A recent comment by Kristen Tobiason has me puzzling over how best to focus conversation on the Gravedigger V, a youthful San Diego band whose brief existence in 1983-1984 has inspired a quarter-century of notoriety.
There are plenty of online references to the band and its album “All Black and Hairy,” but many pieces are of questionable accuracy. What can we do to set the record straight?
My personal recollections are warm but hardly definitive: I first encountered GDV founders Leighton Koizumi and Chris Gast in 1983, when they were getting the band started under the name “the Shamen.” (Leighton rehearsed and performed on electric violin a few times with Noise 292 that summer.)
They were a great group of very young musicians, and it amazes me how large their legend looms after a career that spanned less than a year, before Leighton and lead guitarist Ted Friedman decamped to form the Morlocks with members of the Wallflowers and the Answers.
I hope Che Underground can help fill out the Gravedigger V story. We have as a reference the Gravedigger V site Chris Gast set up before the band’s reunion show in November 1999, but it was left tragically incomplete by Chris’ untimely demise in 2000.
Besides Chris’ site, here are some other online resources:
- A Wikipedia entry (rife with errors, including the claim that “members of the band went on to form … Manual Scan”!)
- “Leighton’s Gravediggers & Morlocks: The Unofficial Site” (last updated July 2004)
- A Gravedigger V MySpace page
- Bomp’s online store, which is selling “All Black and Hairy” along with “The Mirror Cracked,” a later compilation of outtakes and demos, as a two-CD package
Bottom line: Let’s talk Gravedigger V here … And if anyone wants to raise a hand to write the complete biography, do so here or at cheunderground@gmail.com!
The Morlocks were already in gear by August 1984. The Gravedigger V’s gig history was even shorter than I remembered! (I thought they were playing out by the end of summer ’83, although maybe those were parties and didn’t count.)
>>I moved back to San Diego as soon as I turned 18 (December of ’84) and I think The Morlocks may have already been happening, or happened soon thereafter.
GDV bassist Tom Ward provided a nice recollection of the band in an earlier thread. While Leighton and Chris were the two musketeers (and I remember one early show Chris played), Tom was a huge asset to the rhythm section … and an awesome guy. I remember very well the gigs where he played bass (e.g., the Syndicate with Crawdaddys and Scan) … It was tight!
Ciao everybody, if you want the real scoop i can give it to you, who better?
Im currently living in Valencia, Espana getting ready to do a small Gravedigger 5 tour performing the “All Black and Hairy Album” Live. I must say that Ted was more important in the grand sceme of things then Chris was , in fact i believe in total Chris played just two live shows.
Cheers L
>>Ciao everybody, if you want the real scoop i can give it to you, who better?
Leighton: Nobody! 🙂 Very cool to see you back on here.
It’s really hard to find a performance history for the band. Do you remember the first time you guys played out? I remember a girl’s birthday party that got broken up … I don’t think I was at the patio gig Matt Johnson played.
Leighton you little sneaky sneakster -- where have you been? We missed you at the reunion picnic. I remember seeing the GD5 every weekend for one summer, maybe 1984? You were regulars in the Lurch cavern — Studio 517.
Well to clear some things up, The GraveDiggers first show was with the Hearts at somebodys house out on the back patio. Pâula from the Pandoras was there, as was Shelly Ganinez from the Unclaimed, yes Matt was the drummer at the time. Also there was never a Gravedigger 5 Morlock show together, as i was the original singer for both bands. The morlocks first show was at a house party in Mission hills or right above P. park near the mission. Strangely enough Don Bolles was in attenandence. Which has lead to a long relationship, in fact we both performed with “Billy Corrigan” at “Sky Saxon” memorial in L.A. last Month also with the original Seeds.
>>The morlocks first show was at a house party in Mission hills or right above P. park near the mission
Leighton: The party was at Paul Allen’s house (the red flyer above). And Noise 292 played, I swear! (Nobody else seems to remember this … Do you? Jeff and I were arguing about who’d play first.) 🙂
Leighton,
It’s Chaka…….
