The Pandoras
Encyclopedia
The Pandoras were an all-female rock and roll
band from Los Angeles, California
from 1983–1991, who found a following in the Hollywood "Paisley Underground
" scene and later adapted a more contemporary Sunset Boulevard, hard rock
look and sound. The band ended when, on August 10, 1991 band leader Paula Pierce came home from the gym, suffered an aneurysm and died. She was only 31 years old.
band from Los Angeles, California
from 1983–1991, who began in the hard '60s revival garage rock
style and later adapted a more contemporary Sunset Boulevard, hard rock
sound a la Poison and Mötley Crüe. They were originally associated with the Paisley Underground
era in Hollywood's alternative rock
scene,
along with bands such as Redd Kross
, The Three O'Clock
, The Dream Syndicate, The Morlocks
, and The Rain Parade. These bands shared an aesthetic heavily influenced by 1960s
garage rock
and psychedelia, and most (but not all) of the members tended to come
from the west side
and beach cities area of Los Angeles County and Orange County
. Pierce, a resident of Chino, California
, was a notable exception. Pierce had been a member of the Hollywood music scene as a young teenager.
The Pandoras were formed when singer-guitarist Paula Pierce, a member of Action Now at the time, met singer-guitarist/bass player Deborah Mendoza aka. Mende/ Menday, at Chaffey College
in 1983. Mendoza, an art major, answered an ad that Pierce, a graphic art major, had posted on the bulletin board in the cafeteria. The ad read, "Wanted, another female musician to jam with! Influenced by sixties garage punk." They got together and clicked, and started bringing their guitars to school jamming between classes.
Pierce and Mendoza threw band names around including The Keyholes and Hole. Finally, Pierce thought of the name The Pandoras, naming the band after Pandora's Box, a Hollywood nightclub from the 1960s. Pierce brought in musician Gwynne Kahn on keyboards (the granddaughter of 1920s/1930s Tin Pan Alley songwriter Gus Kahn
), and Mendoza brought in drummer Casey Gomez; thus forming, the original Pandoras. After recording their first Demo EP It's About Time, Mendoza left the group, and was replaced by bassist Bambi Conway, who then appeared on the Pandoras debut album, It's About Time, on Greg Shaw's Bomp! Records
.
The Pandoras went through many personnel changes, over the years, beginning with the bitter departure of Kahn in 1984, that became the talk of the town, on a KROQ-FM
radio show hosted by Rodney Bingenheimer
and in the local music zines such as BAM
, Music Connection, and the LA Weekly
(and their "L.A.DeeDa" gossip column). Kahn formed a rival, yet, very short lived Pandoras of her own, nicknamed the Gwynnedoras. Gwynn's Pandoras consisted of Gwynn Kahn, Casey Gomez, Lisa Rae Black (of Hardly Dangerous and Bellylove
), and Bambi Conway. The band did have a song called "Worm Boy" released on an Enigma Records
compilation, "Enigma Variations" and recorded an EP for Enigma that was never released, but Kahn moved on to another project after losing her battle with Pierce over the band's name.
Pierce's Pandoras, included Melanie Vammen on keyboards, Julie Patchouli on bass, and Karen Blankfeld on drums, they went to enjoy modest success with the release of Hot Generation on Bomp! Records
. They toured the east coast with the Fuzztones to promote the single.
The Pandoras were signed to Rhino Records
and began recording the basic tracks for Stop Pretending during the winter of 1985 with producer Bill Inglot. Kim Shattuck
joined the band in July 1985, after Patchouli was let go. Briefly, after Patchouli left the band, a temporary fill-in played just two shows with the band before they brought in Shattuck permanently. In 1986, Stop Pretending was released.
