Alternate Learning: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|American power pop/new wave band}}

{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

| name = Alternate Learning

{{Infobox musical artist

| image = Alternate Learning performing in Davis, California, in 1980.jpg

| caption name = Alternate Learning performing in 1980.

| image = Alternate Learning performing in Davis, California, in 1980.jpg

| background = group_or_band

| caption = Alternate Learning performing in 1980.

| alias = ALRN

| genrealias = ALRN
| genre = [[Power pop]], [[New wave music|new wave]]

| years_active = {{Start date|1977}}–{{End date|1982}}

| origin = [[Sacramento, California]], CaliforniaUnited States

| label = Rational

| associated_acts = [[Game Theory (band)|Game Theory]], [[The Loud Family]]

| past_members = * [[Scott Miller =(pop musician)|Scott Miller]]

* [[Scott Miller (pop musician)|Scott Miller]]

* Jozef Becker

* Scott Gallawa

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Alternate Learning, which was [[Scott Miller (pop musician)|Scott Miller]]'s first band to record on independent recording label Rational Records, was initially formed while its original members were in high school.<ref name=burt/> Miller, Jozef Becker, and Scott Gallawa began performing at [[Rio Americano High School]] under the name Alternate Learning as early as 1977.

{{Infobox album

| Italicitalic_title title= no

| Namename = ALRN

| Covertype = ALRN EP front cover.jpg = ep

| name artist = Alternate Learning

| Type = ep

| Covercover = PaintedALRN WindowsEP front cover.jpg

| Artist = Alternate Learning

| alt =

| Releasedreleased = 1979

| Recorded =

| Genrerecorded =

| Lengthvenue = 12:19 =

| studio =

| Label = Rational

| genre =

| Producer = [[Scott Miller (pop musician)|Scott Miller]]

| length = 12:19

| Last album =

| Labellabel = Rational

| This album =

*| producer = [[Scott Miller (pop musician)|Scott Miller]]

| Next album =

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

The group's self-titled first release, a four-song 7" [[extended play|EP]], was recorded by the three original members in [[Sacramento]], in Miller's home recording studio. The EP was independently released on Rational Records in 1979.<ref name=burt/>

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{{Track listing

| headline = Track listing

| collapsed = no

| all_writing =

| writing_credits = yes

| title1 = Green Card

| length1 = 2:49

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===Original Davis line-up (1978–1980)===

[[File:Alternate Learning band photo 1980.jpg|thumb|376px|float|right|Alternate Learning performing in Davis, 1979–1980. Left to right: Lynn Ross, [[Scott Miller (pop musician)|Scott Miller]], Carolyn O'Rourke, Jozef Becker (drums), Scott Gallawa.]] In 1978, Miller moved the band to [[Davis, California]], where he was attending college.

Bass player Carolyn O'Rourke and keyboard player Lynn Ross joined the Davis-based band, which became regionally well known for their performances in the [[Sacramento]] area, in [[San Francisco]], and most frequently at [[U.C. Davis]].

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In February 1981, drummer Eric Landers joined Alternate Learning, as did keyboard player Byl Miller (no relation to [[Scott Miller (pop musician)|Scott Miller]]).<ref name=alrn-news5/>

{{Infobox album

| Italicitalic_title title= no

| Namename = Painted Windows

| Typetype = studio

| Cover = Painted Windows front cover.jpg

| Artistartist = Alternate Learning

| Type = studio

| cover = Painted Windows front cover.jpg

| Artist = Alternate Learning

| alt =

| Released = 1982

| Recordedreleased = 19811982

| recorded = 1981

| Genre =

| Lengthvenue = 36:11 =

| studio =

| Label = Rational

| Producergenre =

| length = 36:11

| Last album =

| Labellabel = Rational

| This album =

| Nextproducer album =

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

The 1981 lineup of Alternate Learning recorded a full-length [[LP record|LP]] called [http://www.discogs.com/ALRN-Painted-Windows/release/1619433 ''Painted Windows''], which was released on Rational Records.<ref name=alrn-discogs/> During the recording of ''Painted Windows'', Miller distanced the band from the previous ALRN release, writing in a newsletter that the 1979 EP "was not made by the present Alternate Learning, but by Scott Miller with Joe Becker and Scott Gallawa (now of Les-Z-Boys)."<ref name=alrn-news5/>

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{{Track listing

| headline = Track listing

| collapsed = no

| all_writing =

| title1= Another Wasted Afternoon

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==Legacy==

[[File:Nan Becker and the Wheels 2013-07-20.png|thumb|float|Nan Becker and the Wheels, performing at memorial tribute to Scott Miller in 2013.]]

