Columnist Spencer Patterson: Long-absent band returns with Stereo sound

Spencer Patterson

Friday, March 26, 2004 | 8:24 a.m.

With 21 acts on the bill for Saturday's "Extreme Thing" concert at Desert Breeze Skate Park, it would be easy to overlook an unsigned band with a brand new name.

Look for savvy local music fans to work their way to main stage two around 1 p.m., however, to catch Stereo Quatro, formerly 12 Volt Sex.

Recently reunited after a hiatus of nearly three years, the band's four founding members are opting for a new moniker and a clean slate.

"We said, 'Let's start fresh and start with a new name,' " guitarist Michael Stratton said.

Mainstays on the local scene from 1995 through 2001, 12 Volt was that rarest of species: a Las Vegas rock band signed to a major label.

"It was a pretty simple process (for a while)," Stratton, 29, recalled. "We recorded an independent record ... and started getting some radio play on the West Coast. A year later we got a major-label deal, and that's when all the problems started."

The band completed work on an album called "Stereo Quatro," produced by Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf (a duo known for work with Beck, the Foo Fighters and Elliott Smith, among others).

But RCA Records never released the disc, and the two sides parted ways in 2001, months before 12 Volt's farewell show in November 2001.

"They basically weren't into the band," Stratton said. "If you run a label and there's Band A that you're not into and Band B that you're into, which one are you gonna go with? You're gonna go with the band that you feel something for.

"There just wasn't any love at RCA for us."

The four members of 12 Volt went their separate ways musically. One, bassist Jason Coleman, left town to test out the scene in Portland.

Vocalist Matthew Gucu (formerly Matthew Chernoff) continued fronting popular '80s cover outfit Love Shack. Drummer Gary Wright began playing in punk rock trio FFI.

And Stratton?

"I just kind of took a break from playing with other people," he said. "But I've always written music, and that hasn't changed."

Joined by "unofficial fifth member" Toby Ashmore on keyboard and guitar, 12 Volt played twice under its old name in February, at Los Angeles' Viper Room and at the Huntridge Theatre.

The latter proved to be a special experience for Stratton and his bandmates.

"It was cool being a band that for the last three years has gotten no radio play, hadn't played a show in 2 1/2 years and stopped playing in the scene together completely, and we play another show and 500 to 600 people show up to see us," Stratton said. "It was a really good feeling,"

With Coleman flying back and forth from Portland, Stereo Quatro has recorded a seven-song demo CD, and hopes to attract the attention of a label once again.

"We're going to try to shop them around and see if we can get somebody to put out a record," Stratton said.

The new songs reflect the band's maturation, sounding far more serious than their predecessors on the unreleased RCA project. Stereo Quatro cuts a wide swath stylistically, hinting at heaviness and then pulling off pretty pop.

It makes you wonder what they might accomplish with a label behind them.

But don't expect Stereo Quatro to jump for just any deal. That's one lesson they're not likely to forget.

"You have to be really careful about who you jump in bed with," Stratton said. "If we find an independent label who's really into the band, or a major label, and they can fill the requirements of what would make us comfortable to do this again, we'll do it.

"But we're not going to take any deal. Because it's really not about that anymore for us."

Tickets to Saturday's "Extreme Thing" are $20 at the door and through TicketMaster.

Also scheduled to perform: Story of the Year, Reel Big Fish, Hazen Street, Home Grown, Atreyu, Over the Line, My Chemical Romance, Adair, Bowling for Soup, Zebrahead, Sugarcult, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Buck-O-Nine, Forces of Evil, the Matches, the Littlest Man Band, Planet Asia, DNA-1, Basic, OPM, Big B and the Ill Figures.

In addition to the music, the event will feature extreme sports demonstrations and contests for BMX racers, skateboarders and inline skaters.

Quick hits

A look at a few of the shows scheduled to hit Southern Nevada in the next week:

Girl group Fannypack, which made waves with last year's novelty single "Cameltoe," performs at the Ice House Lounge, 650 S. Main St., at 9 p.m. on Saturday. Also on the bill: the Fitness. Admission is $10 for the 21-and-over event.

Remember 1990s rockers Tool and At the Drive-In? Those bands are on hiatus at present, but both have spawned popular new outfits -- A Perfect Circle and Mars Volta -- which team for a sold-out 8 p.m. show Monday at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel.

The brainchild of Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan and former Tool guitar technician Billy Howerdel, A Perfect Circle also features former Smashing Pumpkins' guitarist James Iha and former Marilyn Manson bassist Jeordie White among its recently reshuffled lineup.

The group released hard-edged second album, "Thirteenth Step," in September.

Former At the Drive-In mates Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler Zavala created Mars Volta after their old band split (likely for good) at the height of its popularity in 2001.

Since then, Mars Volta has steadily gained popularity and critical acclaim, earning mostly glowing reviews for June's intriguing art-rock disc, "De-Loused in the Comatorium."

On sale

Madonna performs at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 29, a stop on her first tour since 2001. Tickets are $75-$350 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the MGM Grand box office, at TicketMaster outlets, by phone at 474-4000 and at www.ticketmaster.com.

Rush plays the MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 17. Tickets are $40-$95 and were to go on sale at 10 a.m. today through the MGM Grand box office and TicketMaster.

Darryl "DMC" McDaniels stops by Bikinis Beach & Dance Club at The Rio for an April 3 set with the Beastie Boys' DJ Hurricane. Tickets are $20 and are on sale now at The Rio box office, at 777-7776 and through www.vegas.com.

Seal splashes down at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay April 23. Tickets are $37.50-$72 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the House of Blues box office and through TicketMaster.