The Power of Paisley [1985]

Text by Nancy Foster / FFanzeen, 1985 / 2021
Images from the Internet

The Power of Paisley

This article was originally published in FFanzeen, issue #13, dated 1985. It was written by ultracool Nancy Foster.

When one thinks of 1980s underground garage revival music, the tendency is to lean towards hardcore punk or either springy or dirge-like synthesizers. For me, that period was alive with the garage revival, with bands like the Chesterfield Kings, the Tryfles, the Vipers, the Mosquitoes, the Brood, the Cheepskates, and of course, The Mystic Eyes. This also revived a clearly defined retro-look that was a post-Hippie/post-punk style. Nancy took a look a what makes a cool, neo-garage fashion statement. – RBF, 2021  

 

To quote The Catalog of Cool! [by Gene Sculatti], “Cool is not a fad or a fashion. Therefore, cool’s enemies are not ‘preppy’ or ‘punk’ or last month’s unearthed or invented sensibilities. Cool’s beef is with misapplied style, false expression-attitudes and tastes that have nothing to do with the person who adopts them. Thousand-bucks cowboy ensembles, idle jet-setters who send nanny out of find them New Wave togs for the cocktail party, ‘Fatigue chic’ (you want khaki parachute pants? Enlist).”

If you want to think you are hip and that you are a trendsetter instead of a lemming, since all fashion is cyclical, take some hints from the swinging ‘sixties. As the mini-skirt is the only logical garment for a modern girl to wear, with parental supervision grab the scissors and start cutting six to eight inches pre-knee for minis, and if you’re really daring, seven inches pre-knee for micro-minis.

A cool place to find clothes is the closet, attic, or basement of mom, an aunt, or an older sister, especially if one of the aforementioned relatives was a teenager in the ‘sixties. Black jeans are also a must! White is great if you’re into beachcombing. They deflect the sun’s deadly rays. Try Trash and Vaudeville on St. Mark’s Place. Yet, to get that painted-on look, expect to do some altering.

Paisley shirts can also be found at Trash at reasonable prices.  They also have a lot of nice, well-tailored, sharp looking shirts for the discerning mod-strips, dots, paisley, etc. These shirts are gorgeous. So, if you’re into Paul Weller, the Mod Revival or Wall Street, these are for you.

 

Shoes and Boots

The Chesterfield Kings have their “Puerto Rican fence climbers” made for them. You can get Beatle Boots at Trash.  Girls, pumps are a classic, but flats and go-go boots are better if you want to go-go all night. Go-go boots are got-got gotten at Manic Panic and Trash. For ‘sixties style flats, check out Capezio or Bandolino. They haven’t lost their touch. Danskin makes a great folk-dance shoe so you will be ready for the hootenanny!

Legs Galore

Da foot bone connected to da leg bone, and you have to decorate that, too. You can pull an Edie Sedgewick and wear black tights exclusively. They are great for hiding any imperfections and they don’t run. Fishnets, windowpanes, any texture – lacey, dots, etc. – are all groovy. Shazam. Manic Panic and Trash have a wide array of colors and styles.

Accessories

Chain belts are great, especially with a short, A-line mini of body-hugging, clingy fabric. For pocketbooks, try the little girl’s department of the 5 and 10 stores. I found some great chain, shoulder bags and groovy green and yeah-yeah yellow plastic.

 

Make-up

Maybe suntans figure into the Paisley Underground in L.A., but I’m not into that. Being cool means being extreme; contrasts. Dye your brown hair black. Dye your auburn hair flaming red. Dye your blonde hair platinum. Lancome made a perfect shade of foundation called Ivory Mist, but they discontinued it. A good substitute is Ivory, by Stagelight. Black eyeliner is a must – draw out to there! Cleopatra style!

Pale lipsticks – whites, silvers, golds, sometimes with a hint of pink – are great! Barone has a fab shade called  Strawberry Ice Cream, but don’t eat it! Chorus Line has a great mother of pearl shade called (get this British Invasion fans) Moody Blue. Revlon remembers the ‘sixties with white lipstick and nail polish – White On White.

