45 RPM – its a revolution

45 RPM – its a revolution

 

If it were a six a side knock about I’d be quite pleased these bad boys were on my team some old some young some borrowed and, well, nothing Blue  Check out the last six singles for August and an amazing month for releases…

 

Divine Horsemen – ‘Mystery Writer’ (Self Release)  The first new music in thirty-three years and it’s pretty bloody decent to be fair.  With the duet vocals, it’s a slow-burning Rock and Roller reminding me of when the sisters of mercy rocked it up and some old school Keith inspired Rock n Roll.  As the guitars weave their merry web the melody rolls on.  On the virtual B side is the chunky riff of ‘Mothers Worry’.  A live cut with a bit of guts and plenty of attitude.  A decent offering and great pallet taster for the new music they must be releasing soon.

Buy Here

 

 

 

Jesse Malin – ‘Todd Youth’ (Wicked Cool Records) We jumped the gun a few weeks ago when we covered this Jesse Malin release but it’s here now. With an A-side paying tribute to former bandmate and guitar legend Todd Youth Jesse has penned a pretty upbeat number and not the tear-jerking ballad you might expect and he also gets Bad Brains legend HR to join him on the song. There’s a Motown feel here and a great way to pay tribute to one hell of a player and popular musician from coast to coast and continent to continent Youth touched many and its great he’s remembered here in such a fine way.  The flip side sees a funky ‘Sally Can’t Dance’ that I’m sure even Lou Reid would give a standing ovation to from the horns to the Bv’s and beyond.  Malin nails it again.

Buy Here

 

Pre Cog In The Bunker – ‘Precogs Dream’ (sister Raygun Records) Italian pair churn out a hellish noise of Garage rock goodness in the shape of Precogs dreams and on a wonderfully vivid pink vinyl.  It’s just Rock and Roll in the time-honoured Cramps, 60’s VU style. They hit things & chop out some phat riffs and throw in plenty of howls!  Its pretty much the MO for all three tracks its been done before but it will no doubt be done another million times with varying degrees of quality. This is a decent listen and whilst the songs are all mid-tempo its pretty good.  So the final track is hanging on by a thread before the breakdown which is very VU if I’m honest and there’s nothing wrong with that at all and ‘On The Run’ is my pick of the three tracks on offer here. I certainly wouldn’t object to hearing more of this when I get round to hearing the album they also released earlier this year until then this will do. Buy Here

 

Joe Desglose – ‘Too Much TV’ (Self Release) Joe thought he’d sneak these demo tunes out and people wouldn’t notice or more likely Facebook and their algorithm wouldn’t let it reach too many people but we’ve always liked Joe from his Breakdowns days and through his tenure with DeRellas Joe has a great pedigree and these raw song ideas show he’s lost none of that trashy fury even with just an acoustic guitar and a voice you can see and hear the songs taking shape.  From the uptempo ‘Tattered Star’ through the tribute to Ms. Jett in the shape of the excellent ‘St Joan’.  You have the more laid back ‘Conversations With The Girl’ which has a slightly continental feel and with the Johnny Thunders guitar break we like a lot and when this virus eases to the point where Joe can get into a studio with an electric band this might just get a lot more exciting if this is the quality of songs we can expect. Not a bad one amongst them and ‘Wedding Song’ sounds like a long lost Frankie Miller number Joe is on form and long may it continue. Check them out here

 

The Candy Snatchers – ‘Picture My Face’ (Fandango Records)  Heres the story for these two tracks and how they’re now getting their digital birth some time after the crime so to speak. The Candy Snatchers shouldneed no introductions to be fair I’ve said on numerous occasions how immense Larry Mays vocals are and how intense he makes every record sound and its always better than the last one and this is no exception absolute stone cold classics and this band should have been Fuckin huge no make that HUGE!

