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The Dream Syndicate

From Alfawiki
The Dream Syndicate
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1981 in Los Angeles, California, United States
Defunct1989 (initially)
FateReassembled in 2012
Headquarters
Los Angeles
,
United States
Key people
Steve Wynn (frontman), Kendra Smith, Karl Precoda, Dennis Duck, Mark Walton, Jason Victor, Chris Cacavas
ProductsStudio albums, EPs, live albums, compilation albums, DVDs
Websitethedreamsyndicate.com

The Dream Syndicate is a Los Angeles-based American alternative rock ensemble, initially active from 1981 until 1989, and later reassembled in 2012. Associated with the Paisley Underground scene, the group was recognized by the Los Angeles Times for their fervent intensity and dedication. Despite not achieving widespread commercial popularity, they earned critical praise for their songwriting and guitar craftsmanship. The band’s frontman, Steve Wynn, reactivated the lineup in 2012, resulting in four studio albums released from 2017 onward.

Origins and formative period (1981–1983)

During his time at the University of California, Davis, Steve Wynn collaborated with Kendra Smith in the Suspects, regarded as the pioneering new wave act within Davis’s music community. In 1981, Wynn also recorded a single with a trio named 15 Minutes, which included members from Alternate Learning.

Upon relocating to Los Angeles, Wynn established a new band alongside Karl Precoda, who transitioned from bass to guitar duties. Smith joined as bassist and introduced drummer Dennis Duck (Mehaffey), previously part of Pasadena’s Human Hands. Duck proposed the name "the Dream Syndicate," inspired by La Monte Young’s avant-garde 1960s group, the Theatre of Eternal Music.

The Dream Syndicate’s first performance took place on February 23, 1982, at Club Lingerie in Hollywood. They produced a four-track EP at Tom Mehren’s residence in Pasadena, with production by Paul B. Cutler, and released it through Wynn’s Down There label. The band quickly attracted local acclaim for their feedback-driven improvisational style and became a key influence in Los Angeles’ underground rock movement during the 1980s. Their sound drew inspiration from artists such as the Velvet Underground, Neil Young, and Television.

The group secured a deal with Slash Records, whose offshoot Ruby Records issued their debut album, The Days of Wine and Roses, in 1982. Although the album resonated strongly within the American underground music community, it did not fit MTV's mainstream programming trends. In early 1983, Rough Trade Records released "Tell Me When It's Over" as a UK EP lead track, accompanied by a live rendition of Neil Young’s "Mr. Soul".

Shortly thereafter, Smith departed to create Opal alongside David Roback (formerly of Rain Parade), and David Provost took over bass responsibilities in the Dream Syndicate.

Era following Kendra Smith's departure (1984–1989)

In 1984, the band recorded Medicine Show in San Francisco with producer Sandy Pearlman, which was distributed by A&M Records. They toured as an opening act for both R.E.M. and U2, and released a five-track live EP titled This Is Not The New Dream Syndicate Album... Live!. This release marked both the final contribution of guitarist Precoda—who left to pursue screenwriting—and the debut of bassist Mark Walton. The EP's commercial underperformance contributed to a temporary dissolution of the group. Subsequently, A&M dropped them after rejecting their demo for "Slide Away," which later appeared on the semi-official compilation It's Too Late to Stop Now.

During this hiatus in 1985, Wynn collaborated with Dan Stuart of Green on Red, co-writing ten songs that were recorded with Duck and other musicians; these tracks were released by A&M under the name Danny & Dusty as The Lost Weekend.

Following this break, Wynn reunited with Duck and Walton along with producer/guitarist Paul B. Cutler to revive the Dream Syndicate. They produced two studio albums: Out of the Grey (1986) on Chrysalis Records, produced by Cutler, and Ghost Stories (1988) released via Enigma Records, produced by Elliot Mazer. A live recording from 1988 titled Live at Raji's, also produced by Mazer, was released subsequently. In 1992, Opdtapes issued a complimentary live cassette capturing a Bergen concert from 1988.

After disbanding again in 1989, several posthumous releases emerged including 3½ (The Lost Tapes: 1985–1988), featuring previously unreleased sessions, and The Day Before Wine and Roses, a live broadcast from KPFK recorded prior to their debut album release. Steve Wynn embarked on a solo career while Mark Walton joined the ranks of the Continental Drifters.

Reunion (2012–present)

In 2012, Wynn brought the Dream Syndicate back together for a special appearance at Festival BAM in Barcelona, Spain, on September 21. This reunion included Wynn himself, Walton, Duck, and Jason Victor, who has been Wynn's principal guitarist in the Miracle 3 for many years.

On December 5 and 6, 2013, the group participated in two concerts alongside other reunited Paisley Underground acts such as the Bangles, the Three O'Clock, and Rain Parade. These benefit shows took place at San Francisco's Fillmore and Los Angeles' Fonda Theatre. By September 2014, the band performed at The EARL in East Atlanta, marking their first performances in the Southern United States since 1988. One of these gigs showcased a complete rendition of The Days of Wine and Roses, while the other featured their sophomore album, The Medicine Show. By early 2017, they had completed more than fifty live performances following their reunion.

In February 2017, Wynn revealed that the band had recorded a fifth studio album at Montrose Studios located in Richmond, Virginia, with mixing carried out at Water Music in Hoboken, New Jersey. The lineup on this record included Wynn, Walton, Duck, Victor, and keyboardist Chris Cacavas. The closing track, "Kendra's Dream," was distinguished by vocals and lyrics from original bassist Kendra Smith. This album, titled How Did I Find Myself Here?, was officially released on September 8, 2017 through the Anti- label.

In November 2018, Dream Syndicate contributed three new songs to the compilation 3 × 4, which also featured The Bangles, The Three O'Clock, and Rain Parade. Each band covered tracks originally performed by one of the others. Initially issued as a double LP on purple vinyl for Record Store Day First, the compilation was subsequently released on LP, CD, and digital platforms by Yep Roc Records in February 2019.

Their second album since reuniting, These Times, was unveiled on May 10, 2019 via Anti-. The production was a collaboration between John Agnello and the band at Montrose Studios in Richmond.

On February 26, 2019, Dream Syndicate announced The Universe Inside, which came out on April 10, 2020 through Anti-. The lead single "The Regulator" was accompanied by an extended twenty-minute psychedelic video set against scenes of New York City.

Most recently, on February 9, 2024, they released How Did We Find Ourselves Here?, a double LP package that includes Live Through the Past Darkly, a DVD documentary tracing their history from inception through label disputes and breakup to their reunion in 2012. The DVD features rare footage from a one-hour live concert recorded in 1983 at Los Angeles' Roxy Theatre along with commentary from notable industry figures such as Chris Robinson of Black Crowes and David Fricke of Rolling Stone.

Studio albums

EPs

Live albums

Compilation albums

  • It's Too Late to Stop Now... Isn't It? (1988, self-released)
  • It's Too Late to Stop Now (1989, Another Cowboy Recordings)
  • Tell Me When It's Over: The Best of the Dream Syndicate 1982–1988 (1992, Rhino Records)
  • 3½ (The Lost Tapes: 1985–1988) (1993, Normal)
  • 3 × 4 (2018, Yep Roc) – attained #27 on the Billboard Independent Albums

DVDs

  • Weathered and Torn (1992, Atavistic Video)
  • How Did We Find Ourselves Here? (2024, Label 51 Recordings)

External links

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