Rain Parade

Rain Parade are set to return with their first UK and European dates since disbanding in 1986 hitting nine countries with a final date at the Azkena Festival in Spain for their first ever Spanish show.

Founders Matt Piucci and Steven Roback have been writing songs together since 1981, along with co-founder David Roback, of Rain Parade. The Rain Parade debut album, Emergency Third Rail Power Trip (Enigma Records- US, Demon Records – UK) came out in 1983 and was internationally recognized as a masterpiece. Seven of the ten songs on that debut were sung by Matt and Steven, The bands second record, Explosions In The Glass Palace, recorded after David Roback left; garnered the same high praise as the debut with their reputation increasing ever since. Sid Griffin, leader of The Long Ryders has said: “We were in the Paisley Underground with Rain Parade back in the 1980s… Explosions In The Glass Palace is and will forever be the BEST recording from a Paisley Underground band, be it us, The Dream Syndicate, The Bangles, The Three O’Clock or whomever.” Both records directly influenced My Bloody Valentine, Ride, The Stone Roses, Teenage Fanclub, Charlatans and naturally Creation boss Alan McGee. The songs were covered by The Bluetones, Buffalo Tom, Bangles and a host of others. During the mid 80s the band toured the UK and Europe a few times recording a couple of BBC Whistle Test TV shows.

‘Rain Parade was the one that changed me.like an explosion in my mind, I saw them perform ‘No Easy Way Down’ on TV, and it was like, ‘Here is something I can fully get behind.’ It’s just incredible, and I have to say would have been pretty influential on the early Ride sound for sure.’ Andy Bell, Ride John Thoman (guitar) joined Piucci and Roback in 1984 and went on to record their third and fourth LPs with them, Crashing Dream (Island 1985) and then Beyond The Sunset (Island) in 1986 before the band finally broke up later that year.

Since then their legend has only grown which lead Piucci, Roback and Thoman to reunite in the US for some one-off California shows and eventually recording some songs for the 3×4 album (Yep Roc 2018) with their friends The Bangles, The Dream Syndicate and The Three O’Clock. And most recently this year’s new album, Last Rays Of A Dying Sun which manages to sound both like a lost classic and the groundbreaking work of unknown new artist, emerging from their secret lair with a record ready to change the world. As MOJO puts it, “there’s little rain on their new parade.”

Wrapping sweet nuggets of pop confection in swirling clouds of interstellar psychedelia, Last Rays Of A Dying Sun is a record at once eminently engaging and delightfully ornate. Everything old is new again, and it’s very easy to see the line that runs from the Summer of Love and the chiming tones of Jangle Pop to mid-eighties SoCal Paisley Underground of which Rain Parade was a pivotal component, through to the late-90’s Elephant 6 Collective, straight to neo-psych indie rock of today. Last Rays Of A Dying Sun features the original 80s members Piucci, Roback and Thoman alongside guitarist Derek See (the Gentle Cycle / Chocolate Watch Band / Dean & Britta), drummer Stephan Junca (The Hellenes, Billy Talbot, boatclub), and vocalists Debbi and Vicki Peterson (The Bangles). Last Rays Of A Dying Sun is out on Flatiron Recordings, on their imprint Label 51. Flatiron Recordings. 2024 will also see Flatiron Records kick off the Rain Parade back catalogue reissues with more info to follow.