Kendra Smith

Last updated
Kendra Smith
Born (1960-03-14) March 14, 1960 (age 63)
Genres Alternative music
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Instrument(s)
Years active
  • 1979–1995
  • 2017–2018
LabelsFiasco, 4AD

Kendra Smith (born March 14, 1960) [1] is an American musician who was a founding member of The Dream Syndicate, a member of Opal, and later recorded as a solo artist.

Contents

Biography

After one privately pressed release with Suspects in 1979, Smith formed The Dream Syndicate in 1981 with Steve Wynn, and went on to record an EP and an album as bassist with the group before leaving in 1983 to join former Rain Parade guitarist David Roback in Rainy Day (she had worked with Roback before, providing backing vocals on the Rain Parade album Emergency Third Rail Power Trip ). [1] Rainy Day released an album and a single in 1984 before Roback and Smith became a duo in the psychedelic-tinged band Clay Allison, later Opal. [2] [3]

Opal only released one record, the Northern Line EP, and one album, Happy Nightmare Baby , before they split up but had recorded enough material for the Early Recordings compilation. [4] Smith left Opal during the band's final tour and was replaced by Hope Sandoval, with Opal changing its name to Mazzy Star after the tour. [3]

Smith formed a new band, The Guild of Temporal Adventurers, with Jonah Corey and A. Phillip Uberman, [5] who released an eponymous mini-LP in 1992, with Smith playing the pump organ. Her next release would not be until 1995 when the 4AD label issued her debut solo LP, Five Ways of Disappearing , described by Trouser Press as "an impressive — and colorful — achievement". [3] [6]

Not much is known about her after the solo album came out except according to 4AD she had moved to the woods of Northern California in the early 1990s, living in a small cabin with no electricity, and returned there after making two appearances to promote the album. [7]

In 2017, Smith sang vocals on the last track on The Dream Syndicate's reunion album How Did I Find Myself Here? , her first appearance on a musical recording since 1995, [8] and returned with the Syndicate [9] for her first live performances since Terrastock 2 in 1998. [10] In 2018, she contributed the song “Moon Boat” to the soundtrack for the film Leave No Trace . [11]

Discography

With Suspects

With The Dream Syndicate

With Clay Allison

Kendra Smith and David Roback and Keith Mitchell

With Rainy Day

With Opal

With The Guild of Temporal Adventurers

Solo

"Alle Morgens Parties" from Cinnamon Girl/Alle Morgens Parties , The Dream Syndicate/Kendra Smith (1987) The Bob Magazine #31 (promo) [13]
"Stille Im Meine Hamburg" from Stille Im Meine Hamburg/Clothesline, Kendra Smith/Keith Levene & Hillel Slovak (1990) Overzealous Editions
"Bold Marauder" from All Virgos are Mad (1994) 4AD
"Valley Of The Morning Sun" (1995) Warner Bros. (promo only)
"Heart and Soul" from A Means to an End: The Music of Joy Division (1995) Warner Bros.
"Moon Boat" from Leave No Trace (2018)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dream Syndicate</span> American alternative rock band

The Dream Syndicate is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1981 to 1989, and reunited since 2012. The band is associated with neo-psychedelia and the Paisley Underground music movement; of the bands in that movement, according to the Los Angeles Times, the Dream Syndicate "rocked with the highest degree of unbridled passion and conviction." Though never commercially successful, the band met with considerable acclaim, especially for its songwriting and guitar playing. Bandleader Steve Wynn reformed the band in 2012, and a fifth studio album was released in February 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4AD</span> British record label

4AD is a British record label owned by Beggars Group. It was founded in London under the name "Axis" by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent in 1980 as an imprint of Beggars Banquet Records. The name was changed to 4AD after the release of the label's first four singles. Later that year, Watts-Russell and Kent purchased the label from Beggars Banquet to become an independent record label, and Kent sold his share to Watts-Russell a year later.

Paisley Underground is a musical genre that originated in California. It was particularly popular in Los Angeles, reaching a peak in the mid-1980s. Paisley Underground bands incorporated psychedelia, rich vocal harmonies and guitar interplay, owing a particular debt to 1960s groups such as Love and the Byrds, but more generally referencing a wide range of pop and garage rock revival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mazzy Star</span> American alternative rock band

Mazzy Star is an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 in Santa Monica, California, from remnants of the group Opal. Founding member David Roback's friend Hope Sandoval became the group's vocalist when Kendra Smith left Opal. 

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pale Saints</span> English alternative rock band

Pale Saints were an English alternative rock/shoegazing band formed in 1987 in Leeds by singer-bassist Ian Masters, guitarist Graeme Naysmith and drummer Chris Cooper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hope Sandoval</span> American singer (born 1966)

Hope Sandoval is an American singer-songwriter who is the lead singer of Mazzy Star and Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions. Sandoval has toured and collaborated with other artists, including Massive Attack, for whom she sang "Paradise Circus" on the 2010 album Heligoland and the 2016 single "The Spoils".