“Sometime in late 1997, Matthew Odietus handed Jake Starr a DAT with two new Candy Snatchers songs on it for a split 7” with Adam West on Fandango Records. Jake chose “Picture My Face,” a raucous cover of the Teenage Head classic, and released it as FR-012 limited to 510 copies. The 7″ single sold out nearly overnight and has never been repressed or released digitally… until now. This version of “Treda Douche” is the first take on the song and was originally released on a rare LP compilation on Intensive Scare Records. Both songs have now been remastered and are available for the first time digitally. These two songs also feature Black Market Baby drummer Tommy Carr, who was briefly in the band in between permanent drummers. Fandango is so proud to re-release these songs for your listening pleasure. Enjoy, kids!”  I couldn’t have said it better myself

Buy Here

Chaser – ‘Look Alive’ (Self Release) Its hard not to admire any band who donates 100% of the band’s proceeds from record sales will be donated to Equal Justice Initiative, Educational First Steps, Crisis Aid International, and Surfrider Foundation so here you go fill yer boots with the video of the track taken from the album of the same title.  Right out of the Bad Religion pocket.

Here are some details of where to pick up a physical copy –

The track, now streaming on all digital platforms, appears on the band’s upcoming ‘Look Alive’ 7″/EP out on September 4. Vinyl copies of the 7″ have sold out, but digital copies and merch are available at www.chaserpunkrock.com.

The sold-out ‘Look Alive’ 7″ was limited to 333 copies, and available worldwide in 4 different color variants via Thousand Islands Records (Canada), Sound Speed Records (USA), SBAM Records (Europe) and Pee Records (Australia).

The Stooges – ‘Live At Goose Lake’ (Third Man Records)

The Stooges – ‘Live At Goose Lake’ (Third Man Records)

August the 8th 1970.  The last time the original powerhouse machine that is The Stooges took to a stage. August 2020 sees it hit the shelves on record and a nice slab of heavyweight vinyl it is too without all the finer niceties of modern recordings this is straight from the desk loud as fuck! With Iggy being the last man standing I bet that wasn’t something many people would have uttered 50 years ago.

With a $15 to $20 price tag on tickets for this festival that would have had Savoy Brown, Jethro Tull, Joe Cocker, Chicago and Alice Cooper on the bill way above The mighty Stooges.  it must have been a bummer to have had to go on after this aural assault had long left the stage.  Whilst it might not be the finest soundboard mix ever you get the emotion of the band playing as both Brothers Asheton are kicking up a shitstorm of rage and intense musicianship especially on songs like ‘TV Eye’ and an inspirational performance on ‘Dirt’ but you keep being sidetracked by Alexanders bass as it takes a wobble especially through the amazing solo it might be hindsight knowing what happened but his falling apart does happen, It must have been a jaw-dropping spectacle yet little did the punters know this would be the last time this five would take the stage with Dave Alexander being fired.

In a day when bands play albums in their entirety and sell out venues, the Stooges were doing it in 1970.  By the time you get to the title track that huge throbbing hypnotic bassline but the reality is its a mess, and you can see why Iggy might have been pissed, seeing as there were a reported 200K in attendance and it must have been mindblowing hearing this as Mackay’s saxophone is causing hypertension on what I would say is one of the finest song ever penned, by anyone, anywhere at any time it’s a royale maelstrom of noise here, a beautiful noise by the way and with Mr. Pop barking out the words over the top the PA sounds like it’s about to ignite at any minute. as the sax and guitar duke it out even if the tape goes a bit wobbly which is such a shame it sounded magnificent.

 

Its believed that this performance was almost the cause of a full-on riot and hundreds charged the stage and began dismantling it after the Stooges left the stage it’s not hard to see how that could be on this performance and having the plug pulled on your set only enhances The Stooges legend anyway.  Thanks to Jack White and his label for making this release possible as it’s believed that MR Pop isn’t enamored but hey its been worth the wait and even MR Pop would have to agree that for a document in musical history this needed to be preserved and something he could and should be immensely proud to be a part of.

If the Funhouse complete is way out of your price range and you love that record and the band then this is a no brainer and well worth the price of admission in anyone’s book. Awesome.

