SOME GREAT BANDS WE PLAYED WITH !

 

TRANSLATOR

An amazing trio turned foursome - Dave, Larry and lead vocalist and songwriter Steve Barton all terrifically competent musicians always tore through a great set. The Swingers would stand right on the side of the small square stage at Blackies West in Venice watching Translator perform “Everywhere that I’m not.” That was a unique and powerful experience. The Swingers and manager Jan thought Translator’s “Everywhere” could be a huge hit record. Maybe a little too edgy for the masses, but a masterpiece in song writing and performance …… The Swingers always enjoyed playing with “Translator.”

OINGO BOINGO

The Swingers had the great opportunity to open for “Oingo Boingo”  three times.  “Boingo” had a powerful lineup of experienced players across the board. We would play our sets and then move aside. Danny Elfman was a tremendous front man, vocalist and composer.  Boingo had the entire package going and they were much further along than most of the other bands on the scene.  Their music was so well crafted and arranged.  Boingo was a powerful machine on stage and a thrill to watch every time. One Swinger said “stand back boys - this train is rolling” and boy did they - what a great band. Danny Elfman has been an important contributor in Hollywood film making as a brilliant composer and conductor and has earned numerous Academy and Grammy awards.

WALL OF VOODOO

One of the more interesting and original ensembles you could ever see. Phil Culp (LAX Records) invited the Swingers to see a new band he was promoting in a packed little garage out in the San Fernando Valley.  Within 30 seconds of “Wall of Voodoo’s” first song, the Swingers knew Voodoo were extraordinary.  The individual personalities of each player, the stage set up (members would face different angles while smoking cigarettes) and Stan Ridgeway was a very different and charismatic personality on stage.  I believe the first song was “Long Arm.”  That was a memorable moment.  But then they covered Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” - absolutely classic. We shared the same little square stage at Blackies West on a Saturday Nite with Voodoo.  After our set, they crammed together on that small stage and as always tore it up….. Some of the most unique and creative artists of that time.

 

20/20

20/20 were a tight four piece power pop ensemble of solid players, strong vocalists and amazing song writers.  “Yellow Pills” was a great tract that was on regular rotation on KROQ.  Manager Shelly Heber invited the Swingers to open for 20/20 for five sold out shows at the Whisky.  We were always indebted to Shelly for that opportunity.  We also played the “Sweetwater” in Redondo Beach with 20/20.  Great sound, great band and good guys.

THE NOBODYS

A very polished five piece band headed by Fred and Alex: two brothers from Spain.  They mixed their European influences with their contemporary sound and created a wonderful set of catchy songs they executed with precision and soul.  Swingers performed numerous times with “The Nobodys” and enjoyed each show, especially “The Starwood” and “The Troubador” shows.  “The Nobody’s” released an album on Capitol Records loaded with their catchy songs.  Swingers loved “Gang on Fortune Hill.” A “Nobody’s” tract did end up on a “Miami Vice” show. 

WET PICNIC

Another four piece band loaded with great players and headed by a charismatic writer composer Gustavo Santaolalla.  Gus brought the sounds of Argentina and fused them with the contemporary sounds of the day to create a wonderful original sound.  “Wet Picnic” were always fun to play with, especially “The Starwood” show. I am sure the Swingers also played with “Wet Picnic” at either “Blackies West” or “Club 88". Another magic moment was watching “Wet Picnic” perform “Tension,” an amazing piece of music. “Wet Picnic,” “The Swingers” and a host of other local bands were booked to shoot a “New Wave Theatre” video production in a hot cramped Hollywood studio. I believe we went on at 1:00 and folks got a little cranky. The “Marina Swingers” celebrated once hearing that Gus had so deservedly earned two Academy Awards for for Best Original Score.

 
 

COLORS - BANGS - BANGLES

The Swingers were booked in a small club in 1981 near Santa Anita Race Track.  The dressing room was what seemed like a large closet with very little room to move around.  We were going on second and the opening band, “The Colors”were four women that came into the tiny dressing room to quickly get ready.  They were friendly and focused.  We watched their set only years later to realize they were “The Colours” who became “The Bangs” who changed their name to “The Bangles.” When you play so many dates with so many other bands, remembering a group usually demonstrates the uniqueness of that group.  “Colours”” performed some great covers and originals, were attractive on stage and pleasant to work with.  I remember Sue Hoffs playing a “Byrds” cover on her 12 string Rickenbacher guitar.  “Colours” radiated confidence, hard work and talent.  The future looked good for that band.  Eddie later did a session (playing drums)  for producer Harvey Kubernick that included, Sue Hoffs (Bangles), Chuck Dukowski (Black Flag) and a member of “The Pop.” 

