Representative Albums: "Anthology," "Native Sons," "The 10-5-60/Native Sons"
Representative Songs: "I Had a Dream," "(Sweet) Mental Revenge," "Ivory Tower"
Biography
Although they played the same clubs as most of Los Angeles' "paisley underground" bands (i.e., Dream Syndicate, Rain Parade) and even featured Dream Syndicate leader Steve Wynn in an early lineup, the Long Ryders were actually more a roots rock group strongly influenced by Gram Parsons. The group was founded by Kentucky native Sid Griffin, a Parsons devotee who moved to Los Angeles after hearing about that city's punk scene, with guitarist Stephen McCarthy and drummer Greg Sowders. The group's first bassist Barry Shank, along with Griffin, had previously been a member of the L.A. garage revivalists Unclaimed. He was replaced by Des Brewer just before the band went into the studio for the first time. The Long Ryders' 1983 debut EP, 10-5-60, was a blend of punk attitude, '60s rock, and traditional country (Griffin played steel guitar, autoharp, and mandolin). Brewer soon left as he was not committed to touring. His replacement, Don McCall, lasted for one tour before he was asked to leave. The band's lineup was stabilized when Indiana native Tom Stevens joined. Their first full-length album, the following year's Native Sons, was also arguably their best, and featured guest vocals from former Byrd Gene Clark. Subsequent albums, while still of considerable artistic merit, failed to find an audience despite the band's incessant touring. Reeling from the defections of Stevens in June of 1987 and McCarthy in September, and unhappy with Island's promotional efforts and seeming disregard for the group, the Long Ryders called it quits on December 15, 1987. McCarthy formed Gutterball and, along with Griffin, contributed to the 1993 Gram Parsons tribute album Commemorativo. Griffin, meanwhile, moved to London and formed the Coal Porters; today he works as a music critic and writer, foreshadowed by his definitive 1985 biography of (who else?) Gram Parsons. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
Sid Griffin
Stephen McCarthy
Tom Stevens
Greg Sowders
Former members
Barry Shank
Chris (Des) Brewer
The Long Ryders are an American Alternative Country and Paisley Underground band, principally active between 1983 and 1987, and which reformed in 2004 to do a reunion tour. They have only performed three times since 2004 but hope to play on the continent of Europe in summer 2010.
The Long Ryders were originally formed by several American musicians who were each multi-instrumentalists, strongly influenced by Gram Parsons and The Byrds, with country and punk rock influences. The band featured Sid Griffin, on guitar, autoharp, and bugle, Stephen McCarthy, guitar, steel guitar, mandolin, and banjo, Tom Stevens, as bassist, and Greg Sowders, playing drums and percussion. Although two members were transplants from the American South, they became a popular rock band, forming in Los Angeles in the early 1980s and originally associated with a movement called the Paisley Underground.[1] With a sound reminiscent of Gram Parsons, Buffalo Springfield and The Flying Burrito Brothers, but with a harder edge, they anticipated the alternative country music of the 1990s by a decade. Former Byrd Gene Clark added vocals to the song "Ivory Tower," on the 1984 Native Sons. The group disbanded in 1987, but reunited in 2004 for a brief European tour, including a performance at the Glastonbury Festival. After another long separation, the band reunited again playing their first Long Ryders live dates in the U.S in nearly 22 years beginning in January 9 and 10, 2009 at The Earl in Atlanta, Georgia. The Long Ryders are not reformed, since 2004's reunion tour they have only played three times. A live CD was released from the 2004 reunion tour but no new studio material has appeared from them since 1987.
The Long Ryders formed from the ashes of the Los Angeles band The Unclaimed. The founding members were Sid Griffin and bassist Barry Shank. Their initial studio release the EP "10-5-60" consisted of Griffin (a native of Kentucky), replacement bassist Chris (Des) Brewer from Australia, Stephen McCarthy (Richmond, VA) and Greg Sowders (Los Angeles, CA). Brewer was replaced after "10-5-60" by Tom Stevens (Elkhart, IN), thus forming the permanent lineup (Griffin, McCarthy, Sowders, Stevens) which would remain in place until their eventual breakup.
Apart from occasional Long Ryders activity, Griffin, who relocated to London, has kept busy as a solo artist and bandleader (The Coal Porters, Western Electric), and as a music journalist and author, his latest book being the well-received Million Dollar Bash: Bob Dylan, The Band & the Basement Tapes (jawbone press, UK/USA, 2007). McCarthy, after a stint leading his own band, Walker Stories, returned home to Richmond, Virginia; he played in the indie supergroup Gutterball with Steve Wynn and fellow Richmondites Bryan Harvey and Johnny Hott of House of Freaks, and in 2003 began playing with The Jayhawks. Stevens returned to his native Indiana, earned a degree in computer science and continues to release solo albums. Additionally Sowders, who was married for a time to singer Lucinda Williams, went to work in music publishing.
Discography
10-5-60 (1983)
Native Sons (1984)
State of Our Union (1985)
Two-Fisted Tales (1987)
Metallic B.O. (1989)
BBC Radio One Live in Concert (1994)
Anthology (1998)
Three Minute Warnings: the Long Ryders Live in New York City (2003)
