Memphis native Melton actually formed a version of the Bare Wires when he was still living in Tennessee, but dissolved the group before he relocated to California in 2006. A friend of the noted late garage-rock hero Jay Reatard, Melton cultivated a similar hook-heavy, rough-and-tumble style on recordings with his psychedelic biker-punk band Snake Flower 2 and a reconstituted version of Bare Wires. The reformed band issued it's debut album 'Artificial Clouds' (which was mastered by Reatard) in 2008, showing off Melton's concept of "soft punk" that mixed sometimes snarling delivery with irrepressible melodies and an affection for the early punk and glam-rock sounds of the '70s.

The band would go through some line-up changes with Melton as the sole constant, but the group retained its distinctive sound on subsequent singles like the bracing "Let Down" 45 and last year's acclaimed sophomore full-length 'Seeking Love.' The band has stayed busy ever since, touring the States heavily while still finding time to track its recently released new UK single "Don’t Ever Change" (South Paw Records has also released what is sadly reported to be the final Snake Flower 2 single, the Memory Castle 7") as well as songs for the outfit's forthcoming third album 'Cheap Perfume' set for release October 18th On Southpaw Records.

Bare Wires play the Uptown in Oakland on Thursday, Sept. 1, 9 p.m. $10 with Burnt Ones and Hollow Earth