The Dashboard Saviors

Alan P. Scott - Memory

drivin' blind

DASHBORD.GIF The Saviors in this photo are (left to right):
Todd McBride
vocals and rhythm guitar
Mike Gibson
lead guitar
John Crist
drums
Rob Veal
bass
Photograph from a Seattle club's Web page, I believe - I was unable to locate the source when I went looking. Caption corrected 12/15/1997 (duh - thanks for noticing, Keith!)

The Dashboard Saviors worked out of Athens, Georgia. I used to play bass with two of their members (Mike and John) and Tim Flanery as Wenton Gone, a short-lived garage band in Huntington, West Virginia.

The Saviors came pretty close to being famous; their first album got them featured (with a color photograph, yet) in Rolling Stone's "New Faces" section for December 10-24, 1992.

The Dashboard Saviors discography:

The Dashboard Saviors CDs were being distributed by Blue Rose records (per Jonathan Spencer 1/1999) but do not appear on their website as of May 2002.

Chronology 1996-2006:

Summer 1996:
Contrary to what I'd originally reported in this space, all four members of the Saviors stuck it out together long enough to go on tour in Germany in the summer of 1996, before John Crist left the band to perform with fellow Twin Tone/Medium Cool artist Marlee Macleod. I've seen Macleod play, too, at the Ash Street Saloon in Portland. John played on her CDs "Favorite Ball and Chain" and "Vertigo."
December 1997:
Athens correspondent Keith ("Bear") informed me via email December 13, 1997 that the Saviors had played a show at the High Hat in Athens with Marlee MacLeod in early December, so they weren't totally defunct at that point. Todd McBride was pursuing a solo career, starting with an album called Sketchy, with backing band The Possibilities on the German label Blue Rose Records, and was preparing an overseas tour.
January 1999:
"Bear" was playing guitar with Todd McBride, drummer Chad and a bass player named Jonathan W. Spencer. Jonathan was kind enough to email me with information about Todd (including some URLs and details about his solo album) and an update on what they're doing as World of Gamblers, formed in January '99. They played multiple gigs in and around Athens, the first one in the High Hat, opening for the Drive-By Truckers. World of Gamblers was also working on a deal with Blue Rose, with plans to record an album in April 1999 and for a two-month European tour in the fall of '99.
April 2002:
John Crist flew to Athens for a Dashboard Saviors reunion show April 20, 2002, at the Tasty World bar. Reportedly, it went very well.
May 2003:
Sloan Simpson tells me the Saviors have two reunion shows this month - May 30, 2003 at Tasty World in Athens, and May 31 at Star Community Bar in Atlanta GA.
January 2007:
Check out Sloan Simpson's site for details - and MP3s - of a three-quarters reunion show (sounds like John's drumming is missing) at the 40 Watt in Athens on December 16, 2006.

Further developments as they're available and as time (and disk space) allow.

See also quotes I've collected from

©1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2007 Alan P. Scott. All rights reserved.

Last updated January 17, 2007.

Contact me:

ascott@pacifier.com