David Fleminger | The Che Underground

Jerry Cornelius & The Cooler Heads: ‘Electric Flowers’

February 28, 2021February 28, 2021 by Mmrothenberg

When do you celebrate the first anniversary of an event that happened on a Feb. 29? Che Underground: The Blog is jumping the gun with its birthday salute to “A Che Underground Leap Night Showcase,” which transpired Feb. 29, 2020, and featured performances by The Wrecktangle; Jerry Cornelius & The Cooler Heads; and P-Touch All Stars.

On offer today: JC & TCHs’ cover of The Answers classic “Electric Flowers,” along with some liner notes by Mr. Cornelius himself!

“Memories, they have no place/They take up precious time and space.”

When I first saw David Fleminger and The Answers in their form with Tony Suarez and Dave Anderson at the Adams Avenue Theater, I was struck by the force and musicality of what they were playing.

Over the 37 years since then, several of these songs — especially “Color Notes” and “Electric Flowers” — have never been far from my mind.

Mark your calendars: Jerry Cornelius returns!

September 15, 2020January 22, 2020 by Mmrothenberg

As we prepare our Che Underground family reunion for Leap Night 2020, a highlight of this magnificent evening is a musical set fronted by by none other than Jeremiah Cornelius — back on a San Diego stage for the first time in decades.

Jerry Cornelius was a legendary presence on the scene: writing, illustrating, managing, MCing and otherwise setting the tone of the entire Che Underground. His taste was impeccable, and his influence extended across the bands of the era.

Check out the details of ‘A Che Undeground Leap Night Showcase’!

The Amazons make Rolling Stone! (Thanks, Vedder)

March 5, 2016February 23, 2016 by Mmrothenberg

After all the blood, sweat and tears secreted over the years by the musicians in our combo, a Joe Jackson cover and shambolic version of “Roadrunner” got us national press on Monday in Rolling Stone, Consequence of Sound and Pearl Jam’s site. I believe a couple guest turns by our old high-school theater buddy Eddie Vedder had something to d0 with all the to-do. But hey, while we’ve caught the buzz, I might as well tell the story.

The Amazons were an acoustic guerrilla rock trio we put together in San Francisco in 1997: me; my fellow San Dieguito High School Theater alum Todd Barker on drums; and on bass, Jason Brownell, a friend of mine who went all the way back to fifth grade in Milwaukee before I moved to San Diego.

Listen now: The Amazons play “Brother P-Touch”

A banner year for David Fleminger

December 11, 2017May 21, 2015 by Mmrothenberg

Early in the blog’s history, I recall joking about the prospect of San Diego’s city fathers erecting a statue to us in the Gaslamp Quarter.

It’s more than a little exciting, then, to learn that our own David Fleminger now graces a banner on El Cajon Blvd. — one of this year’s crop of musical figures so honored by the El Cajon Boulevard Business Improvement Association.

The association’s Beryl Forman explained to me that the organization (formed 25 years ago to raise a gateway sign over the boulevard) is hanging banners to recognize outstanding contributions to the area’s retail, dining and music experiences. Among other familiar names gracing banners on El Cajon Boulevard are Tim Mays; El Vez; Mojo Nixon; Joey Harris; Candye Kane; and Bart Mendoza, who initiated the effort to include David in the program.

The Mirrors play UCSD Rec Gym

May 9, 2015May 9, 2015 by Mmrothenberg

Jeffrey Luck Lucas — veteran of the Answers and the Morlocks and current solo artist — offers up these photos from the band he calls his favorite from his days in San Diego.

The Mirrors were formed by Jeff and Dave Fleminger in late 1983 and played their last show in May 1984. Artifacts are rare, but these images shot by John Nee capture the band playing the UCSD Rec Gym April 14, 1984 with The Unclaimed, the Odds and Noise 292.

Really, quite a Comeuppance or two!