Hope you are doing well. Pretty wierd about Don Bolles. I don’t remeber when but I think when I was in the Wall Flowers Don Bolles stayed at my parents house in Mira Mesa one night after a 45 Grave show.
I do not remember the first Morlock show……..All Balck and Blury
Take it easy
I remember waking up at the Mission/Meade street house to Don Bolles asleep on my living room floor, along with Chaka and Trudy. I think the only words I’ve ever said to him were “want some coffee?”
I thought the first Morlocks show was with the Pandoras at that party. Or were they just in attendance? I don’t remember Noise at that show -- just at the Che with the Wallflowers.
All black and blurry! haha. and wavy. and colorful.
>>I thought the first Morlocks show was with the Pandoras at that party. Or were they just in attendance? I don’t remember Noise at that show
Kristen: Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhh! It’s my obsession to find someone who can confirm that we played this party. I swear, it’s the one time I think I ever came close to a serious argument with Jeff … ‘Cause these guys had never played out before, and we’d been at it for a while, and he’s all up at me about how no way they’ll open. 🙂
In retrospect, I wouldn’t have wanted to follow them … They rocked; and they were so loud, Paul Kaufman and I were pinned to the far wall; and everybody was so excited to see them, we’d have been a total anticlimax. But if we didn’t play, it’s the most detailed and persistent hallucination I’ve ever had in my life. LOL … Like “The Matrix” or something!
I remember the UC party. Bert and Darren were playing the Big Bad Bubba Bert tape on the house stereo (who’s house with this?). The bands played on the patio. I stayed in the kitchen and hung up and watched the bands through the sliding glass door. It was fall of 83, that’s fer sure.
>>The bands played on the patio. I stayed in the kitchen and hung up and watched the bands through the sliding glass door.
Tony: Cripes, maybe I transposed the bands into the house in my memory! This is sounding familiar. Was it a girl’s … birthday party? I remember this early Gravedigger party, where the hostess I believe got tired of the guests … And some tough guys (maybe even led by Mike Woods) ended up 86ing everybody. “The girl wants you all to LEAVE!”
I came down from North County with Wendell and Sergio.
You guys are mixing up two events: the Morlocks’ debut at Paul Allen’s house in the summer of 1984 (and Noise 292 may very well have played--I didn’t show up until later), and an outdoor party in UC (I thought it was Cyndie Jaynes’ house, but I may be wrong) where the Tell-Tale Hearts made their debut and the Shamen (not the Gravediggers, who changed their name after a couple of parties) opened. It was somebody’s birthday party. This took place in about September of 1983. And no, Leighton wasn’t dating one of the Pandoras!!! He was a kid, about 16 years old. They would have eaten him alive. Oh, and excuse the ignorance, but who the hell is Don Bolles?
>>You guys are mixing up two events
Ray: Sorry — I don’t mean to whipsaw back and forth. 🙂 Yes, I’m also talking about two events.
The September 1983 party … Yes, I remember a female person’s birthday party … Was it indeed broken up by the perhaps overzealous chivalry of some young men?
That would have been have been cool if the Pandoras played at my house. I remember someone, Pat Works I think, making the point at the time that the Morlocks played at another party first, but I think it was a small one. Ray, Don Bolles was the drummer for 45 Grave and before that, the Germs. So that was the party 45 Grave showed up at. Ray, didn’t the Tell-Tale Hearts play at my house one time? I had two big parties. I think 2 or 3 bands played at each. We were trying to piece it together quite awhile ago on the blog. I can’t quite remember.
I was at the Sept 83 party in UC…The Shamen played at one end of a backyard patio and it was strangely chilly that evening…that’s about all that memory serves on that…other than I think the bands set up in different spots, like the ‘Hearts set up on the lawn..?
The Answers (as Painted Sun with Sergio on vocals) played the first of Paul’s parties, which would have been around that same time. We were either the first or second band of the evening, and were more than a little disorganized at that point..
My memory serves me incredibly well about at least one of Paul’s parties. I remember lying somewhat passed out in the grass between the sidewalk and the street across the way from Paul’s (I was so considerate). When the cops came I very intelligently decided to walk home to Golden Hills (from Mission Hills?). I got about half a block weaving not unlike a serpent when the cops picked me up and blessed me with a “drunk in public”. Did bands play?
