A shimmering testament to an amazing band at the height of its powers. “Nowhere” always took my breath away when the Answers performed it live — and 25 years down the road, Dave Fleminger’s evocation of “what time erases” gives me chills.
This track also bears witness to the Answers’ genius for making home recordings sound like landscapes you’d want to live in! Here’s Mr. Fleminger on the genesis of this tape: “Written by little ol’ me …. instrumental track recorded in [drummer] Dave Anderson’s bedroom (the usual practice spot) with one mic on one channel of a Tandberg reel to reel, vocals recorded in the downstairs bathroom at Pat’s house in sound-on-sound mode. June 1983. Fleminger, [bassist Jeff] Lowe, Anderson is the lineup.”
Beautiful song, Mr. Fleminger. Reminds me of something off of the Notorious Byrd Brothers, with a “Draft Morning”-ish groove. (That, by the way, is a very underrated album. )
Thanks Ray!
I do have to admit that Notorious Byrd Brothers, Fifth Dimension and Younger Than Yesterday were on almost continual spin for me at that time (and again and again since as well)…amazing records that I tend to associate with Summer afternoons — they seem to manufacture their own source of light.
It’s hard for me not to immediately wanna play a 12-string after hearing even a soundbite from those Byrds LP’s..
That’s the Carvin 12-string on this recording, isn’t it, Dave? I loved the sound of that guitar!
I still don’t understand how you guys made these recordings sound so rich … You’d play me these things you’d cooked up in a bedroom — all of these moments of pure grace — and it was like divine intervention had struck.
beautiful song! thanks for uploading. it brings back great memories- I hadn’t seen the band for several months while at school, I come back in the summer of 83, and there’s a whole new set, including this gem. An incredibly creative period.
Wow…I had forgotton the sound of the band and this really brings it back. The great guitar parts and bass interplay WITH dynamics.
I remember the quote inscribed in a door jam one of Pat’s walk in/ live in closets, “Beware the psychedelic 80’s” (I think that was it)…
The Answers were a great band…I wish I’d seen them more when they were around. I remember Dave being really dynamic on stage too.
Dave Ellison: We still haven’t figured out what Answers show we first met at, have we? Considering I was trying to drag the Rockin’ Dogs out to play UCSD tennis courts with Noise 292 by late June, it must’ve been late spring. (Of course, we moved fast in our youth! I’m still reeling at the realization that the Gravedigger V’s entire career spanned barely six months.)
Matthew,
It’s a good guess that the Answers were playing the night I met you and David Rives in the parking lot of Dance City. I can remember seeing the Answers play there, so it was probably the same show. Around the beginning of 1983 sounds right…maybe Dave Fleminger has a flyer for that show and could say for sure.
Yeah … So far, our paper trail establishes the Rockin’ Dogs and Wallflowers playing assorted shows at Dance City in April and May of that year, but our Answers chronology that spring is a little spotty. (I do believe the Answers were gigging more than any of us at the time — Noise 292 didn’t even debut until May, and I think the Wallflowers’ Dance City gig was also their first show.)
Again, my first exposure to the Answers was in March … Things came together quick when we were young and nimble! Nowadays, it takes me three months to clean the garage. 🙂
I remember being away for a few months, coming back to SD in the summer of ’83, and the Answers set list had completely changed. An amazing period of creative output from these guys. I saw this song performed for the first time at a Headquarters show and I was completely mesmerized by it. “What else am I missing?” I wondered. This song still has that magical power.
I’m listening to this one again through headphones … Jeff’s bass work is so delicate on this song — all those mad cello skillz translated into a lyrical approach that blew me away then and now. We should probably start a thread just for the bassists of the Che Underground!