Los Angeles became a hotbed of major label signings of bands that had grown out of the so-called "paisley-underground" and the Pandoras were no different. The pop sensibilities of Pierce and being labeled "one of the bands that matter" by the LA Weekly
helped the band get signed by Elektra Records
. The band continued to play live and record new songs for their major label debut and continued to be a top live draw outside of Los Angeles, touring with Nina Hagen, and gigging with the likes of Iggy Pop
, The Fuzztones
, The Beat Farmers, Johnny Thunders
, and The Cramps
. They played the first ever LA Weekly Music Awards and showcased a slightly harder sound and were interviewed on the roof of the Variety Arts Center for a top French TV Show. As the band's major label debut, to be titled Come Inside, was being readied for release the A&R person who had signed the band was fired from Elektra causing the label to also drop both bands he had signed--Jetboy
and The Pandoras (though the recordings they made eventually surfaced on the Psychedelic Sluts bootleg
CD). During this period, Karen Blankfeld left the band and was replaced with Kelly Dillard. The band continued to play live while looking for another deal. However, Dillard did not last long and was replaced by Sheri Kaplan. When another label made an offer, Elektra would not release the master recordings. Pierce decided to turn to an even more hard-edged sound and added guitarist Rita D'Albert to the line up. They recorded new songs and put out an EP on Restless Records
called Rock Hard. The band also made a video for "Run Down Love Battery", which received airplay on MTV's Headbangers Ball
, expanding their audience to include metal fans.
A tour of the US and Canada followed. D'Albert decided to leave the band to take more of an active part in another band that had just been signed to RCA records, Human Drama
. Rather than cancel the tour, the band went out as a four-piece. A show in Dallas, Texas at Z Rock
was recorded for a "Coast to Coast Concert Series" broadcast. They also made an appearance on the first episode of The Arsenio Hall
Show where they performed "Run Down Love Battery" causing Arsenio to quip, "We've all had one of those." A friend of drummer Kaplan's was brought in, Susan Hyatt
, for some shows, but it was Lissa Beltri who became the newest member after auditions.
Rather than try and record a new studio album with the new line up Pierce opted to let Restless Records
release the Z Rock concert. Live Nymphomania was released and, even though Pierce herself was not happy with the recording, the band toured in support of it. Outside of L.A the Pandoras' fan base continued to grow in the hard rock world, tours of Europe and Australia were booked, new promo photos were taken and pre-planning was starting for a new album.
Keyboardist Vammen was let go because, as Pierce put it in one interview: "Melanie does not want to play guitar and there is not any place for keyboards in our music now." The Australian tour was canceled, and on the eve of the European tour, Shattuck left the band. Chris Roy, bass player for the Hollywood metal band TAZ, filled in for some live shows. Kaplan quit the band shortly after Shattuck and the band were dropped from their label a short time after.
Over the course of the next year Pierce slowly worked on new material with Beltri. They hired a new drummer and were auditioning bass players. On the night of August 9, 1991, a bass player auditioned who both Pierce and Beltri liked and was to be brought back in for a rehearsal on August 11. On August 10, Pierce came home from the gym and suffered a fatal aneurysm at age 31.
As news of her passing spread the Hollywood community that Pierce had been a part of mourned. DJ Rodney Bingenheimer
, who had been one of the earliest fans of the band, dedicated an entire show to Pierce. The Pandoras' tour manager, Dave Eddy, put on a tribute show at the Coconut Teaser. The night helped to raise almost $3,000. to help offset funeral expenses and saw performances by Cherie Currie of The Runaways
and her twin sister Marie in their first public performance together in 20 years, with the final line up of the Pandoras backing them, Precious Metal, who had broken up but who reunited for the show; Robert Hecker of Redd Kross
and Abby Travis
, Dramarama
with Clem Burke of Blondie
and Sylvain Sylvain from the New York Dolls
, The Muffs
(Shattuck's and Vammen's band), African Violet (D'Albert band), Hardly Dangerous (Kaplan was their drummer) and White Flag
. The crowd included Jeff and Steve McDonald from Redd Kross
and Charlotte Caffey and Kathy Valentine from The Go-Go's
. The artists who played that night and the people in the audience prompted Bingenheimer to exclaim, "Look at the people here! What do you have to die to see who really loves you?"
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band from Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
from 1983–1991, who found a following in the Hollywood "Paisley Underground
Paisley Underground
Paisley Underground is an early genre of alternative rock, based primarily in Los Angeles, California, which was at its most popular in the mid-1980s.- History :...
" scene and later adapted a more contemporary Sunset Boulevard, hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
look and sound. The band ended when, on August 10, 1991 band leader Paula Pierce came home from the gym, suffered an aneurysm and died. She was only 31 years old.
The Pandoras (1983–1991)
The Pandoras were an all-female rock and rollRock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band from Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
from 1983–1991, who began in the hard '60s revival garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
style and later adapted a more contemporary Sunset Boulevard, hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
sound a la Poison and Mötley Crüe. They were originally associated with the Paisley Underground
Paisley Underground
Paisley Underground is an early genre of alternative rock, based primarily in Los Angeles, California, which was at its most popular in the mid-1980s.- History :...
era in Hollywood's alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
scene,
along with bands such as Redd Kross
Redd Kross
Redd Kross, a rock band from Hawthorne, California had their roots in 1978 in a band called The Tourists begun by Jeff and Steve McDonald while the brothers were still in middle school...
