Archives 2005

Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah to all of you which just happen to fall on the same day this year.

We have 2 new reviews this week:
1) La Famiglia by the Hudson Falcons on Street Anthem Records
2) My Black Girlfriend by the Disco Students on Yeah!Yeah!Yeah! Records
You can read the reviews by clicking on this line.

December has been a very good month starting with my daughter's college graduation. She was raised on punk which I'm sure gave her all her smarts.

images/Grad Day Alli and Sara.JPG (72668 bytes)

Congratulations Alli (on the left) and her soon to be roommate, Sara.

Our condolences go out to the friends and family of Ralph 'Witt' Katherman, who founded the M80's and was a member of our very own Horehounds. Too many punk deaths. It makes me wonder if we're a cursed breed.

Special Request: Craig Allen Rothwell, a.k.a. Spazz Attack, if you are out there somewhere, please contact me because your old best friend, Rover, a.k.a. Rose, would dearly love to reconnect with you. willy@punk-information.com

Don't forget to get a copy of the new Horehounds album! See the special offer below. 26 songs total which includes 15 new tunes and the entire remixed "No Time For You" album originally released on LP only on Rockin' Bones Records.

The CD is fabulous. Thanks a mill. I love those horehounds. The sound quality is really good too. I was rockin' out while I jogged.
-- Tina Walden, Friend

Sounds great. Looks great!
-- Steve Stiph, Former world's oldest teenager and original L.A. punkster

I'm having fun playing it at extremely loud volumes. I think it just sounds better that way.
-- Mario Solis, Founder of Plastic Idol Records

Thanx SO much, they're great. I have been able to listen to about the first 10 songs so far. I like...I like it a lot. It sounds like the kind of stuff I would like to play now around the local clubs. The kids here would eat it up. I mean, titles like " Big Fuckin' Tits " and " Snatch"....you gotta love it. Some of the material, the pace and beat remind me of the Gears...remember them???? Good old school Punk.
-- Dan Wasko, Red Army

Hey, I really like this Horehounds CD. Leave it to Wankin Stiphs to find the great rock and roll gems. yyyeeeeaaaahhhh!!!
-- James Lerie, Black Jax and Deadbeat Sinatra, among others

Your Horehounds CD came at a great time. I was in a poop mood so I just did as instructed - ROCK OUT.
-- Bente Hassel, my cousin

Special just released price: $9 USA/Canada postage paid and $11 overseas airmail postage paid. Paypal to willy@punk-information.com or money order payable to Willy Aadnoy and mailed to PO Box 6480 Mesa, AZ 85216 USA. Overseas Paypal or cash only.

December will be a busy month - birthday, college graduation, visits from afar, time off work and Christmas and New Year's Eve. Another good year for us. I hope yours has gone as well.

This is the week of the 25th anniversary of deaths of John Lennon and Darby Crash. John Lennon and the Beatles helped me make it through my childhood. I became an obsessed fan when I was 8 years old and heard the "Meet the Beatles" album over at the house of some older kids. My dad was an alcoholic and never paid much attention to me except when I did things I shouldn't have. I can't even begin to count the number of times I was threatened with reform school. However, the music of the sixties, and the Beatles in particular was my escape from real life. I fell asleep with my transistor radio on in bed hoping that they would play a Beatles song. I can still remember exactly where I was when I learned that John Lennon had been killed. I had just returned from school and my wife said "John Lennon has been shot". I turned on the TV and learned that he had died. I cried.

And within a day of each other Darby Crash was dead. One of the leaders of the other most important period of my life, the original L.A. punk scene. I may not have known a lot of the punks that comprised the scene but I was there through much of it and these people were like family. Way too many are now dead. Darby's death was a suicide. From that aspect, it is a coward's way to go. The ones that suffer are the ones left behind - friends, family and fans. I respect Darby for his contributions to the scene but I don't respect his death.

Finally, over the last couple of weeks I have on several occasions walked past a makeshift memorial on the corner where a 15 year old local girl, Amanda Sims, died in a car crash. I didn't know her, but a photo of her is there at the memorial. I couldn't possibly imagine losing one of my own children and seeing the outpouring of love for this dead girl really hits home and makes you appreciate what you have.

OK, I got my review pile worked down. This week you get the following:

1) The Ugly Truth About Blackpool - Volume One CD by Various Artists on JSNTGM Records
2) Gas the Punx CD by the Disrupters on Overground Records
3) Jerk Off by the Jerks CD on Overground Records
4) Diggy Diggy Dead CD by Various Artists on Rubble Records
5) New Day, New Enemy E.P. split 7" by Higgins++ and Sick56 on JSNTGM Records

I also managed to figure out how to create new buttons using Microsoft Paint to put the lettering on. I woulda done it a long time ago if I just knew how!

Additionally, the L.A. punk history section has been broken up into five pages for you neanderthals that still have dial up connections. I will also be updating and adding pictures in the coming weeks.

Special 18th birthday wishes go out to Lois on the 21st. Remember, tattoos are permanent! Here's a little P.I.D. birthday cake for you.

Still on my laziness binge this week so I still have 5 reviews to do. I have no excuses this next week since I'm off work, so look for those next week.

I'm feeling kinda lazy this week. Watching the first half of the Cardinals game this morning as I write this hasn't helped my mood any either. So this week is going to be a real brief one.

I still have about 4 reviews that need to get done. I'm on vacation for a week at the end of this week so it should get done shortly.

Thanks to those of you that responded to last week's weekly update. The consensus is that the Hot Topic kids these days will never understand and the punks of old didn't look for trouble but they didn't back down from it either when it presented itself. There was plenty of violence but it was mostly directed at the punks and not vice versa. Remember the Elk's Lodge and all the other time the LAPD decided that punks were too dangeroud to be allowed to play aggressive music?

Remember when punk used to be dangerous? Well, if you don't, you're probably not old like me. There was a day when punk rock and punks themselves were considered to be no better than the likes of Charlie Manson. These punks would spit on you at the drop of a hat and kick your ass if you so much as gave them a sideways glance. At least that's the what the media told you. The first wave of punks were for the most part actually pretty cool people who just didn't fit in with so-called normal society and were looking for a place to call their own. Most would tell that they hate the term "punk" which was given to the music and the look by journalists. That term made it sound pretty threatening in and of itself. I've known a lot of "punks" in my day and they have been some of the most artistic, intelligent and cool people you would ever want to meet.

So what happened to the danger? Punk in the 00's has gone mainstream. Many have gone into careers in the arts and inject punk into their projects as you can hear on movie soundtracks, television and radio. How dangerous can such "punk" acts as Green Day be when they are hosting MTV's New Years Eve party from Time Square? How pathetic is it when self proclaimed "punks" like Avril Lavigne say shit "I need to check out Ramones to see what all the fuss is about".

This is not to say that there are not great bands out there. There are more than you can imagine. The truly great ones however are stuck so far underground with little hope of ever getting recognition beyond a small core of fanatics such as myself. So drink a toast to those bands and those small labels that keep the underground going knowing that they are never going to make money and measure success by how minimal a loss they actually take. These are the people that carry on the traditions of the early pioneers and add back that little slice of danger that got lost a long time ago.

I know that I ended the Pick of the Week a few weeks ago but the new album by the Radio Reelers, "The Next Best Thing", is just too good not to give a plug for. This things rips like a motherfucker and then rips some more. If you like your punk with a solid dose of rock, great songs and melodies and a searing guitar attack, this is for you.

Going back to our theme of last week for a second, ol' George had another great week. His supreme court nominee bowed out, the government response in Florida to Hurricane Wilma has been bad (no election this year), and one of the highest ranking members of the White House staff has been indicted for perjury, obstruction of justice and false testimony. You go George!

New additions this week:
Web Zines: GaragePunk.com The past, present, and future of garage, punk, and primitive rock’n'roll. Podcasting Wankin' Stiphs releases.

So, it's been almost a year and I've bitten my tongue and not said one word about our illustrious "leader". But, rejoice my friends, because Bush bashing is back for one glorious week! You didn't listen last year when I warned you. You reelected the moron to another term. Kerry was a poor candidate but like I said, even if he was the second worst president ever, it would be an improvement. Do I have to say I told you so?

1) The poor black folks in New Orleans are wiped out by a super hurricane while the prez relaxes on his ranch in Crawford. Then he goes down for a photo op with dead bodies strewn all over the city and jokes about how he used to come to New Orleans in his younger days and get blitzed! The rich folks in Republican voting areas of Florida that were hit by two hurricanes just prior to the election last year had no trouble getting the federal assistance when they needed it. Hmmmm, I wonder why?

2) Bush's brain, Karl Rove, and the Cheney's right hand man, Scooter Libby, out a CIA operative because her husband dared call them on their false evidence for going forward with the Iraq war. Almost 2000 dead young men and women now over lies.

3) Harriet Miers, Supreme Court nominee. Those words alone should be enough to make anybody cringe. Her only qualifications are that she is ultra-religious, an evangelical Christian. This should be grounds for disqualification, not qualification. Whatever happened to separation of church and state? We chide the Iraqi government for leaning towards a theocracy while we try to build one ourselves? Ol' Harriet has promised to overturn Roe v. Wade if the vote comes. That is why she is where she is. Let's hope saner heads prevail.

4) The Republican "leadership" is in shambles. Delay is indicted for money laundering, Frist is accused of insider trading and of course we have the Rove and Libby saga we've already mentioned.

Bush bashing is much too easy these days. I suspect that many of you who voted for him may actually have questioned your decision this past year. Three more years. God help us all.

Three new reviews this week:
1) Antagonizers/Main Street Saints split CD on Street Anthem Records
2) "Basura Solamente" by After the Fight on Boner Records
3) "Nowhere Near Chicago" by the Copyrights on It's Alive Records
See the reviews by clicking on this line.

Here is the third of three installments of the Outcry fanzine downloads. Be patient, it takes about a minute or two on a high speed connection.

Thanks very much to Steve Stiph for permission to republish these great time capsules of the early 80's L.A. punk scene.

Hey, I really like this Horehounds CD. Leave it to Wankin Stiphs to find the great rock and roll gems. yyyeeeeaaaahhhh!!!
-- James Lerie, Black Jax and Deadbeat Sinatra, among others

Your Horehounds CD came at a great time. I was in a poop mood so I just did as instructed - ROCK OUT.
-- Bente Hassel, my cousin

New additions this week:
Web zines: The Dirt Web zine by the Horehounds' very own SamboneRocknRollMotherfucker.

So the 70's L.A. punk shoot photo has finally been published. It can be found in the L.A. City Beat magazine which also has an online site containing one of the photos. here is the link the the site: www.lacitybeat.com and here is the link to the photo: http://www.lacitybeat.com/punk-group-shot.jpg

Here is the second of three installments of the Outcry fanzine downloads. Be patient, it takes about a minute or two on a high speed connection. www.punk-information.com/images/outcry2.pdf

Don't forget to get copy of the new Horehounds album! See the special offer below. 26 songs total which includes 15 new tunes and the entire remixed "No Time For You" album originally released on LP only on Rockin' Bones Records.

Just back from Vegas. A big thank you to Rose and Ralph for salvaging what could have been a really depressing weekend. Our visit was worth the trip alone.

Big news this week! The release of Wankin' Stiphs third release, "Rock Out With the Horehounds". Featuring SamboneRocknRollMotherfucker on guitar and vocals with Witt Drawls, Ash, Josh, Steve Baise and Greg Wise rounding out the line ups. These guys have a resume that is a veritable who's who of punk rock'n'roll and garage from the last 15 years. Bands that these guys have played in include the Devil Dogs, Vikings, Big Bobby & the Nightcaps, Strap-Ons, M-80's, Buzzoven, Dirty Fingers, Shunts, Candy Snatchers, Adam West, Thee Apostles and more, more, more....

26 songs total which includes 15 new tunes and the entire remixed "No Time For You" album originally released on LP only on Rockin' Bones Records.

Some quick administrative stuff first. Real life (work) imposed on my fun life (this web site) last week so I missed last week's update. A couple of 20+ hour work days will throw you off your game a bit.

We have 4 new music reviews this week:
   1. "Naysayers and Yesmen/Laugh Now Cry Later" by Reno Divorce
   2. "...Is Still Murder" by The System
   3. "Get Smart EP" by the Underhills
   4. "Erectospective" by Kill the Hippies
You can read the reviews by clicking this line.

It is with great sorrow that we bid farewell to Mario as a contributor to the P.I.D. Mario had been providing his informed commentary to the site since April 28 of 2002, nearly 3 ½ years! Now, he didn’t want me to write up a tribute to him but how could I not?

There is probably no one I have ever known that I have learned more about punk from than Mario and he’s just a baby in his mid 20’s. I have appreciated his contributions to the site these last few years and we have had the opportunity to get together on several occasions to go record shopping or just listen to tunes together.

Mario and I actually “met” on a punk message board. He posted an item about how much he admired Hostage Records. I replied that “Oh, no. Don’t tell everyone about Hostage until I’ve managed to collect all the items I wanted from the label”. Mario replied that he hadn’t meant to incite some “collector scum alert”. I took offense to being labeled “collector scum” and called him on it. Anyway, we’ve been friends for several years now and I always remind him of the time he called me “collector scum”.

We seldom agree as to the merits of a lot of bands (Coachwhips. Cough. Cough) and argue about things like song lengths, how much to pay for an item and Interpunk but I have great admiration for what he is doing and his dedication to the punk arts. So what is he doing? He helps set direction for KDVS radio station in Davis , CA for their punk department and also DJ’s on the air. He also runs Plastic Idol Records (which was named as a result of listening to a 7” by the Plastic Idols at my house) and has put out some excellent releases and has more in the hopper. His concentration is on 7” records and anyone who knows anything about limited vinyl pressings knows that you have to do it for the love of the music because there’s no money to be had. Between the radio station and the record label, not mention a full time job, Mario has way too much on his plate to worry about sending me updates every week.

You have not heard the last from Mario. I expect those Plastic Idol Records to be spinning one lots of turntables in the years to come.

Immediate casualties of the change are the Pick of the Week and monthly Top Ten/Playlist lists. Those were originally added to give Mario a means to make a weekly contribution.

These are my plan over the remainder of 2005 and into 2006: I want to update my L.A. punk history section with additional information I have received since publishing it. I need to scan and post the remaining two issues of Steve Stiph's great Outcry fanzine. I need to get my buttons up to date since I lost the software I was using for that when my machine crashed last year. We also have a new Wankin' Stiphs release (Rock Out With the Horehounds) which is coming out any day now which needs to be promoted. And 2006 will dedicated to the discographies. If I do one letter every 2 weeks, it'll take exactly a year to update it properly.

After spending most of the last few days flat on my back with and upper respiratory tract infection, my doctor says get lots of rest so this week's update will be fairly short.

A little housekeeping first - I have about 4 reviews that need to get done and they will. Have patience.

In keeping with our theme of a summer long tribute to L.A. punk, I have a few tidbits.

First, I still have no information on the posting of the photo(s) from Gary Leonard's shoot last weekend. I'm sure someone will let me know when it's available.

Second, the response to the L.A. punk story I posted has been overwhelming and we have managed to reunite several old friends along the way. We even make connections through unusual sources (a friend of a friend mentioned that they knew you..., etc.). I heard directly from Jay Lansford (Simpletones), Robbie Fields (a.k.a. Posh Boy), Terry Graham (Bags) and Tracy Lea (Castration Squad) this week. Jay emigrated to Germany and plays in a great band called Gigantor that have just released their 7th album. Terry Graham is working on a punk book of his own called "Punk Like Me" which should be out later this year. Robbie, of course, started Posh Boy records way back when and has released some of the best of L.A.'s early bands. You can still read the story by clicking here: L.A. Punk I will be doing some significant revisions in the near future and adding photos.

Third, here is a more comprehensive list of the attendees at last week's photo shoot (new additions in green).

Rikk Agnew - Adolescents
Alice Bag - Bags
Kip Brown - Shock
Dinah Cancer - 45 Grave
Chazz - Masque/Backstage Pass
Brandon Cruz - Dr. No/"Courtship of Eddie's Father" TV Show
Marina Del Rey - Backstage Pass
Lisa Fancher - Frontier Records founder
Pleasant Gehman - Screamin' Sirens
Brian Grillo
Helen Killer - member of the Plunger Sisters
Jenny Lens - photographer
Paul Lesperance - Shock
Keith Morris - Black Flag/Circle Jerks
Nicole Panter - Germs manager
Kira Roessler - Black Flag
Paul Roessler - Screamers
Rover - first Go-Go's roadie
Jane Wiedlin - Go-Go's

This turned out a lot longer than I expected so one final thought. This is my favorite day of the year. The day you can dream that your team is going to the Super Bowl. Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm a Cardinals fan. When have they won anything? Well, the same could be said for the Boston Red Sox last year so for one day, hope springs eternal. (Post-game analysis. Did I say how much I hate the first day of football season? When all your dreams of a decent season are dashed by missed tackles, lousy defense, lousy offense and lousy special teams. The Cardinals suck. Again. Long season to come. Fuck!)

And lest we forget, it is 9/11 so we send another shout out to Bully's guitarist, Johnny Heffernan, who as a firefighter in New York, gave his life 4 years ago. He is a true punk hero.

6 songs of Ramones influenced pop pleasure from these Norwegians. With song names like "Rocky Beach", "I Just Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" and "Teenage Ramone", it's not hard to see where the influences come from. They have an unpolished quality to their tunes that I think adds to the appeal. It's not all downstrokes either, they also manage to throw a lead or two. As catchy as you would expect from the genre.

I drove the six hours from Phoenix to Hollywood to attend the Divas of Death show featuring Castration Squad, 45 Grave, Voodoo Church and Eva O. I had the great privilege of being escorted by three lovely young ladies - Rose, Lois and Frances. Rose, of course, is first wave L.A. punk icon, Rover, and Lois and Frances are two of her daughters. Rose has so many stories about her time on the scene. She was very close to Darby Crash and has the Germs burn administered by Darby himself.

Castration Squad were great with Dinah Cancer on vocals replacing the late Shannon and Alice Bag on keyboards. During one tune about death, they displayed slides showing the photos of many of the first wave of L.A. punks that are no longer with us. It gave me chills.

45 Grave were also very good. Most of the goth rock bands came along shortly after I left the scene in early 1980 so this was my first exposure to them. It's not a style that I normally go for but I did have a good time. Voodoo Church were also very good.

Eva O, on the other hand, really left me cold. Maybe that was the point. Eva's claim to fame is that she is Rozz Williams widow and she plays up the death aspects of her persona to excruciating levels. We ended up leaving before the set was over because it was just a little too hard to take.

Notable also from the show was meeting Michele Flipside and Greg from Artifix Records for the first time. James Lerie, of Black Jax fame was also present and I was really surprised when I ran into my nephew, Joe.

Most of the reason I went this weekend wasn't really music related but more so to hang out with old friends and new friends alike. In that regard, it succeeded beyond expectations.

I took my usual L.A. visit opportunity to visit one the world's great record stores, Vinyl Solution in Huntington Beach. I managed to pick up a good handful of vinyl for the collection.

The evening took me back to Hollywood and the Echo Club in Echo Park. I've been sending a lot of disposable income to Tom at Dead Beat Records in exchange for records and CD's and so I decided I might like to meet the guy and we decided to go this show. The Red Onions played first and are a group of Hispanic punkers belting out some garagey sounding tunes. Headlining was T Model Ford who I would guess is probably in his 70's. He played Mississippi blues while playing guitar and one other person played drums. He was awe inspiring to watch, never missing a note even when a group of young ladies came up on stage and danced around him and pawed him a bit while he was playing. He looked to have enjoyed the attention however.

One other interesting thing that happened while I was outside the club waiting for Tom was seeing a young lady standing on the nearby corner hitchhiking. I didn't think anything of it and was kind of pacing back and forth in front of the club when I look back and she's standing there hitchhiking topless. As I moved a little closer, off came the bottoms and she's standing totally nude on a corner of Sunset Blvd. hitchhiking. There was a guy snapping pictures of her the whole while and a blanket was quickly wrapped around her after a few shots so I'm sure it was a staged photo shoot.

While at the club, Adam of the Radio Reelers showed up with his twin brother Aaron. Tom is putting out their next album on Dead Beat Records. So they asked me if I wanted to join them for a little bar hopping and since I didn't have anywhere else to go, we headed down the street to the Short Stop bar. I guess it's a pretty popular watering hole because there were a ton of people there. We somehow lost Tom in transition to the bar but it was an interesting time seeing these two guys work the bar scene while we had several beers. Just a side note, if you aren't familiar with the Radio Reelers, you should be.

Sunday was the day of the big photo shoot at Barnsdall Park. I didn't know what to expect because of the confusion regarding invitation vs. non-invitation. I was at the very least going to use the opportunity to meet old and new friends alike. This is a list of attendees that I am aware of and I'll use the familiar nicknames where I know their "real" names.

Alice Bag - Bags
Kip Brown - Shock
Dinah Cancer - 45 Grave
Marina Del Rey - Backstage Pass
Lisa Fancher - Frontier Records founder
Brian Grillo
Jenny Lens - photographer
Paul Lesperance - Shock
Keith Morris - Black Flag/Circle Jerks
Nicole Panter - Germs manager
Kira Roessler - Black Flag
Paul Roessler - Screamers
Rover - first Go-Go's roadie
Jane Wiedlin - Go-Go's

Everybody was included in the shoot that felt they belonged there. I would say there were probably about 50 people so I will expand the list as I know more and hopefully have a link to the photo when it gets published.

The networking amongst several of us over the last year resulted in a larger turnout than I think would have otherwise shown up. Rover told me about the event and I in turn passed the information on to Steve Reina of Shock who in turn got Paul and Kip of Shock to attend. Even though I had released the Shock CD a couple of years ago, I had never met Paul and Kip formally. That was a highlight. I have been in pretty regular contact with Jenny Lens for awhile now so meeting her was another major highlight. Now, I'm sure we crossed paths so many times in '76-'80 but we never really knew each other then. Meeting Lisa Fancher who I have emailed with a bit in recent weeks was great too.

All in all, a punk rock weekend of epic proportions. One I'm extremely thrilled to have been a part of.

Four more top-notch Headcoats/Masonics-like garage punkers from these Springfield, Missouri, kids. This is a terrific follow-up to last year's excellent full-length, also released on Licorice Tree.

Hate Records does it again! This CD contains the "It's Too Late" LP released on Demolition Derby in 2002 and the "First Time, Best Time" 7" released on Rip Off in 1999. Additionally, you get 8 more tunes rounding out this 20 song extravaganza. This is straight on punk rock'n'roll from this Italian band. Great melodies, great guitar driven songs that will have you singing along. There's no gimmicks here, just great rock'n'roll.

Mario's top ten/playlist for August 2005
Alkaline Trio "Crimson" CD (Vagrant)
The Dirtbombs "If You Don't Already Have a Look" 2xCD (In The Red)
The Intelligence "Icky Baby" LP (In The Red)
Kill The Hippies "Erectospective" 2xCD (Rock 'n' Roll Purgatory)
Knights of the New Crusade "My God is Alive!" LP (Screaming Apple)
Miss Alex White and Her Red Orchestra "S/T" LP (In The Red)
The Plastic Letters "Don't Tell Your Boyfriend" LP (Screaming Apple)
Regulations "S/T" LP (Havoc)
The Starvations "Gravity's a Bitch" CD (GSL)
The Time Flys "Fly" CD (Birdman)

Willy's top ten/playlist for August 2005
Anxieties "Black Hole in the Center of My Brain" 7" (Infringement)
Barracudas "What You Want Is What You Get" 7" (NDN)
Chronics "Late, Lit Up & Lewd" CD (Hate)
The Dimestore Haloes "The Ghosts of Saturday Night" CD (Pelado/Full Breach Kicks)
Lillingtons "Technically Unsound" CD (Clearview)
Los Aarones "Hit the Streets" CD EP (AMP)
Ramrods "Gimme Some Action" CD (Young Soul Rebels)
Scumbag Roads "Bad Girl Attention" 10" LP (Swindlebra)
Twinkles "Belle Epogue" CD (Wizzard In Vinyl)
V/A "Main Man: A Tribute to Dee Dee Ramone" CD (AMP)

On September 4th, 11:00 AM, at Barnsdall's Art Park in the Los Angeles area, there will be a photo shoot that will attempt to gather all the surviving L.A. scenesters from '77-'85 for a photo shoot to document who's still around. There seems to be a lot of confusion as to whether it's invitation only or if you can just show up and be included. This raises two additional questions: 1) If it's invitation only, who made you God and decided who qualified? 2) If it's not by invitation, how do you gauge the legitimacy of those who show and said they were there? I spent a lot of time documenting my own experiences within the '76-'80 L.A. scene but I sure don't expect an invitation. What would make me less legitimate than someone who showed up in '79 and did something that would make them name worthy?

Anyway, I am showing up with no expectations of actually being in the photo. I know several people that will be there too and I am using this more as a reunion type situation than anything else. I am sure that I will have a great time seeing people I haven't seen in over 25 years and making friends with others that I have emailed with but don't really know beyond that.

Next week's update will be on Monday instead of Sunday due to the L.A. road trip.

Our thoughts go out to the families and friends of Stevo of the Vandals and Rock Bottom of Rock Bottom & the Spys, both of whom passed away this past week.

Exciting announcement: Wankin' Stiphs is putting out release 3. We are deviating from our archival recordings that were the basis for release 1 and 2. We are proud to announce that the Horehounds second album will be released in late September to early October. The CD will be entitled "Rock Out With the Horehounds" and features a veritable who's who of punk rock'n'roll alumni of the last ten years. We have members of Big Bobby and the Nightcaps, the Strap-Ons, Buzzoven, M-80's, Shunts, Dirty Fingers, Vikings, Candy Snatchers, Adam West and the Devil Dogs and more.... The CD will consist of 15 new tunes and the remixes of the entire first album released a couple of years back on Rockin' Bones. The remixes will be the first time the tunes have been released on CD for those of you who want to download your tunes to your Ipod. We are very excited here at Wankin' Stiphs about this great new addition to our catalog.

Steve gave me a copy of this last weekend when he was visiting (also a Hitchhikers t-shirt). He got both from the band for the enormous sum of $5. If you don't think that's greatest deal you've ever heard of, you haven't heard this CD. This things blazes hotter than a brush fire across the Arizona desert. This is what punk rock'n'roll is all about. 13 songs of juiced up, sleazy punk rock including a cover of the Weirdo's "Life of Crime". They put this CD in a DVD case. I don't know why the fuck they did that, but otherwise this is a solid, essential addition to your collection.

Web zines: Hard Core Punk Reviews, interviews, MP3's, videos and more....
OX Fanzine Incredible German site with over 15,000 reviews and 1,300 interviews. They also publish a print zine that includes a comp CD with each issue.

Mailorder: Soundflat From the same guys that put out the OX fanzine, one of Europe's best (if not THE best) mailorder sites.

Been quite a busy weekend so I didn't get a chance to scan in Outcry #2. Outcry creator, Steve Stiph, visted this weekend and we had our usual weekend filled with alcohol and lots of punk rock. I've known Steve since we were in kindergarten together, roomed together for 2 years and discovered punk rock together in L.A. from '76-'80. Nobody could ask for a better friend.

I heard from Ella of "Ella and the Blacks" fame this week. I am getting more and more pieces to fit together those loose ends that have disappeared from my brain cells and I will be updating my "story" shortly to reflect the new found information.

That the Intelligence can do no wrong is hardly a secret to the Lars Finberg faithful, of which I am a member. "Icky Baby" is the second Intelligence full-length and the first release to feature the "new and improved" lineup that now includes a couple ex-Popular Shapes. Anybody that has seen the band live since the addition can attest to the newfound intensity with which the group operates in a live setting. The same can be said for "Icky Baby," which is surely one of 2005's finer LPs.

31 songs of Dee Dee inspired tunes ranging from Ramones style pop punk to some harder edged punk stuff. A fitting tribute to a punk legend. This is not filled with Ramones covers but rather songs about Dee Dee and the Ramones. I think that adds to the power of the release. AMP did a similar tribute to Joey a few years back that is also an essential CD for your collections. Can Johnny's tribute be far behind?

Labels: Frontier Records Lisa Fancher good naturedly chided me for not having Frontier Records on the site. Celebrating their 25th year, it is indeed a label not have been overlooked. Frontier has released records by such L.A. legends as the Weirdos, Adolescents and Circle Jerks. Better late than never. Sorry, Lisa!!
AMP Records AMP Records make a reappearance on the list. I took them off when their old URL wasn't working. This one works just fine. Dozens of releases since '97, always excellent.

We have one new CD review this week: Live from Space City by the Businessmen on Interchange Records. Click here to view the review.

Since we are taking an extended trip down memory lane, I have a real treat for you in the coming weeks. My friend, Steve Stiph, did a fanzine in the 1981-1982 timeframe in Southern California called Outcry. I am publishing each issue in it's entirety which you can download (it's in pdf format). It takes about a minute to download with a high speed connection (26 meg in size). Here is the link to Issue 1:

There were only 3 issues total and the next two will be published over the next two updates.

I also heard from Hilda this week, another fan that says she went to many of the same shows that I did. She should be a welcome source for updating and adding to my L.A. punk history page: www.punk-information.com/History.htm

This is a picture of my daugther. She's got bigger balls than all of you: Click here:

Everything I've heard thus far on the Dingus imprint is worth tracking down. Dingus is a Milwaukee-based label that is run at least in part by Modern Machines bass player Dan, from whom I purchased this record while Modern Machines was in northern California on tour. Dan and Hanson, otherwise known as Modern Machines' rhythm section, also play in Fury of a Thousand Zeuses, yet another amazing, obscure basement band from Milwaukee. "Habanero Enema" is great "middle finger" punk rock, snotty yet tuneful, that approximates the intensity of label mates Holy Shit!, minus the blazing fast tempos. Totally DIY, and a fine effort at that.

M.O.T.O. have dispensed with variety and do what they do best - pound out two to three minute poppy punk gems. This Chicago quartet have been prolific (check out their band discography in the Bands section) over the years and play shows constantly. Except for the last song, there are no ballads, just sheer "raw power". If you haven't discovered M.O.T.O. yet, this would be a fine introduction.

Clothing: Ravaged Clothing DIY punk clothing and accessories, mainly girls.
Sales and Service: Punk Passions Punk dating service!! I didn't know where else to place it.

Well, vacation is over and it's time to get back down to business. A couple of milestones passed while I was out; my 25th wedding anniversary and my youngest daughter's 21st birthday. I had a great time in Boston, New York, Dover, Philadelphia and Las Vegas.

One really weird thing happened in Philadelphia. I'm in a place called Monk's Cafe which just happens to greatest selection of beer I have ever seen but also the greatest tasting beer I have ever tasted. I'm wearing my "Pleasant Screams" tour shirt from the Queers' tour of several years ago and one of the guys who works there comes up to me and starts asking me about the Queers. He says his brother drummed for them. It turns out he was Hugh O'Neill's brother. Quite a coincidence that I would be wearing that shirt that day.

I also made contact with Rose (aka Rover) from my L.A. history series which you can still read here: http://www.punk-information.com/History.htm She was interviewed for the Alice Bag site and you can read her story here: http://www.alicebag.com/roverinterview.html She was kind enough to supply additional information for the story which I will incorporate once I get off my lazy ass and also provide details of the whereabouts of others from my story. So more updates to follow....

I still have one review that needs to get done, a CD by the Businessmen and I have some updates that were sent in the last 3 weeks which I haven't gotten to yet. They will be done next week.

I remember thinking the Heartattacks' debut 7", released on Savage last year, was pretty damn solid, but I wasn't prepared for the greatness of their debut full-length, which is pretty damn great. So you missed Teengenerate at this year's Dot-Dash show in New York? Get this and it'll help ease the pain. Three cheers for Germany's P.Trash Records!

Todd over at Clearview Records has put out some of the greatest records of the last 10 years. This collection of Lillington's stuff includes their debut album, a remixed version of their debut album, some live tracks, their first single and the split LP with Nothing Cool; 49 tracks in all. If you are really lucky, you'll be able to get the metal box edition, autographed by the band in a limited numbered edition of 50 copies (I got number 10!). The Lillingtons put out some of the greatest pop punk music of the late 90's. This retrospective will remind of you of why pop punkers still drool over them.

The A-Lines "You Can Touch" LP (Sympathy)
The Bugs "S/T" CD-R (self-released)
FM Bats "Everybody Out..Shark in the Water" 12" EP (Vinyl Dog)
The Heartattacks "Here Comes..." LP (P.Trash)
Icky Boyfriends "A Love Obscene" 2xCD (Menlo Park)
Knugen Faller "Inte Som Ni" 7" (Wasted Sounds)
The Soviettes "LP III" LP (Fat)
Straitjacket "Modern Thieves" CD (TKO)
Superhelicopter "Sweet, Nice, and Happy" LP (P.Trash)
Teenage Bottlerocket "Total" CD (Red Scare)

Bonnie Parkers "Sweaty Shirts and Bloody Fingers" CD (Be Nice To Mommy)
Derek Lyn Plastic "Plastic Surgery" 7" (Self Produced)
Gitogito Hustler "Gito Gito Galore" 7" (Gearhead)
Gunfight "Hell Mary" 7" (Disaster)
Hatepinks "Plastic Bag Ambitions" CD (TKO)
Holograms "Night of 1000 Ex-Boyfriends" CD (Teenacide)
Knugen Faller "Inte Som Ni" 7" (Ny Vag)
New Bomb Turks "The Big Combo" LP (Dropkick)
Onyas "Heterospective" LP (Dropkick)
Soviettes "LP III" LP (Fat Wreck Chords)

Please check out the video clip from Alice Bag's web site of the song "Survive" being played live in Portland, OR in the late 70's. http://alicebag.blogspot.com/

I am going to complete my backlog of reviews this week and then I'm taking a month off from any site updates. I will return on August 7th.

1. "Non Fa Ridere" by the Rancidos (Self Produced)
2. "Death, Honor and Glory Bound" by Tommy Gutless (Street Anthem)
3. "I Told U Once" by the Broken Heroes (Street Anthem)
4. S/T by the Weekend Warriors (Street Anthem)

In the interest of full disclosure, I released the Four Eyes' debut CD, the cleverly titled "Rock & Role Playing," on Plastic Idol. I had an opportunity to release "Sweet Sounds" but declined in order to focus on vinyl. So am I biased? Maybe. But I also know a good disc when I hear it, and "Sweet Sounds" gets the nod from me. Though there is no shortage of "hits" on full-length number two, the production is noticeably rawer courtesy of Black Dahlias drummer Jeff Melendez, who has done great work for many local bands. Four Eyes releases are few and far between--this is only their second full-length in 10+ years--so get your "Sacto punk" fix while the gettins' good.

Fat is actually signing some bands that I like these days. The Epoxies and now the Soviettes from Minnepolis, MN. This is their third LP (bet you couldn't have guessed that!). I think it may be my favorite of the bunch so far. Fast paced poppy songs with tons of power. 3/4 of the band is female and I am always a sucker for female vocals although there are some where Danny takes the lead. 14 songs in under half an hour. Short, sweet and to the point.

1980 will bring unimaginable changes to my life and the end of my participation in the L.A. scene. I wouldn't be the only one though. Hardcore was starting to take root, girls were no longer willing to enter the "pit" because it had become so violent, and the Hollywood vs. Beach punk wars escalated out of control to where you feared for your life if you stepped outside your turf.

January 19th was my last visit to the Hong Kong Cafe. I suspect it was another place that came and went as a venue and then fizzled out.

I guess the most significant new act of this period that I saw was the Circle Jerks. Keith Morris was no longer in Black Flag and had picked up a new band along the way, a band that would put out six or seven albums over the next decade. Some call them hardcore but I think they had too much melody to be a straight on hardcore band. They were all punk rock however.

As I look at the list I get a bit sad knowing that the L.A. scene that I had come to know and love would fizzle out in it's original incarnation over that next year. Darby Crash committed suicide in December of '80, virtually the same day that one of my earliest heroes, John Lennon, was shot to death.

I started dating the woman that would become my wife in February of '80 and we are still married to this day. She wasn't punk although she came to enjoy many of the bands that I liked like the Ramones and Undertones. Those were the only two bands she ever saw live until a few years ago when I dragged her along to see the Richmond Sluts.

I have no amusing anecdotes to share from this time period, having used them all up in the 70's. It is a time I will always remember with extreme fondness. I am very proud to have been a part of one of the world's pioneering punk scenes even if it was only as a fan. It is amazing to read how many times you see someone say "The Ramones changed my life." after seeing them live or hearing their first album. It was that way for me too. It led me to a scene that I was a part of from the beginning and 3 years beyond that. I have never heard anyone say anything other than it was one of the best periods of their life and one they were proud to have been a part of. Me too.

The people that helped form the original scene were an eclectic mixture of misfits. I think if you asked any one of them, they would tell you that they felt like they didn't belong in the "normal" world. Punk was a place where you could be yourself and feel that you belonged to something much bigger than yourself.

By 1980, the original cast of characters had begun to disperse and by the end of '80, most had given up. "Live fast, die young" could describe the original scene well. It was great while it lasted but all good things must come to an end. I can't imagine something like this happening today. Punk has become so commercialized and is no longer thought of as "dangerous". That was part of the appeal. Being part of of something that was so outside the norm.

Here's a summary of the bands and number of times I saw them during this period. Since this time I have seen many of these bands again after reforming such as the Dogs, Weirdos, Rubber City Rebels and Dickies. I also saw the Ramones just about every year from '80 on up through their demise in the mid-90's. It's still very hard to take that 3 of the 4 original Ramones are dead. I also saw The Dogs, Pop!, Berlin Brats, Van Halen, etc. several times prior to 1977 before I started my list so those numbers are not represented here.

One additional souvenir that I was able to get sometime in the 80's was a Johnny Ramone guitar pick. Each year they would roll into L.A. and play a large venue like the Palladium but they would also play a "secret" show at the Whiskey or Roxy for the true fans. I was lucky enough to see most of the secret shows too and that was where I collected my Johnny Ramone guitar pick. I would like to also say that the fans in Phoenix who went to the final show that they would play here are bunch of idiots. Would it be so hard to chant "Hey Ho, Let's Go!" and get one encore? Pathetic.

Since this time, I have seen many great bands such as Social Distortion, Stiff Little Fingers, the Undertones, Jeff Dahl, Queers, Muffs, Groovie Ghoulies, etc.

The 80's weren't a particularly joyous time music wise for me because it was more of a hardcore decade and I longed for a Ramones style pop song or something with a more distinct rock beat. The 90's and up to this day have produced a ton of great bands that fall in these categories and the music is a joy again as it always should have been.

I have channeled my energies into providing a site where people can come to get information about their favorite bands, how to contact them and what music they have put out. I will continue to expand upon this story as I get new information or remember things myself. I also had the great privilege of releasing a CD by two of my favorite bands of the 70's L.A. scene, Shock and the Silencers. A also put out a CD by the best band to come out of the mid-80's L.A. scene too, the Black Jax.

"Full length" from this French band clocking in at 16:28 for 13 songs. They don't give you time to get bored of any song. This falls in the vein of Briefs style wave punk but with a harder edge. Great stuff. LP version is avaialble from Lollipop.

Anxieties "Black Hole (In the Center of My Brain)" 7" (Infringement)
Barracudas "What You Want Is What You Get" 7" (NDN)
Kevin K & the Real Kool Kats "Perfect Sin" CD (Full Breach Kicks)
Killer Klown "Evilution" CD (Scarey)
Oblivians "On the Go" 12" EP (Goner)
Plastic Letters "Don't Tell Your Boyfriend" LP (Screaming Apple)
Raised By Wolves "Motorcycho" 7" (Ken Rock)
Real Losers/Illegal Movers "Beat Your Heart Out split" 7" (Ken Rock)
Real Losers "Music For Funsters" LP (Alien Snatch)
Uptight "The Uptight" CD (Off the Hip)

The almighty Clash return to L.A. at the Palladium. This was approximately the time that London Calling was released. So many people speak with such reverence about that album and I’m going WTF? The Clash were one of the original punk bands and it smelled of sell out. Give me the first two albums any day. Joe Ely was on the bill because the Clash liked him and they were rewarding one of their early inspirations.

I have no idea what I was doing at MacArthur Park on 10/27 to see 4 bands that have never been heard of since that day but I’m sure I must have had a good reason. Sounds like a quartet of hard rock bands.

391 were a San Francisco band I'm pretty sure. I remember them being pretty good.

One of the great things about punk rock was that there were no seats. You stood as close to the stage as you wanted to experience the sound in any way you wanted. On October 27th we went to Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA to see 20/20 and the Ramones. 20/20 are one of the best of the power pop bands of their day. Seeing the Ramones from a seat was contrary to everything we learned to expect from the punk rock scene in those days. If you wandered too far from your seat to dance or just move a bit to the beat, you were removed from the hall. Steve decided he was going to make his statement near the end of the show and started pogoing in the aisles. The was the last I saw of him until the show was over. I didn't have the nerve to do the same.

Halloween at King’s Palace was a rousing good time. Nine bands in total with old favorites the Silencers, Red Cross and Black Flag. There’s also a couple of bands that may sound familiar to you, the Descendents and Urinals. Both bands were fairly prolific in the early 80’s. Ella and the Blacks are a band I don’t remember. The Rells were led by ex-Mau Mau, Jeff, and were a great punk rock’n’roll band of the band. They were only together for a very short time but were one of the most memorable for playing the type of music that I enjoyed. Yee haw! The Cartwrights were also on the bill. We were kind of wondering what kind of countrified band they might turn out be. We couldn’t have been happier with the result though because it turns out it was the Red Army with a new name. Hopefully Dan didn’t have to dye to his hair any more after the name change. I’m sure he’ll let me know. They definitely had not lost a thing and our favorite live band was back in business.

I hung out quite a bit with Ray Cyst of the Red Army/Cartwrights about this time and one funny story occurred at the King's Palace. Ray was a big guy, strong as an ox. Some guy that we had never seen before was giving me a hard time at the show. It looked like it might escalate into something more than an argument wen Ray stepped in. I didn't ask him to, he just did. I felt like the lid in that movie "My Bodyguard". The guy started to take a punch at Ray and Ray just kind of caught his hand and gave him a look like "that wouldn't be such a good idea". The guy left lucky for him.

Things were rocking in Chinatown throughout the 4th quarter of '79. The Hong Kong Cafe had so many great shows. One of the only times I got my picture in a zine during those times although I was at a lot of shows was Flipside 16 standing outside the Hong Kong Cafe with Steve Stiph. My back was to the camera of course.

The Hong Kong was also where we saw "Mr. Macho" for the first time. As I noted earlier, we gave people nicknames that we didn't know. One guy we saw a lot during this time earned the nickname Ernie because I thought he looked like the character Ernie on the "My Three Sons" television show. Anyway, Mr. Macho looked about 16 years old and saw these 3 long haired guys walking past the Hong Kong Cafe. As a lot of punks thought at the time, these were hippies and punks pretty much loathed hippies. He got in a fight with 3 guys and pretty much had his way with them. Steve later told me that Mr. Macho was singing for a pretty good new band called Social Distortion.

November saw many of the same bands we had been seeing such as Red Cross, the Crowd, Gears, Scientists, Silencers, Plugz and Weirdos. On Novemeber 2nd we saw Chinas Comidas which I have one 7" by. I don't really remember much about them. The Cartwrights continued to play shows throughout this time and we saw them whenever we could. The Slashers on November 16th are another band I remember nothing about as well as the Adaptors on November 23 and the Alcoholics on 11/24. One band that absolutely stood out was the Screws. They had a great '77 punk sound and I believe they may have been an East L.A. hispanic band. They are definitely one of the stand out bands from the era that no one has ever heard of. Agent Orange was a good band but not spectacular. They had more of a surf punk style and put out several records in the early 80's.

About this time the movie Rock & Roll High School was released. Steve and I went down to the mall in Hawthorne I believe it was. Steve had these nice new leather pants that he decided to wear to the movie that day. Since this was a mall that we were unfamiliar with, we got a bit disoriented coming out of the theater and headed the wrong way to my car. These three guys in a red truck started speeding their car towards us as we were looking for our car and we're wondering what the hell is going on. Luckily the parking lot had these islands throughout the parking lot with trees planted in them. They came roaring up close as we're standing behind the tree and starting calling us fags. This is of course due to Steve's leather pants. They finally got tired of chasing us around and we found the car and went home.

We saw the Gears again at the Hong Kong Cafe but by now they have a new guitarist by the name of Kidd Spike. The Controllers were no more and Spike had taken over guitar duties for the Gears. The Silencers also played that show and I knew that Kat had a birthday on December 7th so I made her a mix tape of some of my favorite punk tunes of the time. She was so cool. She made me feel like it was the best present ever. Not long after she gave me a tape of the Silencers recordings that they were in the studio working on at the time. It is still one of my most prized possessions from the time.

Another of the greatest of the British bands, Sham 69, came to the Whiskey on December 7th and 8th. They played great sets both nights. I remember that one of the members of another of our favorite bands of the time, the Cockney Rejects, was a roadie for them. The Dead Kennedys opened both nights.

The Cuckoo's nest in Orange County was another venue that had quite a few shows at the time. The rivalry between the Hollywood and Beach punks had really boiled over by this time and you did not want to be on the other's turf. Steve had the unique position of being accepted in both which helped throughout the early 80's as the violence escalated. (I'll have to see if I can get him to do a guest column about the Hollywood/Beach punk wars).

Another of the great bands of the time was the Chiefs, with former Simpletones' vocalist Jerry and drummer, Rabbit. They were unique for having a black guitarist, George. We knew George pretty well and he was a really cool guy. One of the great things about the scene was the diversity. Black, white, male, female, straight, gay - it didn't matter. Try finding the Cheifs single for under $200 these days. An album called Hollywest Crisis was released several years on both CD and LP that is well worth seeking out.

Having connections always helps. Mike Patton of Middle Class/Eddie & the Subtitles got us into the Hong Kong Cafe shows on the 30th of December and also New Years Eve. The New Year's Eve show was a Germs headlining gig and cost the astronomical sum of $10. We saw the Cheifs for the first time on the 30th and Vox Pop, who I never cared for. Johanna Went was also on the New Year's Eve show. This would be the last time I would see the Germs although as I stated before, they were never a favorite of mine.

That takes care of the seventies. I'll wrap things up in the next one or two segments.
Mesa, AZ 85216

I'm really diggin' the fourth and final Zodiac Killers LP. Sure, "Radiation Beach" is no "Society's Offenders," but it's really not that far behind. Greg Lowery can write a simple, catchy punk tune as good as anybody in the game today, and "Radiation Beach" offers up ten more pieces of evidence in support of that claim, along with two choice covers of the Jolt and the Notsensibles (my favorite of the two), respectively. Thanks to Greg and company for four albums' worth of great tunes and years of entertaining live shows. I always came back for more.

This combines the talents of two one man bands, namely King Khan and BBQ, to form what I guess would have to be a 2 man band. You would be surprised at how much energy and fun you can get out these two guys alone. Hard driving garage trash sometimes tinged with a taste of country but always tasty.

If you scan down the list of gigs for this quarter you'll see quite a few where the price is listed as "free". You'll also notice that almost every one of them features the Silencers. I don't think it would be a stretch to say that we were the Silencers two biggest fans. We talked and hung out Kat, Brian and Steve whenever we saw the Silencers.

999 must have enjoyed their previous visit because they returned within months of their most recent tour. We checked them out again a couple of nights at the Whiskey.

The Damned finally get to play the Whiskey after being booted off the Television bill two years previously (much to our historical delight if you read the Jan-Jun '77 segment). People threw change up the stage just like they had at the Starwood shows in April of '77 so there were quite a few repeat customers this time around to see the Damned. They got a kick out of it.

Woo hoo! The Masque reopens at least for none night. I think there were several "private" shows going on about this time but the venue still had the fire marshal issue that there was no fire exit. Ray Cyst of the Red Army and I shared a bottle (of something) at the Masque I remember. What I can't seem to reconcile is a memory I have of Billy Zoom's silver guitar "disappearing" at the Masque. None of my notes have X at the Masque listed so it either wasn't at the Masque or I failed to list that particular show. Does anybody know? Billy put out a plea to the audience "Just return it. No questions asked.". It got returned, thank goodness.

One thing that surprises me as I look through this is that Black Flag is at the bottom of the bill on most occasions. Obviously they became huge (for punk, anyway) but paid their dues early on. I have a band called the Black Hearts listed. I'm not sure if this was the Joan Jett led band that became popular in the 80's. The Smart Pills I remember being good but not much else about them.

Steve liked a band called the Mechanics. They were more rock than they were punk and I thought the lead singer sounded like Geddy Lee of Rush. I walked out in the middle of their set at Club 88 and Steve was really pissed at me.

Lots of shows at the Hong Kong Cafe which could be relied upon to book all of our favorites. The Bags, Controllers, Silencers, UXA, Flyboys, etc. all played constant shows and ended up at the Hong Kong on many occasions.

The B-People was an artsy band. I never got into artsy punk and it still leaves me cold to this day. Three chords, guitars and a melody will get me off every time.

On July 22, I have two bands called the Wigs abd Armed Farces. I do not remember them at all.

The King's Palace was a new venue that started booking shows about this time. It was later called Raji's and I'm not sure what it is called now. I know in later years I saw some great bands there like the Adolescents, Humpers and Face To Face. The first show I saw there actually had Black Flag headlining. But more importantly was the band called the Mau Mau's. There is an English band of the same name, so don't confuse them. The Mau Mau's were Rick Wilder and were basically the Berlin Brats reincarnated. New York Dolls style glam punk to the max. Who could ask for more?

UXA is playing so many L.A. shows at this time that I'm pretty sure they relocated from San Francisco.

The Dead Kennedys play the Hong Kong Cafe on 8/17 with a band I have no recollection of called Vs.

The Weirdos re-emerge about this time with a show at the King's Palace. Wall of Voodoo makes it's debut on the list featuring Bruce "don't call me Barf" Moreland. Bruce is now in a sophisticated sounding band that actually got a record deal and some fame in the early 80's. I'm sure you've all heard "Mexican Radio". The Satintones were a lounge lizard band led by Hal Negro. These types of bands showed up consistently throughout the L.A. punk era and were accepted and included on bills where they seemingly had no right to be. They never did a thing for me.

We have a couple of shows at a place called Mars Studios. The two back to back shows featured a veritable who's who of the times: X, Bags, Silencers and Black Flag. To top it off, we get a new band, the Gears. The Gears were great! Led by Axxel G. Reese on vocals, quite possibly the best singer to come out of the times. They played straight ahead punk rock. Classic songs like Don't Be Afraid to Pogo, Trudie Trudie (dedicated to long time punk scenester Trudie) and The Elks Lodge Blues (about the Elks Lodge "riot").

The Stains come in at a place C.O.S. Hall which I don't remember. I believe the Stains may have been an Hispanic band and I seem to remember liking them a lot but that's about all that's coming to me. I don't have an exact date for this whow because I must have procrastinated long enough in logging the show that I forgot. I messed up a few other dates along the way which will be fixed (a big THANKS to Jenny Lens for reading the entire story and pointing out typos and discrepancies for me).

The next new band to show up is Red Cross. Featuring the McDonald brothers, Jeff and Steve, on guitar and bass, they were just little kids! I believe Steve McDonald was 12 when they started playing. They were really good though. Get a copy of the compilation LP form the time called Siren and listen for yourself. The "real" Red Cross didn't like them using their name however and they ultimately changed it to Redd Kross. I'm still not sure how Black Flag has gotten away with it all these years. Maybe the bug spray has a little better sense of humor and doesn't believe in frivolous lawsuits.

Audio Videot show up several times beginning with the Hong Kong Cafe show on 9/8. For a band that I saw so many times (a quick glance tells me about 6 times or so), I remember absolutely nothing about them. I can't claim my loss of memory is not due to drinking anymore however. One Hong Kong Cafe show, Steve and I were out drinking our sodas and Keith Morris walks by. He says to Steve "Orange soda again?!?!". We went and bought beer after that, which I enjoy to this day. Funny thing is, Keith has been on the wagon for almost 20 years now. He was notorious for downing the brews in those days.

One of our favorite English bands, the Buzzcocks, played the Santa Monica Civic and a great time was had by all. The Buzzcocks were amazing songwriters in the pop punk vein and have left a legacy of some the greatest melodies of our times. The two opening bands, Gang of Four and the Cramps, both had success along the way but they fell into the artsy and psychobilly camps respectively, neither of which ever grabbed my attention.

Catholic Discipline was another artsy band (a recent compilation of their stuff was released on Artifix Records) that never did anything for me. It was led by the great Frenchman and early punk pioneer, Claude Bessy (R.I.P.), otherwise known as Kickboy Face. Claude wrote for the great Slash Magazine (I'm lucky to have the entire collection in my possession). He was a wildman when he was drunk and I remember seeing him ranting outside some venue on more than one occasion. No L.A. punk history is complete without mentioning Claude though.

The great D.O.A. from Canada show up for a couple of shows in mid-September. We had the great first single by the band featuring Royal Police and Disco Sucks on Sudden Death Records and loved it. Joey Shithead was a great singer and their earliest singles and the great Hardcore '81 album are classics. After that, they kind of went down hill fast but there's no denying the greatness of the early stuff.

The rest of September '79 is filled with the usual cast of characters and the usual bands.

Sweden's Ken Rock have put out nearly 40 records now. You have your choice with this release, two songs by each band on a single 7" or separate 7" by each band with two songs and one side blank limited to 100 numbered copies on slick black vinyl. Both do rousing covers of the Zeros' "Beat Your Heart Out" plus one original each that can best be described as pop tinged garage punk. Whatever you end up calling it, it can only end up being called "great".

We have our first DVD review this week: "X - Live in Los Angeles" which can be read by clicking here. Also we have the second in Overground Records great series on anarcho-punk. It can also be read by clicking here.

Here's an email I got from another fan, Tom, that attended the Elks Lodge Riot show:

"..i was just a teen and the cops beat the shit out of me and arrested me..later to drop charges..that was the first weekend my parents had let me stay up in hollywood overnight..so picking me up in the rampart division of la wasnt what i had hoped for".

As I said before Steve and I were suburban punks. We didn’t live in Hollywood, we lived in Long Beach. I’m sure that resulted in us missing out on a lot of things that happened outside the realm of the shows themselves. I was holding down a full time job and about this time I was also going to school 4 hours a night after work so my opportunity to go to shows was pretty much limited to weekends. The fact I was able to go to 90 shows in 1979 is pretty remarkable under the circumstances. Steve was a little more flexible and went to more shows than I did.

I only really recall taking time off work to see one show and it is the first show in this time period. I guess some of the colleges were willing to take a chance on this new music called punk and booked Middle Class, Rhino 39, Scientists and the Cynics. We talked to Middle Class at this gig and they were surprised that we had come all the way out to Orange County to see the show.

The English bands that we had been listening to since the beginning made an occasional trip to L.A. We saw 999 twice at the Whiskey. Nick Cash is probably the least punk looking lead singer I have ever seen. Great band though.

Back at Bace’s Hall on April 13. We’re now two years after that first Germs/Weirdos show that I kind of use as a baseline for the start of the L.A. scene.

At Baces Hall one night, Rover was short on money and asked if I had any I could spare. I grabbed a handful of change out of my pocket and gave it to her, maybe a couple of dollar’s worth. It always pissed Steve off when he saw Rover and she said that “Willy gave me a bunch of money” since we both had huge crushes on her and he knew it wasn’t all that much money and he wanted all the attention for himself.

The Whiskey is only booking the “big” L.A. bands now. The Dickies and Screamers are the only headliners during this period.

Several bands are listed that I have no recollection of: Firebrand, Toasters, Total Media, Minors and Voyeurs.

I have a vague recollection of the Cynics. They were led by a fellow Long Beach resident, Tab, that used to get rides to shows with us on occasion. I don't remember much about the music other than I thought they were pretty good.

Steve did us a huge favor one night in Hollywood when he recognized John Felice of the Real Kids and started up a conversation with him. That led to Steve getting put on the guest list (plus one) for the Starwood shows that they did. We had their debut single and album for a couple of years at that point and they were always one of our favorites. Anybody who can listen to “All Kindsa Girls” and not “feel like dancing” is one step from the grave. They did not disappoint and I was also able to see them again a few years back with the original line-up. Awesome band!

Don’t ask me where Bob’s Western Dance Hall is, but we saw the Scientists and Cynics there.

June was quite memorable. We saw X, Middle Class and Eddie and the Subtitles. Eddie and the Subtitles featured Mike Patton of Middle Class. They were polar opposites as far as sound goes though. They never moved me quite the way early Middle Class did.

June 8^th is a super significant day. It is the first time that I saw a show in Chinatown, a place that I was to frequent on a regular basis over the next 10 months or so. There were two competing sites for your music dollar, the Hong Kong Café and Madame Wongs. Both booked punk bands until Madame Wongs was trashed by an unruly crowd. I wasn’t there that night and actually never attended a show at Madame Wongs. If my recollection is correct, it may have been the Bags headlining that show at Madame Wongs when all hell broke loose. As an aside, read the great story about the trashing of the Troubadour that most definitely featured the Bags. This is from Alice Bag’s super web site: http://www.alicebag.com/trashingofthetroubadour.html

The other significant thing about June 8^th was the first time I saw the Silencers. They played melodic punk rock and had one of the most awesome female lead singers ever, Kat Arthur. They also had that guy from Shock on bass. As time went on and we went to just about every show the Silencers ever put on and became fast friends with Kat, Brian Hanson and Steve Reina. I never understood why this band didn’t get more positive publicity than they did. More on the Silencers later.

June 10^th at the Bla Bla Café, some dive in Studio City or thereabouts. I remember some guy heckling Kat throughout the show. She asked us after the show why we didn’t stand up for her. Like we needed to? She could stand up for herself quite well.

Later that day we headed down to Venice Beach to catch UXA, the Controller and Flyboys. I have the show listed as being at “Venice Warehouse”. From what I know now, this could be the place that was known as the “Church” where many beach punks hung out and lived. Some guy was heckling De Detroit during the UXA show and she said “Go to Barneys!”. He said “Barney’s?”. She said “Barney’s beanery!!”. Funny what sticks in your head sometimes.

June 17^thwas our first introduction to one of the great beach bands from Orange County, the Crowd. They had several great tunes on the Beach Blvd. compilation LP on Posh Boy Records.

We had recently got a single down at Zed by a band called Black Flag with some absolutely fast, in your face tunes with a guitar sound that we hadn’t really heard before. We had no clue they were a local band until we saw them for the first time on June 30^th. You’ll see their name pop up a lot in the next two segments as they established themselves L.A.’s hardcore kings. We actually became pretty good friends with Greg Ginn and talked to him quite a bit at the shows. Steve later became good friends with Keith Morris. The early line up would include Chuck “The Duke” Dukowski on bass and Robo on drums. Robo was always worried about getting deported.

Mario's Pick of the Week

Knugen Faller "Skellefte Stadshotell" 7" (Cage Match Federation)

Though "Skellefte Stadshotell" is this Swedish band's 2004 debut, it's one of the best records I've heard thus far in 2005. Perhaps the most obvious comparison sound-wise is X-Ray Spex, in light of frontwoman Silvia Sate's Poly Styrene-like vocals and a saxophone that comes and goes from track to track. But that comparison doesn't do Knugen Faller justice at all. My initial reaction to Knugen Faller's music rivals the first time I heard a band like Gorilla Angreb. Both bands offer a contemporary take on the '77-82 era of punk rock, but whereas Gorilla Angreb's approach draws from their hardcore roots, Knugen Faller's music veers more towards the power pop and wavier end of the spectrum. Call it whatever you want, but this band is fantastic.

Wrench has been around since the late 80's, starting out as a vehicle for releasing material form the great Rancid Hell Spawn. At times, years went by between releases. Lately, fortunately, they have accelerated their releases and that brings us to one of the best EP's of 2005. Pure unadulterated 1977 style punk rock with great guitar riffs, vocals and songwriting skills. Every song is an anthem that will have those fingers thumping and those toes tapping. If you have the Parkinson's CD on Elevator Records, this is 10 times better and that album was really good in it's own right.

Sorry, I missed a week. I was traveling for a week straight but got a chance to visit family and catch up on old times.

I'm going to start this week off by publishing an email I got from Dan Wasko, drummer of the Red Army (and later with Rock Bottom and the Spys and the Cartwrights). Reprinted by permission of Dan course - although I'm printing verbatim even though he did ask me to edit it first. I just thought the thoughts would come out a lot more powerful as written.

"#1. You mentioned that on Oct. 6, '78 at Bace's Hall you didn't remember The Visitors. I too was at that show and well remember them, although not all of the members. I recall that the drummer was " Dave Drive" who later was drummer for the Gears. On bass was Kira Roessler. I remember her because my brother ended up banging her steadily for a few weeks. I don't remember the name of the guitar player, but he was a tall, thin guy with a sort of mullett haircut and played a clear acrylic Ampeg Dan Armstrong guitar like Greg Ginn of Black Flag. Lastly, the vocalist was this weird dude named "Spazz Attack" who would do all of these crazy flips and stuff on stage. As I recall they were pretty decedent, but then, this was my very first L.A. punk rock show, so I was easily impressed.
#2. Christmas Day '78 at the Other Masque you mentioned not recalling who Nicky Beat's "special friends" were. Well, they were none other than the Dead Boys. So actually, this was a Dead Boys show only with Nicky Beat filling in on the skins. I remember them all coming down to the Masque while we (the Red Army) were living there and playing their set with Nicky Beat in the rehearsal room right next to the Masque office room. Of course this was several days before the show. This was when the Dead Boys regular drummer was in long term hospital care for treatment of sepsis from abscesses caused by IV drug use..as I recall he almost died and nearly had to have his arm amputated. I remember DB guitarist " Cheetah Chrome" got into a fight down in the Masque with a guy named "Rock Bottom", with whom I was briefly in a band with called "Spys". I have no idea why Rock was there during those rehearsals..probably seeking drugs. What I remember most about all of this was that I felt rather bitter about them not letting me sit in at rehearsal and just "jam" with them on drums for a few songs...just for the fun of it. I mean, what could it have hurt??? But NO!!!!!!!!! Actually, I later got to know the band rather well. Several months later they returned to L.A. with a new full time drummer and played several shows at the Whiskey. I did temp work at the Whiskey and did drum set up and tuning etc... for them at that time. Of course I saw all the shows for free,actually getting paid, and got my friends in each night on the guest list. Sat up on stage by the drums and pushed people off stage who got up there; drank with Stiv Bators on his bar tab (even though I wasn't yet 21 )and watched him try to score with women. He really wasn't a bad guy as I recall. Too bad about him getting killed". - Dan Wasko

JANUARY – MARCH 1979

1979 begins the last full year that I will participate in the original scene. The original core group of people are starting to disappear one by one as new people come in. The scene is larger than ever but the beginnings of the end will begin to appear during 1979.

9 of 12 gigs that I attended in the first quarter of 1979 were at the Other Masque. Then just as quickly as it came, it too was shut down for whatever reason. The immediate remembrances that come out of that location were seeing Joey Ramone show up for a show (how I wish I hadn't been so shy and told him what he meant to me), Brendon and the Dils fighting over the price of admission (The Dils wanted a higher admission price and Brendon said no so they opted out of playing there) and Craig Lee at the soundboard.

Apparently the Dils were OK to play there at least once for $4 because that was the first headliner of the year. The Rotters who had two great singles played on January 6th. They were from the Santa Barbara/Ventura area and came down to play. Two things that you never did in those days was play too long (40 minutes max) and play covers of other punk bands. The Rotters did both. They were finally asked to leave the stage after more than hour of originals and Sex Pistols and Damned covers. The Rotters have recently reformed with only one original member from those days and I saw them play the Garage in L.A. several years ago. I talked to him about that show and he said that they were used to being the only band on a card in their hometown and so they needed to play longer and they didn't have enough original material so they played covers.

The other band that makes it's debut now is the Simpletones. Cutesy pop with 3 lead singers singing like they were in a barbershop quartet (trio?). The songs were catchy and their entire catalog has recently been released on a German label. It's well worth tracking down. The other thing the Simpletones had going for them was Rover. She was a friend of the band and the cutest little thing you'll ever see. She was always at the Simpletones' shows and more. I talked to her on several occasions and have an additional story to tell in the next segment.

A lot of the traveling bands that came to town were familiar from singles that we got mostly from Zed Records in Long Beach where we lived. The Dead Kennedys were one of those bands with their great "California Uber Alles" single. They had such a great name that we thought they were really gonna be this bizarre band but they were pretty normal. What I recall most most Jello Biafra wearing translucent green gloves on his hands and waving them around as he sang. I know DK are legendary but they were never one of my favorites. They headlined on the 12th of January and played second fiddle to the Germs the next night.

January 13th was also a sad night because it was the demise of the Red Army. I don't what got up Spider's butt but he got pissed off over something and walked out in the middle of the show. I believe Dan and Ray took over vocals the rest of the show but that was the last time I'd see my favorite band with that name.

The Suburbs from Minneapolis made an appearance. They had a great EP out in this time period too. The Neighbors I remember nothing about.

As I look through my list of gigs, I see band names that sound familiar or bands that the same name as other bands from around the country. The Penetrators were such a band. There was a Penetrators from Syracuse, NY but these Penetrators were most likely from San Diego although I remember nothing about them either.

Bands that have played so far that I haven't mentioned are Flyboys, Controllers, Eyes, Plugz, Rhino 39, Suburban Lawns and Middle Class. These are bands that I saw on a regular basis and have been mentioned previously.

February 2nd has a band called the Others playing. I remember them being really good bu that's about it. Del and the Sensations don't sound like much of a punk band and I don't remember what they sounded or looked like either.

On the other hand, UXA is a band I remember quite well. With the Great De Detroit on vocals. Gravelly voice, big lips and an awesome stage presence. Steve had the hots for her. They had some tunes on the super Tooth & Nail compilation and a full length album that is an early punk classic. I always loved the song "Sister Godfrieda".

The might Clash make their SoCal debut at the Santa Monica civic with the equally politically minded Dils as the opening act. Rounding out the bill was Bo Diddley. The Clash always sited early artists as their inspiration and used them to help support their shows. The Clash would be coming to the end of their all out punk period at this time and delving into a bit more diverse work going forward.

San Francisco bands The Mutants and Negative Trend play a couple of weekend gigs with bands The Strict Ids, Schizos, Plugz and Simpletones. The Strict Ids and Schizos are the 2 new entries at this time but I'm conjuring up any memories on either.

It's a whole month before I go to another show after having gone to the Other Masque just about every weekend up to this point. I guess the venue closed down at this time and it was a matter of finding a new home for the locals to play. I know, let's play the Elk's Lodge where we had those great Masque Benefits last year!!!

St.Patrick's Day, March 17th, 1979. Anyone that was there will never forget it. It started out peacful enough. I think 5-6 bands were scheduled to play and it was a pretty early show as I recall, maybe a 6:00 PM show or thereabouts. The Go-Go's were first up and as it turns also last up. Steve and I did a soda run after the Go-Go's and went to a place a couple of blocks away. As we come out of the store holding our sodas we seeing a whole battalion of LAPD officers march down the street in lockstep, helmets on, batons in hand. "What the fuck", we thought. We couldn't even imagine that they were headed to the Elk's Lodge. We arrive back across the street from the Elk's Lodge and people are running everywhere. Some of the more sympathetic cops are warning us that some of their companions "are having too much fun" and to just get the fuck out of there. Dorothy James, one of the Lookalikes (I saw them called the Xerox Twins on another site) has been bludgeoned by an LAPD billyclub. There is a picture of her with her boyfriend, Jeff Atta, after the show with blood on her head. This show is listed in gig list with the comment "police caused riot". The LAPD now feel it is their duty to break up peaceful punk gigs and they show up to quite a few gigs over the remainder of the year.

Club 88 opens as another venue for the locals and the Alleycats and Bags is the first show I see there.

Second quarter 1979 next week. Some familiar bands will be introduced during this period.

Lots of people have been waiting for this one, a reissue of Karate Party's lone 7" EP, released by Moo-La-La Records in 1998. Though less than 300 copies of the original record are in circulation, the "Karate Party" moniker didn't necessarily elicit much interest outside of Sacramento until a few years back, when the A-Frames started making noise with the help of Chris Woodhouse. Fast forward to the present, and the demand has far exceeded the supply. Thankfully, this brilliant band's music is once again readily available, bigger and better than ever! Included here is the original 6-song Moo-La-La EP, the "City of a Beer" comp track, and a slew of impressive unreleased material. Everything has been superbly remastered and the damn thing looks nearly identical to the original, right down to the orange wax and packaging!

Absolutely incredible compilation of punk r'n'r tunes from around the globe. Old favorites like the Ends, Die Hunns, Bonecrusher Smut Peddlers, Radio Reelers, Smogtown, Skulls, Texas Terri, Union 13 and Broken Bottles. New favorites like the Scuffs, Thee Indigents, Shocks, Keg Killers, Jabbs and Midnight Creeps. Almost every song is a killer. 30 tunes in all. Whatcha waitin' for?

Marios's Top Ten/Playlist for May 2005

Digital Leather "Mutual Disdain for Fun" CD-R (Fatal Seduction)
The Ergs! "Cotton Pickin' Minute" 7" (Prison Jazz)
The Ergs!/Modern Machines split 7" (Grateful)
Evolutions/Fatals split 7" (Kryptonite)
Gift of Goats "S/T" 7" (Omnibus)
Nix "S/T" 7" (self-released)
Real Losers/Illegal Movers split 7" (Ken Rock)
Sexy "Por Vida" CD (Plan-It-X South)
Sleater-Kinney "The Woods" CD (Sub Pop)
V/A "Arizona Incest" CD-R (Fatal Seduction)

Dissimilars "Jimmy' Room" 7" (Out of Order)
Egos "Fast Swimming" LP (Dropkick)
Epoxies "Stop the Future" CD (Fat Wreck Chords)
Now "Here Comes the Now" CD (Wizzard In Vinyl)
Observers "Walk Alone" 7" (Jonny Cat)
Spittin' Vicars "Oddball" 7" (Radio Blast)
Straitjacket "Enemy" 7" (Jonny Cat)
V/A "Dance Hall Troops Vol. 1" CD (No Front Teeth)
V/A "Ego! Ego! Ego!" LP (Dropkick)
Vikings "The Best Head Ever" 2xCD (Just Add Water)

Web zines: Punk4Life Web zine featuring reviews, galleries, gig listings and more....

The last third of 1978 is significant for two events: the emergence of the best damned live band ever (more on that later) and the opening of the Other Masque, Brendan Mullen’s new location after the demise of the original Masque.

Only eleven shows in this four month period, which could be considered a bit of a drought for me.

The first of the new bands to appear during this time was the Brainiacs that put out an excellent EP. I’m pretty sure they were a local band, but this is the only time I saw them. The Plugz and Avengers headlined with their usual great shows. The great thing about the L.A. scene was that were no race or gender boundaries. The Plugz were Latino as were the Zeros, Alice of the Bags and many others to follow. There were many female led bands and half the fans were female.

September 22^nd finds me at the Whiskey for the Heartbreakers. I find it a bit disturbing that I can't remember having seen the Heartbreakers. Did I see Johnny Thunders and just forgot I did? I asked Steve and his recollection was vaguely that we had seen them although he remembers very well having seen them approximately 2 years after this date.

The Go-Go’s come into play here more and more as they establish themselves as a regular act before hitting the big time. Walking in the Sand is the one song that really sticks out in my mind from that time period. They were much rawer then than they became on their sweet sounding debut album.

October 6^th finds us at Bace’s Hall which became a regular spot for shows throughout the ‘78/’79 time period. This first show was a truly memorable one. The Visitors opened but I don’t recall anything about them. Fear played their usual contentious set. Next up was the Mutants from San Francisco . They put out a really good single about this time, Insect Lounge, and later an entire LP. What was unique about them was that they had topless dancers on each side of the stage. That was an unexpected treat! There was this asshole during the show that was hassling anybody who got too close to the stage. Not only that he was a big black dude that was probably twice as big as anybody in the place. We were wondering what the hell that idiot was doing. Steve and I went out after the Mutants set to get something to drink (our usual soda). As we got closer to Bace’s Hall again, we heard the next band already playing and it sounded great! Super hard driving guitar and melodic punk rock with power. Imagine our surprise to find the big black guy on stage with Carla on drums. I wrote in my gig log that his name was Snoopy, only to find out later after getting his excellent first EP that it was actually Snuky Tate. The Dils wrapped things up with their political punk tunes.

October 27^th finds us at the Rock Corporation for the Weirdos, Rubber City Rebels and the Girls. What I remember most about the Girls was not their music which wasn’t that great, but the fact that the drummer was familiar from a bunch of B-movies where she removed her top in each and every one of them. These were the teenage sex flicks that were popular at the time. Flicks like The Van and the Pom Pom Girls and such. Of course being young guys like we were, watching these movies were part of what we liked to do.

November saw old favorites The Avengers, Go-Go’s and Weirdos as well as the first first sighting of the Flyboys. The Flyboys were really saccharine power pop but this was a genre that I really enjoyed and I liked the band a lot.

December 17^th at Park View Hall introduces L.A. ’s all time greatest live band, the Red Army! Steve and I and maybe the band members themselves may be the only ones that agree with that sentiment but that’s the way I feel. Holy crap could they churn out a punk tune and make you feel it! Rat Cage and Special School still reverberate through my skull all these years later. Every band member had red hair. Dave Sutherland on guitar, Ray Cyst on Bass, Spider (Earl) on lead vocals and Dan Wasko on drums. Dan had the unenviable distinction of being the only one who wasn’t a true redhead so he had to dye his hair. I have been fortunate enough to make contact with Dan and Dave in recent years. Dave is still in music as a roadie and Dan is a Crime Scene Investigator (a real life CSI!) in New Mexico .

Five days later the “Other” Masque opens and we have one more place to call our own. The Other Masque was a pretty large place and could probably fit several hundred people. The Red Army have the distinction of officially opening the new place and are followed by the Flyboys, Eyes (I’m sure Charlotte has officially left at this point since she is in the Go-Go’s) and Plugz.

Christmas Day at the Other Masque finds us with the Suburban Lawns and the great Sue Tissue on vocals. Their Gidget Goes to Hell single is a classic. Snuky Tate is back it and I guess I got the correct spelling somewhere because it’s right in my listings. The Controllers are next and Mad Dog Carla should be firmly ensconced as the drummer by this time. Larry Fisher is up next and I remember nothing about him. Nicky Beat and Friends are the headliners although I have forgotten who his “friends” were.

The last of the 58 shows that I went to in 1978 is at the Whiskey and feature the best band of all time, the Ramones. I saw the Ramones so many times and I don’t think I’d ever be able to come up with more than a ballpark figure for the number of times I actually did see them but what I can say is that every time was great experience. There is a big hole in the soul whenever I think that 3 of the 4 original members are dead now. Without these 4 guys, I would not be writing this now and the world would be a much bleaker place. Take it Dee Dee. 1-2-3-4!!!!!

1979 will see me going to 80 shows so I am breaking 1979 into fourths. January through March 1979 coming next week. It will be a day late next week because I will be out of town.

Four more blasts of messy, sprawling hardcore from Davis/Sacramento's own Gift of Goats. You may remember these guys from the four-way split LP Omnibus released a couple years back that also included Jonny X and the Groadies, Corpse Fucks Corpse, and Get Get Go. If not, this record is a great place to start. Gift of Goats' approach harkens back to Gravity Records' heyday in the early-to-mid '90s, with a raging, edgy sound that crashes and burns but never loses complete control. Occasionally, Gift of Goats' mouthpiece Mick Mucus screeches and gargles like Mike Kirsch, which brings to mind bands like Torches to Rome or Bread and Circuits--but more fucked up. A great record!

Part 7 of the great series from Hate Records out of Italy. Hate has been around since the late 90's putting out some of the best punk rock'n'roll around. This one is one of the best having a great 1977 feel to it. Great songs and you'd swear Steve Jones was on guitar.

New additions this week:
Lots and lots of discography updates.

Scene Resources: Jenny Lens   Great photographs from the earliest days of L.A. punk rock. See what the Masque was all about.
Flipside Fanzine   Michele Flipside keeps the old L.A. scene alive with photos and information from this legendary 'zine.
Alice Bag   Alice of the Bags has her own site and many stories to tell of the early days of L.A. punk rock. Her series on the "Women of Punk Rock" is not to be missed.

Things are starting to pick up. More and more people are discovering the scene. Steve and I are starting to give people nicknames that we don’t know but see often enough that they are familiar. There was a song by the English band, the Drones, called Lookalikes. We gave that nickname to sisters Barbara and Dorothy James who looked and dressed similarly. We even called them Big Lookalike and Little Lookalike.

Eighteen of the 24 shows that I went to in this 4 month stretch were at the Whiskey so it obviously has become established as the punk locale of choice for most of the L.A. bands. We started to see some bands on a regular basis and it’s evident by the list you see here. The Dils, Alley Cats, Zeros, Avengers, Controllers, Shock, Bags, Plugz, Dogs, Weirdos, Dickies, Deadbeats and Screamers are all represented in this time period.

Bands listed here that I have no recollection of are the Consumers, Permanent Wave, Continental Miniatures, Brothel Creepers, Blow Up, Richie Glover Combo, Kids, Duplicators and L.A. Shakers.

The Hollywood Squares were a band that put out one single and as far as I know only did this one show. They had a song called Hillside Strangler. When they played that song they threw out a piece of rope. I still have it. The Boyfriends were a power pop combo that were alright but nothing special.

Black Randy’s alter ego Mexican Randy took the stage on May 28^th and he pretended to be Mexican instead of black. That was Randy’s shtick although he was a white guy. I believe he died of drugs or AIDS, I can’t remember which.

Although I did not attend the show at the Starwood, it is part of L.A. punk lore and this seems like as good a time period as any to throw this in. Leonard Phillips was performing fro the Dickies with Alice Bag in the audience. The dressing room at the Starwood was upstairs. So Leonard climbs the stairs and jumps off to the stage to impress Alice . He breaks his leg but completes the song!

One of the pre-punk bands that Steve and I enjoyed a lot was Quiet Riot. Randy Rhoades that went on to play with Ozzy Osbourne was an absolutely amazing guitarist, maybe the best I’ve ever seen for technical proficiency (I’d take Johnny Ramone any day but you know what I mean). Randy was killed when the plane he was in crashed into the house that Ozzy was in when it crashed. I guess by this time punk must have been in my veins because they didn’t sound anywhere near as good as I remembered from before. I think that was probably the last non-punk show I went to during this period.

We head back to Larchmont Hall for the third time June 9^th. We had never heard of the opening band, Middle Class, before. Holy shit! The first hardcore band? Many think so. Super speeded up music with lead singer Jeff sounding like an auctioneer as fast as he was spewing out those lyrics. Middle Class were the three Atta boys (sorry, I couldn’t resist), Jeff, Mike and Bruce along with Mike Patton. We hung out with Mike Patton on many occasions and these were some of the band members that we had the most contact with as friends.

One of the pre-punk bands that we liked a lot was the New York Dolls. You could certainly make the argument that they were punk because the sound was there. They were about 5 years ahead of the curve though. Their lead singer, David Johansen, had a solo career started about this time. We went hoping to hear some of the New York Dolls old stuff. As “Personality Crisis” came on we went into a pogoing frenzy which was not well received by the non-punk majority. Ex-Blondie member, Gary Valentine, opened the show. He was either booted or left band over artistic differences. I hope he was able to afford those artistic differences, because Blondie obviously became huge and Gary went nowhere fast. I really enjoyed his single and style of music.

June 23^rd looks like San Francisco night at the Whiskey. The Nuns who we had seen before played their typical show, which was always good. The Sleepers led off with a set of slow moving songs that you would be familiar with if you have heard their EP. I like the EP but they were just a tad boring live. The Offs were the first ska band? Some say so although I think they tended more towards Reggae. I’m not a fan of ska but I always liked the Offs. Negative Trend played a form of dark punk that I enjoyed a lot. The “Meathouse” EP is an essential part of any 70’s punk collection.

June 26^th was a very memorable show. It was at a roller skating rink in Fullerton , CA . I had never roller skated before but I laced up the skates and before the evening was through I was skating like a pro. Middle Class was the headliner and I made a point of seeing them whenever possible. What made the night memorable was a skirmish outrside the rink between the punks and some guys that looked like they had just come from the beach. Someone tossed a bottle at their car as they were attempting to leave and they turned around and raced the car through the parking lot where we were going very fast indeed. The start of the Hollywood vs. Beach punk wars? Maybe.

In the beginning of July we saw the Suicide Commandos from Minneapolis , MN a couple of times. They were one of the earliest bands to have records released. The Controllers opened one of the shows. I’m not sure if this is the right timeframe or not but at some point a young black girl that they called Mad Dog became the drummer. She was one of punk rock’s greatest drummers, an absolutely devastating proficient drumming attack! Mad Dog was another band member that became a good friend. Unfortunately, in recent years she developed M.S. and has become wheel chair bound.

The rest of July we saw bands that I have mentioned before. July 3^rd was the 4^th of 4 nights in a row so we were certainly getting out to shows often even though we had a 25 mile drive from Long Beach where we lived to Hollywood for the majority of the shows. And not only that but gas cost 50 cents a gallon!

On August 4^th we got to see the great Dictators from New York . They put a “punk” album in 1975 before the Ramones ever did. Led by wrestler, Handsome Dick Manitoba, they were certainly tongue in cheek lyrically, but they had great songs. They put out an album in recent years so they are still active. How Max Webster, whoever the hell that is, headlined over the Dictators, I’ll never know.

Four more consecutive shows at the Whiskey with the local bands that defined the scene at the time.

August 25^th finds us at Club Azteca which I think was in East L.A. Besides the fact that it was a great show musically with the Weirdos, Dils, Negative Trend and Middle Class playing, this was a show where Geza X was dangling his wares to the crowd while telling his usual humorous stories about Mean Mister Mommy Man. The club had hired a female rent-a-cop and when she saw what he was showing she was over him like a fly on shit. He was wailing like a baby, begging not to be arrested. Fortunately for Geza, the punk fans are a close knit group and were not about to see him hauled off by this woman. She was surrounded by a group of folks, myself included, and she decided that perhaps it wouldn’t be such a great idea to push the issue so he was freed with a slap on the wrist.

August ends with two very good local bands making their first appearance on these lists, the Scientists and Rhino 39, as well as one very famous band. Rhino 39 put out an excellent single on Dangerhouse called Prolixin Stomp. Their lead singer whose name eludes me right now was killed in a car accident in the early 80’s. Also, on this bill was the first time I had seen the Go-Go’s. Their early shows were not very musically competent but they had the Charlotte Caffey from the Eyes on guitar, Jane Drano and Belinda with Margot on bass. Margot made the mistake of getting sick about the time the Go-Go’s actually struck it big so that was one expensive illness.

In 2004 France's the Fatals charmed the pants off damn near every garage punker with three amazing EPs presented in Trash-o-Phonic sound. Now, we have their first domestically released wax courtesy of Kryptonite Records, a label that has consistently put the "lo" in "lo-fi" for several years. This EP pairs up the Fatals with on-again/off-again trash purveyors the Evolutions, in a France vs. U.S.A. garage punk showdown. My nod goes to the Evolutions.

Fresh off of a third place finish in last year's 7" of the year, the Dirty Fingers are back and they are as good as ever. Power chords, nasty attitude and songs that'll having you singing the praises of punk rock'n'roll. When they sing that "all they need is a girl to fuck", you can feel the passion and you're right with them wishing you had your own girl to fuck. Fuck yeah! Get this or be a loser.

These are the shows that I went to during the first third of 1978. I decided to split 1978 and 1979 into thirds because I went to so many shows. It also allows me to stretch this out a couple of more weeks.

1978 begins with a gig at the Masque. The Avengers and the Dils made their way down from San Francisco, F-Word continued their climb within the scene and a band called the Liars opened. I wish I could remember them but I don't. The Masque was THE place for L.A. punk and the L.A. punk scenesters. Little did I know that this would be my last show at the Masque for years. Only 4 times and ready to be shut down.

It was a rarity that I missed a Dogs show. I'll have to go back at the end of this and count the number of occurrences. I recently had coffee with the band in North Hollywood so I am pleased that I was able to establish a friendship with the band over time. I even got them a gig here in Phoenix at the now defunct Blue Ox a few years back.

One of the ways to show your enthusiasm for the music was to pogo dance. This was a dance that was adopted from our English counterparts. Basically you just jumped up and down, occasionally bumping into somebody next to you. It was great fun and guys and girls participated equally.

The reason I bring up the pogo dancing is because I remember pogoing for an hour and half straight to the Ramones at the Santa Monica Civic on February 3rd. I remember it contributing to one of the more enjoyable Ramones shows I ever saw. I remember they did 3 encores of 3 songs each. The Quick opened that night. Leonard Phillips' goal in life was to become a member of the Quick before he and Stan Lee started the Dickies. They were a part of the scene prior to the actual punk movement and were a power pop band. The Runaways were every adolescents wet dream (are you listening, Mike?). Of course, Lita Ford went on to heavy metal stardom, Joan Jett went on to the Blackhearts and DJ's for Sirius radio today. Cherie Currie just warns young girls about Kim Fowley. Kim Fowley had a penchant for young girls and started the Runaways as well as Venus and the Razorblades, another female fronted band. Kim is also a DJ for Sirius Radio these days.

February 25th and 26th were truly memorable dates in L.A. punk history. The Masque had been closed by the fire marshalls because there was fire exit. We were just pissed that they would close down our signature locale for L.A. punk (in retrospect I guess a Great White type of occurrence could have happened there but when you're young you never think anything will happen to you). The two shows on these dates were to benefit the Masque and try to bring it up to code. The place was owned by an Englishman named Brendan Mullen.

The two days showcased a veritable who's who in L.A. punk. I can't think of a single act at the time that wasn't represented in the two days. Day 1 featured a band that we had purchased a single by called the Flesh Eaters. Steve always liked them a lot better than me and they were led by Chris Desjardins. Bands I've talked about before like the Controllers, Zeros, Screamers, Germs, Skulls and Bags also played. The Bags figured that the bags they were wearing on their heads the first time I saw them were a bit hard to deal with so the people that we would come to know as Alice Bag (I got a recent email from Alice - Thanks!), Craig Lee who was an early AIDS victim, Patrical Morrison who later married Damned frontman, Dave Vanian, and Terry Dadbag. Ending the night was a joke band that I believe was led by Bruce Barf. They said they were the Bitt Pliers. It was the only time I ever saw them. I remember driving home from that show thinking that I was a member of this scene now and it was a great feeling to belong. I believe that if you asked of the first wave of punks that came through L.A., you would find a similar feeling of not belonging in "normal" society and looking for someplace that you could just be who you were.

Day 2 was the first time I ever saw the bands the Plugz (a latino band led by Tito Larriva), the Alley Cats (led by Randy Stodola and Dianne Chai), the Eyes with Charlotte Caffey of the soon to be Go-Go's, the Deadbeats (another Dangerhouse band with the great song "Kill the Hippies") and the Randoms with Rand McNally that put out a single on Dangerhouse and that was about the last that was heard of from them. Other bands that I had seen previously were Shock, X, the Dickies, Weirdos, Skulls, Black Randy and Arthur J & the Gold Cups. The two days worth of shows were released as a series of 3 CDs called "Live From the Masque". My photo is in there if you have the second volume. I am the person standing in the background behind the intended subject, Cherie the Penguin.

Just as I had the feeling on Day 1 that I had become a part of the scene, Day 2 had the potential for ripping that to pieces. Our old friends Sally and Lauren were up to their old antics and I was getting a regular shoe in the back of the legs by Lauren. I finally had enough and went up behind her and gave her a shove. To my horror, she went down like a sack of potatoes as people gathered around her. I just kind of slinked away wondering if anyone had seen it (apparently nobody except Steve had) and wondering if my days as an L.A. punk rock fan had just come to an end. If you are out there, Lauren, I publicly apologize now. I don't condone violence against women in any way. I have two daughters of my own and would want to rip the suckers balls off that would have done that to my daughter.

March 23 at the Whiskey with another new band, VOM. I never particularly cared for them but the Dickies headlined so it was a good night, I'm sure.

Back to Larchmont Hall on March 24 and the first appearance of Fear. Fear had the great Lee Ving on vocals and he would insult the audience and get some really pissed that see through the shtick. Also on the bill were F-Word, the Deadbeats and the Skulls. I'm pretty sure this was the show where we were introduced to Geza X and his rantings about Mean Mister Mommy Man. Bruce Barf had joined the Skulls and he and Geza were up on stage talking while fondling each other. Anything could and did happen during these years.

Leonard Phillips of the Dickies and Charlotte Caffey of the Eyes dated for awhile and the Dickies and Eyes played the Whiskey on March 25.

A week later it was the Weirdos and Bags again along with a power pop band called the Last, featuring frontman Joe Nolte that put a great single on their own label and later re-released by Bomp!

The Pop! was another of the KROQ Cabaret bands that was pushed to the side by the punk movement. They had quite a following and have publicly stated that punk ruined their momentum. I always liked them but their style would have little appeal to the average punk rocker of the day. They headlined over the Dogs and Breakaways (who I don't remember). The Dogs had started to move their sound more towards a punk sound to try to fit in although they never really did in those days. They wrote the punk classic "Slash Your Face" as scathing criticism of the punks. Funny how 25 years will change you from an outsider to having one of the most sought after "punk" classic singles.

The Jam invaded our shores again on April 14 and the Dickies and Eyes opened at the great Starwood. My first ever club shows were at the Starwood and the place I saw the Ramones for the first time.

The Screamers at the Whiskey on April 15th, a year since the dawn of the L.A. punk scene that started at the Orpheum Theater. This may have one of the 3 sold out nights at the Whiskey for the Screamers, who as I have stated were never a favorite. I did however get to see two of my favorite bands at the time, the Zeros and F-Word.

Rounding out the first four months of 1978 was New York's Tuff Darts and Akron, Ohio's Rubber City Rebels. Tuff Darts were OK but nothing special and I liked the Rebels a bit more but they didn't do a whole lot for me at the time either. ( I did see the Rebels a year or two back and it was one of the greatest shows I have seen since the old days). The Rebels were just about to relocate to L.A. Lead man Rod Firestone is related (uncle maybe?) to Andrew Firestone, one of the contestants on the ABC show, the Bachelor.

Snotty garage punk of the 3-chord variety from yet another superb Pacific Northwest export. This time, it's Rob of the Minds and Flip Tops paired with former members of the Bedpans, whose lone self-released 7" caused quite a stir among collector types a couple years ago. This 7" has a similar "DIY" spirit: recorded by the band, two photocopied sleeve designs, and Sharpie'd labels. The next time you see this record will be on "Best of 2005" lists. Let the scrambling begin.

You'll need to go "down under" to find this band featuring members of the Onyas and Asteroid B-612. This album rocked me to the core. All punk rock'n'roll with no filler. Great songwriting with blazing guitar, both rhythm and lead, in the right quantities. If this is a 2005 release, it's on top of the list right now.

New additions this week:
Lots and lots of discography updates.
Web zines: Blackout Music Site dedicated to Oi! and street music with interviews, reviews and a label. Best of all there is a links section with a huge collection of music supplied by the linked bands.
Labels: Blackout Music Oi! and street music label out of Wales. See the web zines section of the same name.
MP3 Downloads: Download Punk As the name suggests, a site dedicated to punk downloads.

The month of July I was still off in Europe doing my backpack thing so I didn't attend any shows during that time.