Buy ‘Live At Goose Lake’ Here

Author: Dom Daley

 

Knowso – ‘Specialtronics Green Vision’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Knowso – ‘Specialtronics Green Vision’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Debut album from Clevelands Knowso sees the punks dish up a record that’s spiky in your face full of challenging punk where they’ve been influenced by the likes of Fugazi, No means No, Devo Black Flag and other such luminaries of the US scene.

Take second track in ‘Chosen Sun’ and its complex time changes it’s not a sloppy three-chord smash it out that’s for sure. Lyrics that mean something and bass lines that poke and jar at the listener juping out from the verses and poking rather than swinging punches.

Cuts like ‘Calamine’ is a great hight end bass-thumping, jarring and slicing that slashes like Devo if they were full of fury.

They use tapes and try to fuck with the listeners head with ‘Wrong Calculator’ being a fitting example. They then get a bit funky with the jazzy ‘Peaceful & Extinct’ as they throw in some serious time changes and keep a tight ship on those changes whilst throwing in everything including the kitchen sink into the chaos. This record is like a Heston Bloomenthal creation what you see on the outside isn’t necessarily what flavour is on the inside once you take a bite. ‘Digital God’ is a good example.

Taking the ten tracks in one sitting is at time punishing and I found myself drifting mentally maybe you have to physically prepare like an athlete and this isn’t a record you can enjoy cold without warming up.  Maybe small bursts to begin with before building up to a full-on takedown of Knowso. I guess it was always there to fuck with you and they do that and the bass is an audio assault for sure constantly jabbing a punching your ears.  Ajit punks need only apply, is there a genre for Math punk yet? Its alternative I know that much.

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

The Idolizers – ‘The Idolizers’ (Rum Bar Records)

The Idolizers – ‘The Idolizers’ (Rum Bar Records)
Alright kids lets turn it up and grab your favourite tennis racket lets go. make sure you’ve got the full length mirror at the ready and you’ve greased back your hair and set the time machine for the late ’70s when NYC was churning out sleazy rock and roll by the dozen and the Heartbreakers ruled the roost.  Well I guess The Idolizers remember that time and remember how the high energy Rock and Roll made them feel which is why straight from the off the go for the throat with ‘Stranded’

“New York City’s The Idolizers are drenched in that period of punk rock and Roll and this four-song debut EP pulls from garage and glam to that early punk and rock. Man if the opener didn’t grab you then ‘Golden Days’ will blow you away.  Frantic riffs you can imagine a packed club where the beer is flowing and the kids are jumping then this sparks up it could be dangerous. Great solo that lives out every cliche and why the hell not? 

sure ‘Exile On Pain Street’ is a pun on the Stones classic but that’s where the similarity ends because this is all hopped up looking for a party to crash there’s nothing laid back and chilled about this bad boy.  Love the sloppy woo hoos! and that barroom boogie joanna is always quality.

Saving the best till last in the shape of the smouldering ‘She’s A Killer’ with its cowbell and floor tom thump adds some muscle to proceedings in a bruising affair.  It never quite spills over but manages to keep things respectable and wraps up a really impressive EP. C’mon, guys, let’s have the album because if this is an indication of what’s to come then bring it on, Baby! Pick It Up Here

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Author: Dom Daley

A Song For Joe: Celebrating the Birthday of Joe Strummer

A Song For Joe: Celebrating the Birthday of Joe Strummer

Gates of the West & Dark Horse Records present ‘A Song For Joe: Celebrating the Birthday of Joe Strummer’ on Friday, August 21 at 8pm BST / 3pm EDT / 12pm PDT.

Taking place on Joe’s birthday, the event will honor Joe’s legacy and feature performances and testimonials by many of the former Clash front man’s friends and notable names in the music & arts community, as well as never-before-seen Joe Strummer live footage.

“To see so many musicians and artists come forward to honor Joe is really touching,” says Joe’s wife Lucinda Tait. “Community was always important to him. Whether it was playing music with friends, organizing all night campfires, or hijacking festivals, Joe was always focused on bringing people together. Even though we can’t all be in the same room together, I cannot think of a better way for us all to feel united. Joe would have loved this.”

