SVT - EXTENDED PLAY (1980)
San Francisco based outfit fronted by ex- Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna bassist Jack Casady. Casady brought with him Nick Buck from Hot Tuna and added Brian Marnell and Bill Gibson from Airplay (ex Sound Hole). The band was formed early in 1978 as Jack Casady Band but evolved rapidly into SVT.
While the band became live favourites in the Bay Area they never managed to crack into the big money markets. Apart from their EP & LP, SVT had two 45s on 415 Records and a cut on the Ambition Records compilation "Declaration of Independence" (AMB 1) in 1980. Their debut single "Heart of Stone", became a hit on local FM station KSAN.
Bill Gibson, who had been a founding member of SVT, did not play on any of SVT's albums - only on the singles. Although, he is playing drums and singing backing vocals on two tracks that were added to the re-released and extended "No Regrets" album. Bill left SVT in 1979 to form what was to become Huey Lewis and the News. He was replaced by local drummer Paul Zahl (Yanks & Flamin' Groovies). With Zahl on drums, SVT recorded "Extended Play" in 1979 and after Nick Buck left SVT early in 1981, the remaining trio recorded "No Regrets". The later album disappeared very soon after its release because the band had difficulties to find a bigger audience - mostly due to the fact that the SF audience had problems with SVT's 'punk/new wave style'. They expected different things from Casady. Eventually the lack of success and changing lifestyles led to SVT's end in 1982. Marnell's death on August 19, 1983 would also end any reunion ideas - if they ever existed.
So what does SVT stand for? Long time fans thought it to be Supra Ventricular Tachycardia - excessive heart beat and pulse rate. That's a cool idea because SVT's music could cause that. In reality the name SVT was simply taken from Jack's bass amp rig - what a bummer :) bay-area-bands
The 1981 album "No Regrets" was reissued in 2005 as an Expanded Version (Rykodisc) and is widely available. Check Amazon
While the band became live favourites in the Bay Area they never managed to crack into the big money markets. Apart from their EP & LP, SVT had two 45s on 415 Records and a cut on the Ambition Records compilation "Declaration of Independence" (AMB 1) in 1980. Their debut single "Heart of Stone", became a hit on local FM station KSAN.
Bill Gibson, who had been a founding member of SVT, did not play on any of SVT's albums - only on the singles. Although, he is playing drums and singing backing vocals on two tracks that were added to the re-released and extended "No Regrets" album. Bill left SVT in 1979 to form what was to become Huey Lewis and the News. He was replaced by local drummer Paul Zahl (Yanks & Flamin' Groovies). With Zahl on drums, SVT recorded "Extended Play" in 1979 and after Nick Buck left SVT early in 1981, the remaining trio recorded "No Regrets". The later album disappeared very soon after its release because the band had difficulties to find a bigger audience - mostly due to the fact that the SF audience had problems with SVT's 'punk/new wave style'. They expected different things from Casady. Eventually the lack of success and changing lifestyles led to SVT's end in 1982. Marnell's death on August 19, 1983 would also end any reunion ideas - if they ever existed.
So what does SVT stand for? Long time fans thought it to be Supra Ventricular Tachycardia - excessive heart beat and pulse rate. That's a cool idea because SVT's music could cause that. In reality the name SVT was simply taken from Jack's bass amp rig - what a bummer :) bay-area-bands
The 1981 album "No Regrets" was reissued in 2005 as an Expanded Version (Rykodisc) and is widely available. Check Amazon
Songs
Price Of Sex / I Can See / Red Blue Jeans / Always Come Back / I Walk The Line / Modern Living / At The Beach
6 comments:
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Hot Tuna used to to play Town Hall in Tarrytown NY back in the mid to late 80's. it used to be tons of hippies lining Main Street to see these guys. I never would of thought that jack Casady had it in him to put out this type of album. It's almost Punk Rock
Awesome band !!!!
I'm a myspace pal with Paul Zahl and he is a great guy.
R.I.P. Brian Marnell
I dunno... I saw these guys live, and I thought they were really pathetic has-beens trying to be "new wave". I thought they were awful. Later, I went backstage and got to see Cassidy putting a needle in his arm. It was lovely.
I remember reading about this project back in the day, but never heard the band.
Looking forward to checking this one out.
Thanks for reminding me of SVT.
Although they were thought of as a 'punk' band on bills throughout their short lifespan, SVT were never really accepted by the S.F. punks as one of their own. Perhaps because they were slightly more musically adept than their counterparts, or maybe it was simply the presence of an 'old hippie' in the form of Jack Cassidy.
Regardless, I always liked them, but maybe that's because I too was a bit older than most in attendance.
If memory serves me, I remember SVT standing for 'Sex, Violence & Television.'
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