Opal (band)

Opal
Kendra Smith and David Roback Photo © Laura Levine
Background information
Also known as	Clay Allison (1982-84)
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	Neo-psychedelia, Psychedelic rock
Years active	c. 1983-89
Labels	SST, Rough Trade (UK),
Associated acts	Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade, Kendra Smith, Mazzy Star
Members
David Roback (guitar) Kendra Smith (vocals, bass) Keith Mitchell (drums)
Past members
Juan Gómez (bass) Suki Ewers(organ, vocals) William Cooper Aaron Sherer

Opal were an American alternative/psychedelic band in the 1980s. They were part of the Paisley Underground musical style.

The group formed in the mid-'80s under the name Clay Allison, featuring guitarist David Roback (previously of Rain Parade), bassist Kendra Smith (from Dream Syndicate) and drummer Keith Mitchell. After one single, they released the remaining Clay Allison tracks under the band's new name, Opal, on the 1984 Fell from the Sun EP. Another EP, Northern Line, followed in 1985. These EPs were later compiled and released as Early Recordings

Happy Nightmare Baby, Opal's first full-length album, was released in 1987. Smith left the group during the Happy Nightmare tour, storming off-stage half-way through their gig in Hammersmith, UK, effectively putting an end to the band. Roback continued with vocalist Hope Sandoval, playing shows as Opal and planning an album to be titled Ghost Highway but in 1989 this band became Mazzy Star and Ghost Highway was presumably released as She Hangs Brightly. Kendra Smith released a number of solo singles, EPs, and one album before retiring to the woods of northern California.

The song "She's a Diamond" was included in the film Boys Don't Cry but was not included on the CD release of the film soundtrack.

Discography

Clay Allison

• "Fell from the Sun"/"All Souls" (7" single) (1983)

Opal

• Fell from the Sun (12" EP) (1984, Rough Trade (UK))
• Northern Line (12" EP) (1985, One Big Guitar)
• Happy Nightmare Baby (1987, SST (US), Rough Trade (UK))^[1]
• Early Recordings (compilation) (1989, Rough Trade)^[2]
• Early Recordings II (compilation) (2006)^[3]

References

1. ^ Allmusic Guide
2. ^ Allmusic Guide
3. ^ Allmusic Guide

External links

• Discography (includes all Mazzy Star-related artists)
• Opal discography, sa-wa-ro.com
• Opal on Allmusic
• Opal music videos, Yahoo!Music
• Opal entry on Trouserpress
• Alan McGee on Opal in his Guardian Column