Joe Strummer (never before seen live footage), Albert Hammond Jr. (The Strokes), Beto O’Rourke, Bob Gruen,Bob Weir, Brian Fallon, Bruce Springsteen, Butch Walker, Cait O’Riordan (The Pogues), C.C. Adcock, Cherry Glazerr, Craig Finn & Tad Kubler (The Hold Steady), Dave Hause, Dhani Harrison, DJ Scratchy, Dropkick Murphys,
Eugene Hütz (Gogol Bordello), Frank Turner, HR (Bad Brains), Hinds, The Interrupters, Jesse Dayton, Jesse Malin,
Jim Jarmusch, Joe Ely, Josh Cheuse, Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), Lucinda Williams, Lyza Jane, Matt Dillon, Nikolai Fraiture (The Strokes),  Ray Gange (Rude Boy), Richard Dudanski (101ers), Sara Driver, Shepard Fairey, Spider Stacy (The Pogues), Steve Buscemi, Tom Morello , + very special guests

This free event will benefit Save Our Stages, which is being spearheaded by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) to preserve and protect the USA’s independent live music venues and promoters.

Save Our Stages
The mission of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent live music venues and promoters throughout the United States. NIVA is making a final push to Congress to pass the Save Our Stages Act and the Restart Act in order to keep independent venues nationwide from closing permanently. Take action here.
Gates of the West 
Jesse Malin & Jeff Raspe created Love It To Life and the Gates Of The West shows to bring together some of the best musicians and celebrate the music of Joe Strummer and The Clash. Every show is a benefit for The Joe Strummer Foundation, Music & Memory and other charities. The six sold-out shows to date, have featured many special guests performing songs written and performed by Strummer and The Clash.

Follow Joe Strummer on:
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Walking Papers brand new single “What Did You Expect?”

Walking Papers brand new single “What Did You Expect?”

‘The Light Below’ is the third album from Walking Papers, due in early 2021. “What Did You Expect?”, the first track from the album, is penned by principals Jefferson Angell and Benjamin Anderson, and represents a continuation of the impactful and artful rock and blues sound Walking Papers have developed. Lyrically, Angell challenges anyone who has dug themselves a hole, or who stood in their own way. Get it Here

 

Alvin Gibbs – ‘Diminished Responsibility Volume 1’ (Tome & Metre Publishing)

