By Eleni P. Austin
Back in the early ‘80s, the Los Angeles music scene was a sprawling as the smoggy metropolis. Primitive Punk and Skinny Tie-Power Pop comfortably co-existed with Roots-Rock, Psychobilly, thrashy R&B, Post-Punk and Cow Punk. Diving head-first into this sweaty musical mosh pit were four bands that loosely became known as The Paisley Underground.
The Bangles, The Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade and The Three O’ Clock all took their cues from guitar-driven ‘60s sounds like Garage Rock, Baroque Pop and Psychedelia. The music of Dream Syndicate, fronted by native Angeleno Steve Wynn, also distilled the darkly hued dissonance of bands like The Velvet Underground and Neil Young & Crazy Horse. Their 1982 debut, The Days Of Wine And Roses, didn’t storm the charts, but it is one of those seminal L.A. records that has stood the test of time. It went on to influence the next generation bands, like The Pixies, Nirvana and American Music Club.
Of course, the band broke up, and Steve Wynn went on to carve out an intriguing solo career and played in bands like Gutterball and Baseball Project. Remarkably, The Dream Syndicate reunited in 2017 and have released four new albums. Last year, he wrote a winning memoir, I Wouldn’t Say It If It Wasn’t True-A Memoir Of Life, Music And The Dream Syndicate, as well as his 13th solo album, Make It Right. Starting in November, The Dream Syndicate is back out on the road, celebrating the release of a four CD box set that concentrates completely on their 1984 album, Medicine Show. On November 7th, they play their first ever Pappy & Harriet’s show. Recently, Steve was kind enough to answer a few burning questions.
ELENI: The Dream Syndicate, along with The Bangles, The Three O’ Clock and Rain Parade, at the forefront of a scene that was dubbed The Paisley Underground. Do you feel that accurately described your sound, or do you feel like the term pigeonholed the band?
STEVE: It was an actual scene. We all started around the same time, playing the same kind of music, that was out fashion-guitar based. None of us-with the exception of our drummer, Dennis Duck-had any kind of presence on the L.A. scene at the time. So, it was easier to bond together, get shows together, cheer each other on, than it would have been to go it alone. I’d say we were all each other’s biggest fans and were really tightly bonded for most of 1982. And then we all got success, scattered to our various corners, belonged to the world, rather than to each other and the scene was over. It’s nice though, that for the most part we have all remained friends and have even been able to do a trio of shows together in recent years.
ELENI: Like you, I had an L.A. childhood that stretched through the ‘60s and early ‘70s. Consequently, a lot of your memoir resonated with me. I know you live in New York now. But how does it feel to visit Los Angeles these days?
STEVE: I’ve lived in New York City for 30 years now, but L.A. will always feel like some version of home when I return, which I often do. I can still navigate a shortcut from one part of town to another like nobody’s business. I laugh at the SNL skit, The Californians, when they have that running joke about how they get from one part of the city. It really IS how Angelenos talk (as you know)! But at the same time, L.A. has really changed since I lived there-had the Metro been open when I was there, I may never have moved!
ELENI: In your book, you detail the arduous process of recording The Dream Syndicate’s second album, Medicine Show.” It seemed like such a challenging time in the band’s history. But now, the band is celebrating that record by releasing an expansive four-CD set. How do you feel about revisiting such a tumultuous era?
STEVE: It’s a nice, rare thing to be able to revisit a time in your life that may have been misunderstood, or done in a way you wish might have been a little different, and be able to go back, do it again, or shine a light in a different way, and put a new stamp on things. I think the box set makes a good case for not only showing Medicine Show to be a really great record but also give us a chance to bring the types of shows we were playing back then to the stage in 2025. There’s a certain thing we were doing back then- big and blustery, and assured and cocky-that you hear on the live record that we put out and included in this box set that I really like. It will be fun to inhabit that every night on tour.
ELENI: Aside from performing Medicine Show in its entirety, what can the audience expect when you perform at Pappy & Harriet’s on November 7th?
STEVE: We’re going to open with a set of newer material from our last four records and then take a short break before performing Medicine Show. But we’re not going to necessarily do it in order, but rather, as I mentioned, like we may have done it on any given night on stage in 1984. It will be a nice bit of method acting, albeit, with a lot less whiskey! By the way, I’ve never played Pappy & Harriet’s before, but I did spend a little time in London on the road with Pappy back in 1990, so it will be a nice way to pay tribute to a fine gent-I’m very excited about the show.
ELENI: It’s been three years since the most recent Dream Syndicate album, Ultraviolet Battle Hymns And True Confessions. Is there anything new on the horizon for the band?
STEVE: For now, just the reissue and the tour, and that will take us into February. But I’m sure we’ll make a new record before too long-we’re so proud of the music we’ve done in the studio over the last eight years, and there’s still more to say, more to play, more to explore. And we’re having fun doing it.
ELENI: Finally, I thoroughly enjoyed your memoir, I Wouldn’t Say It If It Wasn’t True, which chronicled your early years up through The Dream Syndicate’s rise and fall. Can we look forward to a follow-up that charts your solo career and beyond?
STEVE: Yes, absolutely. I’ve already started working on it, and I hope to have it out late next year or so, as soon as I can wrap my head around the story I want to tell. That’s the thing about writing a book-it takes longer than it does to write a song. Who Knew!
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Sister Midnight Presents The Dream Syndicate, Friday, November 7th, 2025. Doors At 8:30pm, Show At 9:30pm. Pappyandharriets.com. 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown, CA. 92268.