April 7, 2014March 6, 2014 by Jeremiah Cornelius

The Che’Underground’s very own David Fleminger has been granted a flattering profile in the San Diego Troubadour: “The Perpetual Flowering of DAVID FLEMINGER.” It’s a well-deserved tribute, that captures a significant side of Dave’s multifaceted career. David’s protean musical talent is given richly deserved attention, from with a comprehensive retrospective of his history in both San Diego and the Bay area. Says David, “I think a lot of the music that really moves me makes some sort of a statement. …it’s more than just an advertisement for a place and a lifestyle.”

Also published by the Troubadour, this last year, is a very fine review for The Comeuppance – David’s project with his wife, Heather Vorwerck. The group is already familiar to those, lucky enough to attend the 2010 festivities for the Che reunion shows at San Diego’s Casbah Nightclub.

Check it out!

Che Underground turns five!

December 17, 2017February 16, 2013 by Mmrothenberg

Five years ago today, I posted the first entry to Che Underground: The Blog. I’d been talking to some old friends about a place where we could share sounds and images from our musical youth in San Diego, and this turned out to be the handiest solution.

Soon Rockin’ Dog Dave Ellison created our striking design, and contributors including Ray Brandes, Kristen Tobiason, Paul Kaufman, David Fleminger and so many others enriched the site beyond anything I could have hoped.

And my, how we grew! Hundreds of stories … Tens of thousands of comments and visitors. This little corner of the Web let so many revisit so much and introduced a whole new audience to the things we created back at the dawn of the ’80s.

The earth has made five solar revolutions since then, and most of us are still here on it. Looking back, I think we’ve moved in good directions, and I’m proud of any part this place played in bringing us back together.

Vote for the Comeuppance for SDMA

June 21, 2012June 20, 2012 by Mmrothenberg

(Paul Kaufman solicits support for a new project by Che Underground’s own.)

San Diego has embraced its prodigal musicians as they return after decades. Consider the Comeuppance, a “chamber pop” combo led by David Fleminger (guitar, vocals) and Heather Vorwerck (cello).

This ensemble has a distinctive sound influenced by diverse jazz, country and classical traditions, all the while staying true to the high standards of songwriting that Che Underground readers know to expect from all of Dave’s endeavors.

Readers of this blog will recall that the Comeuppance relocated last spring to San Diego. The move marked a homecoming for David after 25 years in San Francisco; it’s a return to the city where he created so many memories as the creative force of bands like the Answers and the Mirrors as well as a founding member of a wide array of musical notables from Social Spit to Manual Scan.

Lemons Are Yellow: Afuegal Pitu

December 13, 2017April 14, 2009 by Paul Kaufman

(Paul Kaufman describes the creative ferment behind a Lemons classic.)

This song was written in tribute to the delicious cheeses of Spain. I chose “Afuegal Pitu” as the title not because it’s my favorite (that would be the powerful blue Cabrales or the smoky sheep cheese Idiazabal, depending on the day) but because it has the best name. Afuegal Pitu has a lot of red pepper in it, and the name is a local-dialect version of “Fire in the Throat.” Indeed, all the lyrics (except for the spoken-word part in the middle) are simply the names of different Spanish cheeses.

I used to live near an excellent cheese shop (the Cheese Board in Berkeley, CA), and I was so enamoured of the Spanish Cheese Poster they had on display, I wrote to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture to ask where I could get one. It now hangs in my kitchen.

Read moreLemons Are Yellow: Afuegal Pitu

Lemons Are Yellow: “Spotted Dick”

December 13, 2014March 20, 2009 by Paul Kaufman

(Lemons Are Yellow member Paul Kaufman describes the secret sauce behind the song.)

Back in the day, Tower Market atop Mount Davidson in San Francisco was the place for the band Lemons Are Yellow to stock up on snacks. This medium-sized grocery had an inexplicably large “British Foods” section, where you could stock up on Devonshire cream; HP sauce; and a mix for making your own dessert known as “Spotted Dick,” a baked pudding containing dried currants (hence the spots). Of course, the packaging called out to us, and soon we were at the Fleminger kitchen, baking up a batch.