Given the chance, these guys (and gal) will blow you away. Seattle’s most underrated band is back with a strong line-up and a long list of inventive, original tunes. In the midst of a west coast tour and with an EP due out soon, Paisley Sin has returned to make a believer out of you.
Formed in 1984 by Sylvan Smith and Findle McBliss, Paisley Sin won the Hall of Fame Battle of the Bands in 1985. It looked like a great start to a promising career. But, shit happens. After a few hiatuses and personnel changes they solidified and went into the studio. Working together for the past six months, Smith and McBliss along with Jeanine Cunningham, Bill Ackerlund, Robert Middleton and John Passarelli (younger brother of Lipstick’s lead singer, Paul Passarelli) have put together an eight song EP titled It’s Not Just a Hobby, It’s a Hassle. As you can tell, this band has a healthy sense of humor—a necessity to survive the club circuit.
And clubbing is just what they’ve been doing for the past five years. But they’ve decided, and I’m inclined to agree, that now is the time for success. Hoping to spark label interest with the EP, you could be seeing Paisley Sin on vinyl very soon. With Seattle’s current level of interest and over 50 songs in their catalog, an LP shouldn’t pose any problems for them. And being fortunate enough to preview the tape, I can say they’ve got what it takes, now if someone would just take notice.
I took notice when they rocked the walls of the O.K. Hotel on the 16th. Never having heard them before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But now I can tell you to expect a variety of damn good music. With roots in punk, soul, funk, pop and classic ole rock n’ roll, this group never lacks for variations. The show started with McBliss singing “Can’t Find It,” a triumphant but sorry testimonial on interpersonal relationships. Then it went to semi-improvised blithering rap on the verses-of “Whiskey For Me (Fresh Whores for the Boys)”, a duet by Jeanine and Findle. A couple more highlights with McBliss singing were the punky “Frat Boy” and the funky, tongue-in-cheek “This is the Life!”. Jeanine then did a fantastic cover of Tina Turner’s “Can’t Stand the Rain.” For the remainder of the show, Sylvan had the vocal spotlight. Some stand outs of his were “Used to Know,” about love lost, “I’ve Been Watchin'”, “Lonely Streets”, and the show ending “Out and Down.”
It was a diverse sixteen song set that came off the stage with power and emotion. Smith and McBliss shared bass duties, and vocal chores are shared between them and Cunningham. Of the two guitarists, Ackerlund and Passarelli, it seemed like Passarelli took care of most leads, a special note must be made here about Passarelli’s guitar performance. His animated facial expressions and lively performance make for an enjoyable show. Even though there’s six members this band is on a common wavelength and plays super-tight; tighter than most trios or quartets. They really seem to enjoy getting up there and it comes across in the live performance. They’re having fun and so will you when you see them play. After having as good a time as I did seeing them in arguably the worst hall in town, (the stage faces a wall),e you can be certain of fully enjoying them when they play a larger place. Or, if you’re really on top of it, you can catch them tonight (July 1st) at the Central.
Whether you first see them live or check out the tape, give ’em a chance.. You’ll be glad you did.
To obtain Paisley Sin’s EP,
“It’s Not Just a Hobby, It’s a Hassle”
contact Jill Cunningham
at 329-8939.
*Also published summer schedule picks for The Gorge at George, in July 1989.