<i>She Hangs Brightly</i> 1990 studio album by Mazzy Star

She Hangs Brightly is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Mazzy Star. It was released on May 21, 1990, by Rough Trade Records and re-released by Capitol Records later in the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Wolfgang Press</span> English post-punk band

The Wolfgang Press were an English post-punk band, active from 1983 to 1995, recording for the 4AD label. The core of the band was Michael Allen, Mark Cox (keyboards), and Andrew Gray (guitar).

Shelleyan Orphan were a British alternative music group that peaked during the 1980s and early 1990s. They played a style of pop influenced by chamber music, and which featured dual male-female vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rain Parade</span> American band

The Rain Parade is a band that was originally active in the Paisley Underground scene in Los Angeles in the 1980s, and that reunited and resumed touring in 2012.

David Edward Roback was an American guitarist, songwriter and producer, best known as a founding member of the alternative rock band Mazzy Star.

Heidi Berry is a British-American singer-songwriter. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she recorded and released four critically acclaimed solo albums on the British independent record labels Creation and 4AD, for which she is best known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opal (band)</span> American rock band

Opal was an American rock band in the 1980s. They were part of the Paisley Underground musical style. The band's name is derived from "Opel", a song by Syd Barrett.

Swallow were a British-based duo of Mike Mason and Louise Trehy. Signed to 4AD, they only released one studio album and one remix collection before leaving the label. They moved on to Rough Trade Records for a further EP before disbanding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Band of Holy Joy</span>

The Band of Holy Joy are an English band formed in New Cross, London, and initially active between 1984 and 1993, releasing several albums. In 1992, they abbreviated their name to Holy Joy. They reformed in 2002, under their original name, releasing a new album called Love Never Fails. They concentrated on other musical projects during 2003 to 2006. The band began performing live again in 2007 and since 2017 have released a number of albums on Tiny Global Productions, including Funambulist We Love You, Neon Primitives, Dreams Take Flight, and their latest critically acclaimed release Fated Beautiful Mistakes in 2023.

<i>Happy Nightmare Baby</i> 1987 studio album by Opal

Happy Nightmare Baby is the debut album by the American band Opal, released in 1987 by SST Records in America and Rough Trade Records in England. It was the only album released by the band while together, singer Kendra Smith leaving during the tour to promote it, to be replaced by Hope Sandoval, the band evolving into Mazzy Star.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viva Saturn</span>

Viva Saturn was an alternative/neo-psychedelic rock group from Los Angeles, California, founded by Steven Roback of Rain Parade. The band was active from 1989 to 1998.

Rainy Day was an all-star Paisley Underground band, a collaborative project composed of members of Los Angeles-based bands including Dream Syndicate, The Three O'Clock, Rain Parade and The Bangles.

The discography of American alternative rock band Mazzy Star consists of four studio albums, two EPs, twelve singles and eight music videos. The band was formed in 1989 by vocalist Hope Sandoval and guitarist David Roback, after the disbandment of Roback's previous band with vocalist Kendra Smith, Opal. Mazzy Star's debut studio album, She Hangs Brightly, was released by Rough Trade Records in 1990, and eventually spawned two singles: "Blue Flower" in 1990 and "Halah" in 1995.

<i>Seasons of Your Day</i> 2013 studio album by Mazzy Star

Seasons of Your Day is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band Mazzy Star. It was released on September 23, 2013 by the band's own independent record label, Rhymes of An Hour. Their first record since the release of their third album Among My Swan in 1996, and the subsequent dissolution of their contract with Capitol Records the following year, they continued recording in 1997 while without a record deal and worked sporadically until the completion of the album in September 2012.

References

  1. 1 2 Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN   1-84195-335-0
  2. Cromelin, Richard (June 9, 1990). "Mazzy Star Debut a Fine Fix of Velvet Blues". Los Angeles Times . p. 9. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  3. 1 2 3 Phares, Heather "Kendra Smith Biography", Allmusic , Macrovision Corporation
  4. Strong, Martin C. (1999) The Great Alternative & Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN   0-86241-913-1
  5. Ankeny, Jason "The Guild of Temporal Adventurers Review", Allmusic , Macrovision Corporation
  6. Schoemer, Karen & Robbins, Ira "Kendra Smith", Trouser Press
  7. "Kendra Smith" at 4AD
  8. Chiu, David (September 13, 2017). "Kendra Smith: A Musical Disappearing Act Reemerges". Medium . Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  9. Green, Alex. "Kendra Smith To Join The Dream Syndicate On Upcoming Dates". Stereo Embers. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  10. McMullen, Phil. "The Terrastock Nation#Kendra Smith". Terrascope. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  11. Strouse, Kristy (June 26, 2018). "Interview With Debra Granik, Director Of LEAVE NO TRACE". Film Inquiry. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lazell, Barry (1997) Indie Hits 1980-1989, Cherry Red Books, ISBN   0-9517206-9-4
  13. "DESIGNDAY" . Retrieved 17 October 2020.