Clay Allison

Formed in Los Angeles, California, USA in 1983, Clay Allison revolved around David Roback (guitar/vocals) and Kendra Smith (bass/vocals; ex-Dream Syndicate). The pair first worked together on Rainy Day (1983), an album of cover versions recorded by various members of the 60s retrospective ‘paisley underground’ movement including the Bangles and Three O’Clock. Roback, Smith and violinist Will Glenn performed live together as an ad hoc support act to Roback’s own group, the Rain Parade, but when he was fired from the line-up in 1984, Clay Allison became a fully-fledged act in its own right. Roback and Smith were joined by two ex-members of struggling aspirants, the Romans; Juan Gomez (guitar) and Keith Mitchell (drums). They recorded an enchanting folk-styled single, ‘Fell From The Sun’, before Gomez opted to leave. The remaining trio then took a new name, Opal. ~ Rovi