California punk scene
Encyclopedia
Since the late 1970s, California
has had a thriving regional punk rock
movement. It primarily consists of (but is not limited to) bands from the Los Angeles
, Alameda County
, Orange County
, Ventura County
, San Francisco, and San Diego areas.
, who later, as a disc jockey
for KROQ's
"Rodney on the Rock", did much to promote LA punk bands.
In the mid-1970s, a wave of protopunk
hard rock
bands emerged, notably The Runaways
.
, The Sex Pistols
, and The Damned, a number of punk bands formed in the Los Angeles area. Among these bands in L.A. were The Weirdos
, The Germs
, The Plugz
, The Controllers
, The Skulls, The Dils
, Black Randy and the Metrosquad
, Catholic Discipline
, The Go-Go's
, The Screamers
, The Dickies
, X, The Zeros, The Alley Cats
, and The Bags
.
Many bands also formed in the San Francisco Bay Area; The Avengers
, The Nuns
, Mutants
, Flipper
, Negative Trend
, The Offs
, and the Dead Kennedys
. California punk of this period was musically very eclectic, and the punk scene of the time included a number of bands whose sound strongly crossed over to Art/experimental Punk, new wave
, synthpunk
, Rockabilly
, and hard rock
.
In 1978 in Southern California
, the first hardcore punk
bands arose, including The Middle Class
, Black Flag
, Vicious Circle
, and the Circle Jerks
(in late 1978). Hardcore bands and fans tended to be younger than the art punks of the older LA scene and came mainly from the suburban parts of the Los Angeles area, especially the South Bay
and Orange County
and San Diego. This resulted in a rivalry between the older artsy "Hollywood" scene and the hardcore "suburban", "surf punk", or "beach punk" scene. Those in the "Hollywood" scene often disliked what they saw as the musical narrowness of hardcore and the violence associated with "suburban" punks (the South Bay and Orange County punk scenes had a particular reputation for violence), while the "suburban" punks looked down on what they perceived as the lack of intensity of older "Hollywood" bands (The Germs
being a notable exception with lead singer Darby Crash
) and the fashion consciousness of "Hollywood" punks. The Penelope Spheeris
documentary The Decline of Western Civilization
, shot in early 1979 and early 1980, documents the period when the older LA punk scene was being completely taken over by hardcore and features performances by bands from both scenes. Decline was filmed in part at punk shows sponsored and promoted by David Ferguson
, who in 1979, formed CD Presents, a recording label that would record and promote a number of pioneering groups from the California punk scene. Ferguson and CD Presents organized New Wave 1980, the first festival gathering and showcasing punk bands from all over the West Coast
.
By 1979, hardcore had displaced the Hollywood scene and become the dominant expression called hardcore punk in both Northern and Southern California. By this time, many of the older punk bands had broken up or become relatively inactive. A few, such as The Go-Go's
, The Dickies, and X, went on to mainstream success (in some cases, X, almost abandoning punk entirely), while a few others, such as The Dickies, embraced hardcore completely.
, to be the definitive hardcore band of the time. Other notable hardcore bands active in that period included, Black Flag
, The Adolescents
, Agent Orange
, The Vandals
, Girl Scoutz, Wasted Youth
, Verbal Abuse
, D.I.
, The Mentors
, Fear
, and TSOL
in Southern California, and The Dead Kennedys
and D.R.I.
in the San Francisco Bay Area
.
Though hardcore became dominant during this period, punk also began to diversify. Agent Orange
had a noticeable hardcore surf rock influence, while the Angry Samoans
were strongly influenced by 1960s garage rock
. Social Distortion
became popular by playing a form of Punk Rock mixed with a rockabilly/Rock n'roll influence.
Black Flag
, Suicidal Tendencies
, TSOL
, The Middle Class, Fear
, D.I., The Adolescents, Detours
, The Slashers, China White
, D.R.I.
and many other bands, were big influences on later metal bands like Anthrax
, Slayer
and Metallica
. These hardcore bands also created a crossover sound. The genre of thrash
grew out of this fusion.
The hardcore scene, particularly in Los Angeles and Orange County, gained a reputation for violence because several violent hardcore punk gangs had formed in Southern California. The punk gangs were white and would do a lot of violence to anyone who got in their way. Even beating up and shooting at black gangs in Watts. Some of the earliest gangs were formed in 77'-80'. The L.O.D.(Lords of Destruction), Vicious Circle, FFF(Fight For Freedom), LMPs(La Mirada Punks), Circle One,East Los Angeles ESP's (East Side Punx) and the L.A.D.S.(LA Death Squad). Reputed violence at punk concerts was featured in episodes of the popular television shows CHiPs
and Quincy, M.E.
, in which Los Angeles hardcore punks were depicted as being involved in murder and mayhem. In the early 1980s, punk concerts increasingly became sites of violent battles between police and concertgoers, particularly in Los Angeles, but also in San Francisco. Henry Rollins
argued that in his experience, the police caused far more problems than they solved at punk performances. At one point, Black Flag was under heavy surveillance by police convinced that the band was the cover for a drug ring.
, The Circle Jerks
, and Dead Kennedys
, had all broken up, and a new scene was developing (though some older hardcore bands such as D.I., The Adolescents were still releasing new material). This scene and sound was created by 1980s hardcore punk bands such as D.R.I.
(who were originally from Texas but moved to California in the early 1980s), Chaotic Noise (now known as Excel
), The Vandals
, The Descendents
, Agent Orange
, Social Distortion
, Bad Religion
and Suicidal Tendencies
, who were changing or re-tooling their sound to a more hard rock or metal style.
It first happened in Los Angeles and then in and San Francisco. This new scene would produce bands such as ALL
, Chemical People
, Guttermouth
, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jughead's Revenge
, Lagwagon
, The Offspring
, Pennywise
, Face to Face
and Big Drill Car
, and in San Francisco, No Use for a Name
, Jawbreaker
, The Lookouts
, NOFX
, and the Swingin' Utters.
In Los Angeles, Bad Religion also returned after a hiatus with their third album Suffer
(1988). Despite lack of mainstream success, they were about to gather a new following as well. This was also true for some bands in other areas of the state such as Sacramento
's The Groovie Ghoulies
. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, San Diego was home to a burgeoning post-hardcore
scene centered around bands like Pitchfork
, Rocket From the Crypt
, and Unwritten Law
. Several of these bands played important roles in the so-called math rock
movement.
Unlike the first wave of hardcore bands who had harder music and lyrics that focused much on partying, anti-authority, destruction and politics, many of these newer bands (like Chemical People) had more of an emphasis on partying and writing songs about relationships and funny situations. Some of this stuff had a more mainstream or bubblegum-punk sound, and lyrics that focused on things like relationships and having fun—traits.
