One of the leading bands from the Paisley Underground scene in early- and mid-’80s Los Angeles, The reunited Rain Parade will release “Last Rays of a Dying Sun”, the band’s third studio album and its first collection of new songs in nearly four decades.
The album, featuring new songs written by original band members Matt Piucci and Steven Roback, will be released in May, the first title from new Colorado-based label Flatiron Recordings, co-founded by Bill Hein, who co-founded and ran Enigma Records with his brother in the 1980s.
Piucci and the late David Roback formed Rain Parade in 1981, with the two singer-guitarists drafting Roback’s brother, Steven Roback, and Will Glenn and Eddie Kalwa to fill out the band’s ranks. Rain Parade’s 1983 classic debut, “Emergency Third Rail Power Trip”, remains a high-water mark for Los Angeles’ Paisley Underground scene, which also counted The Bangles, The Dream Syndicate and The Three O’Clock as key members.
Rain Parade followed up that debut with the “Explosions in the Glass Palace” EP in 1984 and a final, major-label full-length, “Crashing Dream”, in 1986, before disbanding for the first time.
David Roback, died in 2020 of cancer, left Rain Parade following the release of the band’s debut and later formed Opal with Kendra Smith of The Dream Syndicate and Mazzy Star with Hope Sandoval.
In 2012, Piucci and Steven Roback reunited as Rain Parade for a benefit concert and, in 2018, joined The Dream Syndicate, The Bangles and The Three O’Clock to record the “3×4” album, a celebration of the Paisley Underground that featured the four bands each covering one song by each of the other three bands.
Rain Parade has recorded “Last Rays of a Dying Sun”, with Picucci and Roback joined by guitarist John Thoman, who’s been in the band since 1984, as well as drummer Stephan Junca and guitarist/keyboardist Derek See. The new record also features Debbi and Vicki Peterson from The Bangles on background vocals.
Rain Parade are currently in the midst of a U.K. tour supporting The Dream Syndicate.
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