The Breakaways

The Breakaways existed only briefly as a vehicle that connected Peter Case and Paul Collins to their tenures in the foundational power pop outfit the Nerves and their subsequent bands the Plimsouls and the Beat. After guitarist Jack Lee’s departure brought the Nerves to a close in 1978, Case and Collins formed the Breakaways to maintain their forward momentum. Because Lee had supplied most of the Nerves’ material, the two treated the new project as a platform for their own songwriting, beginning with concentrated writing sessions inside a cavernous basement that also contained the Masque, the storied Los Angeles punk club and gathering spot. Harlan Hollander handled guitar while Case played bass and sang and Collins handled drums and vocals; Hollander left after the first demo, and the group expanded to a quartet by adding Ian Espinoza on lead guitar and Danny Biazys on rhythm guitar. The revised lineup cut further tracks and played concerts after debuting live at the Whisky a Go Go, yet the guitarists soon departed, prompting Case and Collins to step forward as frontmen and recruit bassist Steve Huff and drummer Mike Ruiz. This configuration performed additional club dates and recorded several demos, some featuring Brandon Mattheson on drums. The partnership between Case and Collins gradually unraveled as their artistic goals diverged; Case exited in late 1978 to start the Plimsouls, while Collins, Huff, and Ruiz formed the Beat after enlisting guitarist Larry Whitman. The Breakaways’ recordings finally appeared in 2009 on the album Walking Out on Love: The Lost Sessions.