, The Three O'Clock
The Three O'Clock
The Three O'Clock were a United States alternative rock group associated with the Los Angeles 1980s Paisley Underground scene. Lead singer and bassist Michael Quercio is credited with coining the term "Paisley Underground" to describe a subset of the 1980s L.A...
, The Dream Syndicate, The Morlocks
The Morlocks
The Morlocks is an American garage rock band from San Diego, California, which formed in 1984. In its first incarnation, the band consisted of guitarist Tommy Clarke, bassist Jeff Lucas , drummer Mark Mullen, as well as vocalist Leighton Koizumi and guitarist Ted Friedman, former members of the...
, and The Rain Parade. These bands shared an aesthetic heavily influenced by 1960s
garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
and psychedelia, and most (but not all) of the members tended to come
from the west side
West Side
-India:* Kanpur* Mumbai* DELHI* Kolkata* Chennai* Bangalore* Hyderabad* Ahmedabad* Pune* Lucknow* Ludhiana* Jaipur* Patna* Indore* Bhopal* Chandigarh* Vadodara* Rajkot* Kochi,India* sagwara-Switzerland:...
and beach cities area of Los Angeles County and Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
. Pierce, a resident of Chino, California
Chino, California
Chino is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is located in the western end of the Riverside-San Bernardino Area and it is easily accessible via the Chino Valley and Pomona freeways....
, was a notable exception. Pierce had been a member of the Hollywood music scene as a young teenager.
The Pandoras were formed when singer-guitarist Paula Pierce, a member of Action Now at the time, met singer-guitarist/bass player Deborah Mendoza aka. Mende/ Menday, at Chaffey College
Chaffey College
Chaffey College is a public community college in the San Bernardino County city of Rancho Cucamonga, California, in the northern part of the community of Alta Loma. Chaffey provides students with different classes and programs, including business, science, the arts, history, philosophy,...
in 1983. Mendoza, an art major, answered an ad that Pierce, a graphic art major, had posted on the bulletin board in the cafeteria. The ad read, "Wanted, another female musician to jam with! Influenced by sixties garage punk." They got together and clicked, and started bringing their guitars to school jamming between classes.
Pierce and Mendoza threw band names around including The Keyholes and Hole. Finally, Pierce thought of the name The Pandoras, naming the band after Pandora's Box, a Hollywood nightclub from the 1960s. Pierce brought in musician Gwynne Kahn on keyboards (the granddaughter of 1920s/1930s Tin Pan Alley songwriter Gus Kahn
Gus Kahn
Gustav Gerson Kahn was a musician, songwriter and lyricist.-Biography:Kahn was born in Koblenz, Germany in 1886. The family emigrated from there to the United States and moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1890...
), and Mendoza brought in drummer Casey Gomez; thus forming, the original Pandoras. After recording their first Demo EP It's About Time, Mendoza left the group, and was replaced by bassist Bambi Conway, who then appeared on the Pandoras debut album, It's About Time, on Greg Shaw's Bomp! Records
Bomp! Records
Bomp! Records is an Los Angeles-based indie label formed in 1974 by fanzine publisher and music historian Greg Shaw.-History:The label has featured punk, pop, powerpop, garage rock, new wave, old school rock, neo-psychedelia among other genres, and its roster has included artists such as The Modern...
.
The Pandoras went through many personnel changes, over the years, beginning with the bitter departure of Kahn in 1984, that became the talk of the town, on a KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
radio show hosted by Rodney Bingenheimer
Rodney Bingenheimer
Rodney Bingenheimer, born December 15, 1947, is a radio disc jockey on the long-running Los Angeles rock station KROQ who is notable for helping numerous iconic bands become successful in the American market. His contribution to the music business has been described as important...
and in the local music zines such as BAM
BAM (magazine)
BAM , was a free bi-weekly music magazine founded and published by Dennis Erokan in the San Francisco Bay Area starting in January 1976 and continuing on for 23 years until 1999...
