Che Underground | The Che Underground

Hair Theatre in living color

January 1, 2011April 8, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

At long last, Che Underground is proud to present photographic evidence of the immortal Hair Theatre! Thanks to Paul Allen for coming up with these great photos (and to Kristin Martin for a technical assist getting them into my hands).

I’d peg this appearance by Sergio, Little Serg, Cesar and Paul around 1985, although I’d appreciate a memory boost from the band itself in specifying the date and location. (Plus, who was drumming at this stage?) It’s so cool to see the band together after all these years!

Speaking of Hair Theatre reunions: I know that both Sergios and Paul at least will be together in San Diego this weekend to celebrate Big Serg’s wedding! Please join me in sending warm Che Underground wishes to Sergio, his fiancée Season and their daughter Lily. (Is a musical reunion at the reception too much to hope for?)

And Sergio/Paul: Please e-mail wedding photos so the happy couple’s extended circle of well-wishers can join in the celebration!

Great San Diego hangouts

January 1, 2011April 7, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

Essential ingredients in our recipe for adolescent hijinx were the houses, apartments, nooks and crannies where we gathered to play and hang around and talk and commit a variety of small indiscretions at odd hours. We’ve talked about Patrick Works’ house, about Gay Denny’s and its ilk, about Presidio Park and Balboa Park … What were some other notable hangouts?

The Morlocks’ basement in Golden Hill;
The Hair Theatre shack in Carlsbad;
Greenwich Village West.

That’s three to start, but there were many more. Where else did we hang our hats?

What are we listening to NOW?

January 1, 2011April 4, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

In a brief break with the past, Personal Conflict bassist-turned-punk-historian par excellence Toby Gibson suggests an amusing palate-cleanser to catch up with our present doings: What is everyone listening to today, and what are your guilty musical pleasures?

“I’m presently working on a pointless short story whose conclusion has been eluding me while my kid naps on the couch,” Toby writes to tee things up, “and I’m listening to Joe Jackson’s old stuff on the headphones. Twenty years ago there’s just no chance — no way — I never would have guessed this is where I’d be right now here today, but I guess to some extent there’s just no predicting what path a certain person will end up taking. I certainly was ‘too punk’ to admit to enjoying Joe Jackson — or about a million other bands and performers I missed until much later in life. Sad but true.”

The Wallflowers: “Raw Power”

January 1, 2011April 1, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

I’m pretty sure I met the Wallflowers at an apartment party — maybe in Kensington? — in early summer 1983. I believe Dave Ellison brokered my introduction to the most joyfully subversive band in the whole Che Underground circuit.

The Wallflowers weathered a few personnel changes during their run and came back each time renewed and ready with new surprises: an electric cord of pure rock-‘n’-roll snaking through an eclectic combination of horns, harmonicas and other musical breaths of fresh air in our guitar-dominated scene. (Not to discount potency of the Wallflowers’ core lineup; bassist Paul Howland was the spine of the band, and every guitarist and drummer to join the Wallflowers was like a new birthday present for the audience.)

Here’s what Wallflowers vocalist Dave Rinck recently called “the raw stuff, the real steak Tartar of the band”: Wallflowers Phase One demolishing the Stooges’ “Raw Power”! Man, I’ve missed these guys.

Listen to it now!

Rockin’ Dogs: “Candy Rock”

January 1, 2011March 29, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

Here’s a signature number from a superb band. Dave Rinck of the Wallflowers has called the Rockin’ Dogs’ “Candy Rock” his favorite San Diego rock-‘n’-roll tune, and it’s easy to see why.

We’re still trying to remember the spring 1983 Answers gig where we met, but the Rockin’ Dogs were an electrifying addition to the Che Underground scene. They looked tight, and they sounded explosive: Cole Smithey (drums) and Jane Bunting (bass) made a killer rhythm section, and vocalists/guitarists Dave Ellison and Sam Wilson (musical collaborators since age 14) were an endlessly fascinating study in stylistic contrasts; just check out the interplay of guitar styles on “Candy Rock.” The Rockin’ Dogs put Poway on the map for me!

Listen to it now!

Hair Theatre: “Meet Me Outside”

January 1, 2011March 26, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

The first time I heard Hair Theatre was a party at Margarat Nee’s house in Leucadia in the summer of 1983. They came out of nowhere (a k a Carlsbad, a few miles north of my sphere of activity), and I knew from Note 1 that we needed to invite them to join the scene coalescing around the Che Cafe. What an incredible band! What fantastic stage presence!

Making its digital debut on Che Underground: The Blog, here’s Hair Theatre doing “Meet Me Outside.” Listening to this, who else can clearly picture Sergio in action?

Listen to it now!

Wallflowers in the house!

January 1, 2011March 26, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

Another missing piece of the Che Underground puzzle fell into place last night in Los Angeles when Rockin’ Dog-turned-ace-designer Dave Ellison joined forces with Wallflower-cum-mad-barber Todd Lahman. The fruits of the meeting: a handoff of long-awaited and freshly digitized Wallflowers audio tracks.

The three live cuts represent the first incarnation of this great band and comprise the Stooges’ “Raw Power” and “TV Eye” as well as the Wallflowers’ own signature “Wall Drugs.” (I’ve heard the latter so far, and it rocks!) I’m hoping Messrs. Rinck and Howland can provide details on the date and location of this performance.

We’re all doing Wall Drugs!

Related bands: Who’s your daddy?

March 27, 2019March 23, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

A lovely aspect of the Che Underground scene was how cheerfully it blended San Diego genres and geographies. We all had our influences and constituencies, and any evening with our bands was sure to bring different crowds into new alignments.

We’ve started a new Related Bands section of the blog to celebrate our bushy family tree with profiles of the San Diego bands we sprang from, performed alongside and created down the road. Ray Brandes has continued his support of this site with a fine profile of the Tell-Tale Hearts; who else’s pictures and stories do you want to see here?