[WISHLIST] THE POINT - MAGIC CIRCLE 1983

My band was called The Point. The name came from the Harry Nilsson LP (remember "Me And My Arrow?"). All the members of The Point were from Livermore and attended LHS. Moving to L.A. was a calculated move because we couldn't relate to the Bay Area music scene at that time. To tell you the truth even though I'm a Bay Area boy I always felt more comfortable in L.A. and still do. Something to do with the vibe. I know, I know, you probably think I'm sick. I have a definite connection to both worlds and maybe that's why I ended up right in the middle on the Central Coast.
The Point's career spanned 1978 - 1985. During that time we played the club circuit all over So. Cal. We were a part of what was known as "The Paisley Underground" which was a group of 60's influenced bands that populated L.A. at that time. That scene was vibrant but completely overshadowed by post punk, disco, and dinosaur rock according to today's rock history. The only band out of the "Paisley Underground" to really hit the big time were the Bangles. When I knew them they were still the Bangs and playing the same clubs we were. We recorded a self titled four song EP released in 1980 that was acclaimed in print by the L.A. Times (who compared us to Love and The Beau Brummels)but sold very few copies. In 1983 our lone LP Magic Circle was released on the Warfrat label and did quite well. It garnered a good amount of radio play in certain FM markets, and rode high on the Independent/College charts for a short time. In late 1983 L.A.'s Music Connection magazine published their annual "Players Poll" Top Ten in which L.A.'s musicians vote for their fave bands. To our amazement we placed number 9. By the way in the same poll Red Hot Chili Peppers were number 7, and Los Lobos only made Honorable Mention! At that time they were just struggling club bands like my own.
Magic Circle ended up getting a European distribution deal and was released in France and Italy. At the absolute height of my modest music career I heard that Dennis had died. I was so wrapped up in my own sex, drugs, and rock and roll scene that I was too numb to really feel what he had meant to me. By that time I hadn't seen him in years. But I do remember feeling his potential was unrealized and frustrated that no one would ever know what a genius he really was. I hoped that someday someone would tell the world about his importance and waited year after year for the story to come out.
Back to The Point. As high as we were riding in 1983, it turned into a glass ceiling in 1984. We continued plugging away in L.A. and also played a few shows in the Bay Area that year, Mabuhay Gardens in S.F. and a HUGE outdoor show in Livermore that drew over a thousand people. But the momentum from the previous year seemed to disappear quickly. By '85 I'd had enough and surprised my partners by bowing out. The band never played a show without me and all went their seperate ways. We still are close and actually re-united in late '85 for a three song set at a friends wedding reception and then again in 1996 and '99 for ragged but fun acoustic sets at Livermore friends parties. There you have a brief but relatively accurate history of The Point. Jon Stebbins © 2002

Tracks :

Magic Circle

Strychnine

You're the Fix I Need

She's Gone Too Far

Pothead

All My Life

She's Only For Me

I Like Girls

Someday

Streets of Warsaw

Itch

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Ripped By : Album Provided by SIXTIESFAN

Artwork Included