Still later on in the early to mid 1990s, bands like Bad Religion
, Social Distortion
, The Offspring
, Green Day
, AFI
and Blink-182
became mega successful and played on MTV as well as mainstream radio. Up until that point, only edgy big FM stations like KROQ 106.7
in Los Angeles, KWOD 106.5
in Sacramento, 91X
in San Diego, Live 105
in San Francicisco and Channel 92.3
in San Jose, as well as local alternative and college radio stations played punk music.
becoming the first band from the scene, since The Dickies in the late 1970s, to get a major label deal. Their album, simply titled, Social Distortion
became a minor hit with four singles "Let It Be Me", "Ball and Chain", "Story of My Life" and a cover of Johnny Cash
's "Ring of Fire
" all charting on the Modern Rock Tracks
top 25. In 1993, following the success of Social Distortion, Bad Religion
were signed to Atlantic Records
and reissued then-current album Recipe for Hate
for the label that same year. Unlike Social Distortion however, Recipe for Hate initially received mixed reviews from music critics but brought the band a little success, peaking at #14 on Billboard's Heatseekers
chart.
Also in 1993, Green Day
signed a deal with Reprise Records
and released their first major label album Dookie
in 1994. Dookie became a huge success, peaking at #2 on the Billboard
top 200 album chart. Shortly after the success of Dookie, The Offspring's album Smash achieved similar results. However Smash unlike Dookie, was released by independent punk label Epitaph Records
, becoming the bestselling independent album of all time, and paving the way for other independent punk bands to achieve success. Blink-182
, having already released their debut album Cheshire Cat, were beginning to gather a following in San Diego and they would soon grow, along with The Offspring and similar bands to achieve massive mainstream success in the late 1990s.
Soon thereafter, Blink 182, Green Day and The Offspring, were joined by Bad Religion
, NOFX
, and Rancid
, whose respective albums Stranger Than Fiction
, Punk in Drublic
, and ...And Out Come the Wolves
, were all certified Gold
or Platinum (with the first being released on Atlantic and last two on Epitaph). Also during this period, ALL
, Face to Face
and a reunited Circle Jerks
were all signed to major labels, Interscope
, A&M
and Mercury
respectively.
The success of these bands also led to success for Southern California ska punk
bands like No Doubt
, Sublime
, Reel Big Fish
, and Goldfinger
.
and album cover
art. Some of the artists involved in producing art for the early punk scene later went on to greater notability. Mark Vallen
, a painter and graphic artist, was associated with the early LA punk scene; his work was featured on a number of fanzine
and album covers. Gary Panter
was also closely associated with the early LA punk scene and produced The Screamers distinctive logo. Raymond Pettibon
(brother of Greg Ginn
of Black Flag) was similarly associated with the LA hardcore scene, especially Black Flag and The Minutemen
, producing Black Flag's distinctive "four bars" logo. Winston Smith
, a San Francisco collage
artist, was associated with the Dead Kennedys
and also did a piece of artwork named "God Told Me to Skin You Alive" for Green Day
's fourth album Insomniac.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
has had a thriving regional punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
movement. It primarily consists of (but is not limited to) bands from the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Alameda County
Alameda County, California
Alameda County is a county in the U.S. state of California. It occupies most of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,510,271, making it the 7th most populous county in the state...
, Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, Ventura County
Ventura County, California
Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...
, San Francisco, and San Diego areas.
Pre-1976
Los Angeles had a very strong experimental rock scene in the early 1970s. Many figures from this earlier scene would play notable roles in the later punk scene. The experimental LA rock scene was centered around a club called the Rock n Roll Disco, run by Rodney BingenheimerRodney Bingenheimer
Rodney Bingenheimer, born December 15, 1947, is a radio disc jockey on the long-running Los Angeles rock station KROQ who is notable for helping numerous iconic bands become successful in the American market. His contribution to the music business has been described as important...
, who later, as a disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
for KROQ's
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
"Rodney on the Rock", did much to promote LA punk bands.
In the mid-1970s, a wave of protopunk
Protopunk
Protopunk is a term used retrospectively to describe a number of musicians who were important precursors of punk rock in the late 1960s to mid-1970s, or who have been cited by early punk musicians as influential...
hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
bands emerged, notably The Runaways
The Runaways
The Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
.
1976–1980
Starting in 1976, following recent releases of recordings by punk bands such as the RamonesRamones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
, The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
, and The Damned, a number of punk bands formed in the Los Angeles area. Among these bands in L.A. were The Weirdos
The Weirdos
The Weirdos were an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California. They formed in 1976 and broke up in 1981, were occasionally active in the 1980s, and recorded new material in the 1990s...
, The Germs
The Germs
The Germs are an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1977 to 1980. The band's early lineup consisted of singer Darby Crash, guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom, and their most consistent drummer Don Bolles. Germs have since reformed in 2005 with Shane...
, The Plugz
The Plugz
The Plugz were a Mexican-American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California that formed in 1977. They and The Zeros were among the first Chicano punk bands, although several Latino garage rock bands, such as Thee Midniters and Question Mark & the Mysterians, predated them...
, The Controllers
The Controllers (band)
The Controllers were formed in July 1977 by Kidd Spike, Johnny Stingray, and Gaye Austin. The band continues with Kidd Spike and Johnny Stingray as principal members and songwriters. They were joined later that summer by D.O.A...
, The Skulls, The Dils
The Dils
The Dils were an American punk rock band of the late 1970s, originally from Carlsbad, California, and fronted by brothers Chip Kinman and Tony Kinman...
, Black Randy and the Metrosquad
Black Randy and the Metrosquad
Black Randy and the Metrosquad was a punk rock act from the late 1970s and early 1980s in the Los Angeles punk scene. They gained notoriety not only for their surreal and smutty sense of humour, but also for their amalgamation of proto-punk, 1970s soul, pop, and avant-garde music.-History:The band...
, Catholic Discipline
Catholic Discipline
Catholic Discipline was a short lived Los Angeles punk rock band headed by Slash Fanzine editor Claude Bessy, nicknamed "Kickboy Face", on vocals. The band was started in 1979 and played a series of shows around the Los Angeles area before ultimately breaking up in 1980...
, The Go-Go's
The Go-Go's
The Go-Go’s are an all-female American rock band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts....
, The Screamers
The Screamers
The Screamers were a punk rock group active in the Los Angeles, California area in the late 1970s. The Screamers were pioneers of a genre now known as "synthpunk," and can also be classified as art punk....
, The Dickies
The Dickies
The Dickies are an American punk rock group formed in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, U.S. in 1977.-History:The Dickies were among the first punk rock bands to emerge from Los Angeles...
, X, The Zeros, The Alley Cats
The Alley Cats (Los Angeles punk band)
The Alley Cats were a Lomita, California-based punk rock trio featuring husband-and-wife team Randy Stodola and Dianne Chai , along with drummer John McCarthy...
, and The Bags
The Bags
The Bags were an American rock band formed in 1977. They were one of the first generation of punk rock bands to emerge out of Los Angeles, California.-Career:...
.
Many bands also formed in the San Francisco Bay Area; The Avengers
The Avengers (band)
The Avengers are an American punk rock band formed in 1977 in San Francisco, California. Penelope Houston, who has also been a folk musician, is their singer.-Original history:...
, The Nuns
The Nuns
The Nuns were a punk rock/new wave band in San Francisco in the late 1970s. The band has periodically reformed and played to the present day. The band formed in 1975, and were the among the first punk bands in California. In January 1978, together with The Avengers they opened for the Sex Pistols...
, Mutants
The Mutants (San Francisco)
The Mutants are an important band in the history of San Francisco punk rock and new wave music. They are known for their theatrical performances which often include elaborate props, projections, and comical antics...
, Flipper
Flipper (band)
Flipper is a punk band formed in San Francisco, California in 1979, continuing in often erratic fashion until the mid-1990s, then reuniting in 2005. The band influenced a number of grunge,, punk rock and noise rock bands...
, Negative Trend
Negative Trend
Negative Trend was an early San Francisco punk rock band, active from 1977–1979.The former members of Negative Trend would go on to start a number of other notable western US punk bands...
, The Offs
The Offs
The Offs are a punk/ska band from San Francisco, started by guitarist Billy Hawk and singer Don Vinil, and later joined by former Hot Tuna drummer Bob Steeler and a rotation of horn players including Bob Roberts, Richard Edson and Roland Young...
, and the Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
. California punk of this period was musically very eclectic, and the punk scene of the time included a number of bands whose sound strongly crossed over to Art/experimental Punk, new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
, synthpunk
Synthpunk
Synthpunk is a music genre combining elements of electronic music and punk rock. The term was coined by Damian Ramsey in 1999 as an attempt to retroactively identify a small sub-genre of punk music from 1977 to 1984 that involved musicians playing synthesizers in place of electric...
, Rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
, and hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
.
In 1978 in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
, the first hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
bands arose, including The Middle Class
Middle Class (band)
The Middle Class are an American punk rock/hardcore punk band established in 1977 in Santa Ana, California. The band consisted of Jeff Atta on vocals, Mike Atta on lead guitar, Mike Patton on bass, and Bruce Atta on drums. The band achieved major success in the hardcore punk scene of Southern...
, Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
, Vicious Circle
Vicious Circle
Vicious Circle is an album released in 1994 by L.A. Guns. Most of the songs have Phil Lewis on lead vocals, but the track "Nothing Better to Do" features Kelly Nickels on lead vocals, and "Tarantula" is instrumental. MC Bones drums on several songs. Lewis and Bones also played together in the band...
, and the Circle Jerks
Circle Jerks
The Circle Jerks are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Los Angeles, California. It was formed by Black Flag's original singer, Keith Morris, and future Bad Religion guitarist Greg Hetson. They were among the preeminent hardcore punk bands of the L.A. scene in the late 1970s.The band...
(in late 1978). Hardcore bands and fans tended to be younger than the art punks of the older LA scene and came mainly from the suburban parts of the Los Angeles area, especially the South Bay
South Bay, Los Angeles
The South Bay is a region of the southwest peninsula of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The name stems from its geographic features stretching along the southern shores of Santa Monica Bay which forms its western border.The picture at right uses the broadest definition of the...
and Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
and San Diego. This resulted in a rivalry between the older artsy "Hollywood" scene and the hardcore "suburban", "surf punk", or "beach punk" scene. Those in the "Hollywood" scene often disliked what they saw as the musical narrowness of hardcore and the violence associated with "suburban" punks (the South Bay and Orange County punk scenes had a particular reputation for violence), while the "suburban" punks looked down on what they perceived as the lack of intensity of older "Hollywood" bands (The Germs
The Germs
The Germs are an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1977 to 1980. The band's early lineup consisted of singer Darby Crash, guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom, and their most consistent drummer Don Bolles. Germs have since reformed in 2005 with Shane...
being a notable exception with lead singer Darby Crash
Darby Crash
Darby Crash was an American punk musician who, along with long time friend Pat Smear , co-founded The Germs...
) and the fashion consciousness of "Hollywood" punks. The Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris is an American director, producer and screenwriter. She is best known as a documentary film director whose works include the trilogy titled The Decline of Western Civilization...
documentary The Decline of Western Civilization
The Decline of Western Civilization
The soundtrack was released in December 1980 by Slash Records on LP. In the late 1990s it was released on CD as well. It is currently out of print. Germs singer Darby Crash appears on the soundtrack album cover. He died shortly before the film was released, though the promotional images for the...
, shot in early 1979 and early 1980, documents the period when the older LA punk scene was being completely taken over by hardcore and features performances by bands from both scenes. Decline was filmed in part at punk shows sponsored and promoted by David Ferguson
David Ferguson (impresario)
David Ferguson is an international outsider-culture impresario, activist, music producer and concert promoter. Over his career – most of which has been spent on the West Coast—he has worked with musical acts such as The Avengers, John Lydon David Ferguson is an international outsider-culture...
, who in 1979, formed CD Presents, a recording label that would record and promote a number of pioneering groups from the California punk scene. Ferguson and CD Presents organized New Wave 1980, the first festival gathering and showcasing punk bands from all over the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
.
By 1979, hardcore had displaced the Hollywood scene and become the dominant expression called hardcore punk in both Northern and Southern California. By this time, many of the older punk bands had broken up or become relatively inactive. A few, such as The Go-Go's
The Go-Go's
The Go-Go’s are an all-female American rock band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts....
, The Dickies, and X, went on to mainstream success (in some cases, X, almost abandoning punk entirely), while a few others, such as The Dickies, embraced hardcore completely.
1980–1986
In the early 1980s in California, hardcore was the dominant form of punk. Many considered the Circle JerksCircle Jerks
The Circle Jerks are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Los Angeles, California. It was formed by Black Flag's original singer, Keith Morris, and future Bad Religion guitarist Greg Hetson. They were among the preeminent hardcore punk bands of the L.A. scene in the late 1970s.The band...
, to be the definitive hardcore band of the time. Other notable hardcore bands active in that period included, Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
, The Adolescents
The Adolescents
The Adolescents are an American punk band formed in 1980 in Fullerton, California. It is a punk supergroup, made up of early members of Agent Orange and Social Distortion. They are often credited as one of the leading bands of the 1980s hardcore punk scene....
, Agent Orange
Agent Orange
Agent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth...
, The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...
, Girl Scoutz, Wasted Youth
Wasted Youth (American Band)
Wasted Youth was a hardcore punk band in early 1980s from Los Angeles, California. The band followed in the footsteps of Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, and were a prominent and popular act amongst the Los Angeles punk underground of the early 1980s.-Overview:The band consisted of Chett Lehrer,...
, Verbal Abuse
Verbal Abuse
Verbal Abuse is a hardcore punk band, originally from Houston, Texas, but which became successful after moving to San Francisco.Verbal Abuse was started in Houston, Texas in 1981 after singer and songwriter Nicki Sicki quit the band Sick Pleasure and moved to Virginia, then back to Texas when he...
, D.I.
D.I.
D.I. is a Southern California punk band featuring ex-Adolescents and Social Distortion drummer Casey Royer on vocals. Royer formed the group after he and former Social Distortion original member Rikk Agnew , left the original Mike Ness crew.Since forming in 1982, D.I. has had many line-up changes...
