March 2 - 18, 1984
Nocturna International
Aurora, CO
Ronnie Cramer worked as Sound Recordist on Bruce Toscano's low-budget horror film Charon (later titled The Jar)
March 29, 1984
Clarion
University of Denver, Denver, CO
Alarming Trends Fills Gap in the Denver Music Scene
Alarming Trends is what Denver has needed for quite some time: an innovative band to call its own. Their recently released single 'Zero Mental Activity' places them in an excellent spot to obtain some much sought after attention at the national level.
The band contains two members from DU. Madge Truesdell is a 24-year old English major with a music minor. Ronnie Cramer is a past graduate of the mass communications department. The third member is Pete Staff, a Denver native. The three provide an unconventional yet very listenable approach to modern rock.
The band formed in November of 1982. Madge and Ronnie had previously worked on film projects together but started their musical ventures at that time. Pete joined shortly after. They began playing at home and did some recording on Ronnie's four track unit. 'Zero Mental Activity' is their first single, recorded during the summer of 1983 along with nine other tracks that have yet to reach vinyl. Previously they had a taped song included on the playlist of KGNU out of Boulder, 'Budapest Calling.'
Thier label Avant Audio is owned by band member Ronnie Cramer. Aside from providing a means for his band to record he has also provided other local artists with the means to record their first records, most notably Denny and the Wayouts. It is basically a project Ronnie has taken on by himself to further his own knowledge and establish himself in the business.
Madge, a full time student, began with the band 'for fun and because Ronnie asked me.' She has had extensive voice training, including some opera, but enjoys singing this type of music the most. But she says her teachers don't like it, they can even tell that she has been singing by the quality of her voice. At the moment, Ronnie and Pete have been keeping the band together as Madge completes her studies at DU. She would like to attend the Graduate School of International Studies in the fall. This doesn't leave much time for the band; but with summer coming she hopes to be able to put more time into it. Ronnie is currently working on new material for an upcoming EP, which should be out fairly soon.
The band has done some videos that should start appearing on Channel 12's Teletunes soon and they hope to get them on MTV in the not-so-distant future. Ronnie is the creator of all the visuals. He has done the entire concept for the releases which rely heavily on visual effects.
Alarming Trends' songs all deal with depressing topics. It is socially-oriented music - they contemplate the times and especialy the views of the world in the late 1970s. The videos are done in black and white to compliment the times and the topics. Madge considers it to be a black and white world we are living in. The music has Armageddon overtones. he group has been influenced by bands such as Siouxsie and the Banshees and Suburban Lawns. But Madge says she doesn't pattern her voice after anyone but uses them (above groups) as a reference.
Alarming Trends hasn't done any live performances to date. They have stuck strictly to recording, but would consider doing a concert if they find it necessary. Madge said she would enjoy doing a concert here at DU if the opportunity arises.
The music is unique for this area. It is very haunting in its presentation. 'Zero Mental Activity' is airy as it flows through the various verses. Madge's voice is a perfect compliment to the sound that Ronnie has achieved on the synthesizer. The B-side of the single, 'Jailbait,' is a rapid fire song that revolves around the punchy start/stop rhythm, speedy cymbal fills and a heavy machine-gun drumbeat. The single is wonderful and all we can do is wait for more music by this surprisingly good Denver band. - Michael Henry
June 15, 1984
Denver Post
Denver, CO
Alarming Trends. Zero Mental Activity b/w Jailbait
The brains behind Alarming Trends is Ronnie Cramer, who produced the group's 45 as well as playing guitars and keyboards. His techno-handiwork is a setup for vocalist Madge Truesdell, whose style places the band in the Berlin/Missing Persons category. - G. Brown
June 17-19, 1984
Freereelin' Studio
1175 S. Lincoln
Denver, CO
Eight-track recording session for eight-song Alarming Trends demo tape:
So Long Zsa Zsa
I Walk Alone
Dancing at Gunpoint
Plastic Man
Jailbait
White Cross
You're Always Crying
Rude Seduction
Producer: Ronnie Cramer, Engineer: Jeff Franek.
Vocals: Tammy Lucero, Bass: Pete Staff, Drums: Nate Winger.
July 4, 1984
Mountain Ears Studio
Boulder, CO
24-Track recording session:
Oh Jim Jones
Mangled Nerve Center
I Walk Alone
Without You Fine
No Cause for Alarm
White Cross
Echoes in the Dark (Cramer/Staff)
You're Always Crying
So Long Zsa Zsa
Dancing at Gunpoint
Producer: Ronnie Cramer, Engineer: Paul Winger
August 18, 1984
Blue Note
1116 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO
Musical performance by Alarming Trends
Also on the bill: Dietplan
August 20, 1984
Pearl Street Music Hall
1308 Pearl St.
Denver, CO
Musical performance by Alarming Trends
September 8, 1984
Mercury Cafe
Bamboo Gardens
2121 E. Colfax
Denver, CO
Musical performance by Alarming Trends
Also on the bill: The Aviators
September 13-14, 1984
Pearl Street Music Hall
1308 Pearl St.
Denver, CO
Musical performance by Alarming Trends
Also on the bill: Define Print, The Envy and Denny and the Way-Outs
September 20, 1984
Pearl Street Music Hall
1308 Pearl St.
Denver, CO
Musical performance by Alarming Trends
Also on the bill: The Ones
September 22, 1984
Packinghouse
5075 Packinghouse Rd.
Denver, CO
Musical performance by Alarming Trends
Also on the bill: Dietplan
September 28-29, 1984
Mercury Cafe
Bamboo Gardens
2121 E. Colfax
Denver, CO
Musical performance by Alarming Trends
Also on the bill: The Aviators
October 6, 1984
Packinghouse
5075 Packinghouse Rd.
Denver, CO
Benefit for Pirate Art Gallery
Musical performance by Alarming Trends
Also on the bill: Dietplan
October 16-17, 1984
Pearl Street Music Hall
1308 Pearl St.
Denver, CO
Musical performance by Alarming Trends
October 25, 1984
Mountain Ears Studio
Boulder, CO
Halftrack session for 'Alarming Trends' album:
Oh Jim Jones
Mangled Nerve Center
I Walk Alone (Cramer/Staff)
Without You Fine
No Cause for Alarm
White Cross
Echoes in the Dark (Cramer/Staff)
You're Always Crying
So Long Zsa Zsa
Dancing at Gunpoint (Cramer/Staff)
Music and Lyrics by Ronnie Cramer except as noted
Producer: Ronnie Cramer, Engineer: Paul Winger
October 25, 1984
Pearl Street Music Hall
1308 Pearl St.
Denver, CO
Musical performance by Alarming Trends
Also in the bill: The Rumble
November 14, 1984
Westword
Alarming Trends has an album on the way; the advance cassette of a handful of songs marks the release as a hardpop (as opposed to hardcore) mix of 1977 punk ethics matched to a penchant for catchy hooks. . - Gil Asakawa
November 1984
Alarming Trends
Alarming Trends
Cassette 20-84703
Oh Jim Jones
Mangled Nerve Center
I Walk Alone (Cramer/Staff)
Without You Fine
No Cause for Alarm
White Cross
Echoes in the Dark (Cramer/Staff)
You're Always Crying
So Long Zsa Zsa
Dancing at Gunpoint (Cramer/Staff)
Produced by Ronnie Cramer and featuring Tammy Lucero on vocals, Pete Staff on bass and Nate Winger on drums. Songs written by Cramer except as noted.