The Pandoras

The Pandoras were an all-female rock and roll band from Los Angeles, California from 1983 to 1990. The band initially found a following in the Hollywood Garage rock scene, and later adopted a contemporary look and hard rock sound. The band leader and singer/songwriter, Paula Pierce, died on August 10, 1991, of an aneurysm at the age of 31.^[1]

Formation

The Pandoras began in 1983 as part of the 1960s revival garage rock scene led by The Unclaimed, which was led by Pierce's boyfriend, Shelley Ganz. They were also associated with the Paisley Underground era in Hollywood's alternative rock scene that shared an aesthetic heavily influenced by 1960s garage rock and psychedelia. Most members came from the west side and beach cities area of Los Angeles County and Orange County. Pierce, a resident of Chino, California, had been a member of the Hollywood music scene and playing in bands since 1976.

The Pandoras were formed when singer/guitarist Pierce, a member of the mod/garage/pop Action Now, met singer/guitarist/bass player Deborah Mendoza (aka Mende/Menday), at Southern California's Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga in 1982. Mendoza, an art major, answered an ad that Pierce, a graphic arts major, had posted on the bulletin board in the cafeteria. The ad read, "Wanted, another female musician to jam with! Influenced by sixties garage punk." They began bringing their guitars to school and jamming between classes.

Pierce brought in a long-time friend, musician Gwynne Kelly (real name Gwynne Kahn) as a keyboardist, second guitarist and backing vocalist. Mendoza brought in drummer Casey Gomez. After a band meeting in January 1983, Kelly christened the band The Pandoras, though names such as The Keyholes, Hole, The wHolesome, and The Goodwylls were considered.

Early career and controversy

After recording their first EP in 1983, I'm Here I'm Gone on Moxie Records, Mendoza left the group. She was replaced by on bass by Bambi Conway. Conway appeared on The Pandoras' debut album, It's About Time, on Greg Shaw's Bomp! Records.^[2]

In 1984, The Pandoras split into two factions just as the It's About Time LP was released. Conway, unhappy with Pierce's behavior and band decisions, quit The Pandoras. That was followed by Pierce firing Kelly, and shortly thereafter, Gomez split with Pierce. Pierce decided to continue as The Pandoras and recruit three new members. Before Pierce could form a band, Conway and Kelly played a show as The Pandoras, with other temporary fill-in musicians (notably Michael Quercio of The Three O'Clock on lead vocals/guitar). Gomez joined Conway and Kelly to form an alternative Pandoras to the band Pierce was assembling.

The resulting dispute over the Pandoras name was discussed on a KROQ-FM radio show hosted by Rodney Bingenheimer and in the local music zines such as BAM, Music Connection, and the LA Weekly (and its "L.A.Dee Da" gossip column). The Kelly-led Pandoras—nicknamed The Gwynnedoras—consisted of Kelly, Gomez, Conway, plus Lisa Rae Black.

Pierce's new version of The Pandoras included Melanie Vammen on keyboards, Julie Patchouli on bass, and Karen Blankfeld on drums. They went on to enjoy modest success with the release of the Hot Generation single on Bomp! Records in late 1984—the first of the two "Pandoras" bands to release a record. The Pierce-led band toured the east coast with the Fuzztones to promote the single.

The Kelly-led Pandoras released "Worm Boy" on an Enigma Records compilation, Enigma Variations, in 1985. When readying for an EP on Enigma Records, the label insisted that the Kelly-led Pandoras change their name. This ended the controversy and the Pierce-led Pandoras prevailed. The Kelly-led band's EP, to be titled Psycho Circus, was never released, and a band name never settled upon.

Patchouli quit The Pandoras in the spring of 1985, citing the band's change in direction away from garage music. Answering an ad in The Recycler newspaper, Gayle Morency joined The Pandoras and played bass for two shows before retiring from music to raise a family. Morency was replaced by bassist Kim Shattuck in July 1985.

Rhino era

The Pandoras were signed to Rhino Records and began recording the basic tracks for the Stop Pretending album during the winter of 1985 with producer Bill Inglot, who had produced earlier Pandoras and Action Now releases. In 1986, Stop Pretending was released.^[3]

The Pandoras was labeled "one of the bands that matter" by the LA Weekly. The band continued to play live and record new songs for their major label debut and were a top live club draw outside of Los Angeles, touring with Nina Hagen, and performing on bills with such acts as Iggy Pop, The Fuzztones, The Beat Farmers, Johnny Thunders, and The Cramps. The Pandoras played the inaugural LA Weekly Music Awards and showcased a slightly harder sound and were interviewed on the roof of the Variety Arts Center for a top French TV Show.

Elektra era

Elektra A&R man (and boyfriend of Pierce) Steve Pross signed the band to Elektra Records. The band made numerous attempts to record the album, to be titled Come Inside. During this period, Blankfeld was forced from the band due to disagreements about band management, and was replaced with Kelly Dillard. Blankfeld went on to play bass with former Enigma recording artists Wednesday Week, before forming the Billboard-charting all-female band The Rebel Pebbles.

Dillard was in The Pandoras for only two months, and during that time did photoshoots intended for the cover of Come Inside and recorded "Run Down Love Battery" for the album. She was replaced on drums by Sheri Kaplan, and Susan Hyatt was added on guitar in December 1987. Kaplan and Hyatt had previously played together in the Los Angeles all-female band, Feline. After a month, Hyatt left The Pandoras due to a change in the band's musical direction and clothing style.

