Green on Red

Green on Red
Origin Tucson, Arizona, United States
Genres post-punk
neo-psychedelia
Country rock
Years active 1979–1992; 2005–2006
Labels Enigma
Mercury
Slash
China
Website greenonred.net
Members Dan Stuart
Jack Waterson
Chris Cacavas
Chuck Prophet
Past members Van Christian
Alex MacNicol 1960-2004
Keith Mitchell

Green on Red was an American rock band, formed in the Tucson,[1] Arizona punk scene, but based for most of its career in Los Angeles, California, where it was loosely associated with the Paisley Underground. Earlier records have the wide-screen psychedelic sound of first-wave desert rock, while later releases tended more towards traditional country rock.

History

The band began in 1979 as The Serfers, a four-piece made up of Dan Stuart (vocals/guitar), Jack Waterson (bass), Van Christian (drums, later of Naked Prey) and Sean Nagore (organ), quickly replaced by Chris Cacavas.[2] In the summer of 1980, the Serfers relocated to Los Angeles, where they changed their name to Green on Red (after the title of one of their songs) to avoid confusion with the local surf punk scene. Christian returned to Tucson and was replaced by Lydia Lunch sideman Alex MacNicol.[1]

The band issued an overtly psychedelic, self-released red vinyl EP, sometimes called Two Bibles, though its first widely available record was an EP issued in 1982 by Dream Syndicate leader Steve Wynn on his own Down There label. Green on Red followed the Dream Syndicate onto Slash Records, which released the album Gravity Talks in the fall of 1983. San Francisco-based guitarist Chuck Prophet joined for the 1985 Gas Food Lodging (Enigma), after which MacNicol was replaced on drums by Keith Mitchell (later of Mazzy Star).[1] In 2006 'Gas' was performed live in its entirety as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties-curated Don't Look Back series. Also in 1985, Stuart collaborated with Steve Wynn as "Danny and Dusty" on the album The Lost Weekend (A&M).

A major-label deal with Phonogram/Mercury followed, with the EP No Free Lunch and the album The Killer Inside Me, produced by Jim Dickinson at Ardent Studios in Memphis. The band split up afterwards; Cacavas began recording albums under his own name. When Stuart returned to recording, with the 1989 Here Come the Snakes, it was essentially as a duo with Prophet, using hired backing including Christopher Holland on keyboards. Three more albums were released before the pair called it quits, after the 1992 Too Much Fun.[1]

Post Green on Red, Stuart recorded the album "Retronuevo" with Al Perry in 1993, and solo effort "Can O'Worms" in 1995, and then essentially quit the music business; Prophet maintains a career as a solo artist and semi-celebrity sideman.

However, in September 2005, the band reformed in "golden era" line-up, Stuart, Cacavas, Prophet and Waterson, with Jim Bogios filling in for Alex McNicol (who had died in the meantime) to play a one-off show as part of the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of Club Congress in Tucson. This was followed up by a show in London on 10 January 2006 (ostensibly to complete their aborted 1987 European tour). A second "Danny and Dusty" album came into production, followed by a double album and DVD on Blue Rose Records. Dan Stuart formed The Slummers in 2010, with JD Foster, Antonio Gramentieri, and Diego Sapignoli. They released their debut album Love of the Amateur and toured Europe a year later. In 2012, Dan Stuart reemerged in Oaxaca de Juarez, Mexico, and released a new solo record, "The Deliverence of Marlowe Billings".

Discography

EPs

LPs

Lives and compilations

Side Projects

Danny & Dusty

Al Perry & Dan Stuart

Dan Stuart

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 403–404. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  2. ↑ Fred Mills. "Downwardly Mobile Ambitions". Liner notes from "What Were We Thinking?" CD 1998. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  3. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 236. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

External links