, Music Connection, and the LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
(and their "L.A.DeeDa" gossip column). Kahn formed a rival, yet, very short lived Pandoras of her own, nicknamed the Gwynnedoras. Gwynn's Pandoras consisted of Gwynn Kahn, Casey Gomez, Lisa Rae Black (of Hardly Dangerous and Bellylove
Bellylove (band)
Bellylove is a rock band featured on the third season premiere of the hit tv series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show featured their song "Back to Freedom." The band consists of Lisa Rae Black, Toni Valenta. Their first two EPs were produced and recorded by Mick Michelbach with the help of...
), and Bambi Conway. The band did have a song called "Worm Boy" released on an Enigma Records
Enigma Records
Enigma Records was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s. It was initially a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/distributor, which it split-off from in 1985 to become its own company...
compilation, "Enigma Variations" and recorded an EP for Enigma that was never released, but Kahn moved on to another project after losing her battle with Pierce over the band's name.
Pierce's Pandoras, included Melanie Vammen on keyboards, Julie Patchouli on bass, and Karen Blankfeld on drums, they went to enjoy modest success with the release of Hot Generation on Bomp! Records
Bomp! Records
Bomp! Records is an Los Angeles-based indie label formed in 1974 by fanzine publisher and music historian Greg Shaw.-History:The label has featured punk, pop, powerpop, garage rock, new wave, old school rock, neo-psychedelia among other genres, and its roster has included artists such as The Modern...
. They toured the east coast with the Fuzztones to promote the single.
The Pandoras were signed to Rhino Records
Rhino Entertainment
Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...
and began recording the basic tracks for Stop Pretending during the winter of 1985 with producer Bill Inglot. Kim Shattuck
Kim Shattuck
Kim Shattuck is the lead singer and guitarist of the band The Muffs. From 1983 to 1991, she was a member of The Pandoras. Since 2001, she also has been lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for The Beards, a superpop sideproject composed of Shattuck, Lisa Marr, and Sherri Solinger.She sang on a...
joined the band in July 1985, after Patchouli was let go. Briefly, after Patchouli left the band, a temporary fill-in played just two shows with the band before they brought in Shattuck permanently. In 1986, Stop Pretending was released.
Los Angeles became a hotbed of major label signings of bands that had grown out of the so-called "paisley-underground" and the Pandoras were no different. The pop sensibilities of Pierce and being labeled "one of the bands that matter" by the LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
helped the band get signed by Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
. The band continued to play live and record new songs for their major label debut and continued to be a top live draw outside of Los Angeles, touring with Nina Hagen, and gigging with the likes of Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
, The Fuzztones
The Fuzztones
The Fuzztones are a garage rock revival band formed in 1980. Founded by singer-guitarist Rudi Protrudi The Fuzztones are a garage rock revival band formed in 1980. Founded by singer-guitarist Rudi Protrudi The Fuzztones are a garage rock revival band formed in 1980. Founded by singer-guitarist Rudi...
, The Beat Farmers, Johnny Thunders
Johnny Thunders
Johnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr. , was an American protopunk guitarist, singer and songwriter.He came to prominence in the early '70s as a member of the New York Dolls...
, and The Cramps
The Cramps
The Cramps were an American rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members...
. They played the first ever LA Weekly Music Awards and showcased a slightly harder sound and were interviewed on the roof of the Variety Arts Center for a top French TV Show. As the band's major label debut, to be titled Come Inside, was being readied for release the A&R person who had signed the band was fired from Elektra causing the label to also drop both bands he had signed--Jetboy
Jetboy (band)
Jetboy is a San Francisco hard rock band formed in 1983. The band transplanted themselves to LA In 1986 after signing a major deal with Elektra Records. Their musical influences ranged from Punk rock to Rock n' roll with a good dose of Blues thrown in...
and The Pandoras (though the recordings they made eventually surfaced on the Psychedelic Sluts bootleg
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
CD). During this period, Karen Blankfeld left the band and was replaced with Kelly Dillard. The band continued to play live while looking for another deal. However, Dillard did not last long and was replaced by Sheri Kaplan. When another label made an offer, Elektra would not release the master recordings. Pierce decided to turn to an even more hard-edged sound and added guitarist Rita D'Albert to the line up. They recorded new songs and put out an EP on Restless Records
Restless Records
Restless Records was started in El Segundo, California in 1981 by Enigma Records and primarly released alternative, metal and punk records. Restless also licensed and released records from Bar/None Records, Metal Blade Records and Mute Records...
called Rock Hard. The band also made a video for "Run Down Love Battery", which received airplay on MTV's Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball is a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Two , MTV Adria , MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV Arabia, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden, MTV Denmark, MTV Greece, MTV Türkiye, MTV...
