They burned brightly, but briefly. Now, they have rekindled the flame. For Beachwood Sparks, the metaphor is all too easy and all too apt. The band’s discography is succinct: two albums, plus an EP and a few singles. There wasn’t much, but there was something indelible about those records. They took the cosmic American music of the Flying Burrito Brothers and Byrds, added the bittersweet sounds of middle-period Beach Boys and Sister Lovers Big Star, then turned them into a sun-dappled, dreamy, psychedelic brand of alt-country. But by 2002, Beachwood had run its course, and the group disbanded amicably, five years after it formed. Now a decade later, Beachwood Sparks—guitarists Farmer Dave Scher and Chris Gunst, bassist Brent Rademaker and drummer Aaron Sperske—is back with The Tarnished Gold (Sub Pop). The quartet will also be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new feature on the band.
Rademaker: My bass-player hall of fame: Paul Simonon, Tony James, Steven Daly, Peter Hook, Steve Garvey, Dave Bowman, Bobby Woodrich, Gerard Love, Lou Barlow, Jason Loewenstein, John Taylor, Kim Gordon, Rick The Bass Player (Rick Rosas), Steve Kilbey and Rick Danko.
