Wallflowers | The Che Underground

Cecil “P’Nut” Daniels speaks

December 18, 2017October 4, 2009 by admin

One of the most exciting revelations inspired by Che Underground: The Blog was the reintroduction to our circle of original Wallflowers drummer Cecil “P’Nut” Daniels.

His arrival from Texas in the early ’80s (under the name Aaron Daniels) and unlikely alliance with the nascent Wallflowers wrought a profound influence on the band and on other members of our crew, such as Kristen Tobiason and Patrick Works.

“Aaron elevated the proceedings,” writes Wallflowers bassist Paul Howland. “He showed me how to play slap-style bass, (which we called ‘Thumpin’ ’ or ‘Poppin’ ’); played me recordings of some of the best purveyors of that technique; and even showed me how to set up an amp properly to achieve the right sound to enhance the technique.

Read moreCecil “P’Nut” Daniels speaks

War Games

December 31, 2010September 24, 2009 by admin

(Wallflower/Blues Gangster/BeatHog Dave Rinck recounts a major skirmish in San Diego punk history.)

I wanna say it was the summer of ’80 or ’81 …

In those days, punk rock in San Diego was pretty much like a club that met at a mutually determined location every weekend. A secret underground planning system worked out the details of the meetings and spread them with military precision through a highly effective communications network.

The system functioned like this: A secret cabal of “Organizers,” consisting of the highest ranking punk rockers (like Marc Rude and any member of F.O.N.O.), would determine the event from a menu of options that included:

Then and now: The Che Cafe

August 20, 2011September 14, 2009 by admin

(High time! Che Underground documentarian Kristen Tobiason revisits the spot that gave the blog its name.)

The first time I landed on the surface of the Che Café was at an early-evening soundcheck for the Wallflowers (not the Jakob Dylan pansy MTV sensation, but the raw & funky, OG Wallflowers), who were opening that night for Noise 292.

Arriving and styling in Paul Howland’s parents’ green station wagon, we unloaded a couple pieces of equipment, and then proceeded to hang out in the woodsy picnic areas surrounding the venue, creating a smoky haze amidst talk of music and the humor of Tom and Paul’s use of ordinary soap as an alternative to dime-store hair gel.

Embrace the new fakeness

December 11, 2017July 5, 2009 by Paul.Howland

(Wallflower Paul “The P Man” Howland offers new dubstep mixes.)

SDdubstep recently asked me to make a podcast for their site; I made two. The first one is a little mellower than the second. They are rendered as 320-bit-rate .mp3s (High Quality For Your Listening and Dancing Pleasure).

There’s also a little interview of me conducted by EshOne (founder of SDdubstep and a mighty producer, graphic designer and DJ in his own right). Enjoy the mixes and the interview here.

Read more about the P Man’s dubstep odyssey!

— Paul Howland

We are all Blues Gangsters

January 1, 2011June 26, 2009 by admin

(Wallflower David Rinck introduces a new project by old friends.)

Here’s our new record. As far as we know, this is the latest project by musicians associated with the Che Underground.

We wrote the music over the Internet, since we now live in various far-flung corners of the globe (Africa in my case). One of us would write a riff and a few lines of lyrics and then send it on. Pretty soon it added up to a song, and then the eight on the record (actually more, but we could only record eight ’cause of time limitations).

But we all used to be in bands in San Diego and play shows together, so we were used to working together, and the distances were easily overcome.

Che Games: Photos from the Doyle Collection

January 1, 2011June 22, 2009 by admin

Che Underground archivists are frankly embarrassed by the riches rendered from the Che Games for May festival May 29-30 at San Diego’s Casbah. Twenty-five years or more later, the shows offered a great opportunity to showcase beloved material — and capture it with 21st-century technology.

While few early-’80s performances have survived, this event was immortalized from every angle with digital audio, video and photography; our biggest challenge now is to collate and edit this wealth of material.

In other words: I hardly know where to start!

I’m proud to get the photographic ball rolling with the camera work of Unknowns bassist/ photographic powerhouse Dave Doyle, who took some beautiful shots of the Mirrors, the original San Diego Wallflowers, Noise 292 and Hair Theatre on the second evening of the show. (Stay tuned for a gallery of Friday night’s superstars: Everybody Violet, Manual Scan, the Gay Dennys and the Answers!)

The P Man Live In San Diego

January 1, 2011June 12, 2009 by Paul.Howland

(Ex-Wallflower Paul “The P Man” Howland brings his Dubstep stylings to the Kava Lounge June 20 courtesy of Dub Smugglers.)

I’ve been working hard sorting through my tunes to decide which ones to bring down to the Kava Lounge on June 20.

Since I’m playing first, it’s definitely gonna be a fairly mellow set, at least to start out. I’ve got a fair bit of really good unreleased stuff from some UK producers, some new releases, as well as a few favorites of mine that have been out for a while. My set is gonna be from 9 ’til 10 pm, so please try to arrive early. I hope you’ll be able to stick around too, Austin Speed and Criminal (Subliminal DJs) are playing a back to back set after me, then you’ve got headliner Noah D, and doing a special closing set San Diego’s own PK.

The Wallflowers: “Funland” at the Casbah

January 1, 2011June 8, 2009 by admin

For those who missed Che Games for May in San Diego May 29-30 or just want to relive the magic: Good news! Thanks to modern technology, the event was captured from every angle in photographs, audio and video.

Exhibit A: The original San Diego Wallflowers raise the roof of San Diego’s Casbah with “Funland,” the band’s hypnotic paean to the city’s seamy underbelly, now lost to gentrification. (For memories of the original Funland, check out Kristen Tobiason’s “Then and now” feature.)

The May 30 performance marks the Wallflowers debut of Rockin’ Dog Dave Ellison and features original Wallflowers David Rinck on vocals, Paul Howland on bass and Matt Johnson on drums. (Che Underground jack-of-all-trades Dave Fleminger added keyboard stylings to the set.)

Che Games: Mission accomplished!

January 1, 2011May 31, 2009 by admin

A quick one, while he’s away: I’m tying up some loose ends before my flight back from San Diego to New Jersey after Day Two of the Che Underground’s Che Games for May reunion event at the Casbah Club.

Thanks to a crack team of documentarians, we’ve got audio, video and photos to share and enjoy — and those will be making their way onto the site in the coming weeks.

But for now, a simple “Thank you!” and an open invitation to talk about what our quarter-century reunion did to or for you.

You’re all very, very important to me, and easily my biggest regret is that I couldn’t be everywhere at once to talk to you and share time. But please: Let’s come together here and swap a few stories for each other and for our friends who couldn’t be with us this time out.

Let the games begin!

March 27, 2019April 26, 2009 by admin

(Tell-Tale Heart/Town Crier Ray Brandes lays the table for May’s audio feast.)

The Che Underground Weekend Showcase:
Celebrating more than 25 years of San Diego’s underground music history

An incredible opportunity to reconnect, reminisce and rediscover will unfold as 25 years and thousands of miles of distance disappear in a single weekend — May 29 and 30 at the Casbah in San Diego.

The lineups have been set, the bands are rehearsing, and the drinks are on ice. Here’s what to expect: