About
The Original DEXTERS Story
The Original DEXTERS were a raw, all-original rock band out of San Diego, California — a group that was grunge before grunge ever hit the scene. We were Nirvana before Nirvana ever Nirvana-ed out on anybody.
The lineup:
Nick Gadler – Keyboards, Lead & Backing Vocals
Rick Gadler – Drums & Backing Vocals
Spinner Chenelle – Rhythm Guitar
Andy Grossberg – Bass & Backing Vocals
David West – Guitar, Lead & Backing Vocals
Chet Urata – Lead Guitar & Backing Vocals
Formed in 1978 and active until 1985, The Dexters were built around songs by brothers Nick and Rick Gadler, but every member helped shape the sound that became unmistakably DEXTERS — melodic, emotional, and defiant.
Ahead of Their Time
The Dexters took pride in two things:
-
Writing the most heartfelt, original music to come out of San Diego.
-
Never playing a single cover song.
They were a garage band in every sense — broke, hungry, and driven. Living in rough neighborhoods with beat-up gear, they played purely for passion. The late-’70s music scene was dominated by disco and cover bands, but The Dexters didn’t fit in — and they didn’t care. They played parties, tiny clubs, and anywhere they could plug in, earning rave reactions from everyone who heard them. They absolutely believed they were going to evolve and move music away from disco into a cutting edge, brand new Rock & Roll style - and if they would have gotten a break they certainly would have...Nirvana did it over a decade later.
They never made a dime, never got a record deal, and never got a fair shot — but those who saw them knew they were witnessing something real....real awesome....with heartfelt musical drive, high energy sonic expression, passionate playing, lyrical sophistication and enduring enthusiasm.
The Lost Songs
Recording in a professional studio was never an option; the band simply couldn’t afford it. That meant their songs — 50+ originals in all — were never captured properly, and their chance to be heard slipped away. The music reflected their lives: the struggle, the love, the frustration, and the fire of youth.
Fast-Forward 40 Years
Decades later, a few members have passed on, but Nick Gadler — keyboardist, lead singer, and original songwriter — refused to let The Dexters fade into silence. He built his own home recording studio and painstakingly recreated the songs, note by note, with modern production but the same original spirit.
Now, for the first time ever, the world can finally hear what only a few thousand people heard back in the late 70's early 80's — the sound of a band that was ahead of its time.
The Legacy Lives On
After all these years, The Original DEXTERS are ready for their long-overdue debut.
A new album — recorded, produced, and fully realized by Nick Gadler — will be released worldwide February 16, 2026, with pre-orders opening January 2, 2026.
This isn’t nostalgia — it’s resurrection.
Something new, yet born of something lost.
Something real.
Ladies and Gentlemen — please enjoy The Original DEXTERS.