Alvin Gibbs – ‘Diminished Responsibility Volume 1’ (Tome & Metre Publishing)
Alvin Gibbs managed to pen one of my favourite books ever when he wrote about his adventures on the road with Iggy Pop.  Apart from it being a time in my life when I tried to absorb as much music and everything around it that was humanly possible it was also a record that I adored and a line up of Iggys that was incredible so all the stars aligned and Alvin managed to encapsulate the same feelings when his pen hit the paper so, when Tome & Metre said they were releasing his autobiography I ready Neighbourhood Threat, again and waited in excitement for the book to land on my doormat.  I’ve read it twice now and felt intimidated about writing my review for several reasons.  How can I pay Alvin the respect he deserves as a musician (one that I greatly admire and whose work I’ve followed from the Mid ’80s) and as an accomplished and excellent writer. I came to the conclusion that I couldn’t meet my expectations but if my words help one person read his book then job done so here goes.
Alvin doesn’t labour over the detail as I suspect most don’t want to know about the finer details of his childhood but an overview is provided and certain memories relaid to paint a picture. Its the birth into what would become the punk scene is where we begin our captive participation and Alvin gives his background and shines a light on his days with Brian James as the tales from behind the curtain begin to unfold and I find myself digging up the records that relate to the chapters as something of a background especially when Alvin talks about the recordings of ‘Diminished Responsibilities’ and ‘Endangered Species’ and it sort of opens up another dimension to what you’re hearing as the pages get turned.
Alvin is a fantastic writer and his education obviously helps with his descriptions and use of the English Language which I’m sure he’ll come to in vol two! but his relationships with his bandmates and the respect he has for band members and fellow musicians he’s shared a hotel, bus, plane and beer with also shines through as does his respect for the fine art he finds himself dedicating his life to.  Alvin doesn’t shy away from his flaws either and there is no airbrushing of incidents and behaviours that he might not look back on with 20/20 hindsight and offer scant hollow apologies and neither does he try and explain them away or blame others.  
What you get is the feeling that his life is a life worth living and one that has seen the vast changes in an industry and he’s seen the highs and the not so great highs but has taken them all as part of his education and life journey there are passages that made me laugh out loud as well as wonder what the other parties felt.
Obviously I can’t recommend this book highly enough but not just for fans of The UK Subs, Iggy Pop, Cheap & Nasty but for anyone who appreciates a well-written book by someone who writes with passion, honesty and fantastic use of the language – you get a snapshot of what it was like being part of a club that enjoyed some of the trappings of being a good-sized band in the ’80s and beyond about how the shark pool that is the music business works and how cutthroat it is and an ability to dust yourself down and fly by the seat of your pants (quite literally at times it would seem) and live your life with a mindset or joie de vivre that most 9-5 people would ever understand and people like Alvin do it for the rest of us, they’re modern-day pioneers, crusaders, adventurers, pirates even.
We need people like Alvin to document their time on this earth and show us what it was really like inside the beast of Rock and Roll. As soon as I got to the last words I began to wonder how long before we get Volume two? I get the feeling that Volume one might just have been the starter and the main course is to follow so strap yourselves in kids this is set to get way more exciting.  Absorbing, passionate and another mightily impressive book from the talented Mr Gibbs. Alvin’s life as a UK Sub is set to continue but his story is one we all need to read as he’s managed to eclipse ‘Neighbourhood Threat’ we’ve gotten to meet the man and understand his politics and what makes him tick and from my point of view have even more respect for one of the finest craftsmen in his chosen field. Musician, Songwriter, Author and a thoroughly good bloke, Alvin Gibbs I salute you and urge anyone whos made it thus far into my ramblings to click the link and order a copy of this book you won’t regret it for a second.

 

Buy ‘Diminished Responsibility’ Here

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Author: Dom Daley

Levellers – ‘Peace’ (On The Fiddle Recordings)

Levellers – ‘Peace’ (On The Fiddle Recordings)

In the wake of Coronavirus many albums being released are cited as “an album of the times” or “the soundtrack to lockdown”, yet most were written and recorded before lockdown was even a thing. It seems some musicians are just clued in to the right frequency for the times. One such band is Brighton folk heroes the Levellers.

Now, Levellers have been releasing “an album of the times” since their first album ‘A Weapon Called The Word’ was released on an unsuspecting world in 1990. Taking their name from the political movement, the band have always been outspoken with their left-wing political views and voicing change with their lyrics and in interviews.

They outgrew their humble, crusty beginnings, headlined Glastonbury in 1994 and even bothered the charts a few years later with the likes of ‘Just The One’ and ‘What A Beautiful Day’. The mid nineties saw the band go it alone, becoming independent with their own self-contained headquarters called The Metway. There they have their offices, where they run the fan club, it houses a rehearsal space and recording studio. And they continue to be self-sufficient to this day with their On The Fiddle record label.

 

While ‘Peace’ is their first new studio album in 8 years, the band has not been sitting on their laurels. 2008’s ‘We The Collective’ saw the band re-imagine an album of their songs acoustically, with an orchestra at Abbey Road. They continue to tour extensively and host their own Beautiful Days Festival. The recent deluxe vinyl reissues of their discography have kept fans content in the lead up to album number 11.

And album number 11 is a throwback to what the band does best. Produced by long time collaborator Sean Lakeman, ‘Peace’ sees the band in fine form, delivering the perfect mix of Celtic, guitar-driven anthems and folk-tinged balladry.