Someone, please import some Yardley. Twiggy used to wear their triple layer false eyelashes. Cake on the mascara and make it waterproof because Fuzztones’ Rudi Prodrudi is sure to make the little girls cry!

 

Street Chic

For the urban and suburban guerilla, black jeans, black t-shirt, black boots, black leather jacket, and Wayfarer shades are the best gear! Though if you can’t use camouflage to protect yourself, blind the muggers with neon color a la  Stephen Sprouse.

Nancy Neon’s Notes: THE JACKETS’ Jack, Schmidi, and Chris Reveal the Spark That Fires Their Sound

Text by Nancy Neon / FFanzeen, Jan 2019
Images from the Internet

Kenne Highland of The Gizmos and The Boston Groupie News' Editor-at-Large explains what sets The Jackets apart from the current barrage of garage rock bands: he describes them as having "the gymnastics of the Monterey Pop era Who and Love It To Death Alice Cooper spider eyeliner, while playing The Kinks at Kelvin Hall feedback-inducing solos while crowd surfing." My introduction to The Jackets came with "Wasting My Time," 3 minutes and 53 seconds of pure Dionysian frenzy.

The band is based in Bern, Switzerland. The lineup is Jack Torera aka Jackie Bruschte on guitar and lead vocals, Samuel "Schmidi" Schmidiger on bass and vocals, and Chris Rosales, from Southern California, on drums and vocals. Jack’s and Schmidi's vocal interplay is distinctive, adding an extra layer of interest to the band's vocal arrangements. At the Cambridge, MA show, October 5, 2018, Torera's vocals were described by Jeff Kabot of The Superkools and The Downtowners as a "grittier Chrissie Hynde" or in a "Grace Slick mode.” As Michael Passman, garage maven and photographer in Austin, TX, remarked "Jack can scream!" Torera mixes up a potent elixir of rhythm and lead guitar prowess that hooks the fans. She is constantly in motion, kicking, gesticulating wildly, and even executing arabesques like a garage rock prima ballerina.

The Jackets 'songs are rebellious and defiant-Youthquaker anthems of autonomy. The Jackets cite their influences as The Music Machine, The Monks, and The MC5. The trio does deliver a kick out the jams level of impact, mixing ‘60s punk with ‘70s punk into a potent, irresistible, and addictive cocktail. I have never seen such a fierce band that is also full of good humor, high spirited fun, and full blast excitement. .No band has ever answered the "Where Have All The Good Times Gone" question so definitively-The good times are here and now with The Jackets.

Torera has a magnetic presence and binds the crowd together and pulls them into a tribal dance like a shaman. John Keegan, writer and photographer of The Boston Groupie News counted the show's highlights as "Keep Yourself Alive," "Hands Off Me," and "Freak Out.” For me, it was my first and favorite: the wild, frenetic "Wasting My Time,” the angry admonition to a bad boyfriend, "Hang Up,” the exhilarating "Don't Turn Yourself In,” and the autonomy anthem delivered as a pure punk assault, “Be Myself."

Michael Passman describes The Jackets as "raw fuzz like The Cynics, but loud like Billy Childish"(who helped make Toe Rag studios in London famous). Passman adds, "The Jackets’ record label, Voodoo Rhythm, is the best label as far as great bands go, including Jackets’ friends and tour mates, The Darts."

It has been two weeks since The Jackets show and I am still asking myself " Why did the band make me feel like a wild, uninhibited teenager again, and what made seeing The Jackets like hearing rock 'n' roll for the first time? " Mike Stax of The Loons and Ugly Things magazine responded, "The Jackets strip rock 'n' roll down to its basic, essential components. Then they build something fresh, something that is unique to their personalities and need for self-expression. It feels new because it is unique and free of cliché and gimmickry"

The Jackets’ drummer, Chris Rosales, explains the rock'n'roll kinship that brought together: The Jackets, with The Loons and The Darts with whom they toured and who helped bring The Jackets to the US,” of which Rosales says, "The connection is good ole rock and roll. As far as my connection with Mike Stax, I first met Mike when I was a regular at Greg Shaw's Cavern Club in the ‘80s. As for The Darts, we met in France a few years ago. Nicole Laurenne invited us to tour with The Darts and we just did it. Then there is the ”Little Steven Underground Garage” connection. So put that all in a pot and stir it vigorously, and that is how The Jackets came to the USA.

