Matt Johnson | The Che Underground

The Town Criers: Unearthed relics!

January 1, 2011August 4, 2009 by Mmrothenberg

(Tell-Tale Heart/Town Crier Ray Brandes brings new Town Criers artifacts to light.)

The first of these gems is from early 1989, a performance at the wedding of Joe Hughes at Joshua Tree National Park.

The band at the time consisted of Ray Brandes on acoustic guitar and vocals, Peter Miesner on lead guitar, Mark Zadarnowski on electric bass guitar, and Dan Tarte on drums. Among the attendees captured on film at the event are Che Undergrounders Matt Johnson and Sean McMullen.

The toddler at the end of the clip is Sean Zadarnowski, Mark and Lydia’s son, who has graduated from UCSD.

We are all Blues Gangsters

January 1, 2011June 26, 2009 by Mmrothenberg

(Wallflower David Rinck introduces a new project by old friends.)

Here’s our new record. As far as we know, this is the latest project by musicians associated with the Che Underground.

We wrote the music over the Internet, since we now live in various far-flung corners of the globe (Africa in my case). One of us would write a riff and a few lines of lyrics and then send it on. Pretty soon it added up to a song, and then the eight on the record (actually more, but we could only record eight ’cause of time limitations).

But we all used to be in bands in San Diego and play shows together, so we were used to working together, and the distances were easily overcome.

The Wallflowers: “Funland” at the Casbah

January 1, 2011June 8, 2009 by Mmrothenberg

For those who missed Che Games for May in San Diego May 29-30 or just want to relive the magic: Good news! Thanks to modern technology, the event was captured from every angle in photographs, audio and video.

Exhibit A: The original San Diego Wallflowers raise the roof of San Diego’s Casbah with “Funland,” the band’s hypnotic paean to the city’s seamy underbelly, now lost to gentrification. (For memories of the original Funland, check out Kristen Tobiason’s “Then and now” feature.)

The May 30 performance marks the Wallflowers debut of Rockin’ Dog Dave Ellison and features original Wallflowers David Rinck on vocals, Paul Howland on bass and Matt Johnson on drums. (Che Underground jack-of-all-trades Dave Fleminger added keyboard stylings to the set.)

Let the games begin!

March 27, 2019April 26, 2009 by Mmrothenberg

(Tell-Tale Heart/Town Crier Ray Brandes lays the table for May’s audio feast.)

The Che Underground Weekend Showcase:
Celebrating more than 25 years of San Diego’s underground music history

An incredible opportunity to reconnect, reminisce and rediscover will unfold as 25 years and thousands of miles of distance disappear in a single weekend — May 29 and 30 at the Casbah in San Diego.

The lineups have been set, the bands are rehearsing, and the drinks are on ice. Here’s what to expect:

The Morlocks: Wake Me When I’m Dead

December 11, 2017June 16, 2008 by Mmrothenberg

Breaking Che Underground news: Sitting poolside in Las Vegas, ur-Morlocks drummer Mark Mullen has reportedly unearthed the band’s legendary lost album, Wake Me When I’m Dead, available for free download.

“It would be cool to put up on the site if people want to download it,” Mark suggests. “I really think most everyone has said they heard it existed, but it was more myth than truth. It was a myth for me until an hour ago.”

Mr. Mullen’s wish … Che Underground: The Blog’s command!