Before the release of the LP, which had reached the test-pressing stage, Pross was fired by Elektra. As a result, the label dropped both bands he had signed — Jetboy and The Pandoras — with their respective records being withdrawn from release. Many of the demo recordings The Pandoras made during the Elektra era eventually surfaced on the Psychedelic Sluts bootleg CD.

Restless era

The band continued to play live while looking for another record deal. Rita D'Albert joined as a guitarist. The Pandoras recorded new songs and released the Rock Hard mini-LP on Restless Records. A video for "Run Down Love Battery" received airplay on MTV's Headbangers Ball, expanding their audience to include metal fans.

D'Albert left The Pandoras in February 1989, just before a tour in support of Rock Hard, to join Human Drama, which had signed to RCA records. Rather than cancel the tour, the band went out as a four-piece. A show in Dallas, Texas at Z Rock was recorded for a "Coast to Coast Concert Series" broadcast. They also made an appearance on the first episode of The Arsenio Hall Show where they performed "Run Down Love Battery".

Billie Jo Hash joined the band on guitar for the second leg of the Rock Hard tour, although she only lasted through the summer of 1989. Lissa Beltri joined The Pandoras in late 1989.

Rather than record a new studio album with the new line-up, Pierce opted to let Restless Records release the Z-Rock concert as a live mini-album. Live Nymphomania was released and, even though Pierce was not happy with the recording, the band toured in support of it.

Disbandment and Pierce's death

In July 1990, keyboardist Vammen was removed from The Pandoras by Pierce, over Shattuck's and Kaplan's objections. Pierce's reason for Vammen's departure was that the new direction of the band did not require keyboards.

An Australian tour and a European tour were cancelled; prompting Shattuck to leave the band in late 1990. There was a single show with a fill-in male bassist, and then Kaplan quit the band to join Hardly Dangerous, ending The Pandoras. In the wake of Shattuck's departure, Vammen and Shattuck formed The Muffs.

In 1991, Pierce slowly worked on new material with Beltri. A drummer joined Pierce and Beltri, who began auditioning bass players. On August 9, a bass player auditioned who both Pierce and Beltri liked. She was to be brought back in for a rehearsal on August 11. However, on August 10, after dinner and an exercise session, Pierce suffered a fatal aneurysm in the shower. Pierce had complained of painful headaches for two weeks before her death, but did not seek medical care.

Former Pandoras' roadie Dave Eddy, former band members, and friends organized a tribute and fundraising show at the Coconut Teaser. The show saw performances by Cherie Currie of The Runaways and her twin sister Marie Currie in their first public performance together in 20 years, with the final line up of the Pandoras backing them, as well as Precious Metal, who had broken up but who reunited for the show, Redd Kross and Abby Travis, Dramarama with Clem Burke of Blondie and Sylvain Sylvain from the New York Dolls, The Muffs (Shattuck's and Vammen's band), African Violet (D'Albert band), Hardly Dangerous (Kaplan's band) and White Flag.

Reunions

Five Pandoras—Hyatt (lead vocals, guitar), Black (lead guitar), Vammen (keyboards), Blankfeld (bass), and Kaplan (drums)--united to play three Pierce-penned Pandoras songs ("You Don't Satisfy", "In and Out of my Life In A Day" and "You're All Talk") at a private party in Redondo Beach, CA in October 2013.

In 2014, The 21st Century Pandoras—Hyatt (lead vocals, guitar), Black (lead guitar), Kelly (bass, aka Nipper Seaturtle), Conway (keyboards) and Gomez (drums)—was formed. Two digital singles of new material—"Joyride" and "Flashback Forever"—have been released under The 21st Century Pandoras name.

On July 4, 2015, there was to be a reunion show billed as The Pandoras at the 2015 Burger Boogaloo (hosted by Burger Records and filmmaker John Waters at Mosswood Park, in Oakland, CA, which featured Shattuck (lead vocals, guitar), Vammen (keyboard), Blankfeld (bass), and Kaplan (drums).

Discography

Albums and mini-albums

• It's About Time (1984 - Voxx Records)
• Stop Pretending (1986 - Rhino Records)
• Rock Hard (1988 - mini-album - Restless Records)
• Live Nymphomania (1989 - Restless Records)

Singles and EPs

• I'm Here I'm Gone (1984 - EP - Moxie Records)
• Hot Generation/You Don't Satisfy (1984 - Single - Voxx Records)
• In And Out of My Life (In a Day)/The Hump (1986 - Single - Rhino Records)
• I Didn't Cry/Thunder Alley (1999 - Dionysus)

The 21st Century Pandoras Singles

• "Joyride" (2014 - Oh Long Johnson Records)
• "Flashback Forever" (2014 - Oh Long Johnson Records)

Compilation appearances

• Enigma Variations (1985 - Enigma)
• What Surf II (1985 - what records)
• Battle of the Garages, Vol. 2 (1993 - Voxx Records)
• Tales From The Rhino (1994 - Rhino Records)
• Destination Bomp (1994 - Voxx Records)
• The Roots of Power Pop (1996 - Voxx Records)
• Be A Caveman: The Best Of The Voxx Garage Revival (2000 - Voxx Records)

Reissues

• Rock Hard/Live Nymphomania (2005 - Reissue - Restless)
• Stop Pretending (2006 - Rhino Handmade - remastered re-release with additional tracks)

Videos/DVD

• Slipping Through the Cracks (An Uprising of Young Pacifics) (video); IceWorld Video

Unreleased album

• Come Inside (1987 - Elektra Records)

Bootlegs

• Psychedelic Sluts (1994 - Erekta)

References