The first show of '77 was a reprise of the Orpheum show minus the Germs with the Weirdos and Zeros at the Whiskey. The L.A. scene had started to form and you saw many people over and over again whose names you started learn. There was Gerber, Pleasant, Trudi, Spazz Attack, Donny Rose, Sally and Lauren. Steve and I were from the suburbs, Alhambra to be exact. We were never part of that inner circle of punks that lived in Hollywood and hung out together and went to the shows. Even though we had supported the scene from day 1, we were really considered outsiders. Part of that had to do with the fact that we had not yet changed our look. Steve had a beard and I still had hair over my ears. I remember a show at the Whiskey when Sally and Lauren (these two seemed to be joined at the hip because you rarely saw one without the other) looked at Steve and said "ooooh, hippie!". (A quick note: the Jenny Lens site has these two listed as Sally and Patti on page 2 of the Masque archives section. I am going with the name that I remember so if anyone can definitively tell me Lauren/Patti's actual name, it would be appreciated). Sally and Lauren also took great joy in kicking those members of the audience that didn't conform to "the look" or were part of the inner circle. They had these pointy little shoes and they hurt. I was the target of many a Lauren kick.

Four of the first 6 shows I went to during the second half of '77 featured the Dogs. As I stated in Part 1, the Dogs were one of the earliest bands to hit the scene. They were always too rock for the punkers and too punk for the rockers. This limbo area caused them to never quite find their niche amongst the L.A. rock fans except those of us like me and Steve who had our roots in hard rock and migrated to the ripping sound of punk. The Dogs reunited in 2000 and I have become friends with the band, especially lead singer Loren, and they have released a collection of their old stuff and an entirely new album, both released on Dionysus. Check the concert reviews section for reviews of their more recent shows.

The one Dogs show that is of significant note here is their opening slot at the Whiskey for AC/DC. Imagine paying $4 to see the Bon Scott led AC/DC in an intimate setting. I remember Angus Young stomping around the Whiskey in his school shorts and ripping the joint apart with just his guitar.

September 18 was another key date in the L.A. punk scene. The opening band came out with bags over their heads saying they were the Bags and said their names were Douche Bag, Trash Bag, this and that bag that I can't remember now. The lead singer was a whirlwind of energy and spat out the lyrics with a fury not often seen up to this point. Their music was probably the most ferocious and least melodic that I had experienced going to shows over the previous year. More on the Bags later as they become better known and shed the bags. The Germs were back after their memorable show in April and I was pretty curious so see what would come next. This time they actually were able to play their instruments a bit but they weren't all that great. This may have been the show where Bobby Pyn said he was "Darby Crash" from now on. The Germs got a lot of attention but I have to say that I never went to a show that the Germs were part of specifically to see the Germs. They just weren't that good musically. Darby had this aura about him that many bought into and had his followers. The Weirdos were now playing more and more and became of kings of L.A. punk along with the Screamers.

October 7th finds me at the Whiskey again to see the Jam from England. We bought lots of records in those days so we were familiar with all of the English acts as well as others across the U.S. The opening act was horrible. I'm not sure how Johnny Cougar ever got this gig because the music was 180 degrees opposite of the Jam's sound. I guess he got the last laugh though because he went on to make millions as John Cougar Mellencamp.

October 21st finds us at Larchmont Hall for what I think may have been a Slash Magazine benefit. I saw X, the Dils and the Avengers for the first time each. These bands would form a large part of the foundation for California punk in the coming years. My first impression of X was not a positive one. The female singer, Exene Cervenka, came out with boxing gloves and we thought her vocal style ruined the band. We figured if this band was ever to make it, they'd need to lose her. X, of course, is considered to be the most successful of the 70's punk bands to come out of L.A., having released a half dozen or so major label albums. The Dils and Avengers always put on great shows and I can't say that these stood out in any way but it was the first of many times I would see both bands.

November 4th at the Whiskey, the great Dead Boys, led by Stiv Bators who was later killed after being hit by a car in Paris. The Dead Boys came our way from New York via Cleveland. We had their outstanding first album and their show lived up to the quality of the record. The Mumps were also from New York and they must not have been very memorable at all because I didn't remember that I had even ever seen them until I pulled my gig list out for this series.

Crime from San Francisco. What a great band. They never wanted to be labeled as "punk" and had released their first single in 1976 before that label became attached to the style of music so they had a point. The Dils played again and Waxx who I don't remember at all so they coudln't have been too good. (I never did drugs or drank excessively during these years so my lack of memory can't be attributed to that, in case you were wondering).

November 26, 1977 was my first visit to the Masque. I guess it had been open for a few months prior to that but I wasn't part of the inner circle, so I had to find it out on my own. This may have been Thanksgiving Day or perhaps the day after. The Masque was a trashy looking place in a basement below a porno theater that had been showing "Deep Throat" and "The Devil In Miss Jones" for something like 8 years running. It had grafitti on the walls and a small stage in the corner that was maybe a foot above ground level. This was the first time I saw F-Word with their barefoot singer, Rik L. Rik and guitarist Dim Wanker. Rik passed away a few years ago from a brain malady. They always put on a great show and were the first to release anything on Posh Boy Records with a live LP. Shock had a reputation as being a very loud band, a reputation that I should have paid heed to and am reminded of every day as I put the phone to my left ear only. I lost a bit of hearing that night as I was right up in front of the stage for their show. They wore skinny ties and suits and played a searing brand of "power" pop. I came to know Steve Reina of the band later as a member of the Silencers but that is a story for another day. Also on this bill were the Avengers and Zeros and topping off the bill were the Nerves, a power pop band that gave the Weirdos a slot on the Orpheum Theater bill a week before I saw them for the first time and rocketed the Weirdos into legendary status. Not a bad series of bands for my first Masque show.

Back to the Whiskey in December for the first of many shows I saw by the Dickies. They were L.A.'s "fun" band. They were band that you could pogo to. It must have been quite a sight to see people popping up into the air during "Walk Like an Egg". A&M Records signed the Dickies and they became the first to get any major label attention. They were huge in England. The Nuns from San Francisco were also on the bill. This band featured Javier Escovedo's, of the Zeros, brother and a female piano player that remained expressionless throughout the whole show. The Wildcats opened and even though I saw them more them once, I can't for the life of me remember anything about them. This same line up played the Whiskey again on December 23rd.

Another English band, the Motors, made their way to L.A. and the Whiskey. They had some very catchy tunes and put an album and several singles. The opening act, Michael Fennelly, did an utterly forgettable set although I had been a fan of his 1970 band, Crabby Appleton.

Eddie and the Hot Rods, also from England, arrived a few days later. They kind of fell in the same category as the Dogs. They were pre-punk, pub rockers, that were trying to make their way in a punk world. They actually changed their name to the Rods for one single, the great "Do Anything You Wanna Do", to make it not so obvious that they were the "Eddie and the Hot Rods". Time heals all however and they have earned their proper place in punk history. I do remember getting ther early for the show and seeing Darby Crash walk in. I was thinking this wasn't a show I would typically expect him to be attending. He looked, turned to leave and said "I just wanted to see who was here". Shit! That didn't do much for mine and Steve's street cred in the scene. The opening act, Trouble, I don't remember.

Back to the Masque on December 16 for the Weirdos and two bands I hadn't seen before, the Skulls and Screamers. The Skulls were great, with rail thin Billy Bones on vocals and all out punk rock attack singing about the Hillside Strangler and sniffing glue. The Screamers were the darlings of the L.A. scene with Tomata Du Planty on vocals and drums and a synthesizer as the instruments. I never could get into this band but they were able to sell out three consecutive nights at the Whiskey in their heyday.

New Year's eve finds us at the Masque again and some more "firsts". The Controllers opened and were destined to become one of my favorite bands. Kidd Spike was one of the first band members that I became friends with. Steve and I went to their shows all the time and followed Spike's career through the Gears, Skull Control and back to the Controllers (in recent years). The drummer was white and male and so the legendary Mad Dog had not yet joined the band. Arthur J and the Gold Cups were up next and played some god awful lounge music. Spazz Attack, who got his name from doing a flip on stage and writhing around like a lunatic, was the lead singer. The Weirdos played third and Black Randy headlined. I had picked up a Dangerhouse single with a great song called "Loner With A Boner" on it. Unfortunately that was probably the only Black Randy song I ever liked. One thing I do remember from this show was another L.A. punk legend, Bruce Barf (Bruce Moreland) giving his New Year's resolutions and wishing that Led Zeppelin would die in a plane crash. Not much love lost for the hippies in those days.

Marios's Top Ten/Playlist for April 2005

Buzzov-en "Welcome to Violence" CD reissue (Alternative Tentacles)
Coachwhips/Intelligence split 7" (Omnibus)
DC Snipers/Shop Fronts split 7" (Your Permanent)
The Dissimilars "Jimmy's Room" 7" (Out of Order)
The Innocents "S/T" 7" (Jonny Cat)
The Kung Fu Monkeys "Electric Tangerine Smile: Shindig Volume 3 in 3-D" 2x7" (Whoa Oh)
The Observers "Walk Alone" 7" (Jonny Cat)
The Pneumonias "Burn Baby Burn" 7" (High School Refuse)
Smalltown "The First Three Years" CD (Deranged/Snuffy Smile)
Smalltown "The Music" CD (Deranged/Snuffy Smile)

Apers "Skies Are Turning Blue" CD (Stardumb)
Chixdiggit "Pink Razors" CD (Fat Wreck Chords)
Cosmic Psychos "Fifteen Years, A Million Beers" 2xCD (Dropkick)
High Tension Wires "Send A Message" LP (Dirtnap)
Krunchies "In De Winkel" LP (Criminal IQ)
Les Dragueurs "Bob" 7" (Bacle)
No-Talents "What's In Your Bag" 7" (Broken Rekids)
River City Tan Lines "Gimme Whatever" 7" (Goodbye Boozy)
Teenage Bottlerocket "Total" CD (Red Scare)
Zatopeks "Ain't Nobody Left But Us" CD (Stardumb)

That this record was a shoe-in for my "pick of the week" was clear within five seconds of the stylus hitting the grooves. The song in question is "She Makes Me Wild," one of four wild garage rock tunes by the East Bay's Mothballs. These guys are great fun live, but to be perfectly frank, I wasn't expecting their debut wax to capture the movin' and shakin' as convincingly as it does. I should have known better, especially since their frontman/guitar player Carlos did time in the Rock 'n' Roll Adventure Kids years ago, when they were in full-on Supercharger-worship mode. I recommend you purchase record immediately if you need your "budget rock" fix, but if my recommendation doesn't float your boat, listen to Bay Area garage icon Mike Lucas, whose seal of approval adorns the Mothballs' sleeve.

Ray and Kody (ex-Lillingtons) trade off on vocals on the exquisite piece of pop punk plastic. Any fan of the Lillingtons will find this a salve for the loss of one of pop punk's greatest bands. 13 songs of pure unadulterated driving guitars with the hooks and melodies that make a great pop song. You will singing these songs in your dreams, they are so catchy. Do not miss out.

This is the second in an approximately 8 part series on L.A. punk. The gig list is from the shows I actually attended during this period. Following the list are my recollections from that time period.

As 1977 begins, you see that the location of choice is the KROQ Cabaret with the bands that I mentioned last week in prominence. The listings end after 2/12 so I would imagine that that would be when that particular venue closed down. Two memories I have of the Cabaret are having the Pop guitarist playing while standing on my table (yes, we sat down in those days) and remarking to Steve when we saw the Berlin Brats, “I wonder when these are going stop sucking”, totally in jest, of course, because they were rocking our socks off. Rodney Bingenheimer emceed the shows and it was quite by accident that I came across a fascinating documentary on Rodney’s life on satellite TV last night. The movie is called “The Mayor of Sunset Strip”.

Note Van Halen opening for the Berlin Brats on 1/29. It won’t be too long before Van Halen are headlining arena shows.

Zolar X were also pretty interesting, dressed as aliens and playing a fairly appealing form of glam rock. They have recently released a career retrospective album that is really quite good.

On 2/16 saw the Ramones and Blondie. I made a point of catching the yearly Ramones show from ’76 until their demise in ’96.

Cheap Trick were another band that just put out their first album in 1977. Rick Nielsen had a habit of tossing his guitar picks out to the audience and I still have mine to this day. He also bent down and rubbed my head while I was standing up against the stage watching the show. I also saw Cheap Trick on 4/1 opening for the Runaways.

Up to this point there was no real L.A. punk scene so the bands that we saw all had long hair just like all the other bands we had supported up to this point. Steve and I also had hair on the longish side and Steve had a beard. This would become a point of contention but that is a story that will be told in part 3.

Iggy Pop made his comeback in this period of ’77 and released his first solo album and we saw him headlining on 4/15 with Blondie as the support act.

4/16/77 is a day that will remain permanently imprinted on my mind until the day I die. We (Steve, myself and our friend Mike) had tickets to see the Damned and Television at the Whiskey. When we arrived for the show, the Damned had been removed from the bill and replaced with somebody I don’t remember. Fortunately for us, one block down and across the street from Tower Records, the Weirdos were going to be playing. Steve had the privilege of seeing them play the previous week at the same Orpheum Theater and they played with no drummer. As we were getting ready to go in we ran into several members of the opening band, the Germs. We told them that we had sold our Television tickets to come to this show. The one called Bobby said "You did what? We can't even play. We've only been playing for a week. You guys should try it too." They came on stage and started playing some of the worst noise you had ever heard and the singer, Bobby Pyn, started smearing peanut butter over himself. The owner of the club became incensed at the mess and had the band rather rudely removed from the premises. That was the Germs legendary first show. The next band was a group of Spanish looking guys who played a brand of melodic punk rock that blew us away. It was the first L.A. appearance of the Zeros. The Weirdos headlined and they were quite a sight. John Denney making faces at the crowd and gyrating wildly while shouting out “Do the Dance! Do the Dance! Do the Dance! Do the Dance! Yeah!”. Nickey Beat made his debut as Weirdos drummer this night too. “Go Kid Hugo” was my all time favorite Weirdos song but they removed it from the set early on and it is only available on a demo double single release in the early 90’s called “Ranting In A Rubber Room”. Sometime during the show, Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible of the Damned arrived with Rodney Bingenheimer and sat about halfway up the seats behind us. I guess they didn’t have anything else to do that night. Captain Sensible took advantage of the situation and got and jammed with the Weirdos on the old Seed's classic "Pushin' Too Hard". (Many thanks to Steve Stiph and Mike Richardson for their recollections of the evening).

The Damned may have been booted off the Television bill but they did play the Starwood two nights later. They belted out basically the entire contents of their debut album that night and left us wanting more. The Damned had run out of cash pretty early on in their American “tour” so they asked the audience to throw whatever change they had on the stage. I think they made a good amount of money gathering up what we tossed up to them. They also offered to have their picture taken with you for $10. $10 was a bit steep to afford in those days but would have made a great souvenir all these years later if I had bitten on the offer.

There’s a 2 month gap before I went to another show, which featured the Weirdos at the Whiskey, which was due mainly to getting my appendix out. I missed seeing the Status Quo at the Santa Monica Civic during this time who happen to be my all time favorite non-punk band. Steve sold my ticket and made a few extra bucks off of it.

In early June of ’77 I did the whole European backpack thing and ended up in London. I was with my long time friend, Torbjorn, who I had gone to school with my one year in Norway from ’72-’73. We were lucky enough to be there the night the Saints from Australia were playing at the world famous Roxy Club. The attendant at the door asked if I was a member. I’m pretty sure he knew I wasn’t because I still had hair over my ears and didn’t look like the rest of the patrons in their leather and chains. I actually felt a bit uncomfortable in the surroundings because I did look so much different. Here was a fairly well developed scene that had the clothing style, the regulars and a whole slew of bands to see. Opening was the Tubeway Army which featured Gary Numan who had a hit or two in the early 80’s. They were pretty dull although thy had a decent song or two. Mean Street had a song on the “Live at the Vortex” album which is excellent. Unfortunately, that was about their only good song and they also failed to impress. The Saints, however were great and played all the hits. Getting back to our hotel in the middle of the night with no benefit of the Underground (London’s subway trains) was quite an adventure but we made it and lived to tell tales of the Eiffel Tower and tits on the beach in San Tropez.

I guess I can also say I “saw” the Sex Pistols in Oslo, Norway in June, 1977. They were going to play a small club there and Torbjorn and I headed into to Oslo to try and get tickets but they were sold out long before then. I did see the Pistols through the door as they headed to the stage for their performance and I was also able to hear the whole show from the street outside the club.

Part 3 next week which will cover the second half of 1977 and when the L.A. punk scene became a real scene.

Ryan Wong is such a versatile, talented guy. Stop and think about his resume for a moment: the Wongs, the Reatards, Destruction Unit, Digital Leather, and Tokyo Electron. Quality across-the-board. Like many people, I missed last year's Tokyo Electron 7" on the rather elusive Italian label Solid Sex Lovie Doll. It's especially painful because I've heard the record and it rips. But this 7" on Shattered is much easier to find, and I wouldn't waste any time finding it if I were you, because it, too, is top-shelf garage punk.

These guys sound like a more powerful Turbonegro, combining a raw, thunderous beat, a bit of hard rock and some superb songs. These songs are so loud and powerful that it tips the distortion meter into the red. That just adds to the impact but never detracts from it. They look like the bastard sons of Motorhead and they sound like it too.

New additions this week:
Labels: Deadpan Records I reviewed the Scattered Fall 7" last week. Hard rocking SoCal puink.
Lots and lots of discography updates.

First, a little administrative stuff. We have 5 new reviews this month listed below:

1) "For All I've Lost" 7" by Scattered Fall on Deadpan Records
2) "Smash the States" CD by V/A on Su-i-cide Watch Records
3) "Opera 21" by CD Plastination on Ultima Spiaggia Records
4) Demo CD-r and 2 7" EP's by Gun Fury
5) "3 & 4" by OCS on Narnack

KDVS plays our CD's. They have a fundraiser going this week and they need your help You can click on either: KDVS (www.kdvs.org) or their fundraiser page at www.kdvs.ucdavis.edu. This page is where people can go to pledge money online; it also lists the available premiums. For a pledge as low as $40, people are entitled to free stuff. And there's a lot of good free stuff.

This is the beginning of a roughly 8 part series documenting my participation in one of the greatest musical scenes of all time, namely Los Angeles 1976-1980. This first part will document pre-1977 and will be much less detailed than the remaining sections. I got the brilliant idea on January 1, 1977 to start writing down every show I went to, who played, where it was held and how much I paid to get in. I think you will find it a fascinating tour down memory lane and perhaps add a slightly different perspective to the renditions you have already read about this scene.

The story would be incomplete without introducing one of L.A. punks all time most prolific gig attendees who adopted the name Steve Stiph early on. Steve and I have known each other since kindergarten, were roommates when we moved out and have been steadfast friends ever since. This story is both of ours because we shared these experiences together.

We started going to shows together in 1975 and saw many of our big name favorites of the time such as Kiss, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent and ZZ Top. You have to understand that there was no punk at the time and our ears were tuned in to hard guitar rock. I had spent a year in Europe in 1972-1973 so I had come to know such bands as Slade, Status Quo and the Sweet.

In 1976, the first non-arena, small club show we went to see was Slade at the Starwood. The opening band was the Hollywood Stars, a hard rock band from Hollywood at the time. What an eye opening experience to be 5 feet away from the band and have this unimaginably loud music blasting your ears! Arena concerts were few and far between after that.

In July of '76 I heard this band called the Ramones on the radio and rushed out to get their album. This was the best of both worlds! Loud, guitar driven music with 60's beats. I grew up on the Beatles and these guys had Beatle-esque melodies with Status Quo type driving guitars. Steve and I saw the two sets of the Ramones at the Starwood in mid-August and our world changed forever. 20 minutes of solid sonic bliss with each song separated by Dee Dee's 1-2-3-4!! Holy crap, what a rush!

Soon thereafter, we heard a song called "John Rock" on KROQ, the local radio station that featured Rodney Bingenheimer's "Rodney on the ROQ" show. Rodney was the first to really give the punk and other underground music it's own forum every Sunday night. That's where we later were introduced to the punk acts of the day as he brought in more and more records.

It turns out that Rodney used to have a place called Rodney's English Disco where he would play acts such as Slade and other English acts such as David Bowie before they became household names in the states. As it turns out, KROQ had opened their own place styled after Rodney's disco and Rodney was more often than not the DJ for the shows. KROQ announced that the Dogs were playing this venue called the KROQ Cabaret and they just happened to be the band that played that great song "John Rock".

The remainder of '76 was spent going to shows at the Cabaret most weekends seeing a mixture of bands that you would never find today featuring the likes of the Dogs, Berlin Brats, Van Halen, Zolar X, Quiet Riot, Motels, Wolfgang (later hair band Autograph) and the Pop. We liked many of the bands at the time because there was no differentiation between what was a punk band and what was a metal band. That all developed in 1977 and will be the topic of Part 2 coming next week.

Though I see this Sacramento band live on a regular basis, I still get excited every time they take the stage. Last year's excellent "Sounds of Violence" LP remains in heavy rotation too. This 7" includes the LP's smokin' leadoff track "Beg, Steal, or Borrow" and two non-LP cuts, one of which features Chris Woodhouse on second guitar. Pick this up to tide you over until their new LP hits the streets (recording starts next weekend).

Two straight on punk rock'n'roll gems. I was turned on to Straitjacket a couple of years ago and they just keep getting better. This is my first exposure to Shock Nagaski and it is great one. Both bands lay on the guitars thickly and the songs themselves are instant classics. TKO put out some great 7" records at the end of last year and early this year, this being amongst the best. All come in various shades of colored vinyl and are thick as hell. TKO quality all around.

I would invite anybody that has an interest in early L.A. punk to got to www.jennylens.net to see photos from the era. Jenny Lens was an unofficial visual historian of the time and we are lucky to have her photos shared with us. She is trying to find the line-up for the last offical Masque show on January 22, 1978. If you have that information please pass it along. As I was looking through my files to see if I had that information documented (I did not), I found my complete history of shows that I attended from 1/77 through 4/80. I will be publishing that list shortly.

The Dissimilars' vinyl debut is also the first release for Out of Order Records, a label based in Davis, California. It's a smashing success on both fronts! These four idiots from San Diego dish out garage punk racket of the highest order. The tunes and the 'tude recall the likes of the Motards, the Dummies, and closer to home, Los Huevos. Yes, the Dissimilars are good. And there's more magic on the way.

The second release by Adam of It's Alive Records. His first release ended up number 1 in the 7" category for 2004. This one isn't far behind, featuring Kody of Lillingtons fame belting out two tunes for Teenage Bottlerocket. The sound is very similar to the Lillingtons, so if that's your thing (and you're stupid if it isn't), get this record! The Prototipes knock out a couple pop tunes of their own that are noteworthy in their own right for hook-laden pop punk. It's Alive also has absolutely the best packaging you're ever going to find and you can get a CD-r of the disc for an additional buck. What are you waiting for?

Is pop punk making a comeback? Teenage Bottlerocket, the Zatopeks and the Apers have all put out A++ efforts in the last 2 months. Of course, you can always count on Stardumb Records out of the Netherlands for top quality releases. Rock on, Stefan!

The A-Frames' third full-length is yet another gem. Their trademark doom-and-gloom pop remains as sharp as ever on "Black Forest," thanks to a superb recording by Chris Woodhouse. There are subtle signs of evolution, however, particularly in terms of Erin's vocal delivery, which finds him making a more concentrated effort to "sing" on several tracks. The results are splendid. Finally, you must purchase this record on vinyl, if only to appreciate the beautiful artwork in all its gatefold glory.

Oi!!!! These skins from England have brewed up a concoction not fit for old geezers and wankers. Wait a second, that must be a lie because I like it. These blokes serve up some hard hitting Oi! that is equal parts power and melody. Not only did it remind of the glory days of Oi! (the early 80's) but there was some Cockney Rejects influence there and "Skin Hard" was to close to "East End" not to be a tribute to the Rejects (in their punk heyday and not that awful metal phase that came after). TKO dishes up their usual winner.

A-Frames "Black Forest" LP (Sub Pop)
Aluminum Knot Eye "Trunk Lunker" LP (Dead Beat)
The Carbonas "Frothing at the Mouth" 7" (Douche Master)
The Feelers "Learn to Hate the Feelers" LP (Dead Beat)
High Tension Wires "Send a Message" LP (Dirtnap)
The Hunches "S/T" 7" (Flying Bomb)
The Kill-A-Watts "Circuit Breaker Love" LP (Rip Off)
The Lamps "S/T" LP (In The Red)
M.O.T.O. "World of Fuzz" 7" (Therapeutic)
Volt "S/T" 12" EP (In The Red)

Asteroid B-612 "Greenback Blues" CD (Off the Hip)
Blood Stained Kings/Radicts Split 7" (TKO)
Charming Snakes "Ammunition" LP (Dirtnap)
Dirty Babies "S/T" LP (Wood Shampoo)
Jump Boys "Bondage Baby" 7" (Ratface)
Neins "S/T" CD (Self Produced)
Pork Dukes "Squeal Meat Again" CD (Snails)
Shock Nagasaki/Straitjacket Split 7" (TKO)
V/A "Sacto Scene Report" CD (TKO)
Whiskey Sunday "S/T" CD (Ancestor/Braindart/Vinehell)

Each year on Easter we raise a toast to Joey Ramone who died on Easter in 2001. He is sorely missed these four years later.

Two new reviews this week. "What A Bunch of Rodents" by Satan's Rats on Overground Records and "The Mongolita Chronicles" by Arizona's very own Swing Ding Amigos. Click here to read the reviews.

This band has been on the radar screen for a while, because it features members of the Reds, the Marked Men, and Riverboat Gamblers. I'm a fan of the preceding bands, and I'm now a High Tension Wires fan. Though the bulk of "Send a Message" was penned by Reds bass player Chris Pulliam, High Tension Wires more closely resemble the Marked Men in terms of sound, which is a terrific approach. In other words, I'm a sucker for mid-fi, speedy pop songs delivered and recorded impeccably, and the High Tension Wires fit the bill. A great record!

TKO released a bunch of stuff at the end of the last year and the beginning of this year. It's just taken me a little time to catch up. The Radicts have risen from the dead and released this great song 15 years after their appearance in the Skins 'n' Punks series and their "Rebel Sound" album on Noiseville Records. This is straight on Punk rock'n'roll and they sound as good, if not better, than they did those many years ago. If that's not enough to get your blood flowing, the Blood Stained Kings rip a punk rock'n'roll tune of their own that has a street punk vibe to it. Both songs have tons of energy and are instant classics.

Like last year's superb 45 on Goodbye Boozy, "Circuit Breaker Love" proves the Kill-a-Watts were only getting better as the years went by. Though the band is long gone, this LP is sure to be a favorite for years to come. Great songs, great production, a handsomely designed package, and gold vinyl. A no-brainer!

Have you been missing the Richmond Sluts? Well, cry no more because the Black Jetts are here to satisfy that organ driven, greasy, grimy glam punk itch of yours. 10 great songs from the always reliable Dead Beat Records.

Music Video:

Well, another new category I need to create a button for. Unfortunately for me, I lost the software when my computer crashed. Lucky for Blank TV, they get a home page slot until I get new button software. This is a super site full of free music videos and there are a ton of them. ENJOY!!

The world can be pretty fucked up. Thank goodness for punk rock. When you put the needle (or laser) to the platter and out jumps that wonderful sound, everything becomes right with the world. Too bad more people aren't clued in.

A strong two-song debut single from this Los Angeles band. The A-side, "So Into Sixty," is an instantly memorable rock 'n' roller complete with tasteful Farfisa and flourishes of tambourine and cowbell. On the flip side, "Lies" slows down the tempo a notch or two but loses nothing in the way of hooks. I'm going to play this record a lot.

As anybody who reads this site very often, you'll know that I have a soft spot in my heart for female vocaled bands. This band from Canada features 4 girls and a guy who looks old enough to have gone to high school with me (and that's pretty old!). With a dual guitar attack, great vocals, driving rhythms and hooks by the boatload, this release immediately stood out as something special. I believe this has to be my favorite full length of 2005 so far.

New additions this week:
Lots and lots of discography updates.
Web zines: Diggin For Dirt Web zine from the Netherlands featuring reviews, concert photos and other punk related articles.

Two things I really hate. 1) Records that don't have a copyright year on the record or sleeve somewhere. The main foucs of my site is to list every punk release along with it's release year and I have a bunch of holes in the release year because it's not listed. It also results in releases not making year end top ten lists because I can't be sure what year it was released. 2) Finding out the best thing you've heard in a long while was from last year and you've already done your year end top ten list (see Pick of the Week below).

The cocksuckers from Deadwood are back on HBO starting tonight. Don't miss the fucking greatness that is Deadwood!

More exciting sounds from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on this debut EP by the Chinese Telephones. These folks channel the gritty guitar-pop of early Replacements material in the spirit of fellow Milwaukeeans the Modern Machines, albeit with a hint of early Screeching Weasel. I'd love to see these guys go off in a cramped, sweaty basement, and sing along to every word as though it was my last. Recommended.

This is the best 7" release of 2004. Unfortunately, I didn't get it until about a week ago. Six songs from this Atlanta, GA band (what do they put in the water in Atalanta because, along with the Lids, these are two of the greatest punk bands in the world right now). With six songs to get their style across, they reminded of different bands at different times. I heard snippets of Broken Bottles, the Minds, the Saints and Dee Dee Ramone when he used to write some of his mid-80's Ramones songs that were a little harsher than the usual Ramones fare. This is one release you cannot live without.

Mario's top ten/playlist for February 2005

ADD/C/Jack Palance Band/Queer Wulf split 7" (This Here)
Coachwhips "Peanut Butter and Jelly Live at the Ginger Minge" CD (Narnack)
Fast Forward/T Cells split 2xCD (Three One G)
Frustration "S/T" 12" (Born Bad)
Japanther "Master of Pigeons" CD (Menlo Park)
Mikaela's Fiend "S/T" 7" (self-released)
Practice/Smalltown split 7" (Snuffy Smile)
Shock Nagasaki/Straitjacket split 7" (TKO)
The Suspicions "We're All Wrong" 7" (Nerve Wracking)
The Time Flys "The Wet Ones" 7" (Birdman)

Willy's top ten/playlist for February 2005

Bona Roba "Cunningham Park" 7" (Sonico)
Deloreans "...Are Your Girlfriend's Favorite Band" 7" (Sonico)
Dents "Time For Biting" CD (Abbey Lounge)
Hentchmen "One Up!" 7" (Keystone)
Hidden Charms "Right Now!" 7" (Kleingeld/My Ruin)
Lorrainas "Fast Kitties" CD (self-released)
Pneumonias "Burn Baby Burn" 7" (High School Refuse)
Sir Henry Fiat's Bastard "This Is the Day When Rock'n'Roll Came Back To Town" 7" (Ken Rock)
Tyrades "On Your Video" 7" (Smart Guy)
Ulcers/Manikins Split 7" (P.Trash)

This just struck me as kind of funny: I saw 2 young girls driving in a car with "Just Married" painted on the back window. Just below that was a "Viva Bush" bumper sticker.

After much hype, I finally took the Smalltown plunge. Shame on me for waiting as long as I did! This Swedish band is awesome, drawing equally from the likes of Stiff Little Fingers and the Jam. They contribute one original and a Purple Hearts cover to this split, both of which are superbly executed. The other half of this 7" is devoted to Practice, a similarly spirited band from Japan, who contribute two anthemic, melodic cuts. I'm impressed. Get this record!

Our very own Mario's third release on Plastic Idol records and the best yet. This is straight ahead melodic punk from Sacramento, CA, Mario's home town. The title track is a sing along anthem and the other two songs on the B side are great punk tunes in their own right. Plastic Idol has ton of new material coming your way. Don't miss out!

So it's my birthday. It's not such a bad age. I still feel young. I got to experience the Beatles when they first came to America. And I was 20 when the Ramones put out their first album and I saw them in Hollywood for the first time. What's a little scary is the fact that I've achieved the same age as Joey Ramone when he passed on. It's way too young for anyone to die. I'm lucky to still have the passion for the music and only death will end that passion.

Another fine release from Dirtnap, pressed on gorgeous colored wax and housed in a striking screened sleeve. The Cripples side: two tracks, one newer and one older, of fuzzy synth-pop. I'm a fan. New Luck Toy: more melodic and straightforward than the Cripples, with fuzzy guitars replacing fuzzy synths. I'd like to hear more--and that's always a good sign after hearing a band for the first time.

Italian melodic punk rock. Includes a cover of the Kiss tune, "C;mon and Love Me". These guys made my top ten 7" list last year with their split with the Atomsmashers. This is every bit as good. As an added bonus, you ladies can enter the contest to date your favorite Delorean by writing them a love note on your panties! Punk should be fun. These guys are.

Like the 7" and LP that preceded it, this Final Solutions record is a "must have." In fact, it should have made my "Best of 2004" list! Oops!

Ever miss the mid 90's pop punk explosion where bands like the Queers, Screeching Weasel and the Groovie Ghoulies ruled the world? Well, the Methadones serve up this 2004 edition of hard driving pop tunes to take you back to those thrilling days of yester-year. They do it damn well too.

Super Sunday prediction: Patriots 28 Eagles 13. I wasn't close last year, no reason to think I'll do any better this year.

All outstanding updates that were sent in should be complete this week. if I missed yours somehow, it was totally unintentional so remind me.

Hard driving garage punk from the great Big Neck Records. These tunes will wake the dead with our all out aggression. This is garage punk as it was meant to be played.

New additions this week:
Lots and lots of discography updates.
Web Zine: Scheef Edge Web zine out of Belgium.
Labels: Roulette Records New label out of the Netherlands.

Mario's top ten/playlist for January 2005

Whoops! Mario is one busy boy. He has forgotten that this is the first update of the month which means the top ten/playlist for the previous month. We'll forgive him for this month,

Willy's top ten/playlist for January 2005

Aliens and Strangers "Bloodfix" 7" (Space Race)
BBQ "Take A Message" 7" (Goodbye Boozy)
Donkeys "Television Anarchy" DLP (Detour)
Lids "Too Latel" 7" (Die Slaughterhaus)
Lola "Ecstasy Girl" 7" (Valentina)
Manikins "Agalmatophilia" CD (Screaming Apple)
Methadones "Not Economically Viable" CD (Thick)
Ramones "Raw" DVD
Superfly T.N.T.'s "She's Coming Around" 7" (Real)
Zips "Dumb Struck" CD Ep (Tenement Toons)

1. "Rocket Bomb" CD by the UnMutuals
2. "The Gathering Storm" split CD with Blitzkrieg and Paradox U.K.

Cool 7" that comes in it's very own coffin shaped sleeve. The whole idea here is to cover three songs from some "dead guys". Those guys are Buddy Holly (Oboy), Johnny Thunders ( I Wanna Be Loved) and Eddie Maduza (Tonight). The Accidents have putting out some '77/Oi!/country inspired tunes for a few years now that have created a blend that is not to be missed.

The Punk Information Directory celebrated it's 5th birthday this week. In that time more than 100,000 visitors have visited the home page and over one million have visited the site altogether. The support is overwhelming. THANK YOU!

Two of today's most promising garage punk bands are represented on this excellent record. Seattle's Blank Its aren't fond of hyphens, but they are rather fond of dumbed-down noise the likes of which would make the Spits proud. The Blank Its' "Master Intellectual" is one of four terrific songs that first surfaced on a CD-R demo in 2004; you'll find two more on a self-released 7". The Feelers contribute two more fierce blasts of KBD-style punk that leave me hungry for more (new LP on Dead Beat soon). The last band that did this shit this good was the Epileptix.

Screaming Apple has taken the first LP's by this Swedish band and combined them into one CD. Two bonus tracks are also added. The Manikins play frenzied garage punk and with this collection you get a hefty 26 songs. The title of album is from a sexual fetish meaning arousal from statues or manikins. This collection will certainly arouse you aurally (orally is up to you!). Intense and catchy, you will love this if you are into bands like Teengenerate and the Devil Dogs.

This week we unveil our Top Ten Full Length LP/CD's of the year for 2004. You can still see the 7"/EP list by clicking here. You only have to look at our two lists each over the past 2 weeks to see what an incredible batch of music was released in 2004. Out of 40 possible picks between us, we agreed on only one release. Here we go:

Chicago's Criminal IQ Records has been putting out some extremely tasty tunes over the last couple of years. Nothing more so than Vee Dee. This has a hard rock feel but the guitar driven tunes have the hooks in all the right places. Imagine if the Rolling Stones were punk and you'll have a pretty good idea of where these guys are coming from. Nothing poppy about this. This is straight forward punk rock.

These guys are the world's greatest pop punk band. This CD offers up a compilation of tracks from '97 to '02 that appeared on singles, compilations and some are unreleased. Some of their earlier stuff isn't as strong as the more recent stuff, otherwise this would have been much higher. Stardumb always delivers and I'm grateful for compiling this collection of Aper's tracks for the masses.

Imagine if the Beatles were punk and they were Japanese. These are poppy tunes but there is nothing wimpy about them. There is lots of power and energy but the songs are poppy and very reminiscent of the British Invasion bands of the 60's.