, expanding their audience to include metal fans.
A tour of the US and Canada followed. D'Albert decided to leave the band to take more of an active part in another band that had just been signed to RCA records, Human Drama
Human Drama
Human Drama was a gothic rock/dark wave band led by singer/songwriter Johnny Indovina. They are primarily known for playing a mixture of sad acoustic and gothic atmospheric melodies. Although they don't count themselves as being only a gothic band, they are often named so by music critics.-Human...
. Rather than cancel the tour, the band went out as a four-piece. A show in Dallas, Texas at Z Rock
Z Rock
Z-Rock was a nationally syndicated radio network based out of Dallas, Texas, USA, in the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s that played heavy metal and hard rock music. The format was one of ABC Radio Network's 24-hour satellite formats...
was recorded for a "Coast to Coast Concert Series" broadcast. They also made an appearance on the first episode of The Arsenio Hall
Arsenio Hall
Arsenio Hall is an American actor, comedian, and former talk show host. He is best known for his talk show The Arsenio Hall Show, which ran between 1989 and 1994, and his roles in the films Coming to America and Harlem Nights.Hall is also known for his appearance as Alan Thicke's sidekick on the...
Show where they performed "Run Down Love Battery" causing Arsenio to quip, "We've all had one of those." A friend of drummer Kaplan's was brought in, Susan Hyatt
Susan Hyatt
Susan Hyatt is an American singer, songwriter, and recording artist, and the lead vocalist and a founding member of Stimulator and Pillbox, and played guitar for The Pandoras. She is also a television celebrity, appearing as a VJ on the UK's MP3TV...
, for some shows, but it was Lissa Beltri who became the newest member after auditions.
Rather than try and record a new studio album with the new line up Pierce opted to let Restless Records
Restless Records
Restless Records was started in El Segundo, California in 1981 by Enigma Records and primarly released alternative, metal and punk records. Restless also licensed and released records from Bar/None Records, Metal Blade Records and Mute Records...
release the Z Rock concert. Live Nymphomania was released and, even though Pierce herself was not happy with the recording, the band toured in support of it. Outside of L.A the Pandoras' fan base continued to grow in the hard rock world, tours of Europe and Australia were booked, new promo photos were taken and pre-planning was starting for a new album.
Keyboardist Vammen was let go because, as Pierce put it in one interview: "Melanie does not want to play guitar and there is not any place for keyboards in our music now." The Australian tour was canceled, and on the eve of the European tour, Shattuck left the band. Chris Roy, bass player for the Hollywood metal band TAZ, filled in for some live shows. Kaplan quit the band shortly after Shattuck and the band were dropped from their label a short time after.
Over the course of the next year Pierce slowly worked on new material with Beltri. They hired a new drummer and were auditioning bass players. On the night of August 9, 1991, a bass player auditioned who both Pierce and Beltri liked and was to be brought back in for a rehearsal on August 11. On August 10, Pierce came home from the gym and suffered a fatal aneurysm at age 31.
As news of her passing spread the Hollywood community that Pierce had been a part of mourned. DJ Rodney Bingenheimer
Rodney Bingenheimer
Rodney Bingenheimer, born December 15, 1947, is a radio disc jockey on the long-running Los Angeles rock station KROQ who is notable for helping numerous iconic bands become successful in the American market. His contribution to the music business has been described as important...
, who had been one of the earliest fans of the band, dedicated an entire show to Pierce. The Pandoras' tour manager, Dave Eddy, put on a tribute show at the Coconut Teaser. The night helped to raise almost $3,000. to help offset funeral expenses and saw performances by Cherie Currie of The Runaways
The Runaways
The Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
and her twin sister Marie in their first public performance together in 20 years, with the final line up of the Pandoras backing them, Precious Metal, who had broken up but who reunited for the show; Robert Hecker of Redd Kross
Redd Kross
Redd Kross, a rock band from Hawthorne, California had their roots in 1978 in a band called The Tourists begun by Jeff and Steve McDonald while the brothers were still in middle school...
and Abby Travis
Abby Travis
Abby Travis is an American musician, songwriter, and performer. She is the daughter of Alice Travis Germond, the current Secretary of the Democratic National Committee and Emmy award winning cameraman Larry Travis.Abby Travis began her performance career in 1986 as the bassist in Los Angeles band...