, The Mentors
The Mentors
The Mentors are an American heavy metal band noted for its deliberately sexist shock rock lyrics.They formed in 1977 in Seattle, Washington and relocated to Los Angeles, California in 1979, where their irreverent attitude aligned them with the city's punk rock scene. Their music has developed...
, Fear
Fear (band)
Fear is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1977. The band is credited for helping to shape the sound and style of American hardcore punk, the group started out as part of the early California punk rock scene, and gained national prominence after an infamous 1981...
, and TSOL
TSOL
TSOL is an American punk rock band which formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California. TSOL is short for True Sounds of Liberty although they are rarely referred to by their full name....
in Southern California, and The Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
and D.R.I.
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from the United States that formed in Houston, in 1982. The band currently comprises founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Rob Rampy and bassist Harald Oimoen.D.R.I...
in the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
.
Though hardcore became dominant during this period, punk also began to diversify. Agent Orange
Agent Orange (band)
Agent Orange is an American punk rock band formed in Orange County, California in 1979. The band is one of the first to mix punk rock with surf music. They first gained attention with their song "Bloodstains" which they released on their own 7" E.P. An early demo of the song was presented to...
had a noticeable hardcore surf rock influence, while the Angry Samoans
Angry Samoans
The Angry Samoans are an American punk rock band in the first wave of American punk. Formed in August 1978 in Los Angeles, California by early 1970s rock writer "Metal" Mike Saunders and his sibling lead guitarist bonze blayk, along with co-conspirator Gregg Turner and original recruits bassist...
were strongly influenced by 1960s garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
. Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
became popular by playing a form of Punk Rock mixed with a rockabilly/Rock n'roll influence.
Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
, Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
, TSOL
TSOL
TSOL is an American punk rock band which formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California. TSOL is short for True Sounds of Liberty although they are rarely referred to by their full name....
, The Middle Class, Fear
Fear (band)
Fear is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1977. The band is credited for helping to shape the sound and style of American hardcore punk, the group started out as part of the early California punk rock scene, and gained national prominence after an infamous 1981...
, D.I., The Adolescents, Detours
Detours
Detours has been praised by music critics and her fans, scoring a 75 on the website Metacritic. Many deem this album as marking Crow's return to prominence, linking the tracks to her original sound as heard on The Globe Sessions.-Track listing:...
, The Slashers, China White
China White (band)
China White is a punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, famous for their EP Dangerzone and their violent gigs. They were, along with TSOL, the most preeminent figures of Orange County punk.-Biography:...
, D.R.I.
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from the United States that formed in Houston, in 1982. The band currently comprises founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Rob Rampy and bassist Harald Oimoen.D.R.I...
and many other bands, were big influences on later metal bands like Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
and Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
. These hardcore bands also created a crossover sound. The genre of thrash
Thrash
Thrash may refer to:*Thrashing , where increasing resources are used to do a decreasing amount of work*Thrash , mascot of the Atlanta Thrashers-Music:*Thrash metal, a subgenre of heavy metal music...
grew out of this fusion.
The hardcore scene, particularly in Los Angeles and Orange County, gained a reputation for violence because several violent hardcore punk gangs had formed in Southern California. The punk gangs were white and would do a lot of violence to anyone who got in their way. Even beating up and shooting at black gangs in Watts. Some of the earliest gangs were formed in 77'-80'. The L.O.D.(Lords of Destruction), Vicious Circle, FFF(Fight For Freedom), LMPs(La Mirada Punks), Circle One,East Los Angeles ESP's (East Side Punx) and the L.A.D.S.(LA Death Squad). Reputed violence at punk concerts was featured in episodes of the popular television shows CHiPs
CHiPs
CHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to July 17, 1983. CHiPs followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol...
and Quincy, M.E.
Quincy, M.E.
Quincy, M.E., also called Quincy, is a United States television series from Universal Studios that aired from October 3, 1976, to September 5, 1983, on NBC...
, in which Los Angeles hardcore punks were depicted as being involved in murder and mayhem. In the early 1980s, punk concerts increasingly became sites of violent battles between police and concertgoers, particularly in Los Angeles, but also in San Francisco. Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....
argued that in his experience, the police caused far more problems than they solved at punk performances. At one point, Black Flag was under heavy surveillance by police convinced that the band was the cover for a drug ring.
1986–1992
Towards the later 1980s, Black FlagBlack Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
, The Circle Jerks
Circle Jerks
The Circle Jerks are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Los Angeles, California. It was formed by Black Flag's original singer, Keith Morris, and future Bad Religion guitarist Greg Hetson. They were among the preeminent hardcore punk bands of the L.A. scene in the late 1970s.The band...
, and Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
, had all broken up, and a new scene was developing (though some older hardcore bands such as D.I., The Adolescents were still releasing new material). This scene and sound was created by 1980s hardcore punk bands such as D.R.I.
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from the United States that formed in Houston, in 1982. The band currently comprises founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Rob Rampy and bassist Harald Oimoen.D.R.I...
(who were originally from Texas but moved to California in the early 1980s), Chaotic Noise (now known as Excel
Excel (band)
Excel was a punk/metal fusion band from Venice, California founded in 1983 by singer Dan Clements and guitarist Adam Siegel. They were influenced by famous 70's punk rock musicians like The Police and The Sex Pistols, and heavy metal bands like Black Sabbath, Trouble, Slayer, Corrosion of...
), The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...
, The Descendents
Descendents
The Descendents are an American punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California. As of 2011, they have released six studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums and three EPs. The Descendents broke up and reformed several times over the years, sometimes with different musicians...
, Agent Orange
Agent Orange
Agent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth...
, Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
, Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
and Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
, who were changing or re-tooling their sound to a more hard rock or metal style.
It first happened in Los Angeles and then in and San Francisco. This new scene would produce bands such as ALL
ALL (band)
All is an American punk band originally from Los Angeles, currently residing in Fort Collins, Colorado, formed by Descendents members Bill Stevenson, Karl Alvarez, and Stephen Egerton.-Formation and Cruz Records Years:...
, Chemical People
Chemical People
Chemical People were a punk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1986. The band toured the US, Canada and Europe and broke up in 1997.-History:...
, Guttermouth
Guttermouth
Guttermouth is an American punk rock band formed in 1988 in Huntington Beach, California and currently recording for Hopeless Records. They have released nine full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...
, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jughead's Revenge
Jughead's Revenge
Jughead's Revenge is an American punk rock band. They originally formed in Los Angeles in 1988. To date, Jughead's Revenge has released six studio albums...
, Lagwagon
Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, just outside Santa Barbara, California. They formed in 1990 and went on hiatus and reunited several times over the years...
, The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
, Pennywise
Pennywise (band)
Pennywise is a Californian punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California, formed in 1988. The name is derived from the monster, It, from the Stephen King novel of the same title....
, Face to Face
Face to Face (punk band)
Face to Face is an American pop punk band from Victorville, California formed in 1991 by frontman Trever Keith. Originally known as "Zero Tolerance", Keith had been the only constant member of the band during their years of touring and recording albums. The group was initially signed by Dr. Strange...
and Big Drill Car
Big Drill Car
Big Drill Car was a pop punk/melodic hardcore group from Huntington Beach, California, who were active from the late 1980s to mid-1990s and briefly again in the mid-2000s...