===Material recorded by Game Theory===

On [[Game Theory (band)|Game Theory]]'s double album ''[[Lolita Nation]]'' (1987), the track "Pretty Green Card Shark" includes the opening portion of "Green Card."

In 1990, former Alternate Learning members [[Scott Miller (pop musician)|Scott Miller]], Jozef Becker, and Nancy Becker returned to the studio, joined by [[Michael Quercio]], to record a new version of the Alternate Learning song "Beach State Rocking." Despite being a new recording by [[Game Theory (band)|Game Theory]], the 1990 remake of "Beach State Rocking" was the opening track on the chronologically- ordered Game Theory compilation CD ''[[Tinker to Evers to Chance (album)|Tinker to Evers to Chance]]'', released on [[AliasEnigma Records]].

=== Memorial performance (2013) ===

After [[Scott Miller (pop musician)|Scott Miller]]'s death, a [[Game Theory (band)#2013 Reunion|memorial tribute concert]] was held in [[Sacramento]] on July 20, 2013, with proceeds directed to a memorial fund<ref name=millermemorial/> for the education of Miller's children.<ref name=cosper-obit/> Nancy Becker performed alongside Fletcher Gallawa (son of original member Scott Gallawa) and his band, billed as "Nan Becker and the Wheels," to open the show with a set of Alternate Learning songs that included "Green Card," "What's the Matter," and "When She's Alone."<ref name=yudt-obit/><ref name=cosper-obit/>

=== TracksRemastered tracks on Game Theory reissues (2014–20152014–2020) ===

TheAlternate Learning's original [[Mastering (audio)|master tapes]] were obtained by [[Omnivore Recordings]] after Miller's death, in connection with Omnivore's series of Game Theory reissues that began in 2014.<ref name=cmj2014/><ref name=omnivore/> As a result, the 2014 reissue of Game Theory's ''[[Blaze of Glory (Game Theory album)|Blaze of Glory]]'' included four bonus tracks from Alternate Learning: "What's the Matter" from the ''ALRN'' EP, and "Another Wasted Afternoon," "Beach State Rocking," and "The New You" from ''Painted Windows''.<ref name=slicing2014/> The material on the expanded version of ''Blaze of Glory'' was remastered from the original tapes.<ref name=cmj2014/> ''Blaze of Glory'' was reissued by [[Omnivore Recordings]] in September 2014 on CD and vinyl, as the first of a series of remastered releases of the complete Game Theory catalog.<ref name=cmj2014/><ref name=omnivore/>

A newly released live version of "Beach State Rocking" appearsappeared as a bonus track on Omnivore's 2015 reissue of ''[[Real Nighttime]]'', and the 2020 Game Theory's compilation ''[[RealAcross Nighttimethe Barrier of Sound: PostScript|Across the Barrier of Sound]]'', scheduledconcluded forwith releasea inremastered Marchversion 2015of "When She's Alone."<ref name=omnivore-rnpr/>

==Discography==

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|-

|{{dts|2014}}

|''[[Blaze of Glory (Game Theory album)|Blaze of Glory]]''

|{{ubl

|<small>

|"Another Wasted Afternoon" {{small|(track 13)<br />}}

|"What's the Matter" {{small|(track 14)<br />}}

|"Beach State Rocking" {{small|(track 20)<br />}}

|"The New You" {{small|(track 23)</small>}}

}}

|rowspan="2"|LP, CD

|rowspan="23"|OmnivoreLP, CD

|rowspan="23"|LP, CDOmnivore

|-

|{{dts|2015}}

|''[[Real Nighttime]]''

|<small>"Beach State Rocking (Live)" {{small|(track 19)</small>}}

|-

|{{dts|2020}}

|''[[Across the Barrier of Sound: PostScript]]''

|"When She's Alone" {{small|(track 25)}}

|}

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==References==

{{reflist|colwidth=30em|refs=

<ref name=omnivore-rnpr>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Game Theory ''Real Nighttime'' |publisher=[[Omnivore Recordings]] |date=January 26, 2015 |___location=Los Angeles, California |url=http://omnivorerecordings.com/press-release-game-theory-real-nighttime/ |deadurlurl-status=nodead |archiveurl=httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20150126211503/http://omnivorerecordings.com/press-release-game-theory-real-nighttime/ |archivedate=2015-01-2726 |access-date=2015-01-28 }}</ref>

<ref name=slicing2014>{{cite web |title=Game Theory’sTheory's 1982 debut ‘Blaze'Blaze of Glory’Glory' to be reissued with 11 unreleased bonus tracks |date=July 15, 2014 |work=[[Slicing Up Eyeballs]] |url=http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2014/07/15/game-theory-blaze-of-glory-reissue/ |deadurlurl-status=nolive |archiveurl=httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20140715190405/http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2014/07/15/game-theory-blaze-of-glory-reissue/ |archivedate=2014-07-15 }}</ref>

