Opal (band)
Encyclopedia
Opal were an American
Music of the United States
The music of the United States reflects the country's multi-ethnic population through a diverse array of styles. Among the country's most internationally-renowned genres are hip hop, blues, country, rhythm and blues, jazz, barbershop, pop, techno, and rock and roll. The United States has the...

 alternative/psychedelic
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...

 band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...

 in the 1980s. They were part of the Paisley Underground
Paisley Underground
Paisley Underground is an early genre of alternative rock, based primarily in Los Angeles, California, which was at its most popular in the mid-1980s.- History :...

 musical style.

The group formed in the mid-'80s under the name Clay Allison, featuring guitarist David Roback
David Roback
David Roback is a guitarist and songwriter best known as a member of the duo Mazzy Star.Roback grew up in Los Angeles and attended Palisades High School, graduating in 1975. He was a classmate and neighbor of John Hoffs, the brother of Susanna Hoffs, who would eventually become the lead singer of...

 (previously of Rain Parade
Rain Parade
The Rain Parade was a band active in the Paisley Underground scene in Los Angeles in the 1980s.-History:The band was founded by college roommates Matt Piucci and David Roback in 1981, originally as The Moving Sidewalks. David's brother Steven Roback joined the band shortly thereafter...

), bassist Kendra Smith
Kendra Smith
Kendra Smith is an American musician who was a founding member of Dream Syndicate, a member of Opal, and later recorded as a solo artist.-Biography:...

 (from Dream Syndicate
Dream Syndicate
The Dream Syndicate was an alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California active from 1981 to 1989. The band was associated with the Paisley Underground music movement.-History:...

) and drummer Keith Mitchell. After one single, they released the remaining Clay Allison tracks under the band's new name, Opal, on the 1984 Fell from the Sun EP. Another EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

, Northern Line, followed in 1985. These EPs were later compiled and released as Early Recordings

Happy Nightmare Baby
Happy Nightmare Baby
Happy Nightmare Baby is the debut album by the American band Opal, released in 1987.-Track listing:# Rocket Machine 4:24# Magick Power 6:14# Relevation 2:53# A Falling Star 1:21...

, Opal's first full-length album, was released in 1987. Smith left the group during the Happy Nightmare tour, storming off-stage half-way through their gig in Hammersmith, UK, effectively putting an end to the band. Roback continued with vocalist Hope Sandoval
Hope Sandoval
Hope Sandoval is an American singer-songwriter who is the lead singer for Mazzy Star and Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions....

, playing shows as Opal and planning an album to be titled Ghost Highway but in 1989 this band became Mazzy Star
Mazzy Star
Mazzy Star is an American alternative rock band formed in Santa Monica, California, in 1989 from the group Opal, a collaboration of guitarist David Roback and bassist Kendra Smith...

 and Ghost Highway was presumably released as She Hangs Brightly
She Hangs Brightly
-Personnel:Music*Peter Blegvad – composer, "Blue Flower"*William Cooper*Keith Mitchell*Anthony Moore – composer, "Blue Flower"*Paul Olguin*David Roback*Hope SandovalProduction*David Roback – producerDesign...

. Kendra Smith released a number of solo singles, EPs, and one album before retiring to the woods of northern California.

The song "She's a Diamond" was included in the film Boys Don't Cry
Boys Don't Cry (film)
Boys Don't Cry is a 1999 American independent romantic drama film directed by Kimberly Peirce and co-written by Andy Bienen. The film is a dramatization of the real-life story of Brandon Teena, a transgender man played by Hilary Swank, who pursues a relationship with a young woman, played by Chloë...

but was not included on the CD release of the film soundtrack.

Opal

  • Fell from the Sun (12" EP) (1984, Rough Trade
    Rough Trade Records
    Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...

     (UK))
  • Northern Line (12" EP) (1985, One Big Guitar)
  • Happy Nightmare Baby
    Happy Nightmare Baby
    Happy Nightmare Baby is the debut album by the American band Opal, released in 1987.-Track listing:# Rocket Machine 4:24# Magick Power 6:14# Relevation 2:53# A Falling Star 1:21...

    (1987, SST
    SST Records
    SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...

     (US), Rough Trade (UK))
  • Early Recordings (compilation
    Compilation album
    A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...

    ) (1989, Rough Trade)
  • Early Recordings II (compilation
    Compilation album
    A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...

    ) (2006)

External links

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