, and in San Francisco, No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name is a punk rock band from San Jose, California, United States formed in 1987 by Chris Dodge , Steve Papoutsis , Rory Koff and John Meyers...
, Jawbreaker
Jawbreaker (band)
Jawbreaker was an American punk rock band active from 1986 to 1996 and considered one of the most influential acts of the early-1990s emo movement...
, The Lookouts
The Lookouts
The Lookouts were an American punk rock band that existed from 1985 to 1990 on Iron Peak, a remote rural mountain community outside of Laytonville, CA. The members were Lawrence Livermore on guitar and vocals, Kain Kong on bass and vocals and Tre Cool on drums and vocals. All three have...
, NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
, and the Swingin' Utters.
In Los Angeles, Bad Religion also returned after a hiatus with their third album Suffer
Suffer (album)
Suffer is the third album by American punk rock band Bad Religion, released on the Californian independent record label Epitaph Records on September 8, 1988. It was the first album that was both released and distributed by the label...
(1988). Despite lack of mainstream success, they were about to gather a new following as well. This was also true for some bands in other areas of the state such as Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
's The Groovie Ghoulies
The Groovie Ghoulies
The Groovie Ghoulies were an American pop punk band from Sacramento, California whose music took inspiration from horror movies. They released numerous albums, EPs, and singles, and toured internationally...
. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, San Diego was home to a burgeoning post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
scene centered around bands like Pitchfork
Pitchfork (band)
Pitchfork was an American post-hardcore band formed in 1986 in San Diego, California and disbanded in 1990. They are most well known as the first "real" band of guitarist John Reis, who would later gain fame as the frontman in Rocket from the Crypt, and as the first collaboration between Reis and...
, Rocket From the Crypt
Rocket from the Crypt
Rocket from the Crypt was an American rock band led by John Reis, formed in 1989 in San Diego, California and disbanded in 2005.The band gained critical praise and the attention of major record labels after the release of their 1992 album Circa: Now!, leading to a recording contract with Interscope...
, and Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, California and currently recording for Suburban Noize Records. They have released seven full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour...
. Several of these bands played important roles in the so-called math rock
Math rock
Math rock is a rhythmically complex guitar-based style of experimental rock that emerged in the 1980s and that was very influenced by progressive rock like King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Henry Cow - and 20th century composers such as Steve Reich and John Cage...
movement.
Unlike the first wave of hardcore bands who had harder music and lyrics that focused much on partying, anti-authority, destruction and politics, many of these newer bands (like Chemical People) had more of an emphasis on partying and writing songs about relationships and funny situations. Some of this stuff had a more mainstream or bubblegum-punk sound, and lyrics that focused on things like relationships and having fun—traits.
Still later on in the early to mid 1990s, bands like Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
, Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
, The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
, Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
, AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
and Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
became mega successful and played on MTV as well as mainstream radio. Up until that point, only edgy big FM stations like KROQ 106.7
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
in Los Angeles, KWOD 106.5
KWOD (defunct)
KWOD was a commercial radio station in Sacramento, California, primarily known for playing alternative music before it was mainstream...
in Sacramento, 91X
XETRA-FM
XETRA-FM — branded 91X, and sometimes identified as XTRA-FM — is an English language, Mexican-owned modern rock music station broadcasting from Tijuana, Baja California on 91.1 MHz. The studios are located in the Mira Mesa area of San Diego...
in San Diego, Live 105
KITS
KITS is a San Francisco, California, USA-based radio station broadcasting at 105.3 MHz. The station is owned by CBS Radio and programs a modern rock format. The station also broadcasts on HD channel L2, locally on Comcast cable channel 986, and is streaming online.-Hot Hits:The station's...
in San Francicisco and Channel 92.3
KSJO
KSJO is a commercial radio station in San Jose, California, and broadcasts to the San Francisco Bay Area on 92.3 FM. KSJO currently airs a Chinese format branded as "92.3 KSJO".-History:...
in San Jose, as well as local alternative and college radio stations played punk music.
1993–present
In 1989, Social Distortion signed with Epic RecordsEpic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
becoming the first band from the scene, since The Dickies in the late 1970s, to get a major label deal. Their album, simply titled, Social Distortion
Social Distortion (album)
Social Distortion is the eponymous third studio album by the American punk rock band Social Distortion, released on March 27, 1990, through Epic Records. After touring in support of its previous full-length studio album, Prison Bound , Social Distortion signed with Epic in 1989 and began work on...
became a minor hit with four singles "Let It Be Me", "Ball and Chain", "Story of My Life" and a cover of Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
's "Ring of Fire
Ring of Fire (song)
"Ring of Fire" or "The Ring of Fire" is a country music song popularized by Johnny Cash and co-written by June Carter Cash and Merle Kilgore. The single appears on Cash's 1963 compilation album, Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash...
" all charting on the Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
top 25. In 1993, following the success of Social Distortion, Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
were signed to Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
and reissued then-current album Recipe for Hate
Recipe for Hate
Recipe for Hate is Bad Religion's seventh full-length album, released on September 21, 1993. This was their last album on Epitaph Records and the band switched to Atlantic Records before its release....
for the label that same year. Unlike Social Distortion however, Recipe for Hate initially received mixed reviews from music critics but brought the band a little success, peaking at #14 on Billboard's Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart.
Also in 1993, Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
signed a deal with Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
and released their first major label album Dookie
Dookie
Dookie is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on February 1, 1994 through Reprise Records. It was the band's first collaboration with producer Rob Cavallo and its major record label debut. Dookie became a worldwide commercial success, peaking at number...
in 1994. Dookie became a huge success, peaking at #2 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
top 200 album chart. Shortly after the success of Dookie, The Offspring's album Smash achieved similar results. However Smash unlike Dookie, was released by independent punk label Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records is a Hollywood, California based independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The label was originally "just a logo and a P.O. box" created in the 1980s for the purpose of selling Bad Religion records, but has evolved into a large independent record...
, becoming the bestselling independent album of all time, and paving the way for other independent punk bands to achieve success. Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
, having already released their debut album Cheshire Cat, were beginning to gather a following in San Diego and they would soon grow, along with The Offspring and similar bands to achieve massive mainstream success in the late 1990s.
Soon thereafter, Blink 182, Green Day and The Offspring, were joined by Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
, NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
, and Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, whose respective albums Stranger Than Fiction
Stranger than Fiction (Bad Religion album)
Stranger than Fiction is the eighth full-length studio album by Bad Religion, released in 1994...
, Punk in Drublic
Punk in Drublic
Punk in Drublic is the fifth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on July 19, 1994 through Epitaph Records....
, and ...And Out Come the Wolves
...And Out Come the Wolves
…And Out Come the Wolves is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Rancid. It was released on August 22, 1995 through Epitaph Records. Rancid's popularity and catchy songs made them the subject of a major label bidding war that ended with the band staying on Epitaph...
