The Beat Farmers

The Beat Farmers will forever hold a special place in the hearts of music fans who lived in San Diego County in the mid-1980s. They were our Beatles – a band so special, so profanely talented that those of us packed into dives like Bodies and the Spring Valley Inn to hear them weekends just knew we were witnessing history. They were marked by genius, destined for greatness. And if fame and fortune never arrived in the helpings we all felt were due them, the coldest reality can't dim the magic they created two decades ago. --Jim Trageser. What else can you say? Except "Suck on this Maggots!"

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The Penetrators

The Penetrators take their turn and they look great. McClain, a perfect Bill Medley look-alike, towers over his minimal, Ringo Starr-styled trap set; Chris Sullivan, decked out in black leather, holds his bass as if it were a bazooka. Chris Davies is a shadowy young man who keeps to himself, as much on stage as off. Jim Call, who only recently joined the group, hovers over his Moog synthesizer like an earnest and somber technician, while Heffern darts, flops, pirouettes like Daffy Duck. He drops to his knees and face, slithers around a cumbersome pillar, nearly swallows the hand-held microphone. He’ll do practically anything to make you understand he’s the one you’re here to see. “Well, Esmedina, are you just excess baggage?” asks Heffern, his trouser pockets turned inside-out, empty, I withdraw my wallet from my coat pocket and give them a brief glimpse of my holdings, close to $200. A hoot goes up and I am instantly made an honorary member of the band, a distinction I fear may have as many liabilities as assets. Sullivan nods in approval and shakes my hand. “We’re really glad you’re coming, Steve. Real Glad.” --- Steve Esmedina

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The Crawdaddys

The Crawdaddys encountered little resistance as they slayed the audience with their deadly R&B. As usual they were sloppy and raw. And as usual people were immediately dancing. Not as usual, there wasn’t the five minute tuning break after each song (just the usual bickering to decide the next selection). These guys could be gods in England, which is where they should be. – Robert Clark, Snare Magazine *Editors note -- During and afterwards there was the usual problems with our diligent men in blue. Relentless in their pursuit to cramp styles, crush fun and inflict monetary pain, they placed a feather in their caps when they arrested and jailed Mark Crawdaddy for possession of three hits of speed. ($2,000 bail) -- Dan McClain, Editor

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Mojo Nixon

"There is a lot, Ryan Adams and No Depression and there is a bunch of snooze grazing sensitive fucks who think that Gram Parsons is the second coming of Bob Dylan that is giving this whole thing a bad name. Kinda Poindexter types who think too much. The Alt-Country that I am interested in is the “Fuck You” alt country. You know that picture of Johnny Cash giving the finger? Johnny Cash giving the finger, David Allen Coe, THE BEAT FARMERS, the Blasters, you know, George Jones. GEORGE JONES. You know, his wife takes the keys away from him. So he drives the lawnmower to the liquor store. THAT’S what I’m talking about!"

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The Tell Tale Hearts

They had never seen anything like them in San Diego, and what they saw began to shatter the boring, stultifying sameness of the local music scene into a million pieces. There was certainly nothing on MTV which could have prepared them for this.

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The Zeros

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The Zeros was the first band I was in, that was starting in, like, late 1976. The New York Dolls had influenced us and my brother (Alejandro) was starting the Nuns up in San Francisco and his friends Tony and Chip (from the Dils) had opened up for them. It wasn't like today where you plan things out, we just started playing together. I had a little trailer behind my house that we used to rehearse in. Things just kind of moved along really quickly from there. -- Javier

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Gravedigger V

There is an old novelty song on the radio called "The Monster Mash", in it the singer mentions a band called the Cryptkicker V, for some reason I thought that was funny and suggested the Gravedigger V. At the time we were eating at a Bob's Big Boy. I asked the waitress if she thought it was a good name for a band and she said she thought it was stupid, so it stuck. The Punk movement said "Hey look you don't have to be a great musician to play Rock and Roll, you can just be a kid with an attitude, that gives you the right…."

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Pitchfork

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The 90's begin here, as Pitchfork gave rise to so many influential bands, Jehu, Rocket, Hot Snakes, etc....

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The Hedgehogs

During the days we’d practice for hours on end at 2378 Presidio Drive, while at nights we’d drive around in Carl’s family Suburban, wander the streets of Mission Hills or hang out at Julio’s Mexican Restaurant — all the while clad in black leather vests, skinny ties and Beatle boots. Within two weeks we had mastered the Beatles’ entire Hamburg Star Club song list, and were well on our way to becoming an authentic beat group. Ron was a veritable encyclopedia of Beatles trivia, and could play and sing any Beatles song Carl or I would suggest. – Ray Brandes

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The Wallflowers

Thematically, the band dealt with the familiar subjects associated with disenfranchised youth. But always keenly suspicious of the insidious power of the ever-encroaching “entertainment industry” to impose popular styles in the ever-diminishing cultural space of the early 80s, the music and lyrics of the Wallflowers also championed a fiercely independent and individualistic approach.

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The Sensational Big M.R. And His All-Bitchin All-Stud All-Stars

“The band, 13 unwieldy punk-rock musicians, was anything but tight. But we played with pretend booze-fueled gusto and punk rock enthusiasm and it was obvious to all that we were having a grand time — most of all the Big M.R. Himself.” Jim Call nicely summarizes the band’s impact on audiences fortunate enough to see one of the four performances: “I still think Steve Esmedina was most apt when he said watching the All-Studs was a little like seeing ‘a favorite uncle dance around with a lampshade on his head.’ And what was it? It wasn’t Young, Loud, and Snotty. It wasn’t Jocko Homo. It wasn’t a bar cover band. It almost seemed anti-punk. It was completely unexpected in that time and place. But the large crowd would meet us part way. They all entered into the jumped-up spirit of the thing. It was a hilarious spectacle. It was completely party.” The real legacy of the All Bitchin’ All Stud All Stars, however, is that it was an important early step towards building a community of San Diego musicians. It was also a beautiful illustration of one man’s ability to envision, direct and create an entirely original spectacle and ultimately turn himself into a tongue-in-cheek, mythological hero. — Ray Brandes

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Che Underground

We are by no means the final word on this era of RNR in SD. For the deepest diggins, cheunderground.com covers all the cool shit that went on from the mid 70’s to the late 80’s. Featuring bands like the Rockin’ Dogs, the Answers, the Unknowns, and Town Criers, it sounds like getting stoned in your folks garage with a stack of Stones 45’s, looks like an old punk rock fan rag, and smells like two and a half cans of Aqua Net….

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