Blue Plate Special: Abecedarians
Abecedarians were a Los Angeles-based post-punk trio that made waves in the mid to late 1980s. Comprised of Chris Manecke (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Kevin Dolan (drums), and John Blake (bass), the band carved out a niche with their sparse, guitar-driven sound. Their most notable track, “Smiling Monarchs,” was a departure from their usual style, venturing into alternative dance territory. Mixed by Bernard Sumner of New Order, the song gained significant attention and found its way onto numerous 80s compilation albums, solidifying its place in the era’s musical landscape. Throughout their active years, Abecedarians released a series of influential records, beginning with the single “Smiling Monarchs”/”Benway’s Carnival” in 1985, followed by the mini-LP Eureka in 1986, and the full-length LP Resin in 1988.
My good friend Paul Tribble introduced me to the band in the summer of 1986, adding several songs to a mix tape. He spent some time down in LA and had caught a show somewhere, becoming a fan. Abecedarians had opened for New Order, so I wouldn’t be surprised if that was where he discovered them as he was a massive New Order fan. While in college in the late 80’s, I secured vinyl copies of both Eureka and Resin, which are still a part of my collection today.
Their music, characterized by Manecke’s understated vocals and the band’s earnest, raw sound, garnered a dedicated following. Despite their brief tenure, Abecedarians left an enduring legacy in the post-punk genre, with their recordings remaining rare and highly sought after by fans and collectors. While working for Hewlett-Packard in the early 2000’s I befriended a music-collecting coworker who was friends with the band members and received permission to create a limited-run compilation CD of all of their studio-recorded music, which is a cherished part of my CD collection. If you’d like to hear more, you can find a great fan page with bootleg recordings on Facebook, and a complete discography here.
Here are some of my favorites from their catalog:
Smiling Monarchs, from the EP Smiling Monarchs (1985)
Ghosts, from the album Eureka (1986)
Beneath The City Of The Hedonistic Bohemians, from the album Eureka (1986)
Come Out, from the compilation The Other Side of the Fence (1990)
Soil, from the album Eureka (1986)
Spaghetti Western (1983 demo), from the album Resin (1987)
Press Escape, from the album Resin (1987)