THE BLASTERS

Ed was working at the Sweetwater when he first saw “The Blasters” perform one of their earliest shows opening for the raucous “Twisters.” They were raw and performed some rockabilly songs for a small audience. No overwhelming stage presence, but hard core rockabilly energy and Phil Alvin’s voice was immediately identifiable.  A year later when the “Swingers” opened for “The Blasters” on that same little stage at “Blackies West” in Venice, “The Blasters” were smoking, cranking out a tight set of originals, including Dave Alvins amazing “Marie Marie” that injected immediate energy into that packed club.  The Swingers knew Phil and Dave were navigating that band into the upper echelons of the LA scene with their authentic interpretation of rockabilly and compositions of great original songs. Great band, great guys…..

THE TWISTERS

“The Twisters were a force to reckon with in the Southbay and Hollywood New Wave / Rock/Punk scene.  They worked a lot, became very tight, had relentless energy, wrote some great originals and performed terrific cover songs (their version of the Supremes “Where Did Our Love Go” is a masterpiece and Mike Wainwright’s vocals are terrific.)  While working at the Sweetwater during Twister performances, Eddie became friends with the band and eventually the Swingers opened for “The Twisters” at the BR Saloon (in the Marina) and Madame Wong’s East - China Town.  Guitarist Fred Grebert did help “The Swingers” in the studio with some guitar work. Eddie recalls getting a little out of control when the Swingers and “Twisters” jammed together on a Saturday nite in China Town at “Madame Wongs East.”  After a few cocktails Eddie sat on the shoulders of one of the Twisters and later fell off a bar table while playing guitar and jammed his ribs.  Everyone partied with “The Twisters.”

 

FRAZIER SMITH

The Swingers truly identified with Frazier Smith because of his amazing skills as a comedian.  He was a DeeJay on KROQ, later on KLOS, and performed as a stand up comedian. As mentioned in the “Members” section on Esteban, Frazier came back stage following a rough Whisky opening performance on a Friday nite where the 20/20 fans frustrated by the heat and broken bathrooms, began throwing ice cubes.  Eddie was an ex NCAA volleyball player and quit capable of ducking most the projectiles, but the Swingers were very young and inexperienced and felt dejected.  Frazier walked in the quiet dressing room and simply said “take the ice cubes as a compliment, you’re on to something – keep going.” The next morning the Swingers went to the mall and bought matching orange pants, cheesy hawaiian shirts and yellow tennis shoes for that nite’s shows at the Whisky.  That evening, they scrapped one of the cornier routines in the previous show and like they always did hit the stage hard, .  A dramatic moment of growth. Eddie had seen Frazier’s performances and listened to his radio shows. They were hilarious and Frazier was a tremendous influence on the band’s focusing on humor during their shows.  Opening for Frazier at the Roxy for four sold out shows was the boost they needed.  They performed “Me Cherona” for the first time to a roaring response and the “Budweiser Song” to equal enthusiasm.  Frazier was a mentor and key element in their continuing exploration of humor in recordings and video productions.

SURF PUNKS

Dennis Dragon and Drew Steele, founding members of the “Surf Punks,” had always interested the Swingers because of their witty, comical and aggressive approach to crafting songs and producing shows that reflect their Malibu beach attitude. “My Beach” was a terrific example of their personality. The Surf Punks” and Swingers had common friends and “The Surf Punks” asked the Swingers to open for them one nite at the Roxy.  The Swingers had transitioned into a different band at that time, but still explored humor in their routines.  “The Surf Punks” built terrific sets, invited guest performers and produced a great Roxy Show.  We appreciated the opportunity to perform with the Surf Punks at the Roxy.   We were also scheduled to play with the Surf Punks at the Starwood, but that great club closed down just prior to our booking.

GREAT BUILDINGS

A great power pop band that the Swingers nicknamed “The Great Egos” because of their good looks, great songs, perfect harmonies and amazing sound.  Eddie had become friends with Buildings drummer, Richard Sanford, who owned a small recording studio that Eddie worked and recorded in. While working at Richard’s studio, Eddie engineered a recording session for Jason Hickman of “The Twisters” and Jimmy Burque prior to Jimmy’s joining “The Swingers.” So “The Swingers” would go around town and watch “Great Buildings” perform while promoting their new Columbia Records release. Danny Wilde and Phil Solem wrote terrific songs – “I will be there for you” and “Another Day in My Life” were strong tracts and Eddie and DeeJay Stella thought one of them would break out.  Of course “Great Buildings” later became “The Rembrandts” and wrote the theme song for the TV series “”Friends.”  Can’t do better than that. One of the Swingers favorite southbay nite clubs “Pier 52” booked “Great Buildings” with “The Swingers” on a Monday Nite in front of a packed and raucous Hermosa Beach crowd… It was a party……

 

 

OTHER GREAT BANDS THE SWINGERS PLAYED WITH…

Romeo Void, Tonio K, Cheeks, the Naughty Sweeties, The Suburban Lawns, Wendy “O,” the King Bees, Tans from the Sun, Doolin, Havana and Billy Sheets Undercover.