She's Dian. And she was the Most

Singer Dian Zain passed away last week. You may not have heard her name before. But if you were part of the Bright Lights punk/new wave scene here in Syracuse in the late '70s and very early '80s, you knew Dian. She was, in some ways, our brightest light, a pint-sized bundle of energy and enthusiasm, dancing, singing, bopping, and preaching a Gospel of rock 'n' roll. 

Dian's highest public profile came as the lead singer of the Most from 1979 to 1980. Even before that, she was the face of punk in Syracuse, an androgynous figure with razor-cut hair and razor-cut clothing, reigning benevolently o'er the dancefloor at Flashcubes shows circa '77-'79. 'Cubes guitarist Paul Armstrong was her boyfriend at the time, and Dian was a relentless de facto 'Cubes promoter. Dian thought the Flashcubes deserved to be stars. She never shied from proclaiming that conviction.

I saw her join the Flashcubes on stage a couple times, I think. I remember a show at the Firebarn in 1978, when the 'Cubes backed Dian as she sang the Patti Smith Group's "Because The Night." She wanted the Flashcubes to hit big, but she had personal ambitions, as well. She didn't just want to be a star's girlfriend. Dian wanted to be a star herself.

Toward that end, Dian recorded a single in 1979. Paul Armstrong's on there, along with Zenny Caucasian and Ducky Carlisle of the Ohms. The B-side was "(Do The) Jumping Jack," a Paul Armstrong song from the Flashcubes' early days. The A-side was a Dain Zain original, "Take A Chance."

PA: Hey, ya goin' to the dance tonight?

Dian: Yeah, what else is there?

Paul and Dian's spoken exchange opens "Take A Chance," a pure pop confection that would have been worthy of Blondie. The "Take A Chance"/"(Do The) Jumping Jack" 45 was pressed and nearly ready for release that summer of '79, when Paul Armstrong was suddenly dismissed from the Flashcubes. Paul joined Dian's new combo, alongside members of a Watertown band called the Upbeats: guitarist Derek Knott, bassist Tommy O'Reilly, and drummer Judd Williams. It was too late to change the label on the 45, which credits the single to just Dian Zain. But there was time to create a picture sleeve, showing the members of this new band and introducing them to the world with their debut single. Ladies and gentlemen, THE MOST!!

That's Judd. He's the Most! That's Derek. He's the Most! That's Paul. He's the Most! That's Tommy. He's the Most! I'm Dian. And WE'RE THE MOST!

The Most made their live debut in August of '79, opening for the fabulous British pop group the Records at Stage East in East Syracuse. As she did at all of the Most's early live shows, Dian started the set by introducing the members of the Most before they launched into their opening number, an incredible pop song called "Let's Go Out Tonight."

Come on all you little girls and boys

Let's all go out tonight!

Chills. I was there at that first show, and at as many subsequent shows as I could witness. Over the approximate year of their existence, through three different distinct line-ups, the Most developed a killer repertoire, including Paul's Cubic remnants "Sold Your Heart" and "I'm Not The Liar," Tommy's "Best Of Me," ace interpretations of the Rolling Stones, the Heartbreakers, and the Rascals, and more originals: "(I Wanna) Bop With You," "Pinball NY," "Girls Don't Pay," "Think Twice," "Rockerfeller," "Who Am I?," "Habits," "Tomboys," "Cold War," "I Love You," "Not Guilty," "After School," and still more my memory refuses to concede at this late date. I was a fan. I was a big, big fan.

Image courtesy of Tamaralee Shutt

The members of the Upbeats returned to Watertown by the end of '79. Paul and Dian formed a brief alliance with the Ohms, as that group would open for the Most and then become the Most, Dian, PA, Zenny, Ducky, and Keith Korvair. A new Most formed in 1980, with bassist Dave Anderson and drummer Dick Hummer. In the summer of 1980, Hummer departed the group for his own solo act the Machine + Hummer; Ducky returned to the kit for the short remainder of the Most's tenure.

Dian and Paul's personal relationship ended in 1980, though they stayed together in the Most until, I guess, around August of 1980. Dian formed a new group, Zain Grey, and Paul, Dave, and Ducky became 1.4.5.

From my first Flashcubes shows in 1978 through my final Most shows in 1980, Dian was always nice to me. She appreciated people who shared her passion for rock 'n' roll, fellow fans of the beat and the bounce and the bright, bright lights. We'd chat between sets at 'Cubes gigs, and we'd talk more and more as the Most happened. At one Firebarn show, I was among several revelers brought on stage to help the Most sing the Flashcubes' "Got No Mind." The stage collapsed under all that extra weight--not my extra weight, 'cuz my part of the stage remained intact--and I reached out and grabbed Dian before she fell. Hey, I'm a fan and a hero!

Hey, speaking of that. I decided I wanted the Most to play in my college town of Brockport. I visited Dian and Paul's house in Solvay (actually within Syracuse city limits, but PA said everything west of Cookie Caloia's was in Solvay), and we hatched plans to bring the Most to Brockport. That show was a huge success, and Dian thanked me from the stage. Members of my circle shouted back, "He's my roommate!," "He's my boyfriend!," and "He's my hero!" Dian responded, "Well, he's our hero, too." Preen! I was paid forty dollars cash for securing the Brockport gig. As Dian gave me my commission, she said, "Here's the money, honey. You earned it."

Scan courtesy of Wes Connors

In that time frame, when I firmly (and correctly) believed that Syracuse groups were at least as good as any groups anywhere, the Most were my favorite local group. Yes, even more than the Flashcubes, at least in '79-'80. Both groups should have been huge. When I was 20, I imagined a jukebox rock 'n' roll flick called Let's Go Out Tonight!, a never-in-a-million-years movie that would have starred then-recent Playboy model Bo Derek and featured the Most on-screen singing the title tune. I so wanted them to succeed. But after that debut 45 of "Take A Chance," the Most only released one more track, "Rockerfeller," on a Rochester, NY compilation LP called From The City That Brought You...Absolutely Nothing. I did not return to Syracuse after graduating from college in 1980. I never had an opportunity to see Zain Grey. I didn't have any chance to speak with Dian Zain for decades.

I remain a fan. I remain disappointed that the Most's great songs are mostly lost to the public; if anyone wants to go into the vaults and dig out the Most's unreleased tracks for a CD compilation, I call dibs on writing the liner notes. Hell, this piece could be the liner notes. Yeah, I for damned sure remain a fan.

And I did speak again with Dian in 2014, when my This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio co-host Dana Bonn and I were helping to put together the first Bright Lights! Syracuse punk and new wave rock 'n' roll reunion show at Syracuse's Lost Horizon. The show was Paul Armstrong's idea; he had rejoined the Flashcubes years ago, and he would be playing at Bright Lights! with both 1.4.5. and the headlining 'Cubes. I asked him about the possibility of reuniting the Most, and he agreed. With that decided, I coordinated some logistics with Dian via email and telephone. On July 19, 2014, Dana and I introduced the Most as they reclaimed the Lost Horizon stage. Dian took over from there. I'm Dian, and WE'RE THE MOST! Yeah. Let's all go out tonight!

Today, Dian Zain is mourned by her family and friends, remembered as a mother and grandmother and a rock 'n' roll spirit beyond compare. I wish a wider audience had the chance to remember her now as a star. She was a star. The face of the Syracuse new wave. The voice of the fans, and the diminutive embodiment of our brightest lights. The lights are dimmer today. She was Dian. And she was the Most. She still is.

Ya goin' to the dance tonight?

Yeah.

What else is there?

Image courtesy of Tamaralee Shutt

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