<ref name=cmj2014>{{cite journal |last=Davidson |first=Eric |title=Game Theory Catalog To Be Reissued: Blaze Of Glory out September 2 |date=July 15, 2014 |journal=CMJ |url=http://www.cmj.com/news/game-theory-catalog-reissued/ |deadurlurl-status=nodead |archiveurl=httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20140715185802/http://www.cmj.com/news/game-theory-catalog-reissued/ |archivedate=2014-07-15 |access-date=2014-07-26 }}</ref>

<ref name=omnivore>{{cite web |author=Omnivore Recordings |title=Release: Blaze of Glory |date=July 14, 2014 |url=http://omnivorerecordings.com/music/blaze-of-glory/ |deadurlurl-status=nolive |archiveurl=httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20140715041732/http://omnivorerecordings.com/music/blaze-of-glory/ |archivedate=2014-07-15 }}</ref>

<ref name=discogs-gt>{{Discogs release|release=1619964|name=Green Card EP|type=ep }}</ref>

<ref name=aggie3-3-82>{{cite news|last=Heinitz|first=Eric|title='Three Band Bash' a mixed bag|date=March 3, 1982|newspaper=[[The California Aggie]]|pages=2, 8 }}</ref>

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<ref name=alrn-discogs>{{cite web|title=Alternate Learning|publisher=Discogs|url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Alternate+Learning }}</ref>

<ref name=alrn-news5>{{cite web|title=Alternate Learning Newsletter|number=5|year=1981|url=http://musicbrainz.org/release/6b2cd59d-ec4b-46e4-beb7-4209e085734b/cover-art}} Archived ([http://coverartarchive.org/release/6b2cd59d-ec4b-46e4-beb7-4209e085734b/6229240342.jpg front], [http://coverartarchive.org/release/6b2cd59d-ec4b-46e4-beb7-4209e085734b/6227272279.jpg back]) from the original at [[Cover Art Archive]].</ref>

<ref name=burt>{{cite journal|last=Burt |first=Stephen |authorlink=Stephen Burt |title=Game Theory, or, Not Exactly the Boy of My Own Dreams |date=Winter 2011 |journal=[[New Haven Review]] |issue=9 |pages=6–25 |archiveurl=httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20120610214912/http://www.newhavenreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/NHR-9-Burt.pdf |archivedate=2012-06-10 |url=http://www.newhavenreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/NHR-9-Burt.pdf |url-status=dead }} Reprinted as {{cite journal|last=Burt |first=Stephen |authorlink=Stephen Burt |title=Game Theory: "Pure pop for nerd people," the greatest unknown '80s band |journal=[[Salon (website)|Salon]] |date=April 18, 2013 |url=http://www.salon.com/2013/04/19/game_theory_pure_pop_for_nerd_people_the_greatest_unknown_80s_band/ |archiveurl=httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20130419035244/http://www.salon.com/2013/04/19/game_theory_pure_pop_for_nerd_people_the_greatest_unknown_80s_band/ |archivedate=2013-04-19 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name=cosper-obit>{{cite journal|last=Cosper|first=Alex|title=Sacramentans pay tribute to musician Scott Miller|date=July 22, 2013|journal=Sacramento Press|url=http://sacramentopress.com/2013/07/22/sacramentans-pay-tribute-to-musician-scott-miller|deadurlurl-status=nolive|archiveurl=httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20131102184955/http://sacramentopress.com/2013/07/22/sacramentans-pay-tribute-to-musician-scott-miller|archivedate=2013-11-02}}</ref>

<ref name=discogs-15min>{{Discogs release|name=That's What You Always Say / Last Chance For You|release=1766975|type=single}}</ref>

<ref name=discogs-dream>{{Discogs release|name=The Days of Wine and Roses|release=763716|type=album}}</ref>

<ref name=discogs-other1>{{Discogs release|name=The Other #1|release=2697492|type=album}}</ref>

<ref name=gimarc>{{cite book|last=Gimarc|first=George|authorlink=George Gimarc|title=Punk Diary: The Ultimate Trainspotter's Guide to Underground Rock, 1970-1982|year=2005|publisher=Hal Leonard Corp./Backbeat Books|isbn=9780879308483|page=676|url=httphttps://books.google.com/books?vidid=4WM6Cb1z-PwC&pg=PA676 }}</ref>