, were all certified Gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
or Platinum (with the first being released on Atlantic and last two on Epitaph). Also during this period, ALL
ALL (band)
All is an American punk band originally from Los Angeles, currently residing in Fort Collins, Colorado, formed by Descendents members Bill Stevenson, Karl Alvarez, and Stephen Egerton.-Formation and Cruz Records Years:...
, Face to Face
Face to Face (punk band)
Face to Face is an American pop punk band from Victorville, California formed in 1991 by frontman Trever Keith. Originally known as "Zero Tolerance", Keith had been the only constant member of the band during their years of touring and recording albums. The group was initially signed by Dr. Strange...
and a reunited Circle Jerks
Circle Jerks
The Circle Jerks are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Los Angeles, California. It was formed by Black Flag's original singer, Keith Morris, and future Bad Religion guitarist Greg Hetson. They were among the preeminent hardcore punk bands of the L.A. scene in the late 1970s.The band...
were all signed to major labels, Interscope
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
, A&M
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
and Mercury
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
respectively.
The success of these bands also led to success for Southern California ska punk
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
bands like No Doubt
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
, Sublime
Sublime (band)
Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
, Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
, and Goldfinger
Goldfinger (band)
Goldfinger is a Los Angeles pop punk/ska punk band that formed in 1994. Currently, the band is composed of vocalist/guitarist John Feldmann, guitarist Charlie Paulson, bassist Kelly LeMieux, and drummer Darrin Pfeiffer...
.
Art
The proliferation of punk concerts and albums in California generated a like proliferation of flyerFlyer (pamphlet)
__notoc__A flyer or flier, also called a circular, handbill or leaflet, is a form of paper advertisement intended for wide distribution and typically posted or distributed in public place....
and album cover
Album cover
An album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records, single and sets of 12" LPs, sets of 45 rpm records , or the front-facing...
art. Some of the artists involved in producing art for the early punk scene later went on to greater notability. Mark Vallen
Mark Vallen
Mark Vallen is an American activist with Chicano and other issues, curator, figurative realist painter, and blogger, who runs the Art for a Change web site; he founded The Black Moon web site for Japanese culture.-Life and work:...
, a painter and graphic artist, was associated with the early LA punk scene; his work was featured on a number of fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
and album covers. Gary Panter
Gary Panter
Gary Panter is an illustrator, painter, designer and part-time musician. Panter's work is representative of the post-underground, new wave comics movement that began with the end of Arcade: The Comics Revue and the initiation of RAW, one of the second generation in American underground comix...
was also closely associated with the early LA punk scene and produced The Screamers distinctive logo. Raymond Pettibon
Raymond Pettibon
Raymond Pettibon is an American artist who currently lives and works in Venice Beach, California.-Early life:...
(brother of Greg Ginn
Greg Ginn
Gregory Regis Ginn is a guitarist, songwriter, and singer. He is best known for being the leader of and primary songwriter for the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led from 1976 to 1986....
of Black Flag) was similarly associated with the LA hardcore scene, especially Black Flag and The Minutemen
Minutemen (band)
Minutemen were an American hardcore punk band formed in San Pedro, California in 1980. Composed of guitarist D. Boon, bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley, Minutemen recorded four albums and eight EPs before Boon's death in an automobile accident in December 1985...
, producing Black Flag's distinctive "four bars" logo. Winston Smith
Winston Smith (artist)
Winston Smith is an artist who primarily uses the medium of collage. He is probably best known for the artwork he has produced for the American punk rock group Dead Kennedys...
, a San Francisco collage
Collage
A collage is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole....
artist, was associated with the Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
and also did a piece of artwork named "God Told Me to Skin You Alive" for Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
's fourth album Insomniac.
Notable venues
- 924 Gilman Street924 Gilman Street924 Gilman Street is an all-ages, not for profit, collectively organized music club usually referred to by its fans simply as "The Gilman." It is located in the West Berkeley area of Berkeley, California about a mile and a half west of the North Berkeley BART station and a quarter-mile west of San...
- Berkeley, 1986–present - The Allen Theater - South Gate, 2000s
- Barrington Hall - Berkeley, until 1984
- The Barn - University of California, RiversideUniversity of California, RiversideThe University of California, Riverside, commonly known as UCR or UC Riverside, is a public research university and one of the ten general campuses of the University of California system. UCR is consistently ranked as one of the most ethnically and economically diverse universities in the United...
1970s to present - The Bel-Tower - Fresno, 2010-present
- The Casbah - San Diego, 1989–present
- Cathay de GrandeCathay de GrandeThe Cathay de Grande was a nightclub on the corner of Argyle Street and Selma Avenue in central Hollywood, which featured mostly punk rock bands but also other styles of underground/alternative rock in the 1980s. It was almost as well known for rockabilly, cowpunk, the Paisley Underground bands,...
- Hollywood, 1980s - Chain Reaction - Anaheim, 1990s-present
- Che CafeChe CafeThe Ché Café is a worker co-operative, social center, and live music venue located on the University of California, San Diego campus in La Jolla, California, USA.-History:Founded in 1980 by UCSD students, the Che originally began its life as a vegan cafe...
- San Diego, 1980–present - Chinatown Youth Center - Fresno, 2008–present
- Club 12XU - PomonaPomona, California-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
Mid 1980s - Club Fred / Audie's Olympic Tavern - Fresno, 1980s-present
- Club Foot - San Francisco, 1978–1985
- Club Vex - East Los Angeles, 1980s
- Cobalt CafeCobalt CafeThe Cobalt Cafe is an all ages, non-alcoholic venue in Canoga Park, California that caters to local bands that range from punk to heavy metal to alternative...
- Canoga Park 1990–Present - Cuckoo's Nest - Orange County, 1978–1981
- The Deaf ClubThe Deaf ClubThe Deaf Club was a notable music venue located on Valencia Street in San Francisco which remained open for an 18 month period. Its main attraction was punk music...
- San Francisco, 1978–1979 - The Elite Club - San Francisco, early 1980s
- Elks Lodge Auditorium - Los Angeles, 1978-9 (site of infamous riot)
- Fairmont Hall - San Diego, 1982–1985
- Fenders Ballroom - Long Beach
- The FarmThe Farm (San Francisco)The Farm, located at the corner of Army Street and Potrero Avenue in San Francisco, California, was a community center from 1974-1987.Adults and children would gather at The Farm across a park from Buena Vista Elementary School...
- San Francisco, late 1970s–1980s - The Fatty Mocha - Merced - 1995-2000
- Fleetwood - South Bay, late 1970s–1980s
- The Glass House - Pomona, 1995–present
- Godzilla's - Sun Valley, December 1981-January 1982 run by BYO
- The Headquarters Nite Club - San Diego, 1981–1983
- Hong Kong CaféHong Kong CaféThe Hong Kong Café was a Los Angeles music venue and part of the Los Angeles punk rock scene during the late 1970s and early 1980s.Located at 425 Gin Ling Way in the Chinatown district of Downtown Los Angeles, California and across the way from sometimes rival Esther Wong’s Madame Wong′s, the...
