"The Shortwave Mystery"
"The Shortwave Mystery"
The Shortwave Mystery was formed in 1983 by synthesist/programmer/songrwriter Gregory Scoggin. The Shortwave Mystery came unto its own via several incantations of musical electronic experimentation. Prior to the 'electro-melancholic-pop' sound of the SWM, several friends of Scoggins' (Scott Campbell-synths, Linda George-Vocals-as well as those who were to form the final SWM) played various live and recorded shows running the gamut from electro-noise akin to Early Chrome or Cabaret Voltaire on up to OMD. Although all had divergent musical influences coming together for performances that lent themselves to the dancefloor…Scoggin took more influence in his own compositions from the more Europeon electro-pop/disco/dance/new wave outfits like New Musik and German Art school pioneers Der Plan; leaning heavily on tonality and traditional songwriting rather than the kitch associated with their more popular (and major label signed) Golden State peers ( LA's Stacy Q, Berlin or SF's, The Units) or New Yorks' or Our Daughters Wedding. It was the intent of Scoggins' to fall in line with being Northern California's answer to his own UK peers, prefering the 4/4 driving disco beats of the 'New Romantic' sound (Visage, Soft Cell, Depeche Mode, Classix Nouveaux ,Spandua Ballet, B-Movie, Ultravox) as opposed to the 'bouncier' novelty-pop of the aforementioned US based synth bands.
The Shortwave Mystery became an entity unto itself, when Scoggin and Problem Fish drummer Jason Wright, moved to Santa Barabara as roomates for college attendance. It was during this first year in Santa Barabara (as well as several years prior to this, while both Scoggin and Wright were attending high school), that most of the Shortwave Mystery material was written, adding members Tom Wright (Jason's brother) and Dave Skinner (fellow college roomate) to the repetoire for live show posterity.
