MANY PEOPLE MIGHT consider Santa Cruz a tourist trap, hippie haven, or quiet college community without much in the way of a music scene – except for the occasional successful fluke like Camper Van Beethoven, Swingin' Utters, and Comets on Fire. Nothing could be further from the truth. From the mid-'90s until a few years ago, a slew of talented musicians and artists were active at local bars, clubs, and house parties. But, as it often goes, people move, creative differences come up, groups disband, and all that is left behind are the CDs, records, and demo tapes. These are some of the best bands Santa Cruz had to offer in recent history – the ones that should be sharing the limelight with their more famous contemporaries – but are no longer.

Junk Sick Dawn (1993-2000) Utilizing sounds from a wide array of influences – punk, the Pixies, and early Pink Floyd – Junk Sick Dawn had a thunderous style that could be poetically caterwauling one minute, melodic and melancholy the next. Through their almost 10 years of existence, the Santa Cruz band released a catalog of music that was just as addictive as any of the drugs William S. Burroughs wrote about in Naked Lunch (the band took their name from a passage). Abrasive, soul-baring sojourns "These Days," "Pizza Boy," and "Whiskey Bottle" and primal rockers "California" and "Jimi Toad" could have – and should have – propelled them from the underground onto larger stages. Songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist Tait Reed now plays with Noise Clinic. For information about Junk Sick Dawn, e-mail noiseclinics@hotmail.com.

Riff Raff (1992-2001) In their heyday, Riff Raff cut a swath through the legions of local wannabe punk bands with a dark and gritty but tuneful and precise approach. Riff Raff's aural assault ranged from lovelorn narratives ("Kirsten") to introspective examinations ("Best Friend") to vengeful and cathartic outbursts ("You Don't Know Shit"). Live, the latter would often climax with a packed roomful of kids all screaming, "You don't know who I am – fuck you!" at the top of their lungs and raising their middle fingers in a unified salute. It may not have been the most polished form of expression, but it was punk rock, and it was powerful. Several members of Riff Raff now play in First to Fall (www.firsttofall.com).

Sin in Space (1999-2002) Another Santa Cruz-area star that may have burned too brightly to have a long life was Sin in Space. Their lyrical storytelling and raw talent were more than out of this world – they could have soared to another galaxy had they been given time. On their lone CD release, Asteroid Band (Pandacide), the foursome melded the sound of post-punk and alternative rock into sonic vignettes that perfectly encapsulated what was happening around them at the time: "The whole world is fast asleep / Let's sneak in through their radios" ("Fortune Teller"). For more information go to www.pandacide.com.

The What Nots (1995-2000) Lush harmonies, a keen sense of dynamics, and sweet, intertwining male-female vocals were part of what made the What Nots so special, particularly at a time when most local bands couldn't get past the three-chord, bellowing-into-the-microphone type of skate punk that was popular with the kids. Weaving manic, frenzied breaks of fuzzed-out guitars with whisper-soft lullabies that dealt with relationships, family, and society, the quartet put out two CDs of top-notch rock 'n' roll. On songs like "Bitter," "Afraid," and "Everything Falls Apart," the What Nots incorporated a variety of styles into their sound – indie rock, blues, punk, and twang – all of which helped to push them into new territory.

S.M.