<ref name=gt-news1>{{cite web|title=Game Theory Newsletter|date=Summer 1982|url=http://musicbrainz.org/release/e363939b-c700-4118-a71d-353e36fa1bf8/cover-art}} Archived ([http://coverartarchive.org/release/e363939b-c700-4118-a71d-353e36fa1bf8/6335633299.jpg front], [http://coverartarchive.org/release/e363939b-c700-4118-a71d-353e36fa1bf8/6335633829.jpg back]) from the original at [[Cover Art Archive]].</ref>

<ref name=rollingstone2013>{{cite journalmagazine|last=Blistein|first=Jon|title=Scott Miller, Game Theory and Loud Family Singer, Dead at 53|date=April 18, 2013|journalmagazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|url=httphttps://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/scott-miller-game-theory-and-loud-family-singer-dead-at-53-20130418|deadurlurl-status=nolive|archiveurl=httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20131021223728/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/scott-miller-game-theory-and-loud-family-singer-dead-at-53-20130418|archivedate=2013-10-21 }}</ref>

<ref name=strongdiscog>{{cite book|last=Strong|first=Martin C.|authorlink=Martin C. Strong|title=The Great Indie Discography|year=2003|publisher=Canongate Books|isbn=9781841953359|page=345|url=httphttps://books.google.com/books?vidid=HJfGtREyuSAC&pg=PT128 }}</ref>

<ref name=twr-form>{{cite web|last=Becker|first=Jozef|title=Thin White Rope formation|work=Davis 80s Music|url=http://www.davis80smusic.com/davis80smusic%20thin%20white%20rope%20joe%20becker.htm|deadurlurl-status=yesdead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070828221133/http://www.davis80smusic.com/davis80smusic%20thin%20white%20rope%20joe%20becker.htm|archivedate=2007-08-28 }}</ref>

<ref name=yudt-obit>{{cite news|last=Yudt|first=Dennis|title=A way with words: Friends pay tribute to Scott Miller, the late Davis artist who combined his love for music and literature into an influential career|date=July 18, 2013|newspaper=[[Sacramento News & Review]]|url=http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/PrintFriendly?oid=10674648|deadurlurl-status=nolive|archiveurl=httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20131119211740/http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/PrintFriendly?oid=10674648|archivedate=2013-11-19}}</ref>

<ref name=h2d-catalog>{{cite web|title=Homework:Track U.S.listings D.I.Y./Nofor Wavethe CDs''Homework'' compilation series|work=Hyped to Death CDs|url=http://hyped2death.com/catalog/indexHwktrx08.php?cPath=30html|deadurlurl-status=nolive|archiveurl=httphttps://web.archive.org/web/2013111212041120140306170152/http://hyped2death.com/catalog/indexHwktrx08.php?cPath=30html|archivedate=20132014-1103-1206}}</ref>

<ref name=millermemorial>{{cite web|title=Scott Miller Family Memorial Fund|url=http://www.gofundme.com/2nz0vk}}</ref>

<ref name=h2d-catalog>{{cite web|title=TrackHomework: listingsU.S. forD.I.Y./No theWave ''Homework'' compilation seriesCDs|work=Hyped to Death CDs|url=http://hyped2death.com/Hwktrx08catalog/index.htmlphp?cPath=30|deadurlurl-status=nolive|archiveurl=httphttps://web.archive.org/web/2014030617015220131112120411/http://hyped2death.com/Hwktrx08catalog/index.htmlphp?cPath=30|archivedate=20142013-0311-0612}}</ref>

<ref name=h2d-catalog>{{cite web|title=Homework: U.S. D.I.Y./No Wave CDs|work=Hyped to Death CDs|url=http://hyped2death.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=30|deadurl=no|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20131112120411/http://hyped2death.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=30|archivedate=2013-11-12}}</ref>

}}

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* {{Discogs artist|artist=Alternate Learning|name=Alternate Learning}}

* {{Discogs artist|artist=15 Minutes|name=15 Minutes}}

* {{cite web|title=Scott Miller Family Memorial Fund|url=http://www.gofundme.com/2nz0vk}}

{{Authority control|MBA=bbc3352e-1f1c-475d-a18d-04f8b8e9e644}}

[[Category:Musical groups established in 1977]]

[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1982]]

[[Category:Musical groups from Davis, California]]

[[Category:AmericanAlternative Newrock Wavegroups musicalfrom groupsCalifornia]]

[[Category:AlternativeAmerican rocknew wave musical groups]]

[[Category:American power pop groups]]

[[Category:1977 establishments in California]]

[[Category:1982 disestablishments in California]]

[[Category:CollegeScott rockMiller groups(pop musician)]]

[[Category:Alternative rock groups]]