Ray is right about the first show with the hearts and the Shamen (pre GD5) that was the first show really, the Morlock thing may have had Noise playing but i could be wrong a bit bleary eyed.
Wow, I forgot about Painted Sun. Dave Rives was in that project right? Sergio was singing w/the Answers when I first saw them. I think I joined Hair Theatre in Dec. 83. Who else played at those parties? I remember now Ray saying he had laryngitis when the Tell-Tale Hearts played. I can’t imagine doing that. I played a short set w/Dave Dick and my friend Evan Conlee, RIP. I can’t remember if Hair Theatre played there. It seems like we would have.
>>Wow, I forgot about Painted Sun. Dave Rives was in that project right?
Painted Sun was Sergio, Fleminger, Lucas, Rives and (I think) Anderson. It was a five-piece. I think the only club date was Club Zu.
@leighton -- what’s your best guess for a setlist of that first show? did it include “gloria?”
Kristen,
I do not remember The Morlocks playing in Mira Mesa? I think the Wall Flowers did at a party. Red light -- Beer Run -- Cops…………don’t remember that one but there were many.
So So Foggy
I kinda remember flying through downtown on the highway about 3 am with Matt Johnson blasting Rap………..Oh shit, that was 3 months ago.
I dunno about the other parties. I just remember the UC one which was the TTH’s first play-date.
IN hindsite, we should have let Bert, Darren and Dave bust some ryhmes with Klowden that night.
That did happen at the Chamberlains house a few months later on NYE 1983/84.
With Klowden on drums.
The Shamen houseparty story -- opening for the TTH is correct. I was asked to, and gladly did, perform “MC” introductions for the Shamen -- Hanrattie and Friedman objected to my pronunciation, tho’. “It’s ‘Shay-Men’, not ‘Shah-Men’…”
I don’t remember all of the details there, but I’m sure Cathy Bozzo and I were in attendance at some of those shows with our black Edied Sedgewick vs. blonde Edie “gettups”; go-go dancing and collaging the night away.
The music was mind blowing…so raw and infectious! And; of course, the company was great, too. Nothing like meeting all these smart, sassy young peope who were totally with it- on both the musical and artistic side of things. Tom was the sweetest from the start, but Leighton, Matt, and the rest of the Gravediggers soon followed. An it was a blast to head with Darren, Bert, Dirk and Dave Acampora on their Scooters to The Pannikin in the early morning or mid-day after-wards!! Or criuse over to Joe Bender’s LJ “garage” to make art all night long, or watch him surf with Konrad Dobrott and Barfy, while the sun rose over the beaches of La Jolla Shores!
Kristen…I am totally with you on smelling the coffee after a Gravedigger V party!
I believe but I could be wrong, that myself, my brother, a girl named Terresa Daniels(she had a car) and our pal Nick Hunt were outside the party that was broken up by tough guys, we just showed up..
was there a shotgun involed?
I was chased by a big mean dude yelling get f**ck out of here, partys over, this would have been 83….
I have been trying to place this event in my life for a number of years.
I love the GDV, but ths would have been my only chance to see them.
I remember what I think was the first Morlocks show at Paul Allen’s. They rocked that night. Also, I remember we played at Pat’s, a show that the Pandoras were also sposed to play, but couldn’t since it got stopped before they got a chance to start. This was the second DaveFest. We ended up parked on someone’s lawn I think.
Okay, the truth is that I can’t clearly remember any of this.
>>Also, I remember we played at Pat’s, a show that the Pandoras were also sposed to play, but couldn’t since it got stopped before they got a chance to start.
David: Yes, this is the occasion (recounted by Mr. Works) when burly gentlemen with motorcycles began to tax the attendees, and Patrick called the cops on his own party.
Dylan: I’m sure there wasn’t a shotgun involved in the Shamen/GDV party I’m remembering. There wasn’t even actual violence — more of an agonistic display by some alpha male who felt the girl’s hospitality was being abused. (Sometimes the cure for unwanted guests proved more alarming than the problem!)
