NC Music History Dot Com

UV Prom - Funhouse
from the e.p. Field Of Vision - 1985

from the liner notes to More Mondo:

While students at the NCSU School Of Design, Russ, Tim (and former member) Chris Howard decided to form a band. In 1981, Joe joined the band and on Hallowen the band made it's debut at a party of the design school under the name of Eraserhead. In March 1983, Eraserhead changed it's name to UV Prom and shortly after Chris Howard left the band and was replaced by Chris Edwards. UV Prom has been performing regularly up and down the east coast, while working full time jobs.

Band Members:
Tim Hill - Guitar
Joe Romweber - Vocals
Russ Stephenson - Bass
Chris Edwards - Drums

Posted by Michael Slawter at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments   

X Rayons - Huevo Sonic
from the S/T cd - 1999

This Chapel Hill/Pittsboro instrumental combo consists of four gentlemen whose sole aim is to provide instrumental accompaniment for dancing & listening but never ignoring. Their sweeping "ATMOSURF" soundscapes evoke the the great instrumental groups of a different era, yet their sense of melody and their arrangements are firmly rooted in the present.

Steve Carr owns Carr Amps and plays in The Brakes.
Mike Nicholson runs Vista Point and play in Stratocruiser.

Band Members:
Steve Carr - Guitar
Brunson Hoole - Guitar
Mike Nicholson - Bass
Tony Stiglitz - Drums

Posted by Michael Slawter at 9:20 AM | Permalink | Comments   

Hello All,

My power went out last night and just came back on, so I wasn't able to make a post today. I will double-up tomorrow to make it up to you. I hope everyone is enjoying this. I want to say thanks to the folks who have emailed me expressing their support. Great stuff is still to come so check back daily. Email me with suggestions or comments, I want to make this as great is possible.

Cheers,
Michael

Posted by Michael Slawter at 6:43 PM | Permalink | Comments   

The Flying Pigs - Collision Course
from the Greetings From Comboland #2 Cassette - 1985

Hailing from Durham, NC The Flying Pigs were an Alt-Pop combo with a sound similar to Mississippi's Windbreakers. Led by Singer/Guitarist Pat O'Connell the Pigs gigged throughout the Southeast sharing the bill with the dB's, Los Lobos, and NRBQ to name just a few. The Collision Course was also on the band's second release "Demi" which can still be purchased through Sonic Trout Records. After the demise of The Flying Pigs, Pat (now known as P.J.) moved to Mass. and got mixed up with The NRBQ/Incredible Casuals camp; which can only be trouble (the good kinda trouble). For more about P.J. O'Connell click here.

Band Members:
Pat O'Connell - Vocals, Guitar
Billy McCarthy - Guitar
Robert Truesdale - Bass, Vocals
Stacy Weaver - Drums, Vocals

Posted by Michael Slawter at 8:22 AM | Permalink | Comments   

Other Bright Colors - Time Was
from the Blue Mold lp (lp102) "Endlessly Rocks The Cradle" - 1986

OBC originally formed at Davidson College in 1983, but the band moved to Carrboro after they graduated. I first heard them on the great "Cradle Tapes" (which I will get to at some point, or at the very least include some cuts) and liked what I heard. It wasn't until I got my hands on their "Endlessly Rocks The Cradle" album that I was completely won over. Full of wonderfully catchy melodies, this is one of the few records from this time that doesn't sound dated. You be the judge.

Band Members:
Brian Butler - Vocals, Guitars
Joe Jaworski - Drums
James Funsten - Guitars
Tom Pafford - Bass

Posted by Michael Slawter at 7:20 AM | Permalink | Comments   

The Spongetones - This Kiss Is Mine Tonight (Demo)
from the Japanese LP "Beat! The Spongetones" - 2005

The Spongetones are one of the most enduring power pop bands of the 80's. Beginning with their first album "Beat Music" released in 1982 The Spongetones have continued to release amazing records year and year. "This Kiss Is Mine Tonight" may be familiar to fans of the compilation More Mondo. This is the original 4-track demo version, which I think you'll agree is pretty darn amazing. "Beat! The Sponetones" has just been issued on the Sony Japan label. For more info about the Spongetones and this release click here.

Band Members:

Rob Thorne: Drums
Steve Stoekel: Bass, Vocals
Jamie Hoover: Guitar, Vocals
Pat Walters: Guitar, Vocals

Posted by Michael Slawter at 6:14 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Arrogance - Black Death
from the Crescent City Records 7" (CS-1091/1092) - 1970

Taken from Sam Hicks "How NC Got Its Punk Attitude"

In 1969, Mike Greer went to college at UNC-CH and soon learned that roomate Robert Kirkland and down the hall neighbor Don Dixon had similar musical tastes. With the addition of Kirkland's high school bandmate Jimmy Glascow, they started out as the Dog Breath Blues Band. They played a folk coffeehouse called the Cat's Cradle and a hippie/biker bar known as The Asparagus Farm. The guys in Dog Breath soon learned how to play Sgt. Pepper by heart, as well as an import LP by a band called Black Sabbath that no one else seemed to have heard of. Mike took his new band to Crescent City Studios, where he'd previously been with Capt. Speed, and they recorded a single of their own. The band cut the intense "An Estimation" b/w "Black Death" single (CS-1091/1092) in January 1969 and released it in '70. Don says, "The only reason to cut a single back then was to get it in some jukeboxes or talk some DJ into playing it on an AM station somewhere." They decided it was time to change their name, since "Blues Band" no longer described their sound, and became Arrogance. It was released in 1970, at a time when its impact cannot be overestimated. Since no one had heard of Black Sabbath, much less Sabbath mixed with Sgt. Pepper into a Mountain-esque stew, the first Arrogance 45 was important to many N.C. musicians and tops the list for early influential N.C. vinyl. A somewhat different line-up with an altogether different sound went on to record many albums under the same name.

Band Members:
Don Dixon - Bass, Vocals
Mike Greer - Vocals, Guitar
Robert Kirkland - Guitar, Vocals
Jimmy Glascow - Drums

Posted by Michael Slawter at 8:04 AM | Permalink | Comments   

The Popes - She's You
from the cassette Demolisten Volume 1 - 1991

Chapel Hill's The Popes were a great pop band. They recorded a 6 song ep called "Hi We're The Popes" in the '80, but I always thought their best songs were on later compilations (like this one). I was lucky enough to catch their last show at Ziggy's in Winston-Salem. They had a GIANT bottle of sparkling wine at the foot of the stage for anyone to drink from. I took a swig.

The Demolisten series was a great collection of 3 cassettes, similar to the Comboland tapes in the early '80's featuring area bands. Leaving behind a great document of bands from the 90's.

Band Members:
Jim Rumley - Drums
John Elderkin - Guitar and Vocals
Henry Pharr - Bass
Steve Ruppenthal - Vocals and Guitar

Posted by Michael Slawter at 9:47 AM | Permalink | Comments