Private Domain

San Diego band Private Domain was formed by musicians whose local presence had always been much more public than private. Guitarist and singer Jack Butler came up in a long list of bands, including the 1967 Funky Buckwheat. Paul Shaffer, also a guitarist and singer who scribbled out many of the group's original songs, was a former political science teacher. The rhythm section has been described as one of the best possible ones to come across without driving north to Los Angeles or across the border to Tijuana. The bassist Dean Smith might want to forget being part of the dreadful "commercial" Captain Beefheart project, but also toured with Spencer Davis and singer Mark Lindsay from Paul Revere & the Raiders. The bassist has also produced recordings for the offspring of the old Cream rhythm section, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker. As for drummer Jake Najor, his credits include touring and recording with Incredible Moses LeRoy, Daddy Longlegs, and Robert Walters' 20th Congress. The core membership of Private Domain is sometimes expanded to include a horn section and/or percussion. The group's self-titled collection of songs, actually its second release, seems to have had no shortage of editions. Private Domain is available from Chameleon, Gold Mountain, and Priority; if it goes on like this, the group might want to change its name to "public domain." A series of other releases have followed, including an "unplugged" set -- but not for MTV -- as well as some soundtrack appearances. ~ Eugene Chadbourne