Paisley Underground

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A subgenre of the mid-80's jangle-pop genre, Paisley Underground (so named
for the paisley shirts many bandmembers favored) was a psychedelic-revival
movement centered in Los Angeles. Most (but not all) paisley underground
bands borrowed heavily from the ringing guitars of the Byrds, and in the
drones, raga-rock, and colorful whimsy of the late 60's psychedelic bands.
While it was a largely retro-scene, an attempt to keep alive a form and
style that had been dead for well over a decade and a half, it also produced
some very fresh-sounding new music.

Few paisley underground bands rose above cult status, but The Bangles
eventually scored big, the Rain Parade's David Roback would have 90's
success with Mazzy Star, the Long Ryders would influence the alternative
country movement of the 90's, and Dream Syndicate and Game Theory would
receive critical acclaim, if not sales at the register.

Paisley Underground's moment was a short-lived one, stretching from about
1982 through 1986. As the late 80's approached, most of the original bands
had disbanded. Since the genre stemmed from a local scene that had moved on
to other things, there was no significant second wave. Still, much paisley
underground music remains good listening to this day; it bridged a gap from
the 60's to the neo-psychedelia of 90's dream pop, and remains a colorful
offshoot of jangle pop, one of the more important 80's rock movements.

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Some important/influential paisley underground artists and songs include:

1. The Bangles: The Real World
The all-woman Bangles, formerly The Bangs, formed in Los Angeles in 1981 and
specialized in a rootsy 60's based guitar rock that recalled the Byrds and
The Grass Roots. "The Real World" is an excellent representation of their
early sound, and was part of a 4-song EP debut on Faulty records in 1982,
which featured original bassist Annette Zilinkas, who would be replaced by
Michael Steele by the time of their 1984 debut album on IRS, All Over The
Place. Light, breezy, tuneful, mildly psychedelic, this remains one of their
best tracks; the EP, which is now out-of-print and rare, is worth seeking
out for the other tracks as well, including "Mary Street" and a tough,
rocking cover of "How Is The Air Up There?", a garage-punk tune originally
done by New Zealand's La De Da's. Their sound changed by the time of their
second full length album, Different Light (1985); their early material is
best.

2. Green On Red: Death And Angels
Green on Red, originally from Tuscon, Arizona, emerged from the paisley
underground scene with an EP, Green On Red, on Steve Wynn's Down There label
in 1982. "Death And Angels" bears all the hallmarks of the genre,
particularly in the organ playing of Chris Cacavas; here, the band's sound
recalls The Seeds crossed with The Doors, with a little Love sprinkled in.
The band didn't like the pigeonhole the "paisley underground" tag stuck them
in, and by the time of their 1983 debut album, Gravity Talks (on Slash
records), they had already toned down the psychedelic devices in favor of a
roots-rock approach reminscent of John Fogerty. The band never sold many
records, but maintained a following; they managed to release 10 albums and
EP's on a variety of labels before disbanding in 1992.

3. The Long Ryders: Looking For Lewis And Clark
The Long Ryders were part of the paisley underground scene, featuring Deam
Syndicate's Steve Wynn in its lineup for a spell, and playing many of the
same venues as the other bands. However, they owed a much larger debt to the
Byrds and Graham Parsons in their musical approach, the psychedelia in their
music limited to fuzzed guitars more than trippy jams. After an album and an
EP on indie labels, the band signed with Island (who also signed Rain
Parade); "Looking For Lewis And Clark" was the leadoff single from their
1985 major label debut, State Of Our Union. Led by singer/guitarists Sid
Griffin and Stephen McCarthy, the band was tight and melodic, and is now
considered one of the best folk/country/jangle pop/roots rock bands of its
day. This single is instantly accessable, features nicely impressionistic
political lyrics, and plenty of chiming guitars and harmonica. A real
classic; unfortunately it never charted.

