I was curious about other bands rising to popularity in Deep Ellum and search engineed this Observer article:
http://www.dallasobserver.com/music/an- ... ne-6425952An Oral History of the Dallas Music Scene
PETE FREEDMAN | OCTOBER 13, 2011
In 1987, New York City-based Island Records released a compilation album called The Sound of Deep Ellum, highlighting bands that regularly played the neighborhood. Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians led the charge, followed closely behind by bands such as Course of Empire, Shallow Reign and Three on a Hill. The Toadies had just formed. Tripping Daisy and Funland were in their early stages. Their members played in other bands, but Centro-matic and the Old 97's were still a few years off. Erykah Badu was in college. Sarah Jaffe was a toddler.
It's fun for me to remember that I was acquainted with some of these musicians, especially if Denton was part of the history. Good Times.
Things are lining up in place for an art and music scene from Dallas to reach deeper into the consideration set from much of the rest of the country. In the 90s when all those bands were getting signed by big labels and just getting so popular, I remember KNON was really sounding good with a couple shows playing local (Texas) Latin Hip-hop. I think Selena and that whole side of Tejano Music pushed the Latin Hip Hop out, but I've been waiting for the sound to congeal again and build a whole new stage. We'll see.
Certainly though, the residential population is finally coming to Deep Ellum, and the transformation has the chance to cause as great or greater impact on the region than any other large neighborhood gentrification or suburban v1-v2-v3 powerhouse. It's been almost three generations since the museums started moving to the CBD and the Arts District was born. Since then a solid foundation was poured and Dallas is actually sticking as an destination.
It's time for the party to really come back in Deep Ellum.