Scholars of San Diego music agree: The Che Underground might have happened without Jerry Cornelius, but it wouldn’t have been happening.
Jerry was a catalyst, MC, artist and style guru associated with The Answers, The Wallflowers, The Morlocks, and related acts. On Feb. 29, he returned to a San Diego stage for the first time in 35 years. The event was “A Che Underground Leap Night Showcase,” and he deftly led San Diego supergroup The Cooler Heads.
This video presents the Heads’ slinky and sizzling version of Magazine’s “Shot by Both Sides.”
The Cooler Heads also include Todd Barker (saxophone); Dave Fleminger (guitar); Paul Howland (bass); Hannes Kling (keyboards); and Craig Packham (drums).
More Cornelius chronicles:
Stay tuned for more fab musical moments from The Wrecktangle and P-Touch All Stars!
Named for notable shows they staged at UC San Diego’s Che Café — but active across the region — the bands of the Che Underground brought together artists steeped in punk, psychedelia, garage and more. Throwing their influences into a high-speed blender, bands like The Answers, Hair Theatre, Noise 292, The Rockin’ Dogs, The Tell-Tale Hearts and the original SD Wallflowers provided a soundtrack for Southern California youth culture of the early 1980s.
Let it be known that I want Jerry for my Unknowns reunion as lead singer with Dave Fleminger to head up the guitar. I haven’t decided on who will handle drum duty just yet…
Very nice, gents!
Any footage of “Gates of Steel”? Love it that they chose that one.
Dave Doyle, that’s very high regard! There are Bruce songs I could never touch, but a lot of Dream Sequence would knock me out to try, with his blessing. I guess a warped Orbison cover could go in there?
Anyway it happens, I’m really glad you were there, that night. When the world straightens out a little bit, we can all make something happen again.
Matt! Man, I was hoping you’d be able to show up. When there’s a next time, it has to be so!
Dave, I wish we’d had more time to hang out. It was so good to catch you, up in front the whole night.
Paul Howland and I were chatting about songs, and he said one way he judges people he’s going to play with, is how they respond to him asking, “What Devo song do you want to cover?”
I laughed and said, “Well, there’s really only Come Back Jonee and Gates Of Steel.” A quick trip to YouTube, and we both were less than happy with the little guitar triplets on Jonee, so Gates it was.
That needed more that the 15 minutes of practice I got in on the song, with the whole band on the night before. We were doing so much with a different arrangement. Another night, I hope.