Sylvia Juncosa

Last updated

Sylvia Juncosa
Genres Instrumental rock, punk rock, jazz fusion, heavy metal, post punk, hard rock
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, computer programmer
InstrumentsGuitar, piano, keyboard, vocals
Years active1981–present
Labels Ringent, SST, Restless, Fundamental
Associated acts SWA, To Damascus, The Leaving Trains, The Unclaimed, The Nymphs, Clay Allison
Website sylviajuncosa.com

Sylvia Juncosa is an American punk and metal guitarist, singer, songwriter and keyboardist from Los Angeles. Noted primarily for her guitar work, during the 1980s she was among relatively few women with established aggressive rock guitar credibility. [1] She released four solo albums and three albums with her band To Damascus after starting her career as a keyboard player in The Leaving Trains. She was also a member of the band SWA with ex-Black Flag bass player Chuck Dukowski. She was active from 1980 to 1995 before taking a hiatus, then started playing guitar again in 2009. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Biography

Early life

Juncosa was born and raised in Los Angeles. [5] She started playing piano and composing instrumental pieces when she was six years old. [6] The Leaving Trains was the first band Juncosa joined, as keyboard player, when she was 16 years old. They released the "Bringing Down the House" / "Going Down to Town" 7" single and appeared on the Keats Rides a Harley compilation. She left that band in 1982, citing a preference for guitar over keyboards. [7] However she did accept an opportunity to tour with Clay Allison, playing keyboards and acoustic rhythm guitar.

To Damascus

She then started the band, To Damascus, named after a play by August Strindberg. [8] The band experienced numerous personnel changes over the next three years. [9] They recorded a single at Radio Tokyo studio with producer Ethan James, where the majority of Juncosa's releases would later be recorded. For a very brief period in 1985, she was the guitar player in The Healing Dream, which soon afterward became The Nymphs. [6] When David Winogrond and Tyra von Pagenhardt joined in 1985, To Damascus finally had a more stable line-up [10] and began a busy, productive period that would exemplify Juncosa's high-activity work style during those years. [11] The band completed and released its first album, Succumb, which Juncosa had started earlier with former Leaving Trains members Jason Kahn and Tom Hofer filling in on drums and bass, respectively. [10] Shortly afterward, they recorded a second album, Come to Your Senses, distributed by Restless Records, and embarked on a shoestring-budget US tour.

To Damascus broke up on friendly terms in 1988 when Winogrond and von Pagenhardt were unable to commit to the touring musician life that Juncosa intended to embark upon. [12]

SWA

In 1986, Juncosa also joined the SST Records band SWA, which featured bassist Chuck Dukowski, former Black Flag member and co-founder of the SST record label. In interviews, Juncosa asserted that joining SWA came about by happenstance when she called SST on behalf of her band, To Damascus. She got in a long conversation with Dukowski, and auditioned for his band the same night. [6] SWA soon recorded the album XCIII, which spawned the single "Arroyo" and its accompanying video. Juncosa was gigging constantly with both SWA and To Damascus during this time, and 1987 quit SWA to focus solely on one band. [13] [10]

Solo career

Juncosa abandoned the band name to go "solo", for more flexibility and options with the inevitably changing band lineups. [14] Her music was also moving toward a more hard rock sound. With the 1988 release of "Nature" (SST Records), Juncosa attained some notoriety as a guitarist [15] and for being one of a relative minority of female players with an aggressive hard rock style during that time period. [16]

In 1988, the band made a mini-tour in New York, then the first European tour, which was very well received, defying expectations. Following that was a US tour as opening act for Soundgarden, who were SST label-mates before moving to major-label status.

The album One Thing (Fundamental Records) was recorded in 1989 with Barney Firks on bass and Chris Frye on drums, on loan from the San Diego band Wormdrive. Then came the second European tour. This was the peak, career-wise with the biggest recording budget and biggest gigs. Europe had appealed to Juncosa from the start, and when she got an offer to stay there awhile she took it. As well as the band tours and solo shows, she explored Europe, wandered alone, learned German, indulged a brief obsession with chess, and went to India.

The Is album was recorded in the Netherlands with engineer Gertjan ("Joe"). Firks and Frye had come out from the States and they lived at the studio for a couple weeks in semi-rural seclusion. Frye left unexpectedly mid-project but things were continued. Then came another tour, but things were starting to fall apart.

Hiatus and comeback

In 1995, Juncosa started a long period of musical inactivity when she worked in Europe as a computer programmer and had personal problems [6] before eventually coming back to the US.

In 2009, Juncosa decided that she wanted to play guitar again and formed a new band with Legal Weapon member Steve Reed. [17] She also played in the Cooling System project, with multi-instrumentist Azalia Snail. [18] She began working on a new album in 2013, [6] along with Steve Reed on bass and on drums Joe Berardi, a long-time Los Angeles drummer known for his work with the Fibonaccis, Stan Ridgway and others. The album "Wanna Gotta" was released on her own Ringent Records in 2015.

