S.D. Musicians Pin Stardom Hopes on Records

Every year, a handful of San Diego pop musicians venture into the studio to record their original material.

Some do all the work themselves, and hope they will recover at least a portion of their production and distribution costs through sales to local fans.

Others are getting much wider exposure thanks to the support of nationally distributed record labels and varying amounts of radio airplay around the country.

And a fortunate few, like the Beat Farmers, Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper, and Robert Vaughn and the Shadows, seem destined for stardom, with their albums and singles climbing the national popularity charts and their videos being broadcast on MTV.

So here is The Times’ annual wrap-up of albums and extended-play (EP) records issued in 1987 by local pop artists. You’re most likely to find them all at independent record stores:

- The Beat Farmers’ “The Pursuit of Happiness”: The third album by San Diego’s leading “American roots” band fared even better on Billboard’s rock album charts than their first two. And that’s welcome news to anyone who still mourns the passing of Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Beat Farmers’ musical mentors.

This album is full of gritty, stripped-down rock ‘n’ roll songs that are laced with both the passion of traditional country-Western and the fervor of 1950s rockabilly. Outstanding cuts include singer-guitarist Jerry Raney’s infectious “Dark Light”; the anthem-like “Hollywood Hills,” with newest Beat Farmer Joey Harris on vocals; and drummer “Country” Dick Montana’s whiskey-throated interpretation of Johnny Cash’s classic “Big River.”

Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper’s “Bo-Day-Shus!”: After four years of limited success, talkin’ bluesman Mojo Nixon and his washboard-strummin’ sidekick, Skid Roper, finally hit the national charts last summer with their third album on Enigma Records.

As they did on earlier outings, Mojo and Skid twist the basic blues structure several degrees toward mayhem. They aim an arsenal of acoustic instruments--including a banjo, a harmonica and something called a “sonic luv jug”--and Nixon’s fiery, angst-ridden vocal preachings at what they perceive as the evils of modern society.

“Elvis Is Everywhere” is an indictment of the crass commercialism that has tarnished the King’s legacy; “I’m Gonna Dig Up Howlin’ Wolf” bemoans the lack of emotion and passion in much of today’s popular music.

- Robert Vaughn and the Shadows’ “Love and War”: Like their Island Records label mates U2, Robert Vaughn and the Shadows see themselves as the social conscience of rock ‘n’ roll. On their debut album, they lash out at everything from right-wing death squads in Latin America to warmongers in the Middle East. Their lyrics are both empathic and defiant; their music, dramatic and hauntingly melodic. A single, “Justice,” made it onto Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, and the album continues to get heavy airplay, and rave reviews, all over the country.

Rosie Flores’ “Rosie Flores”: Many San Diegans remember Rosie Flores as the singer of hard-rock bar band Rosie and the Screamers. But on her Reprise Records debut, Flores emerges as a talented country-Western songstress with a voice as honeyed as Emmylou Harris and a writing style firmly rooted in traditional country.

The songs on this record range from faithful renditions of such time-honored standards as Thelma Blackmon’s “I Gotta Know” and Freddie Hart’s “Lovin’ in Vain” to originals like “Midnight to Moonlight,” a plaintive ballad that features a guest appearance by accordionist David Hidalgo of Los Lobos.

- Cindy Lee Berryhill’s “Who’s Gonna Save the World?”: This folk singer, a Ramona native, has been writing unusual songs about unusual subjects from the time she penned her first tune, a maudlin ode to dinosaurs, when she was 10.

And on Berryhill’s first Rhino Records album, there’s not a single ordinary love song to be found, despite her girlish voice and Pollyanna appearance. “Steve on H” is about a friend hooked on heroin, and “Damn, I Wish I Was a Man” strikes a whimsical chord for sexual equality. Noting that Berryhill’s songs are “personal, political, funny and feminist,” one Los Angeles reviewer labeled Berryhill a cross between Dolly Parton and Patti Smith.

