Version One: 1977 - 1980
Formed out of U.C. Berkeley around core of students Worth and Super and guitarist Bruce Nicholson, the band played first gig as Top Cat, opening for Television. Still in their teens, made L.A. debut as Blow-Up in December 1977 at Hollywood's legendary Masque; a bill also including the Nerves (with Peter Case), Plugz (later Cruzados) and Fabulons (Suburban Lawns). A one-off deal with Bomp Records resulted in four songs recorded April 1978 including a version of New York Dolls' "Teenage News." Financial troubles for Bomp left these unreleased, but chance meeting in Bomp offices led to joining of Flipside magazine co-founder Pat DiPuccio on guitar.
Still commuting from Berkeley for gigs, the band attracted quick attention, with press spanning from Melody Maker to New York Rocker. Gigging with Berlin and the Plimsouls, as well as harder-edged likes of Dead Kennedys and D.O.A., they managed not to fit neatly into either musical camp of late 70's California scene — too rough for pop, too glittery for hardcore — while preceding Paisley Underground by a couple of years. Recording sessions with Hendrix producer/curator Alan Douglas and Chas Ramirez (Social D.) from this period remain unreleased, but garnered considerable sniffing about from major labels and Blow-Up made its vinyl debut in Summer 1980 on Capitol Records with single "Kicking Up a Fuss," theme song for Robert Downey Sr. film "Up the Academy," backed with blues/dub "On Target." Additional material by the band was included on soundtrack LP alongside lan Hunter and Modern Lovers; however, ill-timed musical differences reared, and the band's line-up shattered.
Version Two: 1981 - 1988
Mainstays Worth, Super and DiPuccio elected to continue, adding Oakland (ex-Little Girls) on bass and Al's Bar sound man Cirino on drums; the new Blow-Up quickly became one of L.A.'s most respected bands, a reputation boosted by the 1982 release of a now rare three song flexi-disc and two shows opening for Billy Idol at the Roxy. Similar stint with then commercially hot Scandal brought rave review in L.A. Times; by then band had achieved solid headliner status at Club Lingerie, Music Machine, and the rest of what passed for the prestige circuit. With 1984 release of Easy Knowledge by Enigma parent company Greenworld, this status was magnified. Heavy college airplay for title cut, as well as widespread critical buzz attracted biz attention, the LP charting on Boston Rock's independent chart.
By now the band had virtually a regular gig opening for visiting dignitaries, playing at the Palace, Whisky and the Roxy with the Replacements, Jim Carroll, Richard Lloyd, Icicle Works, Screaming Blue Messiahs, Zeitgeist (aka Reivers); sharing the bill with locals like Legal Weapon, Thelonious Monster, and the Rave-Ups, while nominated best underground band at the 1987 L.A. Weekly awards. However, the live circuit growing stale with recurrent popularity of crap metal bands, came time for a new tack. Woodshedding with producer/guitarist Steve Hunter (Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel) the band forged a new direction, and flirted with a name change to Ultraviolets. The tape caused a stir, but newly theatrical live showcases confused an industry projecting another R.E.M. Splitting with their management, the band disintegrated, forever unable to handle business as well as their art. The original lineup reunited for a one-off gig at Madame Wong's 10th Anniversary Festival.
A track from the "Ultraviolets" sessions found its way on to the Worth-produced soundtrack CD for the Dennis Hopper film "Flashback," along with new songs from Big Audio Dynamite, Bob Dylan, Flesh for Lulu and classics from R.E.M., Hendrix and Jefferson Airplane. The track "Fatal Attraction" was well received on college radio; even this resulted in a scrap over use of the name with a Midwestern band called The Ultraviolet. The 1992 release of the Groovy Dynamite CD attempts to tie up the primest part of the story. With songs from official releases, the Flashback soundtrack, Ultraviolets sessions and bonus live stuff, it's a fair survey of what they was all about.
Random Details
The name Blow-Up comes from 1966 movie. Check out some cool images here.