Personal life

Discography

Solo Albums

With To Damascus

With SWA

With The Leaving Trains

Compilations

Related Research Articles

Black Flag (band) American hardcore punk band

Black Flag is an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. Initially called Panic, the band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter, and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band. They are widely considered to be one of the first hardcore punk bands, as well as one of the pioneers of post-hardcore. After breaking up in 1986, Black Flag reunited in 2003 and again in 2013. The second reunion lasted well over a year, during which they released their first studio album in over two decades, What The... (2013). The band announced their third reunion in January 2019. Brandon Pertzborn was replaced by Isaias Gil on drums and Tyler Smith was replaced by Joseph Noval on bass.

<i>Nervous Breakdown</i> (EP) 1979 EP by Black Flag


Nervous Breakdown is the debut EP by the American hardcore punk band Black Flag, released in January 1979 through SST Records. It was the label's first release.

Gary Arthur McDaniel, better known by his stage name Chuck Dukowski, is an American punk rock musician and a founding member, bass player, and songwriter for Black Flag.

<i>My War</i> 1984 studio album by Black Flag

My War is the second studio album by American band Black Flag. It polarized fans on its release in 1984 on SST Records over the LP's B-side, on which the band added heavy metal influences by slowing the tempo and adding ponderous guitar riffs, despite the reputation the band had earned as leaders in fast hardcore punk on its first album, Damaged (1981). It is regarded as one of the first post-hardcore albums.

<i>Jealous Again</i> 1980 EP by Black Flag

Jealous Again is a 12" EP that was the second release by American hardcore punk band Black Flag and the third-ever release on SST Records.

Screaming Trees American grunge band

Screaming Trees were an American rock band formed in Ellensburg, Washington in 1985, by vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, bass player Van Conner and drummer Mark Pickerel. Pickerel had been replaced by Barrett Martin by the time the band reached its most successful period. Although widely associated with grunge, the band's sound incorporated hard rock and psychedelic elements. The band released seven studio albums, five EPs, and three compilations.

Tony Lombardo is an American musician who was the original bassist in the punk rock band the Descendents. He joined the band in 1979 and played on their debut single, the Fat EP (1981), and the albums Milo Goes to College (1982) and I Don't Want to Grow Up (1985). After leaving the band, he performed in other acts and worked for the United States Postal Service until 2005. He collaborated with the Descendents' successor band, All, writing two songs for their album Allroy's Revenge (1989) and teaming up with them for an album of his own songs, New Girl, Old Story (1991), credited to "TonyAll". He also collaborated with the reunited Descendents on their 1996 album Everything Sucks.

October Faction was one of the many off-shoots of punk band Black Flag. A supergroup of SST alumni that mixed jazz and hard rock mainly as an instrumental vehicle, the band included Chuck Dukowski on bass and vocals, Greg Ginn on guitar, Greg Cameron (SWA) on drums, Joe Baiza on guitar, and Tom Troccoli on blues harp and vocals. Never an actual working band as much as an occasional jam band, the band released a live recording in 1985 and studio LP in 1986.

<i>Jefferson Airplane</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Jefferson Airplane

Jefferson Airplane is the eighth and final studio album by San Francisco rock band Jefferson Airplane, released on Epic Records in 1989. Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady all returned for the album and supporting tour, though Spencer Dryden did not participate. The album and accompanying tour would mark the last time Jefferson Airplane would perform together until their 1996 induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

SWA the American band originally started as a concept defined by Chuck Dukowski, former bassist of Black Flag while he was still a member of that band. The name was created by assigning an alphabetical value to numbers on a gaming die, then rolling the die three times. Dukowski would later claim that the name was offered up by Joe Carducci and was accepted by the rest of the band, despite Chuck's own discomfort with it. SWA has had the dubious distinction of being considered the "worst" band to ever record for SST Records by many label aficionados and, in one infamous fanzine article, Steve Albini claimed that among the worst things a person could do was "listen to SWA" and "be SWA". However, others have come to the band's defense. The band existed from the mid 1980s until 1992 and released 5 full-length albums on SST Records, all of which are currently out of print.

Fatso Jetson is an American desert rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1994 by Yawning Man members Mario Lalli and Larry Lalli, along with Tony Tornay. They are often credited as the fathers of the desert strain of stoner rock later made most famous by their slightly younger neighbors Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age. While musically similar to some of their stoner brethren, Fatso Jetson incorporate a broader variety of musical influences that includes punk and surf.

Saccharine Trust is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1980 by singer Jack Brewer and guitarist Joe Baiza. The band would frequently perform with SST labelmates Minutemen and Black Flag. However, Baiza described Saccharine Trust as the "black sheep" of the SST roster. Drummer Rob Holzman appeared on their 1981 debut Paganicons but left the band to play in Slovenly, replaced by drummer Tony Cicero. After a ten-year hiatus circa 1986 to 1996, the band re-formed and began performing around the West Coast.

