The Dyzmals were born when Chris Callahan, a depressed loner, and Bill Hare, a well adjusted, middle class kid, started making music together in 1979.
The music scene of the late seventies was a milieu of post-disco depressionism, pre-punk exploitationism and mid-pop ismism. None of this had any effect on the budding musicians as Chris was emotionally retarded and listened to top-forty country(this was the late seventies I remind you) and I believe Bill thought the Beatles were the only musical group ever. Chris began experimentation with the guitar at this time. He soon discovered that striking the string of the guitar with one's finger or a paddle shaped device called a plectrum while fretting the string with another finger would create a note, a sound in layman's terms. This began a sustained period of exploration to which I will hereafter refer as the "E minor period".
Bill was more musically advanced at this time, already having years of classical training on the 5 string banjo, cello, string bass, electric bass, guitar and the rare and frightening "death horn".
The seminal or "zygotic" band (1977-78) did only three covers and no original tunes. They were called "Xenon", an element normally encountered in the form of a gas. In 1979 Bill and Chris struck out on their own, creating the studio project, B C, which was dubbed "The Dismals" in August of 1980, changed to the current spelling at some point which none of us can recall. Songs included "Cancer", "Don't You Feel Sorry For the Doorknob" and "Mama", which was to remain on their live playlist for many years although it was never performed live. With the addition of Bill's brother, James "Jim" Hare, on drums, and a rotating line-up of 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th Dyzmals on a variety of instruments, they began recording a long string of post-punk pop-novelty songs which eventually became the 270 minute compilation, "The Dyzmals, A to Z". Sean 'O'Plenty' Callahan played guitar as well on these early recordings. He later left the band when it was requested that he play clean and then later, not play at all.
Their studio output was far greater than live performances. There are only five to list up to 1990; Peterson High School talent show in '81; Santa Clara festival talent show in September '81, Bill's driveway in '81, Wilcox High School Talent show in '82; and someone's garage in '83 or '84. The Dyzmals were not to perform live again until 1990.
After high school, Bill began a short stint at San Jose State University as a music major. After a year, he was politely asked to leave and went into business with his mother, Joan Hare. They invested in a recording studio, "Astral Sounds", which became quite successful editing music for figure skaters and recording college vocal jazz groups. "Astral" was the genus for Bill's studio,"Bill Hare Productions", which he still runs to this day. Bill also met and courted and married the love of his life during this period. We'll call her Jennie.
Chris began a series of ill-fated co-dependent relationships at this time. He married his high school sweetheart and began a life of aimless wanderings and delusions of grandeur that persist to this day. Chris' first marriage ended in divorce after a year and a half. The second was much more successful, clocking in at a whopping four and a half years. He bounced from house to house, town to town, city to city, state to state, searching for that elusive "really good cuppa joe". He now resides in Tucson, Arizona.
This post-high-school period, to which I will hereafter refer loosely as adulthood, was a time of sporadic creative bursts for the band. Always centering around the creative rawness of Chris' songs and guitar playing and Bill's ability to fix this problem, they built a backlog of pre-production demos and completed songs. One of these songs, "Mutant Cows", led us to national airplay on Dr. Demento.
After years of punctuated recording, the decision was made to attempt a live version of the band yet again. The line-up was; Chris, guitar and lead vox; Bill, bass and lead and backing vox; Hector Toro on skins, and then later, drums; Andrea Mace, lead and backing vox and tambourine; Steve Gileno on trumpet; and Paul Fox on guitar and backing vox. Paul was eventually replaced by George Zils. The keyboard position was rotating, sometimes being filled by Ed Goldfarb and their original drummer, James "Jim" Hare. This incarnation resulted in three gigs at The Cabaret in San Jose, CA and one live radio appearance on the Amanda Vitale show in Monterey. This line-up soon unravelled due to internal problems. A live version of the band is now rehearsing again in Tucson, and will probably be on tour again in early '98. The new lineup so far:
Chris Callahan - Lead Guitar
Sean "O'Plenty" Callahan - Lead Guitar
Bill Hare - Lead Bass
Mike Welch - Lead Drums
A new album is also in the works. Bill is completing the recording of synth tracks being done by Jim "James" Hare from his home in Sydney, Australia. This should be available also some time in 1998.
If you want to be included in the focus group to decide the playlist of the new album, pleeze email us.
Chris Callahan, Tucson, AZ, 12/07/97
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