# The Strange Magic of: The Dream Syndicate



## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

We're back in the early 1980s, in Southern California. There's a local music scene that gets tagged with the name "The Paisley Underground" solely on the basis of a band's female bass player wearing a red paisley dress. The Bangles arise from this scene, as do this band, The Dream Syndicate, with a mix of psychedelia, a bit of punk, alleged influences from both Neil Young and The Velvet Underground, and a love of feverish guitar. The Paisley influence itself spreads as far as New Zealand's The Chills, and impresses Prince, who names his studio Paisley Park and adds a more psychedelic edge to his work. Original bassist Kendra Smith goes off to found ultra-heavy psychedelic band Opal, after the Syndicate cuts its only big album, The Days of Wine and Roses, then mostly sinks from view. But they're back, touring again. Herewith the signature song, _The Days of Wine and Roses_.


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## Schubussy (Nov 2, 2012)

I always preferred Rain Parade (who also shared a member with Opal) as far as the Paisley Underground goes but I'm clearly in the minority so ignore me. I could never really get into The Dream Syndicate.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Big fan of the Paisley Underground and any New Psychedelia movements in general but sadly it all meant little here in the UK apart from isolated pockets of support (mainly in London and Liverpool). We had our own neo-psychedelic bands at the time (Echo & The Bunnymen, Mood Six etc.) but there was never a full-on 'Psychedelic Movement' as such, despite the efforts of the 'A Splash of Colour' compilation and XTC's alter-egos, The Dukes of Stratosphear. As regards the Californian scene, Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade, Long Ryders and (early) Bangles all produced really good stuff, as did Australia's Church.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

This thread, with its references to Opal, gives me the opportunity to offer my favorite Opal effort, the superheavy _Supernova_, from the album Happy Nightmare Baby......


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Let the Dream continue, say I, and elgars ghost answers: _That's What You Always Say_. But this time again, we both agree....


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Makes me want to listen to _Going Down To Liverpool_ by Katrina & The Waves. Not a cover either despite the Bangles' more famous version - K&tW's guitarist Kimberley Rew wrote it. Killer song.


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

Not a fan of the band, but I worked at a record store (Moby Disc) with Steve Wynn (the founder and leader) from about 1980-1983.

Great guy!

We had loads of fun for those couple of years.


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