The Pandoras
The Pandoras - an all-female rock band from Los Angeles - were
associated with the Paisley Underground era in Hollywood's
alternative rock scene, along with bands such as Redd
Kross, The
Dream Syndicate and The Rain Parade.
The Pandoras were formed when singer-guitarist Paula Pierce,
met singer-guitarist/bass player Deborah Mendoza (aka. Mende
or Menday) in college, around 1982-83.
Mendoza (an art major) answered an advertisement that Pierce (a graphic
art major) had posted on the bulletin board in the cafeteria. The
ad read, "Wanted, another female musician to jam with!
Influenced by sixties garage punk."
 They got together and
clicked, and started bringing their guitars to school and jamming
between classes.
Pierce brought in musician Gwynne Kahn on
keyboards (granddaughter of 1920s/1930s Tin Pan Alley
songwriter Gus Kahn), and Mendoza brought in drummer Casey Gomez.
After recording the It's About Time EP,
Mendoza left the group, and was replaced by Bambi Conway, who then
appeared on the It's About Time album.
After
that, The Pandoras went through many personnel changes, beginning
with the bitter departure of Gwynne Kahn in 1984. Kahn formed a
rival Pandoras that included Lisa Rae Black and Jennifer Finch.
Pierce's Pandoras, "The Pauladoras", included
Julie Patchouli on bass guitar, Melanie Vammen on keyboards and
Karen Blankfeld on drums, they went to enjoy modest success with
the release of Hot Generation on Voxx Records. They
toured the east coast to promote the single. In 1986, The Mr. T
Experience recorded a song, I'm In Love With Paula Pierce,
for their album, Everybody's Entitled To Their Own Opinion.
In 1986, the Bill Inglot-produced Stop Pretending was
released on Rhino Records. The song was originally recorded by
Pierce with her pre-Pandora's band, Action Now. Kim Shattuck
joined the band in July 1985 after Julie Patchouli was fired.
Briefly, after Patchouli left the band, Gayle (last name unknown)
played two shows with the band. Once Shattuck was settled in and
they learned all of the new songs, The Pandoras recorded the basic
tracks for Stop Pretending during the winter of 1985.
 After being signed by Elektra Records, the Pandoras
de-emphasised their 60s sound and began chasing the Sunset Strip
hair metal crowd.
They were dropped almost immediately afterwards,
although they continued to play for the rest of the decade.
Remarkably, they never managed to alienate their original
audience, and continued to be a top live draw outside of Los
Angeles.
During this time the band toured as a five-piece that at times
included Rita D'Albert, Susan Hyatt, and Lissa Belltri, all
performing on the second guitar. Restless Records released Live
Nymphomania, a sound desk recording from a 1989 Dallas gig.
Pierce fired Melanie Vammen, who joined up with Kim Shattuck (who
had quit in September 1990) to form The Muffs. When Drummer
Sheri Kaplan quit, the Pandoras stopped for about nine months
while Pierce regrouped.
Pierce had recorded a number of new songs and recruited new
members when she died of a brain aneurysm after exercising in her
apartment in 1991. She was 31.
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