Agent Orange
Agent Orange
The Drowns, The Scoffs, kids on fire
Agent Orange
Orange county punk trio Agent Orange were the pioneers of surf punk, melding the guitar figures of classic surf music with the fast-and-loud attack of hardcore punk rock, and they became one of the truly enduring bands in the West Coast punk community. Formed in 1979 by guitarist and vocalist Mike Palm, they became one of the leading acts in West Coast punk with the release of the single "Bloodstains" in 1980, which received extensive radio support from iconic DJ Rodney Bingenheimer. The group's debut album, 1981's Living in Darkness, became a touchstone in the skate punk underground, and 1986's This Is the Voice found them adding some polish to their sound without robbing their music of its intensity. The group's recording activities dropped off in the mid-'90s after the release of 1996's Virtually Indestructible, but Palm kept Agent Orange busy as a live act well into the 2010s, touring the world and pleasing fans despite numerous lineup changes.
Agent Orange was formed in Placentia, California in 1979 by guitarist Mike Palm, a musical omnivore whose early influences included vintage surf music, heavy metal, and '50s and '60s rock. Emboldened by the rise of punk rock, Palm began consolidating his tastes into a meld that fused the style of classic sounds with the impact and velocity of punk. Teaming with bassist Steve Soto and drummer Scott Miller, Palm assembled the first edition of Agent Orange (the name was a dual reference to the notorious defoliant used by the United States military in Vietnam and the group's home in California's Orange County). In 1980, the trio self-released their debut single, "Bloodstains" b/w "America" and "Bored of You." Thanks to frequent spins on Bingenheimer's KROQ radio show, "Bloodstains" became a favorite in the Southern California punk community, and the band struck a deal with the independent label to cut their first full-length album, 1981's Living in Darkness. By the time Agent Orange cut the LP, Steve Soto had left the group to form , and James Levesque took over on bass. Living in Darkness spread the word about the band's skate-friendly surf/punk sound, and pulled a single from the album, "Everything Turns Gray," backed with a revved-up cover of ' "Pipeline." 1982 saw the release of Bitchin' Summer, a four-song EP featuring covers of four classic surf instrumentals.
In 1983, Agent Orange jumped from to a larger and better distributed indie, , and brought out the EP When You Least Expect It, which featured two originals and two covers, including their take on 's "Somebody to Love." While Agent Orange remained active as a live band, it would be three years before they released another recording, their second full-length album, 1986's This Is the Voice, which boasted slicker production and a poppier sound than their previous efforts. Agent Orange were never an especially prolific recording act, and it would be 1991 before another album appeared, a live recording titled Real Live Sound. During the downtime between This Is the Voice and Real Live Sound, Scott Miller and James Levesque both left the group, and bassist Brent Liles and drummer Derek O'Brien signed on. In 1991, O'Brien dropped out, and Scotty Lund took over behind the drums, while Sam Bolle preplaced Liles on bass in 1992. In 1996, Agent Orange released their third studio album, Virtually Indestructible, released by the label. The album featured drummer Charlie Quintana (formerly of and ) taking over for Scotty Lund, though Steve Latanation would step in after Quintana's departure in 1997.
In 2000, Agent Orange returned with Greatest & Latest, which collected live and studio recordings of original songs as well as tunes from their back catalog. The album was reissued in 2004 as Blood Stained Hitz, and was recycled again in 2008 as Surfing to Some F#*ked Up S@!t, with the addition of a cover of 's "Seek and Destroy." In 2004, there was another turnover in the rhythm section with the arrival of bassist Bruce Taylor and drummer Dusty Watson. In 2006, bassist Perry Giordano came on board after Taylor moved on, and Dave Klein succeeded Watson as drummer in 2009. In 2003, Agent Orange's material was reissued in a two-CD set titled Sonic Snake Session. Liles died in 2007 after being hit by a truck, Levesque passed in 2014, and Quintana lost his life after struggling with emphysema and heart disease in 2018.
Seattle rockers The Drowns have unleashed their latest salvo of blue-collar punk rock ’n roll: Blacked Out. Returning to the studio for this LP with longtime producer Ted Hutt (Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, The Gaslight Anthem), the band have laid down a collection of songs that fuse their varied influences brilliantly – from the boogie-woogie shuffle roots of original 50s rock ’n roll, to the strutting swagger of 70s glam & “bovver rock,” to the gritty rabble-rousing of ’77 style anthemic street punk – into a laser-tight, cohesive sound that is unmistakably theirs.
On Blacked Out, the imagery and storytelling in their songwriting is stronger than ever on standout tracks like “1979 Trans Am” & “The Way She Goes.” There’s a ripping rendition of Mud’s 1973 classic “Dynamite,” and bucketloads of other bangers, providing proof of life for rock ’n roll itself! And of course, amidst all the bluster, a humanitarian concern for the struggles & stories of working-class people remains at the center of the conversation, lyrically. With this album, The Drowns have crafted a rallying call to punks, rock ’n rollers, and good-hearted misfits of all stripes!
This album stands poised to be a game changer and the next stage of evolution for a band that has built a rabid worldwide fanbase the old-fashioned way: with killer records and relentless touring! With a band whose “onwards and upwards” trajectory has never wavered, this album is the next big step, aimed at launching them into the hearts of even more adoring fans, onto even bigger stages, and into even more corners of the world! Whether you’re booking a punk show or a massive festival (or just going to one), you’ll want them on your stage! In short, if you haven’t joined The Drowns’ party yet, now is the time! Everybody’s invited!
Most recently, the band – whose pedigree already included former members of noted acts such as Time Again & Success – has recently added guitarist Christian Martucci to the lineup, whose impressive resume includes stretches with Corey Taylor‘s CMFT, Stone Sour and punk rock legend Dee Dee Ramone‘s band (just to name a few), adding another layer to The Drowns‘ guitar heroics!
KIDS ON FIRE
Kids on Fire is a melodic street punk rock band hailing from Seattle, Washington. Known for their high-energy performances and "determined optimism," the band blends fast, upbeat musical arrangements with lyrics that explore social commentary, personal growth, and resilience.