Agent Orange / The Queers (and Billy Joel is the Antichrist)

So, a lovely Saturday found old Nazz circling Manhattan on a boat, whilst the dulcet toonage of Agent Orange and The Queers provided a lovely soundtrack. Part of the Rocks Off shows in En Why See, ya get to spend 3 hours on a boat and get your drink and freak on as kick ass rawk is performed. Beers were pretty expensive on board, but that’s why one pre-games before they get on the boat, of course.

Sometimes life is good.

Agent Orange were on my bucket list... having been a fan since the days of their “Bitchin’ Summer” and “Living In Darkness” elpees back in the days of vinyl. They might have been the first of the Cal Punk bands to bring the heavy surf thang into the scene--- lord knows I cut my teeth on their renditions of Mr. Moto, Miserlou, etc.

Looking none the worse for 30 plus years in the biz, Mike Palm and co tore through a couple of dozen songs, including many that were new that also kicked ass. But it was the oldies: ”Bloodstains”, “Breakdown” “The Last Goodbye” that got my moto runnin’. It was a nice touch when we went past the ruins of the World Trade Center and they dedicated “Too Young To Die” to the victims of that mass murder. It was even cooler when Palm played an instrumental so he could watch “us circle the Statue Of Liberty “.

Old Nazz was representing several friends who are no longer alive, so I had alot of Punk Rock on my shoulders to vent.

I succeeded.

 Picture taken off the back of the boat with the Statue Of Liberty in the distance.

Then, the greatest Ramones tribute band ever- The Queers, took the stage. Yeah, I know that most of their songs are theirs... shit, I was in a band that had all original stuff, and you know what? We were a Ramone tribute band too!  In fact we opened for The Queers once and Joe Queer told me how much he liked us. He...really...liked...us!!!!!!! Joe and his latest aggregation of Queers had the boat bouncing. At the end of the show, they brought someone up to play 3 or 4 Ramones songs as an encore. Yeah man- it’s Noo Yawk Fuckin’ Citee- you’d best be bringing out the Bruddahs!!!!!!!

Afterwards, my pals in the World Famous Kick Ass Punk Rock MetalLive Karaoke Band were doing a show.. with one very upsetting scenario- before doing their Live Band participation part, they, along with a couple of alt- rock mooks were going to play the entire Billy fucking antichrist Joel’s “Glass Houses” rekkid.

Well, golly gosh gee whiz, we missed that part since we were at a PUNK FUCKING ROCK show on a boat. But we showed up afterwards for the Live Band Karaoke part, where some Patriot made the following political statement.

After all, why should Pussy Riot be imprisoned in Russia when Billy Fucking Asshole Joel is free to live and not be in a gulag.

Rightful indignation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Punk Fucking Rawk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah...

Punk Fucking Rawk.

Everything (Should) Turn Grey

I saw a woman yesterday with the most amazing hair. It was grey. It was so grey that it almost had a purple tinge to it. Ya'll remember grey hair on women, doncha? It was prevalent before every femme over the age of 11 decided that the only way that a guy was gonna know their true hair color was by checking the rug. Well, this woman didn't care, it was gloriously long and unadulterated. Bless her little follicles! And she was pretty damn sexy.


Ms. Nomad is still mildly encouraging me to do the grey be gone thang as of late. I ain't budging. I am follically challenged enough thanks to heredity and mother nature's infinite and cruel jests as it is. Besides, the grey in my hair doesn't bother me. The grey in my beard, well that does bother me. I can't trim those suckers out quick enough.


Aaahhh vanity, thy name is Nazz.

(Jerry did NOT use Just For Men!)

Toonage:

Agent Orange - Everything Turns Grey

Spazzys - I Wanna Cut My Hair Like Marky Ramone

Funboy Three - The More That I See (the less I believe)

Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies (live 1973)

(More than) A Touch Of Grey

So, the other day, on a lovely evening over beers, the missus informs me "y'know, if you're going to ever start coloring your hair, it's time to do it, it's really turning grey".

And a WTF moment arrives.

