9 SD Bands That Need to Reunite

These nine currently defunct San Diego bands need to make a comeback

With beloved San Diego rock bands like Rocket From the Crypt, Louis XIV, Mrs. Magician, the New Kinetics, and Dirty Sweet making headlines these days by reuniting, it got us thinking: What other local bands need to make another run at it?
 
This is, admittedly, a difficult list to assemble, since everyone typically enjoys nostalgic connections to different acts for personal reasons. We did our best, however, to highlight nine bands from America's Finest City that we would love to see take the stage again. There are countless others, of course -- this list could have easily been five times as long -- but if you've got a group in mind that needs to reunite, comment below and let them know!

  • Black Heart Procession: We're not sure if the band (which has featured members of Modest Mouse, the Album Leaf, Rocket From the Crypt, Ugly Casanova, Three Mile Pilot and others) are entirely broken up or not, but we haven't heard from them in four years. That's more than enough time to include the guys on this list -- their dark,gloomy version of indie rock is sorely missed.

  • Counterfit: The closest we get to hearing any form of indie rock/emo group Counterfit these days are the rare Justin Rodriguez acoustic performances at the Tin Can Country Club shows (a venue he actually owns) and guitarist Daniel Reed's new hard rock group, the Gods of Science, who played a SoundDiego LIVE event in January. We'll definitely be at those shows, but we'll always be hoping for the real thing.

  • Crash Worship: There was/is nothing like the industrial/noise/live performance art band known as Crash Worship, which broke up in 1999. Due to their extreme live shows (sex, nudity, explosives, mysterious liquids showered on audiences, etc.), the group was eventually banned from several cities across the country. We think the bans have probably been lifted at this point -- so the time is ripe for a return, eh?

  • Cuckoo Chaos: Sunny indie pop quintet Cuckoo Chaos broke up this past December to pursue a different artistic direction as the moody indie rock Deadphones -- which ended up calling it quits, too, before stirring again. C'mon, guys. Don't make us beg.

  • The Dragons: Helmed by hometown musical mainstay Mario Escovedo, the Dragons were punk at its best but they broke up in 2005. Those of us longing for a comeback lost our minds at their reunion show during the Casbah's 25th anniversary in January, but we need more.

  • Drive Like Jehu: Every one of our staff members led off with one name when asked which San Diego bands need to reunite: Drive Like Jehu. These angular, spastic post-punks were the real deal. With vocalist Rick Froberg now fronting the Obits and guitarist John Reis spending his time producing records, leading the Night Marchers and reforming Rocket From the Crypt, it doesn't look like we'll be seeing these guys together anytime soon. But one can dream. Oh, and, hey, while we're at it, we'll throw Hot Snakes and Pitchfork in with this, entry too.

  • Heavy Vegetable: The last we heard from Heavy Vegetable, which was one of Pinback frontman Rob Crow's first bands, was 2000's "Mondo Aqua Kitty" collection of B-sides and rarities. We think it's time for this progressive/math/garage rock band to get heavy again.

  • Noise Ratchet: These guys made a name for themselves nationwide by flailing themselves across stages, writing killer rock hooks and getting signed by Rick Rubin -- only to disband shortly thereafter, with two members forming Delta Spirit and guitarist Roger Molina playing in Creature & the Woods. Coincidentally, both Noise Ratchet and Counterfit played their final San Diego show on Dec. 11, 2004, at El Cajon's Ground Zero club.

  • The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower: Fans of this band's spastic punk/hardcore sound wept and gnashed their teeth when they called it quits. Legendary for their indendiary, confrontational shows, we're hoping they start plotting again.

 


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