- Los Angeles, 1979–1981 - Jabberjaw Coffeehouse - Los Angeles, 1992–1996
- Jerry's Pizza & Pub - Bakersfield, 1999–present
- Journey Night Club - San Diego, 1981–1982
- The Jumping Turtle - San Marcos, 2006–present
- Kings Road Cafe - San Diego, 1982–1984
- Mabuhay GardensMabuhay GardensThe Mabuhay Gardens was a San Francisco nightclub located at , on the Broadway strip of North Beach, an area best known for its strip clubs....
- San Francisco, 1976–1986 - Madame Wong's - Los Angeles, 1978–1985
- Majestic Ventura Theater - Ventura, Late 1980s-present
- North Park Lions Club - San Diego, 1979–1982
- The MasqueThe MasqueThe Masque was a small punk rock club in central Hollywood, California which existed intermittently from 1977 to 1979. It is remembered as a key part of the early L.A. punk scene.-History:...
- Los Angeles, 1977–1979 - On Broadway - San Francisco, 1980–1984
- P.C.H Club - Wilmington, California 1997-2000
- The Phoenix Theater - Petaluma, 1982–present
- The Reseda Country Club - Reseda, 1980s-1990s
- Ruthie's Inn - Berkeley, 1980s
- The Skeleton Club - San Diego, 1978–1979
- Shady Acres - San Jose, 1998-2006
- The Showcase Theatre - Corona, 1994–2008
- Slims - San Francisco
- The SmellThe SmellThe Smell is an all ages, alcohol and drug-free punk rock/noise/experimental venue in Downtown Los Angeles, California. The Smell, notable for its DIY ethic, is home to many of the area's avant-garde performers and artists...
- Los Angeles, 1997–present - SOMASoma San DiegoSOMA is a popular all-ages concert venue in the Midway District area of San Diego, California, right next to the San Diego Sports Arena. Over the years it has become one of the more popular concert venues in the city. Claiming to be one of the best all ages venue in the "SoCal" music scene, Soma...
- San Diego, 1986–1999, 2002–present - Sound of Music - San Francisco, early 1980s
- Spanky's - Riverside, Ca late 80s early 90s
- Starwood ClubStarwood ClubThe Starwood Night Club was a popular club in West Hollywood, California from early in 1972 to late 1981. Many punk bands and heavy metal bands started their careers playing at the Starwood....
- Los Angeles, late 1970s–1980s - Target VideoTarget VideoTarget Video is a San Francisco-based studio, founded by artist Joe Rees, who collaborating with Jackie Sharp, Jill Hoffman, Sam Edwards and others, archived early art performance, punk and hardcore bands on video and film. Performers and artists as diverse as the Sex Pistols, the Dead Kennedys,...
- San Francisco, 1978–1981 - Temple Beautiful - San Francisco, 1978–1980
- Valencia Tool & DieValencia Tool & DieValencia Tool & Die, abbreviated as VT&D, was a 1980s San Francisco music venue and art gallery that presented punk, new wave, and new music performances, as well as performance art, film, and visual art shows from 1980 through 1983....
- San Francisco, late 1970s–early 1980s - Victorville Event Center - Victorville, 2010 - present
- The WarfieldThe WarfieldThe Warfield, also known as The Warfield Theater, is a 2,300 seat music venue located at 982 Market Street, San Francisco, California. It was built as a vaudeville theater, and opened as the Loews Warfield on May 13, 1922.-History:...
- San Francisco - Whisky a Go GoWhisky a Go GoThe Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip.-History:...
- Los Angeles, 1964–1982, 1986–present
Notable labels
While a few bands like Green Day, The Offspring, and AFI appear on major labels, many of the bands are signed to local independent punk labels. Many of these labels were started by local musicians as a way to sell their own bands records, but grew into labels with a large roster of bands. Some of these labels include:- Alternative TentaclesAlternative TentaclesAlternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
- started by Dead Kennedys member Jello BiafraJello BiafraJello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys... - Asian Man RecordsAsian Man RecordsAsian Man Records is a small, DIY record label run by Mike Park in Monte Sereno, California. Park started a record label and began releasing music in 1989 under the name Dill Records, with the Asian Man label established May 1996.-Artists:...
- started by Skankin' PickleSkankin' PickleSkankin' Pickle was an American ska punk band formed in San Jose, California that was active from 1989 to 1996.-Biography:Skankin' Pickle first formed in December 1988, made up of students from Westmont High School and Los Gatos High School. The band played their first show on April 28, 1989,...
's Mike ParkMike ParkMike Park is a Korean American musician and progressive activist. His musical ventures include Skankin' Pickle for whom he both played the saxophone and sang, The Chinkees, The Bruce Lee Band, and most recently an acoustic solo project under his own name... - BYO RecordsBYO RecordsBYO Records is a Los Angeles, California based independent punk rock record label created by Shawn and Mark Stern, two of the three brothers of the seminal California punk rock band Youth Brigade . BYO stands for Better Youth Organization and aims to promote punk and other alternative youth...
- started by Youth BrigadeYouth BrigadeYouth Brigade can refer to two different punk music groups:*Youth Brigade , from Los Angeles, California*Youth Brigade , from Washington, DCYouth Brigade can refer to members of the*National Youth Service ....
's Shawn & Mark Stern - Dangerhouse RecordsDangerhouse RecordsDangerhouse Records was a punk music record label in Los Angeles, California.Started in 1977 and collapsing by the end of 1980, Dangerhouse was a short-lived enterprise, which nonetheless left its mark on the punk scene....
- started by former ScreamersThe ScreamersThe Screamers were a punk rock group active in the Los Angeles, California area in the late 1970s. The Screamers were pioneers of a genre now known as "synthpunk," and can also be classified as art punk....
member David Brown - Epitaph RecordsEpitaph RecordsEpitaph Records is a Hollywood, California based independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The label was originally "just a logo and a P.O. box" created in the 1980s for the purpose of selling Bad Religion records, but has evolved into a large independent record...
- started by Bad Religion's Brett GurewitzBrett GurewitzBrett W. Gurewitz , nicknamed Mr. Brett, is the guitarist and a songwriter of Bad Religion. He is also the owner of the music label Epitaph Records and sister-labels ANTI-, Burning Heart Records, Fat Possum Records, and Hellcat Records... - Fat Wreck ChordsFat Wreck ChordsFat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
- started by NOFX's Fat Mike - Frontier RecordsFrontier RecordsFrontier Records is an independent record label, started in 1980 in Los Angeles by Lisa Fancher, a former employee of Bomp! Records and writer of the liner notes for the first album by The Runaways....
- Sleep It Off RecordsSleep It Off RecordsSleep It Off Records is a Gainesville, Florida-based independent record label, which was started by the band Less Than Jake in 2008. The label name was taken from a track on the band's 2004 B-sides album, B is for B-sides....
- started by punkPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bandBand (music)In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
Less Than JakeLess Than JakeLess Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
. - Geykido Comet RecordsGeykido Comet RecordsGeykido Comet Records began as a small and humble bedroom operation in 1998 seeing the first release in January 1999: Intro5pect 7-inch EP "Education"....
- Hellcat RecordsHellcat RecordsHellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an off-shoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz carp Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid, the latter of whom is generally responsible for...
