Although Georgia and the Carolinas stood out as leading centers of 1980s jangle pop, Alabama likewise nurtured its share of strong contemporary pop acts, as shown by the Primitons. Formed in Birmingham in 1984, the group took its name from an abbreviation of “Primitive Tones” and was founded by guitarist-vocalist Mats Roden together with drummer-accordionist Leif Bondarenko, both of whom had earlier played in Jim Bob & the Leisure Suits. They soon recruited bassist Brad Dorset, a former classmate of Roden’s at the Alabama School of Fine Arts; the trio began performing locally while collaborating on material with lyricist Stephanie Truelove Wright, who never appeared onstage with them.
In 1985 the band cut a self-titled seven-song EP with producer Mitch Easter for the short-lived yet respected Boston indie Throbbing Lobster; the release earned strong critical notice and prompted regional touring along the South and East Coast. Dorset departed late that year, replaced on bass by Don Tinsley. The revised lineup recorded the 1986 12-inch single “Don't Go Away” backed with “Something on My Mind” and “Come What May,” issued by What Goes On Records.
Their debut full-length, Happy All the Time, appeared in 1987 and included a guest contribution from Tim Lee of the Windbreakers, yet limited promotional support and weak distribution kept the album from reaching beyond a devoted cult audience despite favorable reviews. The Primitons maintained a live presence until disbanding in 1990. In 2012 Arena Rock Records issued Don't Go Away: Collected Works, the first compact-disc edition of the band’s three original vinyl releases.