4. Rain Parade: This Can't Be Today
Led by brothers David (guitar) and Steven Roback (bass) and
vocalist/guitarist Matt Piucci, The Rain Parade was arguably the
quintessential paisley underground band. Favoring hypnotic drone, raga rock,
textured and phased guitars, and brooding, melancholic lyrics, they best
captured the spirit of the 60's influences so many of these bands shared.
"This Can't Be Today" was the first single from their 1983 debut album
Emergency Third Rail power Trip on Enigma records, and remains their best;
guitar-and-drums driven, featuring the eerie background vocals of Dream
Syndicate's Kendra Smith (who would later form Opal with David Roback), and
quite psychedelic. The band had a devoted cult following, but never managed
to sell many records; after another EP for Enigma, and a good but flop LP
for Island, the band folded in 1986.

5. The Three O'Clock: With a Cantaloupe Girlfriend
Lead singer and bassist Michael Quercio is credited with coining the phrase
"paisley underground", and his band, The Three O'Clock is another band that
could be considered the most representative of the genre. Formed as The
Salvation Army in 1980, the band was forced to relinquish their name after
their debut EP in 1982. Baroque Hoedown, their first EP under their new
name, was where their sound meshed, and arguably stands as the best
distillation of their sound, which resembled Syd Barrett fronting a garage
band. The band would eventually chart one album, Arrive Without Traveling at
#125 in 1985, but never developed beyond a cult item. They disbanded in
1988.

6. Game Theory: 24
Led by singer/guitarist Scott Miller, whose voice sounded a lot like Alex
Chilton, Game Theory blended the paisley underground conventions with a Big
Star-style power pop approach; coming up with a more uptempo
quasi-psychedlia. Formed in Sacramento in 1982, the band relocated to L.A.
and were fixtures on the scene for a while. After releasing a trio of EP's
from 1982-1984, the band teamed up with R.E.M. producer Mitch Easter for
their first full length album. "24" features a slowly building instrumental
intro before launching into a perky piece of jangle pop, with particularly
evocative lyrics from Miller. The band would later lean more on the Big Star
influence, particularly on their best album, Lolita Nation (1987), but like
their heroes, they were never destined to sell records. They disbanded in
1990.

7. True West: Hollywood Holiday
True West, from Davis, California, were fringe players in the paisley
underground movement, centering their base of operations in the San
Francisco area, instead of Los Angeles. They had a number of connections to
the scene, however. Steve Wynn co-produced one of their albums, Rain
Parade's Matt Piucci and Green On Red's Chuck Prophet contributed guitar to
another, True West drummer Josef Becker would join Thin White Rope after
leaving the band. The band itself specialized in a darker neo-psychedelic
sound with some folk/country shadings and a Californiacentric worldview;
"Hollywood Holiday" is perhaps their best song, from their 1983 debut,
featuring Gavin Blair's Syd Barrett influenced vocals.
Singer/guitarist/songwriter Russ Tolman, who left the band shortly
thereafter, releases albums to this day, and has a cult following,
especially in France.

8. Dream Syndicate: Tell Me When It's Over
Though not the most commercially successful of the paisley underground bands
(that distinction goes to The Bangles), Dream Syndicate ultimately was the
most important one. Led by Steve Wynn and Kendra Smith, the band formed in
Los Angeles in 1981 after Wynn and Smith had relocated there from Davis, CA.
Featuring an aggressive, guitar driven, jamming style, the band had
considerable influence on indie rock in general, beyond the confines of the
local scene, not only via their Velvet Underground/Byrds/Doors/Neil Young
inspired music, but through Steve Wynn's varied production credits on other
bands' albums. Smith would soon depart, eventually to form Opal with David
Roback, but the band would continue to develop, improving their technique.
"Tell Me When It's Over" is from their 1982 debut Days Of Wine And Roses,
and sounds like Lou Reed and Neil Young's love child. The band recorded
seven albums, but disbanded in 1989.

