Che Underground | The Che Underground

“He’s Calling You Tonight”

January 1, 2011July 7, 2008 by admin

A beautiful example of Che Underground musical chairs in action,
“He’s Calling You Tonight” brings together the talents of Dave Fleminger (Answers co-founder and sometime Hair Theatre guitarist) and Sergio (Hair Theatre co-founder and sometime Answers vocalist).

“This is a Sergio song we recorded on the 4-track with overdubs,” Dave writes. “I played the guitars, and Sergio played the drums.

“It showcases once again what a fantastic vocalist he is, and the double- and triple-tracked voice-lines are especially effective. I don’t recall playing this song with Hair Theatre while I was with them, and I’m not sure if it was part of the band’s standard repertoire.

Read more“He’s Calling You Tonight”

Pictures in an exhibition

January 1, 2011July 6, 2008 by admin

Aside from rock-‘n’-roll music and tattoos, flyer art was one of the highest forms of expression in our circle. Today, the Che Underground flyer gallery welcomes new show pieces from the collection of Dave Fleminger.

“The Greenwich Village West one is a Kristen Tobiason work (including initials),” Dave writes, “the Che is Kristin Martin’s (initials again), the Pandoras gobble is mine, and the Rain Parade/Tell-Tale Hearts is certainly one of the most inscrutable of Jerry Cornelius’ flyers.”

The Answers in action

January 1, 2011July 3, 2008 by admin

Answers founder/vocalist/guitarist Dave Fleminger has opened up his archives to share a wealth of photographs spanning the band’s illustrious career.

Here is an assortment of portrait and performance shots of the Answers featuring bassist/vocalist Jeff Lowe and drummer Dave Anderson. Just hold on tight, and you are there!

Noise 292: “Sister Ray”

January 1, 2011July 2, 2008 by admin

Performing at the Che Cafe Nov. 17, 1983 (with Hair Theatre and 11 Sons), Noise 292 pays homage to two of its bedrock influences, covering the Velvet Underground’s epic “Sister Ray” and throwing in a few stylings from Joy Division’s version for good measure. (Check out Kristin Martin and me tearing into the “Good night” vocals at the end, à la mode d’Ian Curtis!)

“My first memory of witnessing a Noise 292 show has you screaming your ass off during a performance of ‘Sister Ray,’ incredibly cathartic and tribal,” writes Dave Fleminger. “I’d never seen anything like it … way scarier and more musically violent than Fairmont Hall fare. Ear-punishing.

Musical chairs

December 13, 2017July 1, 2008 by admin

Packing so much musical talent into the confines of the San Diego scene pushed the Che Underground Mixmaster into overdrive. A couple of short years produced a dizzying melange of amputations, collaborations and creative explosions as assorted musicians formed new combinations.

Sergio of Hair Theatre sang for the Answers; guitarist David Rives from Noise 292 joined them for one performance as Painted Sun; Sam Wilson moved from the Rockin’ Dogs to the Wallflowers to Hair Theatre; Joanne Norris drummed for the Injections, Noise 292 and Everybody Violet; Crawdaddys and Gravediggers became Nashville Ramblers; half of our bands converged into the Morlocks; and Dave Anderson kept the beat for everybody else.

Many familiar faces (a few missing names)

January 1, 2011June 30, 2008 by admin

The Cyndie Jaynes Collection continues to generate a kaleidescope of images from the early-’80s San Diego underground … This batch features a shot I overlooked from the Tell-Tale Hearts’ performance at Dave Fest 3 as well as a variety of portraits.

Here’s a selection of Cyndie’s photos, followed by a list matching names to these well-loved faces. Note the gaps in the historical record; help us out here!

The Morlocks: Live at the Swedish American Hall

January 1, 2011June 28, 2008 by admin

Just as Canada offered political asylum to Wallflowers artifacts over the past quarter-century, Croatia emerges as the sanctuary for sounds of the original Morlocks.

Drummer Mark Mullen last week received this track fresh from the former Yugoslavia — the first in a completely preserved 13-song show at San Francisco’s Swedish American Hall that was originally broadcast live on KALX. (Could it be this show from Sept. 28, 1985?)

Freshly arrived in town, Jerry Cornelius outdoes himself as MC. “That’s me,” Jerry writes. “Doing the intro in imitation of the Dutch band, Q65 — which the Morlocks worshipped.”

Hair Theatre: “Nightfall”

January 1, 2011June 26, 2008 by admin

Here’s a keystone number in Hair Theatre’s brilliant repertoire: “Nightfall” is one of my clearest memories of this unforgettable band.

According to vocalist Sergio, this performance was part of a four-song demo recorded at the end of 1983: Hair Theatre’s second demo session and the first with lead guitarist Paul Allen.

“Nightfall” was recorded at Lab Studios in Carlsbad by James of Manifest Destiny. “James was very patient with us, very good,” Sergio recalls. “He was used to doing everything punk-style: one take and out. I insisted on a couple of tracks for my vocals,” and the band devoted multiple takes to making sure the sound was polished to a fine edge.

More Morlocks lore

January 1, 2011June 25, 2008 by admin

A Morlocks motherlode: Founding bassist Jeff Lucas has opened up his archives to Che Underground: The Blog! His collection of photos, flyers, lyric sheets and other curiosities spans the band’s earliest days in San Diego (summer 1984) to the dissolution of the original lineup three years later.

Here’s a showcase of Jeff’s collection followed by his notes:

The Rockin’ Dogs: “Always on the Run”

January 1, 2011June 24, 2008 by admin

We’re spinning another sizzling Rockin’ Dogs hit requested by the Wallflowers’ Dave Rinck, this one from early in the band’s extraordinary collaboration.

“‘Always On the Run’ was one of the first songs we did,” writes Rockin’ Dogs co-founder Dave Ellison. “I’m pretty sure Sam wrote it before we started the band. It was always a part of our set … at least for as long as I was in the band.

“I always liked playing the lead on this one, but I think I screwed it up a little here. Oh, well … no time to do it over when you’re a young musician on a budget!”