Carol Coleman (née Anderson), Encinitas Pannikin manager extraordinaire and all-around rockin’ scenester, recently digitized some photographs that include shots tracking paths we took from Hair Theatre and Noise 292.
These pictures include Hair Theatre vocalist Sergio, Noise 292 guitarist David Rives (and Answers guitarist Dave Fleminger) at one of the occasions when the former drummed for us at the Che Cafe; several shows by 3 Guys Called Jesus, the band I formed with bassist Steve Duke and drummer Robert Labbe in 1985; and 1995 photos of Joy Bomb, San Diego’s successor to Hair Theatre.
Two of the photos portray 3 Guys performing at Big John’s in Anaheim, Calif.; I believe the event was April 11, 1986, and the bill included Love & Terror and Incomplete Monday. Another shot is from Carol’s patio November 1986, and offers a view of the drum head Carol painted for us. The last 3 Guys photo in the set is from late 1986; I’ve taken over Steve’s bass, and Steve’s Humboldt friend Billy Ray is sitting in on guitar.
The final two shots feature Joy Bomb; is the venue the Casbah? I’d like to learn more about this band!
Did I book you (3) Guys at Big John’s or had I left (for New Generation) already?
>>Did I book you (3) Guys at Big John’s or had I left (for New Generation) already?
Mark: I do b’lieve you booked us at both venues! 🙂
Thanks! It was a fun little road trip.
Isn’t that last 3 guys photo from that great party you played at John Stees’ house in North County?
>>Isn’t that last 3 guys photo from that great party you played at John Stees’ house in North County?
Paul: Excellent memory! I remained upright for approximately 45 more minutes before becoming extremely well-acquainted with John’s carpet. 🙂
Mark, did you do the booking at New Generation on 11th and C?
That venue had great line ups: green on red and the leaving trains; Einsturzend Neubaten(sp?) and many local gigs (Bart Mendoza did a new sounds of the 6t’s there). I have a flyer of upcoming shows from 1987, listing some interesting acts. There was a boxing studio around the corner, and a pool hall in the 2nd floor.
the photo
of sergio and kavika is
heartwarming to
me
and
matt that
photo of you with the
guild
brings it all back home
mizz you guys
The Joy Bomb gig was at some restaurant in Salona Beach. We were all wondering what the F*&#! but it didn’t matter because Sergio and gang were playing.
I do have a Joy Bomb cassette that Sergio gave me but have no way at the moment of sharing it with you.
Frank, how many songs does that cassette have? I have two Joy Bomb songs. They had kind of a heavier sound than Hair Theatre.
>>I have two Joy Bomb songs. They had kind of a heavier sound than Hair Theatre.
Paul, Frank et al.: We’ve never lined up a Hair Theatre chronology, and I lose the thread badly after about ’87.
Sam Wilson played guitar until when? John Murray joined on flute … ’87? The HT album was about ’91, I think — someone named Simon on guitar? The last flyers we have for the band are ’94.
And who was in Joy Bomb??
Ok, I’ve putting this off, but I plan to write a history of the band soon. Maybe someone with better knowledge of the band can chime in right now, but I believe I was followed by Sammy, then Jeff, who I used to hang out with as well (and is featured in a picture of HT my brother just gave me).
I think next was Simon Holehouse, who I met for the first time at the reunion in May. Simon played on the Hair Theatre album as Matthew says. HT manager Van Orbitson produced (and paid for) that record. Simon wasn’t satisfied with the sound. It’s a very layered recording, featuring lots of effects, background synthesizers and a lot of flute by the talented John Murray who also played harmonica (and I learned on this site, was in an early North County punk band). Simon’s playing gets somewhat lost in the mix. This album had a more complex, 70’s hard rock sound.
They had another guitarist later, I forget his name (I wasn’t around then either). There might have been more.
A later unit of HT featured a different drummer, Matt. At this point, Cesar handled all of the guitar duties. They put out a CD and cassette called Freak Idol which has a leaner, harder sound than either the HT album or HT when I played with them on the Lab Demo, all of which is on this site (4 songs). I briefly rejoined this version of HT in 1994. It didn’t work out. A little bit later they morphed into Joy Bomb. Matt is pictured above, and you can see John Murray between Cesar and Sergio in the first picture.
They broke up a little after this. Then Sergio, Sergio Castillo, and maybe Steve Broach started Helvis and the Helvettes. I know Steve drummed for them for awhile. I think they were an Elvis influenced punk band.
More later…
Yeah, looking at the Joy Bomb cassette, it only contains 2 songs, “Trauma” & “Ghosts’. A quick and short lived band called “Noise Gods” (vox Serg, Charlie Morrison Guitar, Danny ? bass, Matt Morrison drums) was before Joy Bomb.
Sergio sitting next to me tells me there was no other guitarist after Simon (while we are listening to Helvis and the Helvettes), he’s looking forward to the re-union in Jan. 2010.
Yeah, looking at the Joy Bomb cassette, it only contains 2 songs, “Trauma” & “Ghosts’. A quick and short lived band called “Noise Gods” (vox Serg, Charlie Morrison Guitar, Danny ? bass, Matt Morrison drums) was before Joy Bomb.
Sergio sitting next to me tells me there was no other guitarist after Simon (while we are listening to Helvis and the Helvettes), he’s looking forward to the re-union in Jan. 2010.
OK Sam Wilson played in HR but Serg can’t recall the sequence. Yeah go figure.,,But he thinks Sam then Simon.
>>OK Sam Wilson played in HR but Serg can’t recall the sequence. Yeah go figure.,,But he thinks Sam then Simon.
Frank (and hey Serg, IOU a call!) …
Definitely Paul Allen, immediately followed by Sam Wilson — I believe by 1986 (certainly while I was still in San Diego).
i saw Charlie Morrison about 6 weeks ago; Wild…
I’ll have to quiz you about Charlie Morrison, Lesha. I never met him. I saw Helvis and the Helvettes at their practice for their reunion, which occurred on the same day as the recent Che/Casbah show, so I missed it. They’re a fun band. The CD is awesome. There are a few left if anyone is interested. I’m sure one could be gotten.
Seeing these pictures of Segio playing in Joy Bomb brings back so many fun memories. I first met Sergio in Laguna Beach back in 1993. He would come up here from time to time with his girlfriend at the time to chill out and visit with friends. I saw him play with Joy Bomb and Hellvis and put on some epic shows. Good times! Sergio, I hope you are still aound. I miss you brother!
-Winston
I just realised you fellers were “3 Guys Called Hey Seuss“.
Imagine, after all this time…