N-E-1 , anyone?

“We were good, and we joined lots of people having fun in SoCal back in the early ‘80s,” says sax player Eddie Croft of vintage new wave-ska rockers N-E-1. “There was a scene that we were enjoying along with many others locally, [but] after four years, we went in different directions.”

Originating in 1980 as the Cartunes, N-E-1 rehearsed in Spring Valley and performed at locales like Escondido’s Distillery East Nightclub and the Spirit Club in Bay Park (in a locale now home to Brick by Brick). The band’s brief tenure included opening for the Clash, Madness, UB40, and Oingo Boingo, as well as winning a 91X Rocks to Riches competition, becoming one of the radio station’s top 100 most requested bands with their single “1-2-3.” Another single was recorded at the end of 1980, “Hey You” b/w “Get Serious,” with the label billing the band as N/E-One (now very rare).

After recording a full-length called So We Go, the last N-E-1 performance before splintering was in 1987, with their final album being as the somewhat less ska-influenced Moon Dogs. The four founders reunited onstage for the first time as N-E-1 in July 2014 at the Museum of Making Music, and again that December at the Casbah, and once more in summer 2016 at Lestat’s.

N-E-1 will reunite for only the fourth time in over 30 years at the Tower Bar on April 7. “We’ll have all original members, with the exception of Richard “T-Bone” Larson, who’ll join us on drums,” says Croft of the lineup to include Tim Cien on vocals and guitar, Manny Cien on bass and vocals, and Rob Glickman playing lead guitar.

All four N-E-1 founders still live in San Diego, so why hasn’t the band reconvened more often? “Many years have passed,” says Croft, “but it’s great to revisit the songs… we have talked about recording new songs, but we have no plans to reissue. I have seen our single ‘1-2-3’ catch a few bucks more than we sold them for.”

Beginning in 2014, Croft also played with Tim and Manny Cien in Heavy on the 7, and Croft went on to perform and record with Buddy Blue, Rocking Dopsie, Midnight Death Trap Quartet, and Blue Largo. Tim and Manny Cien sometimes perform blues together as the Fire Brothers, and members have also been known to appear as the Reign Makers. Other N-E-1 members at various times included Clifford Marcial Jomuad (who left in 1982 and formed his own band two years later, Nein) and Bill Williams.

With so many other vintage bands from the ‘80s having reunited over the past few years, what is it about that era’s sound that seems to have such legs, especially on alternative radio and in contemporary movie soundtracks?

 “I don’t know,” says Croft, “but I hope to hear the Clash played on a hammered dulcimer in the nursing home one day.”