9. Thin White Rope: Disney Girl
Another band from Davis, CA (which is midway between Los Angeles and San
Francisco musically, if not exactly geographically), Thin White Rope
specialized in a psychedelic roots-rock, not unlike Green On Red. Their
music was dark and bleak, but also with flourishes of beauty; they attracted
a following in Europe, and were the first American indie band to tour the
Soviet Union in 1987. More than a paisley underground band, they drew upon a
huge range of influences, covering Suicide and Can, mixing together raw,
abrasive Americana with chilly psychedelia fronted by Guy Kyser's choked,
tense vocals. "Disney Girl" is from Exploring The Axis, their 1985 debut,
and is a good example of their early, more psychedelic beginnings. They cut
six albums before disbanding in 1993.

10. Opal: Happy Nightmare Baby
Opal was formed by guitarist David Roback (ex-Rain Parade) and Kendra Smith
(ex-Dream Syndicate). Originally named Clay Allison, and releasing an EP
under that moniker, they renamed themselves Opal in 1985, and released an EP
and album for hardore label SST. Heavily psychedelic, featuring Roback's
various guitar textures, lots of organ, and Smith's detached vocals and dark
lyrical obsessions, Opal was perhaps the very last of the paisley
underground bands. "Happy Nightmare Baby", the 1987 title track from their
lone album, is an atomspheric, ominous, ethereal jaunt down a foggy road at
night, showing both performers at their peak. Smith would leave the
following year, and Roback would recruit Hope Sandoval, leading to the
formation of Mazzy Star.

11. Rainy Day: I'll Be Your Mirror
Rainy Day was Paisley Underground's supergroup. A one-shot consisting of
members of the Bangles, the Raiin Parade, Dream Syndicate, and the Three
O'Clock, Rainy Day released a single self titled album in 1984. The album
itself is something of a tribute to Big Star, Velvet Underground, and Neil
Young, the biggest influences on the Paisley Underground bands, and consists
of cover versions of those artists' material. "I'll Be Your Mirror",
originally by Velvet Underground and Nico, gets a paisley treatment from the
band, while Bangle Susannah Hoffs supplies the vocals. Now hard to find,
this album has always been a prized trophy for Paisley Underground fans.

12. Russ Tolman: Looking For An Angel
Russ Tolman was in the Davis, CA band True West, but departed in 1985 for a
solo career. "Looking For An Angel" is co-written by Tolman and Dream
Syndicate's Steve Wynn and leads off his 1986 solo debut Totem Poles and
Glory Holes. While True West was only marginally a Paisley Underground band
(like all the Davis bands), Tolman relocated to Los Angeles prior to his
solo debut, and he and Wynn were frequent collaborators. Tolman's solo
music retained the western feel of his first band, but couched it in a
somewhat more conventional singer/songwriter style. Like most of the entries
to the genre, he never enjoyed much in the way of commercial success in
America, although he did build a solid cult following in Europe. He has
released seven albums, the most recent in 2000.

13. Danny and Dusty: Down to the Bone
Another quasi-supergroup, Danny and Dusty was a project of Dan Stuart (Green
on Red) and Steve Wynn, plus three Long Ryders. Recorded in a single
weekend, thier lone album Lost Weekend, appeared in 1985. As Wynn himself
pointed out, the session was a single beer-fueled 36-hour marathon, which
makes sense, given the album's somewhat woozy and sloppy sound. However,
the album is also very good; Stuart and Wynn make good pseudo-Dylanesque
foils, and the Long Ryders, always good musicians, lay down a solidly
engaging psychedelic country backing. The album consists of eight
Stuart/Wynn originals, plus one Dylan tune "Knocking on Heaven's Door".
"Down to the Bone" is the standout; at over 6 minutes, it also has a shaggy
quality to it that helps it fit right into this playlist.

14. The Eyes of Mind: She Only Knows
In addition to the western-influenced, Neil Young-influenced, jangle-pop
influenced, and Velvets influenced bands active in the early 80's in Los
Angeles, there was also a significant garage rock revival happening in the
midst, with many of the garage revivalists sharing venues and gigs with the
Paisley Underground bands. While these garage revivalists aren't usually
included in Paisley Underground lists and articles, they were an important
component of the scene, and shared more similarities than differences. The
Eyes of Mind were one of the best ones, and their album Tales of the
Turquoise Umbrella has champions to this day, despite being obscure even in
its day. The trippy and fuzzed "She Only Knows" is the standout; the band
itself was short-lived and never made a follow-up.

