The Dinettes formed in San Diego as The Cockpits in 1978 who, after a couple of line-up changes, coalesced around Cindy Brisco (drums), Doriot Negrette (vocals), Irene Liberatore-Dolan (drums), Joyce Rooks (guitar, vocals), Lisa Aston Emerson (guitar), and Sue Ferguson (keyboards) as The Dinettes.
The band played at the first Western Front punk festival in San
Francisco, organized by Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra. In late 1979, the band released a single recorded at Accusound,
“Poison” b/w “T.V.” They also recorded demos at Straighta Head Sound,
and a live tape was later circulated from a November 1979 gig at the
Deaf Club in San Francisco.
Rooks split in 1980, and the Dinettes later
allowed men to integrate the group, though they ultimately split for
good around 1981. Lisa Aston (later Lisa Aston Emerson) continued to play punk with the
Injections and Xterminators. Singer/drummer Irene Liberatore joined the
Puppies with Dale Conover . Rooks joined Trowsers, a ska/reggae band as well as becoming a latterday member of the
Penetrators.