, Dramarama
Dramarama
Dramarama is an alternative rock band.It may also refer to:* Dramarama , a 1980s British television series* Dramarama , a 2006 film that was to star Lindsay Lohan but was unreleased...
with Clem Burke of Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
and Sylvain Sylvain from the New York Dolls
New York Dolls
The New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
, The Muffs
The Muffs
The Muffs are a rock band based in Southern California, formed in 1991 and led by Kim Shattuck.-History:The Muffs' leader is singer-songwriter Kim Shattuck...
(Shattuck's and Vammen's band), African Violet (D'Albert band), Hardly Dangerous (Kaplan was their drummer) and White Flag
White flag
White flags have had different meanings throughout history and depending on the locale.-Flag of temporary truce in order to parley :...
. The crowd included Jeff and Steve McDonald from Redd Kross
Redd Kross
Redd Kross, a rock band from Hawthorne, California had their roots in 1978 in a band called The Tourists begun by Jeff and Steve McDonald while the brothers were still in middle school...
and Charlotte Caffey and Kathy Valentine from The Go-Go's
The Go-Go's
The Go-Go’s are an all-female American rock band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts....
. The artists who played that night and the people in the audience prompted Bingenheimer to exclaim, "Look at the people here! What do you have to die to see who really loves you?"
Albums
- It's About Time (1984 - Voxx RecordsBomp! RecordsBomp! Records is an Los Angeles-based indie label formed in 1974 by fanzine publisher and music historian Greg Shaw.-History:The label has featured punk, pop, powerpop, garage rock, new wave, old school rock, neo-psychedelia among other genres, and its roster has included artists such as The Modern...
) - Stop Pretending (1986 - Rhino RecordsRhino EntertainmentRhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...
- 2006 remastered re-release) - Come Inside (Unreleased - Elektra RecordsElektra RecordsElektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
)
Singles & EPs
- I'm Here I'm Gone (1984 - EP - Moxie Records)
- Hot Generation/You Don't Satisfy (1984 - Single - Voxx RecordsBomp! RecordsBomp! Records is an Los Angeles-based indie label formed in 1974 by fanzine publisher and music historian Greg Shaw.-History:The label has featured punk, pop, powerpop, garage rock, new wave, old school rock, neo-psychedelia among other genres, and its roster has included artists such as The Modern...
) - In And Out of My Life (In a Day)/The Hump (1986 - Single - Rhino RecordsRhino EntertainmentRhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...
) - Rock Hard (1988 - EP - Restless RecordsRestless RecordsRestless Records was started in El Segundo, California in 1981 by Enigma Records and primarly released alternative, metal and punk records. Restless also licensed and released records from Bar/None Records, Metal Blade Records and Mute Records...
) - I Didn't Cry/Thunder Alley (1999 - Dionysus)
Compilations
- Enigma VariationsEnigma Variations (album)The Enigma Variations is a compilation album of newer artists that were on Enigma Records or one of its subsidiaries. It was originally released as a double LP and cassette, but was then subsequently also released as a CD with a reduced number of tracks. The album was compiled by Steve Pross and...
(1985 - EnigmaEnigma RecordsEnigma Records was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s. It was initially a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/distributor, which it split-off from in 1985 to become its own company...
) - What Surf II (1985 - what records)
- Battle of the Garages, Vol. 2 (1993 - |Voxx RecordsBomp! RecordsBomp! Records is an Los Angeles-based indie label formed in 1974 by fanzine publisher and music historian Greg Shaw.-History:The label has featured punk, pop, powerpop, garage rock, new wave, old school rock, neo-psychedelia among other genres, and its roster has included artists such as The Modern...
) - Tales From The Rhino (1994 - Rhino RecordsRhino EntertainmentRhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...
) - Destination Bomp (1994 - Voxx RecordsBomp! RecordsBomp! Records is an Los Angeles-based indie label formed in 1974 by fanzine publisher and music historian Greg Shaw.-History:The label has featured punk, pop, powerpop, garage rock, new wave, old school rock, neo-psychedelia among other genres, and its roster has included artists such as The Modern...
) - The Roots of Power Pop (1996 - Voxx RecordsBomp! RecordsBomp! Records is an Los Angeles-based indie label formed in 1974 by fanzine publisher and music historian Greg Shaw.-History:The label has featured punk, pop, powerpop, garage rock, new wave, old school rock, neo-psychedelia among other genres, and its roster has included artists such as The Modern...