15. The Green Pajamas: Stand To Reason
Although they were from Seattle, and not part of the cross-pollinating group
of Los Angeles and Davis bands, The Green Pajamas deserve mention for
walking the same side of the street musically at the same time, and
consciously attempting to spearhead a similar movement in Seattle. They are
also the only neo-psychedelic band of the mid-80's to remain active to this
day. Summer of Lust was their cassette-only debut in 1984; Book of Hours,
from 1987, was thier first full length album proper. Led by Joe Ross and
Jeff Kelly, the band took Paisley Underground conventions and gave them a
slightly punkier, guitar based sound.

16. Tell-Tale Hearts: My World Is Upside Down
Another obscure band with a tiny but fervent cult, Tell-Tale Hearts had a
sound not dissimilar to the psychedelic-era Pretty Things. They released
only one album and one EP in 1984-1985 before fading away. Tell-Tale Hearts
were another non-Los Angeles neo-psychedelic band with many similarities to
the L.A. groups; formed in San Diego, and very briefly San Diego's leading
neo-psych band (which is like being a tiny minnow in a glass of water).
They weren't long for the world, but their recorded legacy is good if you
can find it, somewhat reminiscent of Buffalo Springfield.

17. The Chesterfield Kings: 99th Floor
Chesterfield Kings were from upstate New York, but deserve mention here as
perhaps the biggest neo-garage band of the 80's, psychedelic and fuzzed out
in classic 60's fashion. They also had an intense following on the West
Coast, where they appeared at amny of the same venues and gigs as the
Paisley bands, making them a part of the "extended" scene. Their 1983
debut, Here Are the Chesterfield Kings, is an album of cover versions;
almost no title will be familiar to those who haven't explored garage rock,
but the aficianado will recognize many titles. 99th Floor was by the Moving
Sidewalks, and was written by Billy Gibbons, who formed ZZ Top after the
Moving Sidewalks broke up. The Chesterfield Kings have managed to survive
into the 00's, releasing seven albums over the years.

18. The Pandoras: Hot Generation
The Pandoras placed a distant third behind the Bangles and the Go-Go's as
L.A.'s most popular all-woman band in 1984. Their debut album, It's About
Time, mixed Paisley Underground-style psychedelia with X and Cramps style
punk inflections and a dose of the Easybeats thrown in for good measure.
After their excellent debut, the band splintered; vocalist/guitarist Paula
Pierce hired three replacements and kept the band alive for two more albums.
"Hot Generation" is their high point with a propulsive swagger that is a
good indication of the rest of the debut's sound.

19. Matt Piucci/Tim Lee: All I Want
Matt Piucci (of Rain Parade) and Tim Lee (of the MS-based Windbreakers)
recorded a single album together in 1987 folowing the breakup of Rain
Parade, titled Gone Fishin'. It's an interesting recording; while much of
it sounds like Rain Parade, Lee brings a more rural feel to the proceedings,
resulting in a sound that recalls an offbeat Long Ryders album. The album
barely got distributed, and remains a rarity, but it's worth hunting down
for fans of either band. Piucci would next join Crazy Horse (Neil Young's
band), and appears on the 1989 album Left For Dead, although he departed
soon after. He then joined Viva Saturn, a band formed by three former Rain
Parade members, including Steven Roback.

20. The Leopards: Psychedelic Boy
Another garage revival band active in L.A. in the 80's, The Leopards didn't
rely on fuzz so much as Kinks style whimsy. Not a whole lot is remembered
about the band, although "Psychedlic Boy" frequently appears on anthologies
of the neo-garage and neo-psychedelic 80's band. Since the song does in
fact involve a paisley shirt, it rounds out this list nicely.

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