Reviving San Diego's Rock Renaissance
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.
(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.
(Bart Mendoza of Manual Scan and the Shambles counts off drummers he’s worked with.)
No doubt about it: Kevin Donaker-Ring and I have worked with a lot of drummers over the decades, keeping in mind that we first began our team-up in 1976.
Here are a few of the incredible musicians who have spent time behind a drum kit with Manual Scan or the Shambles over the past 30-plus years. Not pictured: Paul Brewin, Morgan Young, Terry Moore, Rob Wilson, Trace Smith, Brad Kiser. … There’s a future post there.
1) “I was a Shambles drummer” pin. People have sat in with the band for one song to obtain one of these.
(Bart Mendoza of Manual Scan and the Shambles talks about how he got from there to here.)
Of course the various members of the Shambles knew each other for years before the band’s formation, but I can put down the beginnings of the band to two events.
In the late ’80s, Kevin Donaker-Ring co-produced Manual Scan’s “Days & Maybes” EP with Ray Brandes (side note: humorous liners by Mike Stax), and we were all part of a group of musicians that frequented Megalopolis on Fairmount Ave., often playing round-robin style — David Moye and Jon Kanis amongst the round-robiners who didn’t end up in the band (though we did back up Kanis on a compilation-album track).
A disc I received from Hair Theatre guitarist Paul Allen adds new showpieces to the Che Underground flyer collection. Today, a trio of flyers advertising a single show March 7, 1986, at the Jackie Robinson YMCA, featuring Hair Theatre; Synesthesia (the great band led by Noise 292 co-founder Kristin Martin); and Decision (another terrific band that featured drum god Paul Brewin, who’d most recently played with Manual Scan).
This set demonstrates the tendency of individual shows to generate multiple flyers, often featuring a different “headliner” depending on the band running the photocopier. Exhibit A also showcases the artistry of David Dick, a new addition to our roster of flyer talent.
Read moreHair Theatre/Synesthesia/Decision, Jackie Robinson Y