- started by Bad Religion's Brett GurewitzBrett GurewitzBrett W. Gurewitz , nicknamed Mr. Brett, is the guitarist and a songwriter of Bad Religion. He is also the owner of the music label Epitaph Records and sister-labels ANTI-, Burning Heart Records, Fat Possum Records, and Hellcat Records...
and Rancid's Tim ArmstrongTim ArmstrongTimothy Lockwood Armstrong is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work with punk rock bands Rancid, Operation Ivy, Downfall, and the Transplants. He is also the owner and operator of Hellcat Records.-Personal life:Armstrong was born November 25, 1965 and was... - Kung Fu RecordsKung Fu RecordsKung Fu Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996 by Joe Escalante and Warren Fitzgerald of the punk rock band The Vandals. Founded in order to release a record by the Riverside, California band Assorted Jelly Beans, the label soon grew to include a roster of notable artists...
- started by The Vandals’ Joe EscalanteJoe EscalanteJoseph Patrick "Joe" Escalante is an American musician, record label owner, radio host, film and music video director, and amateur matador, as well as a former television executive and entertainment lawyer...
and Warren FitzgeraldWarren FitzgeraldWarren Fitzgerald is an American punk rock musician, guitarist, songwriter, and record label owner.-Overview and business:Warren Fitzgerald is most famous for being the current guitarist of The Vandals... - Lookout! RecordsLookout! Records-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
- started by The Lookouts frontman Larry Livermore - Mordam RecordsMordam RecordsMordam Records was a Sacramento, California record distribution company for independent record labels. It was originally founded in San Francisco in 1983 as an independent punk distribution company by Ruth Schwartz...
- Mystic RecordsMystic RecordsMystic Records is a record label and music production company that was based in Hollywood CA one block south of Hollywood and Vine and later moved to Oceanside, California...
- New Alliance RecordsNew Alliance RecordsNew Alliance Records was the record label founded by The Minutemen's D. Boon and Mike Watt and longtime friend and associate Martin Tamburovich after the example of Black Flag's SST Records...
- started by The Minutemen - Nitro RecordsNitro RecordsNitro Records is an independent record label created and owned by Dexter Holland and Greg Kriesel . They started the label in 1994. The label is famous for being an incubator for punk rock artists who have subsequently become successful, most notably AFI...
- started by The Offspring's Dexter HollandDexter HollandBryan Keith "Dexter" Holland is the singer and rhythm guitarist for the California punk rock band The Offspring...
and Greg K - Posh Boy RecordsPosh Boy RecordsPosh Boy Records was a Hollywood, California based record label owned by Robbie Fields, a high school substitute teacher and former copyboy at the L A Times who took an interest in the emerging punk rock scene in Orange County, California during the late 1970s...
- Punkcore Records
- Slash RecordsSlash RecordsSlash Records is a record label in Los Angeles, originally specializing in local and punk rock bands.The label was formed in 1978 by Bob Biggs as an outgrowth of the Los Angeles-based fanzine, Slash. Biggs, a painter, initiated the label with a seven-inch single from The Germs in 1978. A full album...
- associated with the fanzine Slash - SST RecordsSST RecordsSST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...
- started by Black Flag guitarist Greg GinnGreg GinnGregory Regis Ginn is a guitarist, songwriter, and singer. He is best known for being the leader of and primary songwriter for the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led from 1976 to 1986.... - Subterranean RecordsSubterranean RecordsSubterranean Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco, California. Founded by Steve Tupper and a then partner, Michael Fox in 1979, it focused on that city's underground punk and industrial music scene....
- Sympathy for the Record IndustrySympathy for the Record IndustrySympathy for the Record Industry is a mainly independent garage rock and punk label formed in 1988 by record industry anti-mogul Long Gone John...
Fanzines
- CometbusAaron CometbusAaron Elliott , better known as Aaron Cometbus, is an American drummer, lyricist, self-described "punk anthropologist," novelist, and author of punk rock zine Cometbus.-Personal life:...
- Damage Magazine
- Ego MagazineEGO MagazineEGO Magazine is an online magazine geared towards the Desi [South Asian] diaspora. It publishes articles on issues dealing with culture, fashion, design, travel & entertainment. It also has sections that deal with economic & political issues and translations of Urdu and Hindi poetry...
- FlipsideFlipside (fanzine)Flipside was a punk rock fanzine published in Los Angeles, California from 1977 to 2000.As one of the first and longest running US punk rock fanzines, this publication extensively chronicled the world of independent and underground music during this era. Known for its highly opinionated cast of...
- Maximum RocknRollMaximum RocknRollMaximum rocknroll is a widely distributed, monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in San Francisco, USA. It features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors...
- New Hippie
- SlashSlash (fanzine)Slash was a punk rock-related fanzine published in the United States from 1977 to 1980.The magazine was a large-format tabloid focused on the Los Angeles punk scene, though it did not restrict itself to local acts: its first cover featured Dave Vanian of The Damned. It regularly covered such L.A....
- Search and DestroySearch and destroySearch and Destroy, Seek and Destroy, or even simply S&D, refers to a military strategy that became a notorious component of the Vietnam War. The idea was to insert ground forces into hostile territory, search out the enemy, destroy them, and withdraw immediately afterward...
- Razorcake Magazine
See also
- Music of California: Punk rock
- StreetArt: The Punk Poster in San Francisco 1977-1981StreetArt: The Punk Poster in San Francisco 1977-1981StreetArt: The Punk Poster in San Francisco 1977-1981 by Peter Belsito, Bob Davis and Marian Kester, and published by Last Gasp, was the first published effort to attempt to document the punk rock poster in the U.S....
- Hardcore California: A History of Punk and New Wave
External links
- L.A. Punk History, Punk Information Directory.
- SoCal Skankers, SoCal Punk Show Directory.
- "Hardcore Holocaust: LA Punk Report" by Glenn E. Friedman, SoundsSounds (magazine)Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
, April 10, 1982. (Archived at Punk of the 20th Century Archives) - Los Angeles Punk Scene, Edward Colver's iconic photographic account.
- "Teenage Alcoholics: Punk Rock in East Los Angelese" by Jimmy Alvarado, Razorcake #3, August–September 2001 (updated for website January 2007). (Archived at Punk of the 20th Century Archives)
- Women in LA Punk, interviews by Alice Bag, AliceBag.com, 2006.
- "Punk Flyers from 1977 Los Angeles" by Mark Vallen, Art-for-a Change, 2006.
- Punk Zine Archive, Operationphoenixrecords.com. – 1980s California punk 'zine online archive.
- "The Hollywood Binliner: LA Punk," by Mick FarrenMick FarrenMichael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
, NMENMEThe New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
1977, reprinted in Crawdaddy!Crawdaddy!Crawdaddy! was the first U.S. magazine of rock and roll music criticism. Created in 1966 by college student Paul Williams in response to the increasing sophistication and cultural influence of popular music, Crawdaddy! was self-described as "the first magazine to take rock and roll...
, 2008. - Photos of San Francisco Bands circa 1980
- "San Diego Punk", current news on the San Diego music scene and a 10 year archive.