1) Opal were a psychedelic band from Los Angeles. The band was part of the Paisley Underground music style, incorporating rich vocal style and guitar interplay in a folk rock style. Opal formed in 1983 under the name Clay Allison featuring David Roback (previously of Rain Parade), bassist Kendra Smith (from Dream Syndicate), and drummer Keith Mitchell. After one single, however, they released the remaining Clay Allison tracks under the band's new name, Opal.
Sparks is an American rock and pop music band formed in Los Angeles in 1970 by brothers Ron Mael (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals), initially under the name Halfnelson. Best known for their quirky approach to song writing, Sparks' music is often accompanied by cutting and acerbic lyrics, and an idiosyncratic stage presence, typified in the contrast between Russell's wide-eyed hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's sedentary scowling. The band's long career has seen them successfully adopt many different musical genres; including glam pop
Neville Marcano, (1915-1993), known as the Growling Tiger, is a Trinidadian calypsonian. Born in Siparia, Tiger was originally a boxer who won the Trinidad bantamweight championship in 1929. He was active in calypso from his teens. He was a member of the Old Brigade of calypso singers, which included Lord Beginner, Attila The Hun, the Roaring Lion, and Lord Pretender. In 1935, he went to New York with Attila and Lord Beginner to record for the Decca label.
Wire is an English post-punk band formed in 1976 in Watford, England and after splitting in 1980, have reformed three times. They consist of Colin Newman (vocals, guitar), Graham Lewis (vocals, bass) and Robert Gotobed (drums). Founding guitarist Bruce Gilbert left in 2004. In 2008, Margaret Fielder McGinnis of Laika joined the band as their touring guitarist, but as of 2010 has been replaced by Matt Simms. Wire's debut album, Pink Flag (1977), contains songs which are diverse in mood and style
Skip Bifferty are something of a lesson in musical survival, and doubly so, since most of its members had viable and even highly successful careers in music stretching more than a decade after the group's break-up. The group was an offshoot of the latter-day Chosen Few, a Newcastle band that had been working together since 1962. They'd lost their bassist and lead guitarist in 1965, and organist Mick Gallagher kept the group going, recruiting John Turnbull on guitar and Colin Gibson on bass.