True Stories Set List August 30 2012 The Riviera Supper Club 27 Songs

Bart Mendoza and True Stories performed August 30 at the Riviera Supper Club in La Mesa, California. 27 songs total, running well over their allotted stage time. The band, which is comprised of bassist Billy Fritz, drummer Danny Cress, keyboardist / guitarist David Fleminger and vocalist / guitarist Bart Mendoza, first played a 14 song set and then decided to keep going for the fun of it. A lot of firsts on this night - the debut of the original song "More Than This", the airing of six new covers*, the first time keyboardist / guitarist David Fleminger sang lead in the band and the first time Bart Mendoza ever played keyboards on stage.

1)      In Your Arms

2)      Clouds All Day

3)      Bleeding

4)      Can’t Seem To Make You Mine

5)      Out Door Miner (Wire)

6)      What More Can I Do (The Zombies)*

7)      More Than This

8)      All Sorts

9)      You Still Take My Breath Away

10)   Problems of Her Own

11)   This Wish

12)   What You Mean To Me

13)  (Medley)  Just To See Your Face Again /

14)   Get Down (Gilbert O’Sullivan)*

15)   Honey Are You Straight (Elvis Costello)*

16)   (She’s Used to Playing with) Fire

17)   The Dangerous Type (The Cars)

18)   I Woke Up In Love This Morning (The Partridge Family)

19)   I Just Want to Touch You (Todd Rundgren / Utopia)*

20)   I Can’t Don’t Want To

21)   Things We Said Today (The Beatles) (David on vocals)*

22)   High Heeled Sneakers (Tommy Tucker) (Bart on keyboards)

23)   One After 909 (The Beatles)(David on vocals, guitar)*

24)   Better Days (David on guitar)

25)   Blindspot (David on guitar)

26)   Comets Tomorrow (David on guitar)

27)   Where Have All The Good Times Gone (The Kinks)

Bart Mendoza interviews former Jefferson Airplane vocalist Grace Slick plus bluesman Billy Watson

Bart Mendoza is a regular contributor to the San Diego Troubadour, a free monthly music newspaper available throughout San Diego County. The March 2011 issue has two articles from him including a conversation with former Jefferson Airplane vocalist Grace Slick on page 4, with a bit about her time in San Diego circa the early sixties, her art and more. Additionally there is a talk with bluesman Billy Watson on page 8.


Bart Mendoza interviews Grace Slick plus bluesman Billy Watson

Bart Mendoza interviews former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman

Here's a vintage interview with former Rolling Stone's bassist Bill Wyman by Bart Mendoza. Subjects covered include touring, photography and more

Bart Mendoza interviews Bill Wyman

Oct 28 Bruce Foxton + Bart Mendoza & True Stories at 4th & B / San Diego

Tickets are now on sale for a very special show featuring Bruce Foxton & From the Jam + Bart Mendoza & True Stories, live at 4th & B in San Diego (345 B St./Downtown). October 28, 8 p.m. 21 and up.

Tickets for Bruce Foxton & Bart Mendoza at 4th & B - San Diego Oct 28 2012

Forty One Sixty: The Songs of the Shambles - video promos

In 2009, Jam Records, in conjunoction with Blindspot Records, issued Forty One Sixty: The Songs of the Shambles. The album features a selection of artists from around the world, performing songs written by Bart Mendoza (and in two cases, Kevin Donaker -Ring). It's a mix of new and previously released recordings. Here are three short video promos, complete with soundtrack from Canadian ska combo The Kingpins, blues rocker Anna Troy and British mod legends Yeh-Yeh, though without the DJ voiceover. 21 additional artists are featured including  the Lolas, Cockeyed Ghost, the Andersons (featuring Robbie Rist), Sugarplum (with Anthony Meynell of Squire), The Happy Losers, Mod Fun, The Eddies with Mark Le Gallez (of the Risk) and Marie Haddad.

The album isn't available digitally. You can find it at the JAM records site

Forty One Sixty: The Songs of the Shambles at JAM Records

Manual Scan - "She's So Fine" 2010 Live Studio Session FM94/9

In 2010 Shambles precursor Manual Scan reconvened for a special live radio session recorded for DJ Tim Pyles show, The Local 94/9. The band included Bart Mendoza, Kevin Donaker-Ring, Tim Blankenship and Morgan Young.