) - Be A Caveman: The Best Of The Voxx Garage Revival (2000 - Voxx RecordsBomp! RecordsBomp! Records is an Los Angeles-based indie label formed in 1974 by fanzine publisher and music historian Greg Shaw.-History:The label has featured punk, pop, powerpop, garage rock, new wave, old school rock, neo-psychedelia among other genres, and its roster has included artists such as The Modern...
) - Action Now - All Your Dreams...and more 1981-1984 (2003 - Avebury Records)
- Rock Hard/Live Nymphomania (2005 - Box Set - RestlessRestless RecordsRestless Records was started in El Segundo, California in 1981 by Enigma Records and primarly released alternative, metal and punk records. Restless also licensed and released records from Bar/None Records, Metal Blade Records and Mute Records...
)
Trivia
- Stop Pretending was originally recorded by Pierce with her pre-Pandoras band, Action Now.
- In 1986, The Mr. T ExperienceThe Mr. T ExperienceThe Mr. T Experience is an American punk rock band formed in 1985 in Berkeley, California and currently recording for Lookout! Records. They have released ten full-length albums along with numerous EPs and singles and have toured internationally...
recorded a song, "I'm In Love With Paula Pierce", for their album, Everybody's Entitled to Their Own Opinion. - Kim Shattuck and Melanie Vammen formed The MuffsThe MuffsThe Muffs are a rock band based in Southern California, formed in 1991 and led by Kim Shattuck.-History:The Muffs' leader is singer-songwriter Kim Shattuck...
. - The MuffsThe MuffsThe Muffs are a rock band based in Southern California, formed in 1991 and led by Kim Shattuck.-History:The Muffs' leader is singer-songwriter Kim Shattuck...
albums were produced by Rob CavalloRob CavalloRob Cavallo is a record producer and A&R, most famous for signing and producing Green Day. He is currently Chairman of Warner Bros. Records.- History :...
who started off producing heavy metal bands in the 80's such as TAZ whose bass player, Chris Roy, played in The Pandoras after Kim Shattuck quit. - Sandy Sledge, former drummer for Rude Girl and Malibu Barbi auditioned for The Pandoras but was considered "too heavy metal" at the time.
- Karen Blankfeld formed The Rebel Pebbles where she played guitar and sang.
- Susan Hyatt is in Stimulator
- Lissa Beltri joined Lo-Ball.
- Rita D'albert performed with Andy PrieboyAndy PrieboyAndy Prieboy is a musician, author, and former morgue attendant. He was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in East Chicago, Indiana....
and also co-wrote and starred in "White Trash Wins Lotto". Currently she is producer of, and one of the stars of, Lucha VaVoom - Gwynne Kahn and Bambi Conway were in the band Mad Monster Party.
- Melanie Vammen joined The Leaving Trains after the Muffs.
- Sheri Kaplin joined Hardly Dangerous, a bluesy metal-ish band that covered a Pandoras song, "The River".
- To fulfill an already booked Pandoras gig Gwynne asked friends Michael Quercio (Salvation ArmyThe Three O'ClockThe Three O'Clock were a United States alternative rock group associated with the Los Angeles 1980s Paisley Underground scene. Lead singer and bassist Michael Quercio is credited with coining the term "Paisley Underground" to describe a subset of the 1980s L.A...
, The Three O'ClockThe Three O'ClockThe Three O'Clock were a United States alternative rock group associated with the Los Angeles 1980s Paisley Underground scene. Lead singer and bassist Michael Quercio is credited with coining the term "Paisley Underground" to describe a subset of the 1980s L.A...
) and Cathy Flanga (Who would later join the Super HeroinesSuper HeroinesThe Super Heroines was a Deathrock trio formed in Los Angeles, California during the early 1980s. However, unlike other early deathrock bands such as Christian Death and 45 Grave, Sueper Heroines did not carry on a traditional Goth sound, instead a more punk style metal inspired by The Runaways.Its...
) to play a show. Along with Bambi Conway this line of The Pandoras played at the Music Machine in June 1984 opening up for the Mentors. Michael played the Paula Pierce part that night.
Videos/DVD
- Slipping Through the Cracks (An Uprising of Young Pacifics) (video); IceWorld Video
External links
- Pandoras Photo Gallery
- A Pandoras Website run by Julie Patchouli, once a bass player in the Pandoras.
- The Muffs official website