>>This was the second DaveFest. We ended up parked on someone’s lawn I think.
David, I remember you parking the car on a neighbor’s lawn! You weren’t feeling well. I think that the party punch was disagreeing with you.
The Pandoras were pissed that they didn’t get to play at that party! and everyone thought that was funny for some reason.
but the Answers did a memorable impromptu performance in Pat’s house. Later on skinheads showed up and were bullying Paul Howland and your friend Shane (remember him?).
I don’t have any idea how I mistook that lawn for a parking lot. Probably forgot to wear my glasses that day…
I do remember Shane. A very nice guy that did lighting for the band. He’d sit in the back of the room and flip the light switches on and off. He kinda looked like a miniature version of Don Bolles funny enough…
Matt: thanks, some friends and I show up to a Mod party in mira mesa or kearny mesa once and saw Skinhead @ the front door with a shotgun to some mod dudes neck, we were chased back to our friends car and took off, thought maybe this was the same party.
>>some friends and I show up to a Mod party in mira mesa or kearny mesa once and saw Skinhead @ the front door with a shotgun to some mod dudes neck, we were chased back to our friends car and took off, thought maybe this was the same party.
Dylan: SHIT! Wow. I know we took the initial hint and skedaddled — maybe firearms did come out after we left, although it seems I’d have heard about it later.
Anybody here ever on either end of a shotgun at a party? Let’s not name the wielder of the gun if so, please. But I assume it would stick in the memory of the person who found his neck on the explosive end. (Drop me a private line at cheunderground@gmail.com if you want to confide the whole story, and maybe we can work out a way to convey it on the blog.)
well this thread is about GDV, not crazy out of hand partys sorry if I took the thread in another direction but maybe Nick or another person that was there could back up my tale for it is not a tall one.
Back to GDV, sorry!
Dylan, boychik: We LIVE for the tangents!! Never, EVER apologize for bringing a skinhead with a shotgun into the conversation. 🙂
Dylan and Matt,
Something happened at some north county party / gig.
I wound up at the wrong end of a shotgun barrel at the conclusion of one evening. I don’t know if this is the incident that Dylan recalls, or if in fact we were seeing the Gravediggers that time. Maybe my recount of the story, as I recall it, will spur some additional recollections.
Some other young mod kid in white pants (Dave Acampoura?) was sitting on the trunk of some mulleted gentleman’s equally white car. The automotive enthusiast was outraged, shouted and waved a bit. The offender had long since backed away.
As I recall events, the angry motorist retrieved said blunderbuss from his trunk, and mistook me for the offender -- both of us were in white jeans.
I acted non-plussed. “Oh, a gun. Colour me very impressed,” was the smart-alec comment that seemed to confuse the guy for long enough a moment -- allowing me to turn sideways and walk away, as if disinterested.
About then his punk-rock tai-chi teacher -- I kid you not -- comes over and talks the guy down! It was about as weird as it gets. Only at that point did it begin to occur to me that the guy with the white car might actually have used a shotgun on someone who dissed his ride.
Later the martial-arts instructor came to me and Dirk, saying it might be a good idea to clear out. I said, “he’s mistaken me for someone else” as if the information were somehow relevant to keeping a dirthead with a shotgun in his right frame of mind!
We were all exiting, anyway. Or I wouldn’t have been around for the whole affair. It was over in a minute or so. I can see that an outside observer, at the distance of a few yards, might see this as having the shotgun held to my neck. I think he was always more than 5 feet away -- not that the ballistic consequences would have been any less disastrous.
I could swear that Dave Ellison was somewhere nearby, too. But this whole occurrence is still a bit fuzzy, beyond the immediate incident. I probably felt pretty shaky sometime afterward.
In retrospect, I really liked the GDV -- but don’t believe I’d risk being shot to see them…
Also, Dave Klowden, Pat Works and Dirk Westerveldt have all been with me at various times when visiting the wrong end of handguns, over the few short years between ’82 and ’88. Glad no one actually fired. Well, once, in Santa Cruz…