- Private Domain’s “Private Domain”: After nearly a decade of plying the local Top 40 nightclub circuit as Bratz, this veteran local rock band changed its name to Private Domain and switched to originals.

This year, they put out their first album on Chameleon Records and promptly scored a national hit with the single “Absolute Perfection,” a catchy reggae-rocker that is also included on the soundtrack to the movie “Back to the Beach.” Sharing vocals with Paul Shaffer on that cut is Pato Banton of white-reggae band UB40.

- The Paladins’ “The Paladins”: This trio’s vigorous melding of rockabilly and blues landed them a deal with Wrestler Records, the Austin, Tex., label that has long been at the forefront of the “American roots” movement. Their songs are simple and their instrumentation sparse; yet the entire album sizzles with energy and passion. The highlight: a spirited reworking of “Let ‘er Roll,” produced by the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ Kim Wilson.

- The Outriders’ “The Outriders”: Yet another “American roots” band, the Outriders have come up with a tantalizing hybrid of country, blues and rock ‘n’ roll on this album, released on their own Bandit Records label.

Powered by Rick Wilkins’ brazen guitar work and Sam Chammas’ relentless assault on the drums, the band delivers singer Ken Layne’s visionary songs about the Old and New West with unbridled enthusiasm and sincerity.

- The Blonde Bruce Band’s “Boogie and Blues”: The way these guys tackle such traditional blues standards as “Sweet Home Chicago” and Lou (Willie) Turner’s “Flip, Flop and Fly,” you’d think they were born and raised on the Mississippi Delta. “Blonde” Bruce might look like a surfer, but he sings as though he’d just swallowed a quart of kerosene--and his wailing guitar solos could pierce a heart of stone.

- Suspicion’s “Hollywood Nites”: San Diego’s reigning heavy metal champs are back with another independently released album, this one on clear vinyl.

The best cuts are “Bringin’ on the Heat,” with Yes-like vocal harmonies and several delicious guitar solos by Mikki Blayde, and the title track, as raucous a teen anthem as anything dished out by heavy metal superstars and fellow San Diego band Ratt.

- The Tremors’ “Psychedelia”: Musically, the Tremors might be living in the psychedelic past, but lyrically, they’re merely reflecting on it. So on this six-song EP, instead of fondling their love beads and singing about incense and peppermints, they’ve replaced 1960s idealism with ‘80s cynicism and come up with lyrics like “Stars are in the skies/The sun gleams in our eyes/If this is what is love/Then hell is up above.” But what the hey--the album cover still looks good under a black light. . . .

- Amaray’s “Reach for the Stars”: Judging from the four songs on this EP, Amaray is treading the line between country-rock and 1970s-style heavy metal. On the title track, the trio sounds like the Souther Hillman Furay Band, with singer Sean Fogerty’s voice a deadringer for Richie Furay’s; “Morning Light” evokes memories of Blue Oyster Cult, circa “Then Came the Last Days in May.”

- Insolents’ “Spit in the Mirror”: Local hard-core punk-rockers the Insolents are human chainsaws like the Ramones and snarling nihilists like Johnny Rotten. In true punk tradition, they direct their musical rage at anything and everything that has to do with the establishment, from police (“Cop’s Eye”) to yuppies (“Upward Mobility”). And as the title track suggests, they’re not particularly fond of themselves, either.

- Social Spit’s “Psycho Ward”: Social Spit are punk-rock rebels with a cause. Their violent instrumental assault paves the way for lyrics that reflect a genuine concern with today’s social issues, like American military build-up (“Reagan Gun Club”) and drug abuse (“Drugz”). And the cover art alone--an underground comic-style drawing of a man in a psycho ward--is well worth the price of this six-song EP.

- The Slurps’ “HrrSheeCom”: The Slurps, from La Costa, play a rather odd mix between punk-rock and acid-rock, complete with blazing guitar leads and machine-gun rhythms. And after digesting all four songs on this EP, including the cheeky “You’re So Weird,” one can’t help but think of the Fugs.