Trees -

Trees was the recording moniker of San Diegan musician Dane Conover, used for the 1982 synthpop album Sleep Convention on MCA.

Members: Dane Conover (Vocals, Keyboards [Yamaha 40m, Arp Odyssey, Arp 2600], Computer [Apple II], Piano [Treated Piano], Guitar, Bass, Marimba, Autoharp, Cymbal [Chinese], Chimes, Other [Radio, Glass Sliding Door])

Background

Trees originated in San Diego in 1981 as the solo project of singer-keyboardist Dane Conover, formerly of the local new-wave quintet Puppies.

Conover left college in Southern California to pursue music. He joined Puppies, who cut the six-song Fun Is Right EP at Western Audio for their own Hi-Rise label. The EP included his song “Mechanical Beat.”

Puppies contacted Los Angeles producer Kim Fowley through an advertisement in Kicks magazine. Fowley helped secure a Stiff Records agreement, which yielded a July 1981 single on the American subsidiary Baby Stiffs. The band recut “Mechanical Beat” with producer Liam Sternberg, backed with “Atmosphere.”

During his Puppies tenure, Conover also made apartment demos, including “11:00 A.M.” He sent the song to Fowley, who passed the tape to MCA Records. In 1981, MCA offered Conover a solo contract.

Conover adopted the Trees name for a month of sessions at Wildwood Studio with engineer Earle Mankey, an original Sparks member. He produced ten original songs with additional percussion and vocals by Martin E. Eldridge and singer Missy Zizzo for the July 1982 MCA debut Sleep Convention.

Discography:

Sleep Convention (1982)

References and notes

Trouser Press — January 1983, p. 13. Ira Robbins details Conover’s college departure, apartment demos, Fowley connection, MCA contract, and Trees sessions. (Trouser Press)
San Diego Reader — Puppies. Original lineup, High Rise EP, Western Audio sessions, Liam Sternberg single, and Fowley connection. (SD Reader)
Sleep Convention — MCA-5348 album credits. Conover production credit, Earle Mankey engineering, and additional personnel. (Album Credits)
Post-Punk Monk — May 21, 2019. Conover demos and Wildwood Studio sessions with Mankey. (Post-Punk Monk)
San Diego Troubadour — August 2003, p. 10. Local music history and the Conover–Marty Eldridge partnership. (Troubadour)