 Lucid
Nation is an experimental rock and roll band from Los Angeles
that Magnet Magazine described as: "a punk rock
Exile on Main Street with shades of The Stooges,
riot grrrl, Pere Ubu, and even The Doors”;
a comparison more remarkable because twelve of the fourteen musicians
who participated in this evolving project, including the singer, are
female.
Public Domain: The Best of Lucid Nation is
a two CD collection of college radio and online hits, plus fan and band
favorites, selected from ten years of recordings dating back to “The
Sun Doesn’t Rise in the Slaughterhouse” a live performance
taped off the board when they opened for Bikini Kill,
Lucid Nation’s third show.
Public Domain: The Best of Lucid Nation for
the first time gathers all the different line ups of Lucid Nation
together; showcasing on two CDs performances by luminaries like Jody
Bleyle of Team Dresch and Hazel,
Patty Schemel of Hole, Larry
Schemel of Midnight Movies, Tia Sprocket
of Luscious Jackson, Warhol superstar
Holly Woodlawn, and Greta Brinkman
of Moby's live band, Blondie, Unseen
Force and L7.
Lucid Nation is led by lead singer Tamra Spivey
about whom Rolling Stone wrote: "If Spivey
sounds spacey, she's not. Her songs range from aggressive, screaming
punk to beautifully melodic rhythm and blues, the very definition of
garage-rock. Like Sleater Kinney and Bikini
Kill -- Lucid Nation has opened for both --
her band's music is raw, poetic, sloppy and infectious...simply bare-bones,
kick-ass rock and roll."
Tamra was Art Editor for the late and lamented but
celebrated journal of progressive politics Newtopia Magazine,
where Lucid Nation guitarist Ronnie Pontiac
was Poet in Residence. The L.A. Weekly compared Tamra
to celebrated punk poet Patti Smith. Poet and editor
Randy Roark (Allen Ginsberg's assistant
for seventeen years) in his reviews of Lucid Nation
compared Tamra’s improvisational skills to those
of legendary writer Gertrude Stein. Mixer Neil
Perry (“Closer” for NIN
and “1979” for Smashing Pumpkins)
compared her to Jim Morrison.
Lucid Nation’s Tacoma Ballet
was #1 on the New Music Weekly national college radio
chart in December 2002 above well promoted touring acts like Beck,
The Breeders and The Pixies; especially
notable because Tacoma Ballet was recorded
100% freestyle: words and lyrics were made up on the spot in a zen meets
dada experiment of epic proportions.
The song "Las Vegas: The Instrumental"
which closes side one of Public Domain:The Best of Lucid
Nation was singled out for praise by Alternative
Press when they included Lucid Nation in their 100
Bands You Need to Know 2002. Keith Richards
of The Rolling Stones called the song "L.A.
River" "marvelous” (also on side one).
Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth certified
the band "smokin'".
Public Domain features artwork by famed punk artist
Jeff Gaither and photography by Marina Vain.
It was mastered by Jack Endino whose credits include
classic records by Nirvana, Soundgarden,
Seven Year Bitch, Babes in Toyland,
The Gits, Mudhoney, and Afghan
Whigs.
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