanks for the update Tom!

I'm glad these items are available once again, even if they've been remastered....

 

It was released on Rough Trade Records but is out of print for a long time.

 

I was living in LA during this period and saw all these bands several time. I never really considered The Long Ryders part of this scene. Music wise they were closer in spirit to Bufflow Springfield (sic)..I loved all of them. Green On Red just played some shows in the UK.

 

The first Danny and Dusty (Steve Wynn and Dan Stuart) collaboration, Lost Weekend is really good. Has anybody heard their recent followup?

 

I had a copy that I sold for $100.

 

"The Days Of Wine And Roses" by Dream Syndicate is a classic. Worth getting alone for the amazing "Halloween." True West is another Paisley band you might like. In fact, they just released their ep (from '83) and album (from '84) on one CD recently, called "Hollywood Holiday Revisited." They were perhaps the most psychedelic of these groups. And you have to love a band whose influences included Sam Shepherd and Syd Barret.

 

if this is your thing pick up the Rhin box set "Children of Nuggets"

 

another great Cd is The Day BEFORE Wine And Rose. This was the KPFK show they did that turned me on to them.

 

i'll second that recommendation. very good starting point. i'll also second the long ryders and three o'clock recommendations.

 

The Rainy Day CD is quite essential. But long, long out of print. As is the Opel CD.

In addition to Days of Wine and Roses, I'd highly recommend the Rain Parade's Emergency Third Rail Power Trip. Both the Three O'Clock compilation (Sixteen Tambourines/Baroque Hoedown) and the earlier Salvation Army comp (Befour Three O'Clock) are great, too.

And don't overlook True West's Hollywood Holiday.

 

Let's not forget True West. Their positively wonderful "Hollywood Holiday" EP has just been reissued in an expanded edition. An absolutely essential piece of Paisley Underground history.

 

Coincidentally, I think that one of the members of True West works at Four Men With Beards now.

Cody

 

Russ Tolman's solo work is ace.

 

Do you have another one? I have another $100!

 

Apparently there was also a French CD release of the Three O'Clock's Baroque Hoedown material, which includes their versions of Lucifer Sam, Feel A Whole Better, and (I think) As Real As Real. I've got a CDR of these tracks, and although the volume is a bit lower than the 'standard' Baroque Howdown tracks at least it's possible to reconstruct the vinyl release.

There's also a comp CD with "All in Good Time," which was included on some configurations of Sixteen Tambourines but is missing from the CD reissues.

I'd also put a shout out for 1985's Arrive Without Travelling. Although it has a bit more of that eighties sound, it has some killer tracks: Hand in Hand, Half the Way There, Mrs. Green. The only clunker for me is Simon in the Park, but even that's not too bad.

Rick

 

I have a True West CD titled TWO TRUE which pairs HOLLYWOOD HOLIDAYS with the even better LP, DRIFTERS. It's on the Skyclad label.

 

What Rain Parade CD do I need to get first?

 

I have a CD with the first album and the second EP Glass Palace(I think that's what it was called). I've never seen the live one or Crashing Dreams on cd. There was a self released cd of Dreams demos and live recordings. Very nice. My favorite of those bands... I like the first Green On Red, and Dream Syndicate too. Three O'Clock rank high, as does Ture West... that's about the whole works isn't it? Game Theory came in on the later side, and are also a big favorite...

For the second wave, there is always Viva Saturn, which is the aftermath of Rain Parade and some great Kendra Smith release. Five Ways Of Dissappearing is a very major favorite of mine.

I left California right at the beginning of 1980, so I missed seeing most all these bands... dang.