This is an impressive collection of hard rocking punk tunes form Portland, Oregon's very own Weaklings. The emphasis is on the hard rock but it is unmistakably punk. The driving rhythms make you want to drink beer and play pool. Dead Beat has been putting out some very good stuff over the last couple of years. You should seek them out.

What can you say about Social D? They've been creating some of the greatest punk tunes for over 20 years now. At their best, they are hard to top. This collection of tunes is mostly at their best. A couple of weaker, slower songs drop this CD a couple of notches. Mike Ness is fine form as usual and the dual guitar attack on the rockers, gives a power unmatched by most bands.

The Jetboys are equally comfortable when they are rocking out or when they feel like ripping out a pop tune. You can hear the Queers, Ramones, Misfits and Guitar Wolf influences in this varied collection of tunes. What they do offer is strong songwriting no matter which style they choose to play on a given song. There's 16 songs total so you are getting a big dose of tunes.

Greg Lowery and crew serve up a nice helping of garage punk tunes recorded live in 1992. This was their third ever live show and they just go out and have fun and create a minimalist sound that I'm sure had the whole Covered Wagon crowd pogoing to these fast driving tunes. Rip Off has been supplying us with our fix of garage rock for over ten years now and this year's batch is truly special.

Hostage Records, from the beaches of Orange County, CA, have been introducing SoCal beach bands for about 7-8 years now. Most of their releases have been street punk and punk rock'n'roll and they have an impressive record of releasing these types of bands. This one is a little bit of a departure for Hostage in the fact that many of the songs have a poppier, melodic side to them. The fact is, these are super songs and give me hope for the future of the Southern California punk scene. As a bonus, you can get this in camouflage colored vinyl which is absolutely incredible.

I got this very early in 2004 and it stayed at the top of my year end top ten list until my number one album of the year snuck in in October and took over the top spot. I didn't think any album was going to be able to dethrone this powerful album so that is some indication of just how good both albums are. Morticia's Lovers played a synthesized blend of poppy punk rock'n'roll. This is the Italian group's 4th full length and they just get better and better. The LP and CD versions have one song different between the two with the LP covering "Alcoholiday" and the CD covering "Ca Plane Pour Moi". These songs are hook-laden, hard driving songs with plenty of lead guitar to make things interesting. I defy anyone to listen to "Strap On" and not get up and dance.

When I first threw this on my record player and heard the first few chords, I thought "whoa, what is this?". When the second song blew me away as easily as the first, I knew I had something special here. This can only be described as "garage pop". It is absolutely relentless in it's rhythm guitar attack and the female vocals are reminiscent of the Bobbyteens early stuff. They trade off between the male and female lead vocals throughout the album. It grabs you and it never lets go. This is the album, not just of 2004, but of the 21st century so far.

The Ergs! won over my heart in 2004. I thought their "3 Guys, 12 Eyes" 7", released on Whoa Oh a few years ago, was good, but I had no idea that "dorkrockcorkrod" would be in near-constant rotation on my stereo since I bought it. These guys love the Descendents and make no apologies for it. However, what keeps the Ergs! from being "just another pop-punk band" is their proficiency as musicians and as songwriters. There is plenty of depth and versatility evident throughout "dorkrockcorkrod" and it's downright impressive. No shortage of "hits" here, so indulge yourself and dig in.

These guys may be Sacramento's best band right now. They're certainly one of the best live bands in town, with an explosive live show that inspires even the most timid of looky-loos to become devoted fans. If you're familiar with the Trouble Makers, you're familiar with half of this band. The other half consists of a jaw-dropping guitar player and drummer that must be seen and heard to be believed. If you're a Billy Childish appreciator, you'll probably appreciate these guys.

The Final Solutions' debut 7" on Therapeutic Records narrowly missed being included in my "Best of 2003" list (I didn't buy the record until January 2004). It should've been near the top, because (1) it was top shelf KBD-influenced punk; and (2) Jay Reatard is God. The Final Solutions' debut LP entitled "Disco Eraser" was destined to be on my 2004 list from the first listen. The tunes are spot on, and my red vinyl copy is simply gorgeous. Last year, the Clone Defects occupied this slot. This year, it goes to Final Solutions. How appropriate!

Though Coldfront Records released this on CD in 2003, it wasn't released on vinyl until 2004, by Raw Deluxe. The second full-length by Sweden's BEST band is every bit as good as their first, albeit a bit more diversified sound-wise. The trash remains, but now you can identify what is being tossed around. The skinny: Longtime fans will appreciate the "progression," casual fans will become major players in the Fiat Cong, and newbies will furiously scramble to collect HFOS' impressive back catalog. I'm still waiting for these folks to pay us a visit.

Rip Off only gave us one "new" record in 2004 but it was a doozy. The Lids are one of the best bands to emerge from a burgeoning Atlanta scene that includes the likes of the Carbonas and the Black Lips. Their debut 7" on Die Slaughterhouse dropped jaws in 2003, and their debut LP on Rip Off continues the trend in 2004. It's time for a West Coast tour.

After purchasing this record, I think I listened to it about 10 times in a three-day span. I liked it so much that I eventually bought the CD version too. I initially wrote off the Red Cross comparisons but I'm now on board. Think Posh Boy circa 1980: liberal amounts of pop and punk, with hardcore-like moments. Songs like "I Am The One," "Don't Take Your Life," and "Emergency" are as good as it gets.

I first heard this record while in the car, listening to local college radio station KDVS. The song was "And You Dance?" and it had me asking out loud "I wonder if this is the new Lost Sounds?" As a Lost Sounds fan, the tune was instantly recognizable. However, there was something different about it. More refined, perhaps. This LP is the product of a prolific band that refuses to stagnate, embracing diverse musical influences and shaping them into a sound they can rightfully call their own. This is the place to start if you're a Lost Sounds virgin, along with their "Future Touch" 12", also issued in 2004, by In The Red.

I seriously debated compiling a "Best of In The Red 2004" list. I suspect many others did the same. In The Red is hands down one of today's most consistent record labels. In 2004 their level of quality was unparalleled. Their release schedule read like a "who's who" of modern-day garage punk, for cryin' out loud! And don't get me started on 2005. Amazing! The Ponys were far and away the superstars of 2004, if there is such a thing. The three 7"s that preceded their debut full-length were exceptionally good, and this LP confirmed what was hinted at all along: this band is gold.

"Hobo Sunrise" is a beautiful record. Littered with heartfelt wailing and awash in feedback, the droning fades on. "Yes. No. Shut it." was an incredible debut LP by this Portland band. In fact, in hindsight, it probably should have made my "Best of 2003" list. But that's neither here nor there. They've upped the ante with "Hobo Sunrise," a record with tremendous staying power.

Let's face it, few bands are immune to the sophomore slump. But just when the Marked Men gave us hope with "On The Outside," they promptly went on hiatus. Signs point to a possible reemergence later this year and one can only hope it comes to fruition, because this band is too good to die young, like the Reds before them. "On The Outside" is better than the Marked Men's debut LP on Rip Off, which was excellent in its own right. Chalk it up to a greater emphasis on melody, more hooks to hang on to, and another amazing recording courtesy of the band themselves. A great record!

I saw the Crooks last year, in San Francisco, and I was really impressed with their powerful set. Their debut wax on the always-reliable Noma Beach label, released in 2004, is quite good. What struck me about their live show was the energy and precision with which the songs were played. These guys have some chops for sure! Of the five songs on this 7", "12 oz. Curls" (a perfect beer-drinking song) and "City of Rats" are particularly memorable, each a fine example of '80s-sounding punk to which you could skate.

Swedish band, Japanese label. This would best be described as a cross between the Ramones and the Gin Blossoms with a little Dick Dale thrown in. Consistently poppy tunes but very hard to find in the USA at a decent price. I first heard these guys on the Underground Garage on Sirius radio.

It's that time of year again. This week we unveil our Top Ten 7"/EP's of the year for 2004. Here we go:

10. Deloreans/Atomsmashers "Split" (Rockin' Bones)
Rockin' Bones has a catalog of over 50 releases now and they just keep putting out great stuff. This a super 4 song split that finds the Deloreans from Italy with two straight up punkers and the Atomsmashers from Japan cranking out 2 garage rockers with the energy of any band recording today.

9. Locomotions "She's Gotta Go" (Yakisakana)
This is probably my favorite Yakisakana release to date. 4 absolute scorchers from these Swedish garage rockers that don't sacrifice either energy, musicianship or melody with their relentless assault.

8. Briefs/Shocks "Split" (Radio Blast/Dirty Faces)
The Briefs provide their usual catchy wavish sound from out of the Northwestern United States. Poppy, hook-laden song as is their norm. I don't know much about the Shocks except that they sound French and they are the perfect European complement to the Briefs with their own pop tinged, hooky tune.

7. Mensen "Ready To Go" (Bootleg Booze)
Mensen's swan song? Let's hope not. Straight ahead punk with superb female vocals from this long time Norwegian band. This is amongst their best.

6. Temporal Sluts "Music For Haters Volume 6" (Hate)
Hate Records sixth edition of their Music For Haters series. This finds the Sluts with three fast paced punk rock'n'roll tunes filled with scorching guitar leads and well crafted songs that have you bouncing in your seat. A super remake of the Adolescent's "No Way" is included.

5. Taxi "Who's To Blame" (Dead Beat)
This Italian band's latest release find two brilliant punk rock'n'roll tunes on the great Dead Beat Records.

4. M.O.T.O. "World of Fuzz" (Therapeutic)
The Master Of The Obvious from Chicago have had a prolific 15 year or so run and continue to put out great stuff. World of Fuzz is well titled because these 4 songs are total lo-fi, fuzzed out melodic punk tunes. Full of hooks and their usual humor.

3. Dirty Fingers "Rock-N-Roll Ain't Easy" (Riff Raff)
This one just jumps off of the turntable with so much energy it totally blew me away. Features Steve Baise of Devil Dogs fame. This is punk rock'n'roll with all of the attitude and searing leads you can stand.

2. Radio Reelers "Runnin' Out" (Radio)
The Reelers have been one of my favorite bands for a couple of years now and this late year entry snuck in just in the nick of time. Hard driving punk rock'n'roll or "genuine San Francisco Rock'n'Roll" as the sleeve states. 3 great songs to end the year right.

1. Copyrights "Button Smasher" (It's Alive)
This sounds like the cream of mid-90's pop punk. For those like me that grew up on the Ramones, this genre is still one that gets my juices flowing. This sound like the Lillingtons during their Backchannel Broadcast era. There are four pop delights with all of the energy and hooks you could ever want.

10. The Distraction “More Trouble At The V” 12” EP (TKO)

Many people will forget about this record when compiling year-end lists, because of its format. However, this one-sided, three-song 12” EP was arguably the Distraction’s strongest recorded effort. After weathering a series of lineup changes, the remnants of this SoCal band teamed up with Todd and Daryl of Le Shok, producing three bouncy, mod-tinged gems, a preview for a full-length on TKO. Sadly, the Distraction called it quits not long after this EP was released.

9. Kevin Corcoran/Chad Stockdale “S/T” 7” (Weird Forest)

This record by Sacramento drums/sax duo Kevin Corcoran and Chad Stockdale is easily the most adventurous record of my “Best of 2004” list. These talented individuals set out to meld hardcore with avant-garde jazz, and the results were nothing short of spectacular. Edgy, abrasive, inspired noise. Brilliantly packaged in a printed clear sleeve.

8. The Kodiaks “Cherry Blossom, Evil, and Alcohol” 7” (Super Secret)

One of the year’s best garage punk EPs! In 2004 the Kodiaks made a strong case to be included alongside bands such as the Real Losers and the Fatals, as part of the new breed of scuzz-punk elite. Whereas their debut 7” on the great Yakisakana label was a decent offering, stronger songwriting and an ear-pleasingly raw Tim Kerr recording helped up the ante on their Super Secret follow-up. Three songs, three scorchers!

7. The Fe Fi Fo Fums “Electrofize Me” 7” (Boom Boom)

So, your main gig is temporarily put on hold, on account of an injury. What’s a band to do in the interim? Well, if you’re the Flying Dutchmen, the answer is to put together a one-off project and release a two-song single that just might have eclipsed everything to date by the main gig. Yes! First-rate “budget rock” single here, from Pacific Northwest residents who wear the budget rock banner rather well. More Supercharger, less Mummies, than their “parent” band, the equally stunning Flying Dutchmen.

6. Time Flys “Energy” 7” (Birdman)

In 2004 Mitch Cardwell of Raw Deluxe Records was a guest on my KDVS radio show. He brought with him a ton of great records to play, one of which was a 7” by an East Bay band called Time Flys that featured a member of the Cuts, a band about which I am lukewarm at best. Interestingly enough, that Time Flys 7” may have been my favorite record of the radio show, and if you saw the playlist, that says a lot. Though I haven’t been able to track down the record in question (there’s a reason why it’s so hard to find but I don’t remember the story), this two-song gem is readily available and worth your cash if you’re a fan of rootsy ’70s punk.

5. The Fatals “Stereo-No-Phonic” 7” (P.Trash)

I’m guilty of snoozing on the Fatals. I read the hype. I waited to buy the records. I read more hype. I slept for a little while longer. When I was finally read to take the plunge, I had to scramble to get ahold of their three 7”s. I ended up going two-for-three, and one of those two is on its way to me in the mail as I type this. That said, I’m not certain that this 7” is the best of the bunch. But one thing is for certain: The Fatals are taking trash to another level, a bit like the late, great Superhelicopter, and I’m lovin’ it.

4. The Tyrades “I Am Homicide” 7” (Shit Sandwich)

From the opening cry of “I Am Homicide. Go!” you know you’re in for a treat. This Chicago via Buffalo band is, quite frankly, the real deal. Each successive record is remarkably more intense than its predecessor, and none of the Tyrades’ ferocity on wax is lost on stage. They’ve been one of the best live bands I’ve seen in each of the past two years and their records don’t disappoint. The tuneage on this smokin’ three-songer is reminiscent of a female-fronted Black Flag circa “Damaged.” Yep.

3. The Krunchies “Interrobang” 7” (Criminal IQ)

The Krunchies’ “Interrobang” EP may be the record that logged the most time on my turntable in 2004. But let me back up for a moment. Last year, the Lids took the top spot on my end-of-year EP list with their debut 7” on Die Slaughterhouse, and this year, they released one of 2004’s best LPs on Rip Off Records. Back to present day. Replace “Rip Off” with “Criminal IQ” and the Krunchies are destined for a similar fate in 2005! The “Interrobang” EP features six snotty garage punkers with dueling male/female vocals, the longest of which barely cracks the two-minute mark. Though this clearly would have made a damn-near-perfect two to three song 7”, all six songs jump off the vinyl and pull your hair, demanding that you take notice.

2. A-Frames “Crutches” 7” (Royal)

This 7” was officially released towards the tail end of 2003 (in November or perhaps December). However, I’m not sure anybody in the general public had copies until 2004, except for maybe Mitch Cardwell. But Mitch cheats, so he’s out. This 7” includes hands down the best of the unreleased tracks from the “Plastica” sessions and doubles as the A-Frames’ most punk-inspired recordings to date. We also saw the release of the “Complications” 7” on S-S in 2004, which is another fine blast from the past, but I needed crutches after the pummeling on “Crutches,” so this platter gets the nod from me.

1. The Feelers “Fuhrer’s New Miniskirt” 7” (Death By Noise)

This record rocketed straight to the top of my “Best of 2004” list from the moment the needle dropped into the grooves. I mean, c’mon, the Feelers’ debut record smokes 99.9 percent of the records released in 2004! Listen to “Next Boy” and tell me I’m wrong! This amazing Cleveland band includes former Reatards bass player Sean, but beyond the lineage, the Feelers bear little resemblance to Memphis’ favorite sons, with the possible exception of recording quality. Destined to be a KBD favorite in 20 years!

This one man band has put out another 3 songs of primitive rhythms that keep your feet tapping like crazy. My friend Steve and I would refer to the beat as "phony drive" and that can only mean "great". Goodbye Boozy always limits their releases to 300 copies. Make sure you get yours before they disappear.

Two new reviews this week: Overground Record's new compilation called Anti-War (Anarcho-Punk Compilation Vol. 1) and a CD-EP called "Sketches From a Small Room" by the Danger. Click here to read the reviews.

Thanks to Mario for all the support in 2004, to Steve for a lifetime of friendship and to Tom, Pat and Jim for being my main suppliers of new tunes in 2004 and hopefully again in 2005.

This package is a spectacular two-disc live document of the Skulls, a band drawing from their "old school" roots in Los Angeles to lead the "new school" of '77 punk purveyors. The Skulls' recent recorded output--two full-lengths and several singles--speaks for itself. Original singer Billy Bones and an accomplished cast of characters are giving the new schoolers a run for their money--even if punk rock doesn't pay the bills. I was at the El Rey Theatre, in Los Angeles, in December 2003, when this performance was captured on film and on tape. It was great then, and it's even better now, thanks to the addition of excellent interview footage and bonus live material. Highly recommended!

Everybody gets into music somewhere. The Beatles were my first love. This is a 4 volume CD box set of their first 4 American released albums in both stereo and mono versions. Capitol reworked the British titles into different albums and song sequences and these are the albums that most Americans are familiar with. For you nostalgia freaks or for those of you just curious about what the big deal was, this is the set for you.

Mario's top ten/playlist for December 2004

The Fatals "Stereo-No-Phonic" 7" (P.Trash)
Fat Worm of Error "Feelin' Fine" 7" (self-released)
The Illnesses "S/T" 7" (Pop Quiz)
The Killawatts "S/T" 7" (Goodbye Boozy)
The Lids "S/T" LP (Rip Off)
Munia "S/T" CD-R (self-released)
Pissed Jeans "Throbbing Organ" 7" (Parts Unknown)
Reigning Sound "Too Much Guitar" LP (In The Red)
TJ & the Lipstix "S/T" 7" (P.Trash)
XBXRX/An Albatross split 7" (GSL)

Willy's top ten/playlist for December 2004

American Foxes "Cotton Candy" LP (Thunderwoman)
Carbona "Straight Out of the Bailey Show" CD (Thirteen)
Cocktail Slippers "Housewives From Hell" 7" (Bad Attitude)
Dragons "RocknRoll Kamikaze" CD (Gearhead)
Green Day "American Idiot" CD (Reprise)
Kevin K "New York New York" CD (In Cold Blood)
The Lids "Too Late" 7" (Die Slaughtehaus)
Radio Reelers "Runnin' Out" 7" (Radio)
Supercharger "Live at the Covered Wagon" LP (Rip Off)
V/A "No Thanks! The 70's Punk Rebellion" 4 CD set (Rhino)