All right, so I am the proud father of a 15 and 11 year old. And I have been married 21 years. But when did I get old? When did people start calling me sir?
Aren't I usually wearing torn jeans and a rock or beer t-shirt? Aren't I usually wearing a bandana or baseball cap? Aren't I the most immature, juvenile adult on the planet?

Wait a minute... I'm an adult?????

When did this aging crap occur?

So, my back constantly hurts. So, my knees give out after running a mile or so. So, I need a couple of extra hours sleep after my usual binge. I'm still King Of The Night-time World, aren't I? I can still out-party anyone I know. In the end, it'll be me and Keith Richards left. Or something.
I used to get so pissed off when I had to show proof of age. Now, the rare occasions I get proofed, I'm actually thankful.

Yeah, I know it beats the alternative. It is NOT better to burn out... despite what this guy says. And each day brings another entry into my scrapbook of madness.

I think I'll pass on the hair tinting; honey. I'm gonna ride on what brought me to this point.

PS- Hey you darn kids, get off my lawn!

Toonage:
Agent Orange - Everything Turns Grey
Pennywise - Touch Of Grey (Grateful Dead cover live)

Neil Young - Hey Hey My My Into The Black

Anarchy Six (Redd Kross) - Old Punks

Whut Thuh Fuh is a "Hymen Holocaust" ?

Yee-hah! Another show! The Caterwaul of Sound returns.
And we're playing with a band called Hymen Holocaust! Hymen Holocaust!!!!! This is where my life has led. Fukkin A!
We have got a new set of ear splitting noise to offer. If yer in Brooklyn, c'mon down. They got fried pickles at this place. Fried pickles and Hymen Holocaust? Where ya gonna get a better offer than that!

And here's some stuff that I am listening to and can't get enough of, all songs guaranteed to have you screaming out the lyrics at 4 am after your 12th beer.

Toonage:
The Clash - Police And Thieves (live)
Agent Orange - Seek And Destroy (Metallica cover)
Rancid - The Harder They Come (live Jimmy Cliff cover)
Union 13 - Roots Radicals (Rancid cover in Spanish!)
Public Enemy - Bring Tha Noise
----------------
Now playing: Led Zeppelin - Whole lotta love
via FoxyTunes

AGENT ORANGE - Bloodstains! Speed Kills!

bloodstains speed kills

fast cars cheap thrills

rich girls fine wine

i've lost my sense - i've lost control - i've lost my mind

Agent Orange were a southern California based Punk rock band of the early 1980's who were forerunners of the So-Cal surf-punk sound. That meant big riffs, buzzsaw guitar and the "surf beat". The power trio (Mike Palm- guitar/vox, Scott Miller- Drums, James Levesque - Bass) laid the foundation of a type of punk that will be later utilized to far more success by the Fat Wreckords stable of bands of the late 80's/early 90's .

The band's first release was the classic single "Bloodstains", which was released on a complilation in 1979.

From there, Agent Orange unleashed the album Living In Darkness, which had such great riff oriented tracks as "Too Young Too Die" and "Everything Turns Grey".
In 1982, Agent Orange came out with an ep called Bitchin' Summer (later to be combined on 1 cd with Living In Darkness) that featured some surf classics ("Miserlou", "Mr. Moto", "Pipeline") as well as Breakdown- an original that seems to address the topic of "selling out".

i don't want to think about it

i don't want to see

i don't want to know the kind of fool they'll make of me

the public gets what they deserve

not what they demand

unless we all decide to be a business, not a band

In 1983 came When You Least Expect It. It featured cover versions of "Somebody To Love", "Secret Agent Man" and "Out Of Limits", but only a couple of originals.


This Is The Voice (in 1986) showed Agent Orange to be back with a vengeance. However, poor production ruined the record.


Most of Agent Orange's better hits (and remastered) can be found on the 2003 compilation Sonic Snake Session.


The band still tours occasionally, so watch for em.

Official Agent Orange Site
Buy Agent Orange Music

Toonage:
Bloodstains
Everything Turns Grey
Too Young To Die
Breakdown
Seek & Destory (Metallica cover!)