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The Three O'Clock

From Alfawiki
The Three O'Clock
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1981
FounderMichael Quercio, John Blazing, Troy Howell
Headquarters
Los Angeles
,
United States
ProductsMusic albums, singles, EPs

The Three O'Clock is an American alternative rock group associated with the 1980s Los Angeles Paisley Underground movement. The band's frontman and bassist, Michael Quercio, originated the phrase "Paisley Underground" to define this particular segment of the LA music community, which also featured bands such as the Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade, Green on Red, the Long Ryders, and the Bangles.

Formation and initial period

Established in 1981 under the name the Salvation Army, the founding members included Quercio (lead vocals, bass), John Blazing (guitar), and Troy Howell (drums). Their debut single ("Mind Gardens" b/w "Happen Happened") was released through New Alliance Records in November 1981. At that time, Quercio, performing as "Ricky Start," was the sole songwriter, and the band’s sound blended psychedelic pop with punk elements.

By the end of that year, Blazing departed and was succeeded by Gregg Gutierrez (later known as Louis Gutierrez). Quercio resumed using his birth name, and this ensemble secured a contract with the Los Angeles independent label Frontier Records, issuing their self-titled first album in May 1982.

Initial achievements

Due to legal challenges from the actual Salvation Army, the band changed its name in mid-1982 to "The Three O'Clock," inspired by their rehearsal schedule. Around this period, Howell exited; keyboardist Mike Mariano (formerly of Great Buildings and the Falcons) and drummer Danny Benair (previously with the Quick (US band) and the Weirdos) joined the lineup. Frontier later re-released their Salvation Army album as Befour Three O'Clock in both 1986 and 1992.

Continuing with Frontier, they issued the Baroque Hoedown EP in late 1982—their first record under their new moniker. This was followed by the 1984 album Sixteen Tambourines, both projects produced by Earle Mankey. The Three O'Clock transitioned into a power-pop outfit influenced by 1960s garage rock. Most compositions were co-written by Quercio and Gutierrez, with occasional contributions from Mariano. They garnered significant airplay across Southern California, particularly on KROQ-FM; notably, "Jet Fighter" from Sixteen Tambourines became a popular track on college radio nationwide.

I.R.S./Paisley Park era: 1984–88

In 1985, The Three O'Clock signed with I.R.S. Records to release Arrive Without Travelling, recorded in Germany under producer Mike Hedges. The single "Her Head's Revolving" achieved modest success, accompanied by a music video that received frequent rotation on MTV. Additionally, "Half the Way There" was issued as a 12-inch single featuring a Motown-inspired rhythm section and lush vocal harmonies.

For their 1986 album Ever After, produced by Ian Broudie, guitarist Steven Altenberg replaced Gutierrez. Quercio continued as primary songwriter. The track "Suzie's on the Ball Now" obtained limited airplay on stations including KROQ-FM in Los Angeles.

Following Altenberg’s departure in 1988, Benair placed an advertisement in The Recycler magazine seeking a new guitarist. Jason Falkner, who had previously performed Three O’Clock songs with his former band, responded and joined after an audition.

This configuration recorded Vermillion, produced by Ian Ritchie and released through Warner Bros. via Prince’s Paisley Park Records. Prince, an admirer since Arrive Without Travelling, contributed the track "Neon Telephone" under the alias Joey Coco. Despite this collaboration, Vermillion failed to achieve critical or commercial success and became the band's final studio release.

Disbandment and Subsequent Activities: 1989–2012

Shortly following the release of Vermillion, the Three O'Clock dissolved.

  • In 1990, Michael Quercio briefly became a member of Game Theory, later establishing Permanent Green Light and subsequently the Jupiter Affect. He remains active in various Los Angeles pop ensembles.
  • Louis Gutierrez collaborated with Louis and Clark before playing a pivotal role in Mary's Danish.
  • Danny Benair transitioned into the music industry by working with multiple record labels before founding Natural Energy Lab, a Los Angeles-based firm specializing in music marketing for film, television, and commercial placements.
  • Jason Falkner joined Jellyfish and the Grays, later pursuing a thriving solo career.
  • Troy Howell created the Eyes of Mind, recorded under Bomp Records, and performed alongside Cee Farrow and OOSoul.

In 2002, Arrive Without Travelling and Ever After were reissued together on CD.

2013 Reunion

After declining reunion invitations for 25 years, the Three O'Clock reunited to perform at the 2013 Coachella Festival. The lineup featured three original members—Michael Quercio (vocals/bass), Louis Gutierrez (guitar), and Danny Benair (drums)—joined by new keyboardist Adam Merrin. The band appeared during both weekends of Coachella, performed on Conan on April 10, 2013, undertook a brief tour, and issued several archival releases. Their final concert of that period took place at Fingerprints, a record store in Long Beach, California, on June 24, 2013.

In December 2013, the Three O'Clock shared the stage for two nights with reunited Paisley Underground groups—the Bangles, the Dream Syndicate, and Rain Parade—at The Fillmore in San Francisco and The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles as part of a benefit event. The band continued to perform occasionally over subsequent years.

November 2018 saw the release of three new tracks from the Three O'Clock included in the compilation 3 × 4, which featured covers among the Three O'Clock, the Dream Syndicate, the Bangles, and Rain Parade. Initially launched as a double album on "psychedelic swirl" purple vinyl for Record Store Day First, Yep Roc Records expanded its availability to LP, CD, and digital formats by February 2019.

The reunited group remained sporadically active through early 2019 with performances primarily in Southern California. They have not played live since May 2019, though no official disbandment has been declared. Meanwhile, Quercio has been engaged with the reformed Permanent Green Light band, which has performed live shows and released a single.

Albums

as the Salvation Army

as Befour Three O'Clock

  • Befour Three O'Clock (1986) – reissue of Salvation Army LP
  • Happen Happened (1992) – CD reissue of Salvation Army LP including nine bonus tracks

as the Three O'Clock

Rare Releases

  • Regina Caeli – 7-inch single, one-sided, issued exclusively to fan club members during Christmas 1986

External links

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