Manual Scan returned to the studio for the first time in 22 years, taping 5 songs broadcast on San Diego’s FM94.9. Recorded at Signature Sound Studios, the production was handled by Grammy winning producer / engineer, Alan Sanderson (Rolling Stones / Weezer / Elvis Costello). The show was first aired on March 20, 2010 and has been repeated since. The band performed three classics and two covers:

1)   Plan of Action (Mendoza)

2)   She’s So Fine (The Easybeats)

3)   American Way (Mendoza)

4)   Nothing Can Be Everything (Mendoza)

5)   The Real Me (The Who)

"She's So Fine" and "Plan of Action" were released via the free CD's that accompanied British modzine Heavy Soul #5 and #6 respectively. "She's So Fine" has shown up on Youtube. A release of the entire session is reportedly in the works.

The Sleazybeats - "Phil Spector's Birthday" video by Bart Mendoza

Recorded on November 22, 1997 by San Diego group, the Sleazybeats, "Phil Spector's Birthday" was penned by singer Sandra Castillo and guitarist Jay Wiseman (The Trebels, The Hoods, Evil Eyes etc). Other members included drummer John Chilson (The Shambles, The Trebels etc) and singer Rachael Gordon. The video was put together by Bart Mendoza for Blindspot Records, using dozens of album and single sleeves, as well as labels, for a collage of songs that Phil Spector was involved in, either performing, writing or producing them. The list includes The Beatles as well as John Lennon and George Harrison plus The Ramones, Dion, Leonard Cohen, The Ronettes, Starsailor, Gene Pitney and many more. "Phil Spector's Birthday" was issued first on the compilation album, Tiger Style, (2000) and later reissued on Staring at the Sun Volume 9 (2011).

The Shambles Complete Discography Updated

The Shambles Discography has been completely revamped and updated. More images coming soon, but it's now complete through December 2011.

The Shambles Complete Discography

Bart Mendoza 1991 Paul McCartney Ashcan Comic

Bart Mendoza has penned several comics related items over the years, including this Paul McCartney Ashcan, done for Revisionary Press in 1991. Available only as a promo item for advance orders of Beatles Experience #2, all copies were signed. The Beatles Comics website has a nice write up and the cover + art

Bart Mendoza at The Beatles Comics website

Bart Mendoza & True Stories perform "Clouds All Day"

Bart Mendoza & True Stories perform the Shambles live favorite "Clouds All Day" at Lestats on August 2 2012, shot by Jeremiah Byerly on a cellphone from the right hand audience theatre seats...

Bart Mendoza interviews Graham Nash

Bart Mendoza interviews Graham Nash for the La Jolla Village News in this vintage article, focusing on Nash's photography.

Bart Mendoza interviews Graham Nash for the La Jolla Village News

Bart Mendoza interviews Peter Case

 Bart Mendoza has interviewed many musicians over the years. Here's a recent conversation with Peter Case (The Plimsouls, The Nerves) about an upcoming solo show in Ocean Beach / San Diego, CA

Bart Mendoza interviews Peter Case for the Beacon Peninsula

Bart Mendoza & True Stories Set List & Video for "Cant Seem To Make You Mine"August 1, 2012

Bart Mendoza & True Stories

with Jeremy Morris and Scott Mathiasen

August  1, 2012

Lestat's Coffeehouse / San Diego

Soundcheck: "I Call Your Name" (Beatles) for guitars, "I Woke Up In Love This Morning" for keys/vocals

In Your Arms

Clouds All Day

Bleeding

Can't Seem To Make You Mine

You Still Take My Breath Away

Problems of Her Own

All Sorts

This Wish

Just To See Your Face Again

What You Mean To Me

Outdoor Miner (Wire)

Runaway (Del Shannon)

Ever Fallen In Love (Buzzcocks)

Where Have All The Good Times Gone (Kinks)

Comets Tomorrow

Blindspot

I Woke Up In Love This Morning (Partridge Family)

Bart also joined Jeremy Morris on vocals for three songs in his set

It's Getting Better

Highway to Heaven

Time Has Come Today (Chambers Brothers)

A video has already been posted by an audience member,  Jeremiah Byerly, featuring the band in full Hammond / Argent mode on Bart's song "Can't Seem to Make You Mine." This is not a cover of the Seeds classic, but a new song from the band, We repost here with permission: