Raindogs

Loved by critics and the Boston bar band circuit, the Raindogs were ready to break through for mass consumption. However, the group's roots rock sound never took off on a national level; it didn't help that their label shut down after releasing their second album. In the '80s, leader Mark Cutler (vocals, guitar) fronted the Schemers, a band that also flirted with chart success. In 1990, the Raindogs, named after a Tom Waits LP, released their debut full-length Lost Souls on Atco. Drawing comparisons to Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, and Bob Dylan should've been beneficial to the group, but press rhapsodies and regional stardom weren't enough to sell records. The Raindogs recorded another album, 1991's Border Drive-In Theater, before Atco folded. Not long after the band broke up, groups with a similar style such as Counting Crows and the Wallflowers became MTV and radio favorites. In 1995, Cutler released his first solo effort, Gasboy; it was chosen as Top CD of the Year by the Los Angeles Times. The follow-up, Skylolo, appeared in 1998. Cutler then formed Mark Cutler & Lexington 1-2-5 with Mike Tanaka (bass) and Bob Giusti (drums), recording a self-titled debut in 2000. ~ Michael Sutton, All Music Guide