DC3 was an American rock and roll band formed by singer, songwriter and guitarist Dez Cadena in 1983 and active until 1988.

Joe Baiza is a punk rock and jazz guitarist whom Eugene Chadbourne cites as one of the most noteworthy guitarists to emerge from the Southern California punk rock milieu.

The Last is an American, Los Angeles-based, early pop/punk band, formed in 1976 by Joe Nolte with high school bandmates Vitus Matare and Dave Harbison. By 1978 the band included three brothers: Joe, Mike (vocals), and David Nolte. They released several albums on SST Records, Bomp! Records and End Sounds.

The Leaving Trains were an American indie rock band from Los Angeles, California. The Leaving Trains were founded in 1980 by Falling James Moreland, a frontman who became known for his chaotic performances and penchant for cross-dressing. Falling James had previously been a member of punk rock bands the Mongrels and the Downers before assembling the group with guitarist Manfred Hofer, bassist Tom Hofer, keyboardist Sylvia Juncosa and drummer Hillary Laddin. They played locally for three years before releasing their first album, Well Down Blue Highway, in 1984.

Würm was a sludge metal band started in 1973 by bass player Chuck Dukowski, who would later join Black Flag. They released two LP's on Greg Ginn's SST Records and some tracks on compilations. They were active from 1973 to 1977 and from 1982 to 1983.

The Nig-Heist was a punk-comedy-shock rock band led by Steve "Mugger" Corbin, a roadie and live sound engineer for Black Flag and employee of SST Records. The Nig-Heist featuring a revolving-door roster of members of the bands who were on tour with Black Flag at the moment. The band used to open for Black Flag on tour and recorded a 7", an LP and had tracks on compilations. They were notorious for their risqué stage antics, including band members playing naked, Mugger wearing a long-haired wig and insulting the crowd. Their songs were overtly vulgar and explicit in a funny way. Their motto was: "The band that cums in your mouth, not in your hands".

Overkill L.A. or SST Overkill is a hardcore punk/speed metal band started in 1980 in Los Angeles and which recorded two records on SST Records and some tracks on compilations. The band started as Overkill but they were rechristened Overkill L.A. by SST Records when they re-released their albums in the '90's and SST Overkill when they reunited in 2005.

References

  1. ↑ O'Dair, Barbara (1997). Trouble Girls: The Rolling Stone Book of Women in Rock. USA: Random House. p. 575. ISBN   0-679-76874-2.
  2. ↑ "Discography page on Sylvia Juncosa's site".
  3. ↑ "Discography page on discogs.com".
  4. ↑ "Sylvia page on Orange for Lola blog".
  5. ↑ "Flipside magazine, number 56, Summer 1988" (PDF).
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Back with a vengeance, the one, the only Sylvia Juncosa, PunkGlobe, interview by Ginger Coyote".
  7. ↑ Everett, Todd (January 27, 1989), "The Nature of Sylvia Juncosa", Los Angeles Herald Examiner, ... found the guitar much more satisfying.
  8. 1 2 Everett, Todd (January 27, 1989), "The Nature of Sylvia Juncosa", Los Angeles Herald Examiner
  9. ↑ Coley, Byron (December 1987), "Underground", SPIN Magazine, Sylvia has a hard time keeping a band together; she's played with hordes of fellow Angelinos since she first popped up as keyboardist for the Leaving Trains.
  10. 1 2 3 "Ink Disease Issue #13".
  11. ↑ "Disaster Amnesiac Blog – David Winogrond Interview". Back then, she was on fire!
  12. ↑ "History section of Sylvia Juncosa page".
  13. ↑ Everett, Todd (January 27, 1989), "The Nature of Sylvia Juncosa", Los Angeles Herald Examiner, It got to be too much ... I didn't feel like I was doing one thing right
  14. ↑ Hochman, Steve (April 3, 1988), "Born to be Solo", Los Angeles Times
  15. ↑ Millard, A.J. (2004). The Electric Guitar: A History of an American Icon. USA: JHU Press. p. 226. ISBN   0-8018-7862-4. Sylvia Juncosa earned credibility with technique fanatics with her 1988 album Nature
  16. ↑ Coley, Byron (January 1990), "Underground", SPIN Magazine, The emergence of a new female warrior archetype
  17. ↑ "SparkPlug Magazine, October 2010".
  18. ↑ "LA Weekly, April 15, 2010".
  19. ↑ "Sylvia Juncosa page".
  20. ↑ "Keats Rides a Harley".
  21. ↑ "Various – Mondo Stereo".
  22. ↑ "Various – Program: Annihilator".
  23. ↑ Schwann spectrum, Volume 2, Issues 3–4. 1991.
  24. ↑ "Vera Groningen: Beauty in the Underworld".
  25. ↑ "Various, Love is My Only Crime".
  26. ↑ "WarfRat Tales (Unabridged)".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.