On That Note: The Paisley Underground (part 1)

[cyclones500]

Welcome back to MeanDean/cyclones500 weekly music series.

For part 12 (and 6th installment of “It’s My Vault,") let's return to The Left Coast and explore “The Paisley Underground.”

The moniker was an informal term connecting several California-based acts from the early- to mid-1980s. Bands most commonly associated with it are The Three O’Clock, Rain Parade, Green on Red, The Dream Syndicate, The Long Ryders and, probably its most well-known member, The Bangles.

Excerpt from Wikipedia synopsis: Paisley Underground is a sub-genre of “jangle pop” that originated in California. Paisley Underground bands incorporated psychedelia, vocal harmonies and guitar interplay, owing significant debt to 1960s groups such as Love and The Byrds, but generally referenced a wide range of pop and garage-rock revival.

Instead of attempting to cover the entire micro-genre in one shot, I’ll start with two bands in the “movement” that most closely fit the psychedelia/60s pop description: Rain Parade and The Three O'Clock (I'll do these in separate posts). We'll revisit The Paisley Underground in future On The Note segments.

Put on your headphones and prepare for the ride.

RAIN PARADE
Formed in 1981 (as The Sidewalks) in Los Angeles.

Samples:

“You Are My Friend,” Rain Parade, from “Explosions in the Glass Palace” (1984, Enigma/Zippo).
This five-song EP may be the best amalgam of styles among Paisley Underground groups, and its the tightest collection of the Rain Parade material on one disc.




“This Can’t Be Today,” from “Emergency Third Rail Power Trip” (1983, Enigma/Zippo; also released on Restless)




“Don’t Feel Bad,” Rain Parade, from “Crashing Dream” (1985, Island)




“Kaleidoscope,” Rain Parade, from “Emergency Third Rail Power Trip”



Spin-off groups from Rain Parade: Mazzy Star; Opal; Viva Saturn.

 

[cyclones500]

Part B

THE THREE O’CLOCK
Formed in 1981 as The Salvation Army, in Los Angeles.

Of all groups categorized as Paisley Underground, The Three O’Clock may fit the label best. I’m not as familiar with its discography as some of the others. A couple of tracks:

“I Go Wild” (1983)




“Jet Fighter,” from “Sixteen Tambourines (1983, Frontier)




BONUS MATERIAL

In this clip, Rain Parade members Matt Piucci and Steven Roback attempt to summarize the origin of "The Paisley Underground" concept, in a Q&A ca. 1984. The interview segues into a live clip of the band performing “No Easy Way Down” (from “Explosions in the Glass Palace”) … The studio version is darkly hypnotic — on stage, it reaches another level.




"Real World" and "Want You," The Bangles, on “American Bandstand,” 1983. Vicki Peterson is an underrated lead-guitarist.




Further exploration (includes Paisley Underground artists, but isn’t limited to it):
“Children of Nuggets” (Rhino, 2005)

 

[jcyclonee]

This is kind of a cool little niche of music and I didn't even realize there was a name for it.

Also, there are worse things than starting my day thinking about Susanna Hoffs.

 

[MeanDean]

I've not heard that term either. And I was still doing pop music in the 80's. Wonder when the term was coined?

Right up my alley, though!

 

[mapnerd]

Thank you for this! This is some great stuff right here.

 

[cyclones500]

This is kind of a cool little niche of music and I didn't even realize there was a name for it.

Thanks!

Also, there are worse things than starting my day thinking about Susanna Hoffs.

This is true.

 

[cyclones500]

I've not heard that term either. And I was still doing pop music in the 80's. Wonder when the term was coined?

Right up my alley, though!

I'm not sure who coined it. I could do some digging. I assume it was critic/writer-based. From what I've gathered over the years, the bands included in it didn't embrace or reject it. I suppose that's true for any genre labeling.

 

[cayin]

Would Teenage Fan Club fall under this genre? I have the Rain Parade, The Bangles and The Dream Syndicate in my collection.

 

[cyclones500]

Would Teenage Fan Club fall under this genre? I have the Rain Parade, The Bangles and The Dream Syndicate in my collection.

Teenage Fanclub formed after official Paisley Underground period, but definitely would fit closely with the genre. And there is overlap in style -- TFC is on "Sons of Nuggets," along with most P-Underground groups (including 3 you mentioned) and a ton of other artists with similar sound, both in TPU era and into the '90s.

There were multiple scenes that produced music similar to Paisley Underground, that one just happens to be L.A.-based.

I'm curious which albums you have from Rain Parade, The Dream Syndicate and The Bangles, and what are your favorites? (I don't happen to own a Bangles disc, re-listening to their early stuff, I need to at least Spotify more of it).