MaiZure, 2003

Take a few nods from the 60s pop/folk superstars such as The Byrds; Add a pinch of psychedelia al la Velvet Underground and The Doors; Cook on high with jangley-pop, hook-laden rhythms; Relocate to Los Angeles circa 1983 and you've found yourself in the midst of the Paisley Underground. This relatively short-lived movement saw a host of exclusively L.A. based bands experimenting with guitar oriented sonic effects while others remained straightforward pop. Fans gathered in specific "Paisley" labeled local clubs every Friday and Saturday night to show their support for these new independents flashing their musical talent. Although local music magazines of the time such as "No-Mag" (1978~1985) covered the scene extensively, no central business or organization tied all the elements together, and not all of the bands like to admit they were part of the Paisley movement.

It is difficult to pinpoint the first appearance of the Paisley scene to any one event in particular. It can partially be attributed to the nationwide jangle-pop phenomenon popular at college radio stations in other parts of the country. A late 70s post-punk/surf revival group by the name of 'The Chesterfield Kings' had a hand in influencing the future scene with their Beach Boys style psychedelia. Mix this underground jangle-pop scene with earlier bands like The Kings and you can see the resemblance with the bands that reached the head of the Paisley Underground.

At the forefront of the early Paisleys were the Dream Syndicate and Rain Parade, featuring future Mazzy Star members. Dream Syndicate's first full-length album in 1982, Days of Wine & Roses, was one of the first recordings associated with this L.A. sound. The album may have been an ode to the band's number one(and only?) influence, The Velvet Underground. Steve Wynn's vocals, reminiscent of Lou Reed, and Karl Precoda's guitar assaults ensured popularity on the club scene. The live shows turned into extended jam sessions with most of the audience being a sellout college crowd. The popularity their shows gathered helped them sign with a major label for their sophomore album, Medicine Show, 2 years later.

Rain Parade took their cue from Dream Syndicate Not long after Wine & Roses, they brought forth their first Paisley contribution, the single "What She's Done to Your Mind". Support for this record on college radio allowed them to get a contract to finance their first full-length album, Emergency 3rd Rail Power Trip. As with Dream Syndicate, this album drew heavily from past psychedelia influences, namely Pink Floyd during the Syd Barrett era. Rain Parade pulled much of their fan base from colleges and other independant sectors.

Dream Syndicate and Rain Parade were only two of a hand full of bands who helped create the Paisley scene and not all shared the same roots. Some of the other bands had less of a psycadelic edge and more of a pop face. The Bangs (later the Bangles) were closer to post-punk/alternative with enough hooks and polish to push them into the jangle-pop category. The Three O'Clock actually came about before the Dream Syndicate showcasing a dirty pop sound similar to The Beatles. Green on Red contributed at least 5 solid "Paisley" albums in their heyday with only the first one showing signs of psychedelia. A minor exception to the L.A. rule came about with True West. This band hailed from the bay area and wielded a slightly darker tone similar to the post-punk goth rock style of Bauhaus. Unfortunatly they didn't score large label support to help finance their future musical aspirations.

Sadly, most music scenes flow much like the tide, and the Paisleys were no exception. The bulk of the music was between 1982 and 1986 with the peak in late '83 and '84. In terms of artist sales, the first and second albums were generally the highest selling and the subsequent albums sold less and less until the groups disbanded or lost all the money they had to continue. The Bangles were the only band to bring the Paisley name to a chart with their 1986 hit "Walk Like an Egyptian", but generally lack of industry support and, arguably, a commercial musical breakthrough ushered this era to a close by 1988.

The most striking characteristic highlighting the Paisley movement was the camaraderie between both fans and bands. All of the aforementioned bands knew each other, their music and their fans. It was not unusual to see them playing the same club circuit on the same night, or even to see a player from one band sit in with another. Matt Piucci from Rain Parade was quoted as saying that he met Dream Syndicate and the Peterson sisters (Bangles) through a Green on Red barbeque! Many of these artists even combined their efforts on some later albums. These close-knit attitudes of both listeners and players created the legacy that the Paisley Underground will be remembered for.

MaiZure rating: 7/10