When asked what it was like to tour with The Jackets, Nicole, The Darts' singer, who was also brilliant and a personal fave in The Love Me Nots and Motobunny, said "Touring with the Jackets is the most comfortable, easy tour we've done to date. They are not only top-notch musicians but sweet and genuine people with a strong work ethic. They love Indian food as much as we do. We miss them so much. We know they burned Boston right to the ground." Buy The Jackets records, but absolutely do not miss experiencing them live because just as Kabot says, "Just when you thought it had all been done with three chord garage rock, The Jackets have not just reinvented it, they own it!.”



Jack Torera (guitar, vocals);"Schmidi" Schmidiger (bass);Chris Rosales (drums)  

Nancy Neon: Who or what made you want to be a singer?

Jack Torera: It was more of an accident when a friend convinced me to join their punk band when I was 19 to play guitar and sing. Shortly after that, we had a gig and it was like an explosion for me. There was this wild, raw thing that came out of me onstage that I didn't know before.

Nancy: And who influenced your vocal style?

Jack: Playing in many bands and many concerts over the years. I never had an idol or a certain style I wanted to achieve. I just do what I do in my own way and that is good.

Nancy: What artist or songwriter made you want to create your own songs?

Jack: Not a specific artist or songwriter. It was more the DIY movement and the culture from ‘60s garage punk bands... the idea that "everybody can play music" as long as it is authentic and direct from the heart. I always wanted to play my own songs. For me, that is what makes a band a real band.

Nancy: What songwriters made the most positive impact on your writing style?

Jack: A great inspiration for songwriting is Arthur Lee of Love and Sean Bonniwell of The Music Machine. I never get bored of their songs because they are varied which I like, and always sound authentic.

Nancy: Which musicians inspired you to play music?

Samuel "Schmidi" Schmidiger: I am originally a guitar player. My main guitar influences are Jimi Hendrix, Robert Johnson, and Reverend Beat Man[Reverend Beat Man and his band The Monsters are The Jackets’ label mates on Voodoo Rhythm Records - NN]

Nancy: What bass players do you admire?

Schmidi: John Entwistle of The Who definitely inspired me as a bass player. I admire Noel Redding of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Robert Butler of The Untold Fables and Miracle Workers that introduced me to the world of Mosrite basses.

Nancy: How did you get your start as a drummer?

Chris Rosales: I started playing in my garage in the ‘80s. I had a record player next to my drum set turned up to the highest volume on one of those ‘70s portable record players. I would play along to The Seeds and The Doors because I was into the ‘60s garage rock revival of the ‘80s. The Seeds' drummer, Rick Andridge, had a very basic style that was easy to copy, like the beat on "Can't Seem To Make You Mine." From The Doors' drummer, John Densmore, I learned the Bossa Nova and single and double stroke drum rolls. The Sonics' drummer, Bob Bennett had a huge influence on me with the way he played that bass drum. But it was probably Ringo Starr, Mickey Dolenz, and my Dad – who was a jazz drummer in the late ‘50s – who influenced me aesthetically to want to sit behind a band and play drums.

Nancy: The Loons and The Darts helped bring The Jackets to the US. You are also tight with The Woogles and have recently toured with them. How did you get hooked up with The Woogles?

Chris: I met The Woogles in the early 2000s in Switzerland when I was playing in the Get Lost with members of The Miracle Workers [The Miracle Workers had their debut album, Inside Out on Bomp! Records and were based in Portland, OR and in Los Angeles, CA – NN] The Get Lost played a few gigs with The Woogles and we hit it off. I also got to know their drummer, Dan Electro while I was producing a podcast in the 2000's on the garagepunk.com network where he was also a podcaster.