Davis, California music scene

Davis, California music scene

A rock music music subculture has existed in [[Davis, California Davis]], California since 1978, when a group of punk-rock inspired DJs at the campus radio station - KDVS - started playing punk over the airwaves. KDVS DJs formed Davis' first 'New-Wave'-influenced band, the Suspects (1978–80). The Suspects broke up in 1979, and members Steve Wynn and Kendra Smith moved to Los Angeles to form The Dream Syndicate with Karl Precoda and Dennis Duck. Suspects Russ Tolman and Gavin Blair stayed in Davis to form True West. Initially, Tolman formed The Meantime with vocalist Sean O'Brien. The band released a three-song EP in 1981. The group changed their name to True West in 1981 and Blair became the vocalist in 1982.

True West and Dream Syndicate were two of a quartet of Davis-associated alternative bands which coalesced in 1981: As well as True West and Dream Syndicate, Scott Miller's Game Theory (band) and Guy Kyser's Thin White Rope began recording and playing regional clubs. Miller's Game Theory played quirky Beatlesque power pop; both True West and Thin White Rope bucked the 1980s trend towards synthesized pop and featured aggressive blues-influenced twin-guitar attacks. Now settled in Los Angeles - but still considered by many to be part of Davis' creative musical explosion - the Dream Syndicate spear-headed the Paisley Underground, combining 60's-style extended psychedelic guitar jams with Velvet Underground power chords.

Influences: Locally, Sacramento's alternative band the Twinkeyz is sited by many Davis musicians as a profound influence with their do-it-yourself left-of-center pop ethic, especially the Twinkeyz Aliens in Our Midst album. Steve Wynn (Suspects/Dream Syndicate) switched from a career in sports writing after attending the Sex Pistols last performance at San Francisco's Winterland (on assignment for the UC Davis campus newspaper the Aggie). The Velvet underground and Iggy Pop are sited as examples of artistic integrity and rock musicianship. Game Theory's Scott Miller was heavily influenced by Alex Chilton's Big Star power pop.

National 1980s alternative music scene connections True West recorded demos with TV's Tom Verlaine. Michael Quercio of LA's Paisley Underground band The Three O'Clock produced a Game Theory EP; Mitch Easter of Let's Active (also producer of early REM records) produced four Game Theory records.

UC Davis Coffee House rock music venue From 1978 to 1980 the UC Davis campus coffee featured numerous national acts including Elvis Costello, The Police, Devo, Iggy Pop, Talking Heads, The Ramones and The Gang of Four. Davis happens to be just outside the 50-mile contractual limit imposed by San Francisco clubs limiting competing shows. The impact of these shows in the 200-person Coffee House is often cited by Davis band members as having inspired and them in their early music careers. 1980s house parties featured The Violent Femmes, The Replacements and The Rain Parade.

Mid-late 1980s Game Theory migrated to San Francisco in 1983. True West and Thin White Rope remained Davis bands. True West opened for REM and toured The United States and Europe extensively. Thin White Rope also toured Europe and was also among the first U.S. alternative rock acts to tour the Soviet Union. The Davis bands remained on the fringes of their respective music scenes, not attaining the degree of fame that REM or the Paisley Underground's The Bangles. Davis and post-Davis bands tended to be "critics favorites" on "college radio" and record sales mostly did not allow them to quit their day jobs.

The Davis Music subculture: As is the norm in college music scenes, band membership was unstable and incestuous. However, the Davis bands formed a musicians co-op called The Olive Pit with common rehearsal spaces, benefit concerts and "house parties" (in the face of non-existent Davis venues for alternate bands). The shared rehearsal space for Davis-area bands still exists - in Sacramento.


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