Dreams So Real
Encyclopedia
Dreams So Real were an alternative rock
band from Athens, Georgia
, who gained some national exposure in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They recorded three albums, including two releases on Arista Records
.
guitarist Peter Stroud
was a member during the band's later years. Formed in 1983 when its members met in an Athens record store, their debut single, "Everywhere Girl" produced by Peter Buck
of R.E.M., was released in 1985 and was very successful at college radio. Buck also produced their first full-length album, 1986's Father's House. The band gained a bit more exposure by performing their song "Golden" (called "Steps" in the movie's end notes) in Athens, GA: Inside/Out , a rock documentary on their hometown music scene.
Dreams So Real signed to Arista Records
and released Rough Night in Jericho in 1988. The title track earned some success, reaching #28 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart and receiving heavy MTV
airplay. A follow-up single, "Bearing Witness" also cracked Billboard's Rock Chart. The album would reach the Billboard Hot 200, peaking at #150.
The 1990 follow-up album, Gloryline, met with less success both critically and commercially. Soon after, Arista dropped the band and Dreams So Real soon drifted apart. As a kind of parting gift, the band released a collection of outtakes, rarities and B-sides titled Nocturnal Omissions, made available through their fan-club mailing list, and while on tour.
The band received mention in a number of R.E.M. biographies detailing their success and importance to the scene, including Marcus Gray's It Crawled from the South and David Buckley's R.E.M.: Fiction.
Dreams So Real also appears in the "Athens, GA - Inside Out" movie, which is available on DVD.
In 2003, Worsham was shot in the head by a man who was reported to be his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend. Reports said the man, Joel Chris Blankenship, subsequently kidnapped and fatally shot the girlfriend, Dara Jo Wasdin, before putting a bullet through his own head. Worsham survived, as the bullet lodged in his eye socket and never reached his brain, and reportedly recovered to return to his post-Dreams So Real music projects as well as his work as a computer technician.
The band reunited in 2009 for Athfest
.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from Athens, Georgia
Music of Athens, Georgia
The music of Athens, Georgia, includes a wide variety of popular music and was an important part of the early evolution of alternative rock and New Wave. The city is well known as the home of chart-topping bands like R.E.M. and The B-52s, and several long-time indie rock groups...
, who gained some national exposure in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They recorded three albums, including two releases on Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
.
History
The trio was led by songwriter Barry Marler on lead vocals and guitar, with Trent Allen on bass and backing vocals and Drew Worsham on drums. Sheryl CrowSheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
guitarist Peter Stroud
Peter Stroud
Peter Stroud is an American lead guitarist, best known as the guitarist with Sheryl Crow, Don Henley, Pete Droge and Sarah McLachlan. He is also the co-founder of 65amps, a company that manufactures guitar amplifiers.-Biography:...
was a member during the band's later years. Formed in 1983 when its members met in an Athens record store, their debut single, "Everywhere Girl" produced by Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
of R.E.M., was released in 1985 and was very successful at college radio. Buck also produced their first full-length album, 1986's Father's House. The band gained a bit more exposure by performing their song "Golden" (called "Steps" in the movie's end notes) in Athens, GA: Inside/Out , a rock documentary on their hometown music scene.
Dreams So Real signed to Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
and released Rough Night in Jericho in 1988. The title track earned some success, reaching #28 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart and receiving heavy MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
airplay. A follow-up single, "Bearing Witness" also cracked Billboard's Rock Chart. The album would reach the Billboard Hot 200, peaking at #150.
The 1990 follow-up album, Gloryline, met with less success both critically and commercially. Soon after, Arista dropped the band and Dreams So Real soon drifted apart. As a kind of parting gift, the band released a collection of outtakes, rarities and B-sides titled Nocturnal Omissions, made available through their fan-club mailing list, and while on tour.
After the breakup
Marler and Allen briefly reformed with the band Ether in the late 1990s, but have since appeared to have mostly left music behind at the time. Marler is a bioinformatics analyst, while Allen became a graphic artist and later entered the business world as president of Baseline SportsMedia, Inc., a company specializing in graphic design and event photography at professional and collegiate sporting events.The band received mention in a number of R.E.M. biographies detailing their success and importance to the scene, including Marcus Gray's It Crawled from the South and David Buckley's R.E.M.: Fiction.
Dreams So Real also appears in the "Athens, GA - Inside Out" movie, which is available on DVD.
In 2003, Worsham was shot in the head by a man who was reported to be his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend. Reports said the man, Joel Chris Blankenship, subsequently kidnapped and fatally shot the girlfriend, Dara Jo Wasdin, before putting a bullet through his own head. Worsham survived, as the bullet lodged in his eye socket and never reached his brain, and reportedly recovered to return to his post-Dreams So Real music projects as well as his work as a computer technician.
The band reunited in 2009 for Athfest
Athfest
Athfest is a free annual music and arts festival in Athens, Georgia, first held in 1997. Jared Bailey founded the festival to promote the music of Athens, Georgia; he was formerly of the free alternative weekly Flagpole and the influential early nightclub the 40 Watt Club.- External links :*...
.
Discography
- Everywhere Girl (b/w Whirl) - 45 rpm single - 1985
- Father's HouseFather's HouseFather's House is the debut album by Athens, Georgia rock band Dreams So Real. It was released by Coyote Records in 1986, and was produced by R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck.-Track listing:# "History"# "Heaven"# "Drifting Away"# "The Tower"...
- Coyote Records - 1986 - Rough Night in Jericho - Arista RecordsArista RecordsArista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
- 1988 - GlorylineGlorylineGloryline was the third album by Athens, Georgia rock band Dreams So Real. It was their second album for Arista Records, released in 1990. It is generally thought of as more uneven than their Jericho release...
- Arista RecordsArista RecordsArista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
- 1990 - Nocturnal OmissionsNocturnal OmissionsNocturnal Omissions was the final, posthumous release by Athens, Georgia band Dreams So Real. Self-released in 1992, it was a collection of unreleased and rare tracks.-Track listing:# " Today"# "Heaven"# "Window"# "History"...
- Self-released - 1992