Psi Com - Psi Com 1985

Psi Com had existed before a pre-Jane's Addiction Perry Farrell answered an ad in a Los Angeles weekly newspaper. However, it wasn't until he joined in early 1983 that things got rolling. Guitarist Vince Duran was already in place at the time of Farrell's entrance into the group. With the addition of drummer Aaron Sherer and bassist Kelly Wheeler, they recorded their sole effort, a 1985 self-titled EP. In September of that same year, the band split up.

Originally, a man named Rich, his wife Marisca, a man named Terry, and Duran comprised what was known as Psi Com. Being without a drummer, they placed a classified ad in the free weekly L.A. newspaper The Recycler. Farrell responded to the ad, not with the intention of becoming the group's drummer but instead as the singer. Rich agreed to let Farrell into the band as the vocalist in early '83. The ad for a drummer was left in The Recycler however, because the band was still practicing with the aid of a drum machine. Terry soon left the band and was followed closely by Rich and Marisca, who had personal differences with Farrell.

Shortly after the departure of the couple, Sherer called Farrell in response to the ad for a drummer. When Sherer finally joined Duran and Farrell, the trio played their first big show, opening for The Cult at L.A.'s Music Machine Club in the latter part of '84.

When '85 hit, the group realized that they needed a bass player to fill out the bottom end of their sound. As a result, they recruited their friend Wheeler, who moved into a house with Farrell near the University of Southern California.

In March of '85, Psi Com made plans to release a five-song, 12-inch EP. The band entered Radio Tokyo Studios in Venice, CA that spring and cut the songs "Xiola," "Human Condition," "Ho Ka Hey," "Words" and "City of Nine Gates." Ethan James manned the boards for the sessions, which lasted for one weekend. James was known for producing seminal punk group the Minutemen's most popular album Double Nickels on the Dime.

In July, Psi Com had 1,500 copies of their self-titled EP produced to release on their own label, Mohini. When the records were delivered from the pressing plant, the band was in shock, as more than half of the EPs were warped. Frustrated by the experience, the band drifted apart musically and personally, and by September, Psi Com was no more.

After the break-up, Farrell was still living in the house that he had shared with Wheeler. Farrell's new housemate -- a girl only known as Jane -- introduced him to her friend Eric Avery, who became the bassist in Farrell's new band, Jane's Addiction.

Wheeler spent his time performing with musician Dino Paredes, a bass player and vocalist from bands such as Berlin and the Red Temple Spirits. Duran and Sherer lessened their involvement with bands and only performed part-time with local L.A. groups. However, Sherer did go on to play drums on Mazzy Star's 1996 album Among My Swan. AMG.
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