Sending Signals

Steve Wynn (The Dream Syndicate)

Episode Summary

Steve Wynn is a founding member of The Dream Syndicate, a key band in the so-called Paisley Underground scene of the early 1980’s. Their debut album “The Days Of Wine And Roses” was recorded in three overnight sessions and released in 1982. It’s one of the great indie-rock touchstones and a phenomenal debut. The band had high-profile support slots with the likes of U2 and REM, but the rest of the 1980’s saw them struggling to capitalise on their potential, and by the end of the decade they had disbanded. Steve continued to have a prolific solo career, as well as side-projects such as The Baseball Project, a supergroup featuring Mike Mills and Peter Buck of REM, who only write and perform songs about baseball. The Dream Syndicate reformed and released the first of several comeback albums in 2017. They remain an ongoing concern, but for now Steve is about to release an autobiography, charting his fascinating childhood in California, and the rise and fall of The Dream Syndicate. It’s a story of record stores, college radio, tour buses, major label shenanigans, told with warmth, humour and honesty. It’s also accompanied by a new solo album entitled “Make It Right”, released on the same day as, and intrinsically linked to, the book. I’ve probably said this a lot, but this was genuinely one of my favourite conversations I’ve had for the podcast. I really hope you enjoy it.

Episode Notes

Steve Wynn is a founding member of The Dream Syndicate, a key band in the so-called Paisley Underground scene of the early 1980’s. Their debut album “The Days Of Wine And Roses” was recorded in three overnight sessions and released in 1982. It’s one of the great indie-rock touchstones and a phenomenal debut. The band had high-profile support slots with the likes of U2 and REM, but the rest of the 1980’s saw them struggling to capitalise on their potential, and by the end of the decade they had disbanded.


 

Steve continued to have a prolific solo career, as well as side-projects such as The Baseball Project, a supergroup featuring Mike Mills and Peter Buck of REM, who only write and perform songs about baseball.


 

The Dream Syndicate reformed and released the first of several comeback albums in 2017. They remain an ongoing concern, but for now Steve is about to release an autobiography, charting his fascinating childhood in California, and the rise and fall of The Dream Syndicate. It’s a story of record stores, college radio, tour buses, major label shenanigans, told with warmth, humour and honesty.


 

It’s also accompanied by a new solo album entitled “Make It Right”, released on the same day as, and intrinsically linked to, the book.


 

I’ve probably said this a lot, but this was genuinely one of my favourite conversations I’ve had for the podcast. I really hope you enjoy it.
 

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