Biography
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Years Active
1980 – 2001 (21 years)
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Founded In
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States
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Members
- Bobby Belltower
- Chaz Ramirez
- Falling James Moreland
- Melanie Vammen
- Sam Merrick
The Leaving Trains were formed out of sheer boredom and suburban desperation in Los Angeles in the summer of 1980 by Falling James and brothers Manfred and Tom Hofer after their 1978-1979 high school punk band, the Mongrels, broke up. Hunter Crowley was the best drummer on their side of town, and, after much persuasion, he eventually joined. Other early drummers included Hilary Laddin (the Martyrs), Raoul Endara (Smog Marines), Terry Graham (Bags, Gun Club) and Jason Kahn (Universal Congress Of). The Leaving Trains' first recording, "Virginia City" (an ode to a tumbleweed cemetery in Nevada, with an ethereal keyboard solo by Sylvia Juncosa), appeared on the KEATS RIDES A HARLEY compilation (Happy Squid Records) in 1981 alongside the Human Hands, Earwigs, Toxic Shock and debut recordings by Gun Club, the Meat Puppets and 100 Flowers. The following year, the Trains released a 7-inch single on Happy Squid Records, and had two songs on the WARFRAT TALES LP compilation (with the Last, Wednesday Week, Rain Parade, 100 Flowers, and Hector & the Clockwatchers). WARFRAT TALES (UNABRIDGED) was released for the first time on CD in May 2005 on Avebury Records, with new liner notes to go with Falling James' original liner notes, and a wealth of rare bonus tracks from Sylvia Juncosa, the Gun Club, Earwigs and Urinals.
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