3 singles have whetted the fans appetites over the past months in lockdown. Opener and first single ‘Food Roof Family’ is an energised burst of noise, with driving bass and frantic fiddle and the same thought provoking lyricism that captures the same vibe as their early recordings. An instant anthem. With its retro keyboard refrain ‘Generation Fear’ sees a different, edgy direction. Still bold, brazen and relevant in 2020, it will surely become a future live favourite, guaranteed to get your inner crusty bouncing. ‘Calling Out’ sees guitarist Simon Friend take to the mic for a raspy tale of escaping the rat race. All 3 have their own merits but are very much Levellers in sound and feel.

Friend appears for lead vocals on several occasions, as he has done in the past. The emotive ‘Four Boys Lost’ is a sea shanty recalling the tragic tale of sailors lost at sea. ‘The Men Who Would Be King’ is raucous, punk fuelled noise-mongery, and for the first time he duets with singer Mark Chadwick on the marvellous ‘Albion and Phoenix’. The latter references the bands beginnings, Albion being a hill in Brighton and The Phoenix is the squat they used to hang out at. Full of choppy riffs and melodious fiddle, the juxtaposition of Chadwick and Friend’s vocals work perfectly on a song of reflection and sentimentality.

Elsewhere, the likes of Chadwick’s ‘Born That Way’ with its Clash-lite riff and fiddle refrain, along with Friend’s upbeat stomper ‘Our New Day’ show the more commercial mid-nineties Levellers along with the more poignant traditional laments of ‘Ghost In The Water’ and album closer ‘Our Future’.

 

 

Choc-a-bloc with their trademark observational lyricism and Celtic punk vibes, ‘Peace’ preaches a message of hope, which is nothing new for this band, but in these trying times the message seems just as relevant, if not more so than it was in the early nineties. They may be older, wiser and not the angry young punks they once were, but the Levellers still have something to say and in the current political and social climate, ‘Peace’ could well be the perfect soundtrack to our times.

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Buy ‘Peace’ Here

Author: Ben Hughes

 

 

 

 

 

Introducing… Young Francis Hi-Fi

Introducing… Young Francis Hi-Fi
Who Are Young Francis Hi-Fi?
We are 4 bubblegum punks, playing short, sharp, saccharine songs.  Young Francis plays guitar and sings, Jimi Dymond plays guitar and does backups, Mac Daddy plays bass and Danny Joe Handsome plays drums.
Where did the name come from?
I started out playing as a lo-fi One Man Band. Drums by foot, guitar by hand, ‘less is more’ ethic, real DIY. Last year I was playing a free show on the beach in Brighton. Jimi, Mac Daddy and Danny Joe were hanging out watching and towards the end of the show started banging on bottles and tambourines and a guitar and joined in with me. We played together for about 2 hours as the sun went down, people going crazy, dancing in the sea, having a blast. Everybody needed us to harness that magic in a bottle, so we changed Young Francis from a lo-fi one man band to a full power, full lineup Young Francis Hi Fi.
Where are the band from I know in your biog it says Brighton but how did you end up there?
I was born in Berlin-Kreuzberg. I learned about music from the punks who hung out by the U-Bahn, I’d stop and talk to them, share smokes and listen to their stories, and they would give me tons of tapes of stuff I got into like DDR Punk, Abwärts, Die Goldenen Zitronen or Ton Steine Scherben.
Jimi, Mac and Danny Joe grew up together, somewhere out in the woods. I think they came to Brighton for the same reason I did, to live with good people by the beach and make sunshine punk songs together.
What recordings have you made?
We have a bunch done that we would like to put out. And we are recording more soon, including our gig favourite, “Do You Like Good Music?”.
What are the post-pandemic plans?
I wanna hold you tight (every night), once it’s safe.

YOUNG FRANCIS HI-FI Social media presence – Bandcamp / Facebook /Twitter / Instagram / Soundcloud 

Band pic – Sara-Louise Bowrey

GREG ANTISTA & THE LONELY STREETS ARE SET TO PERFORM AS PART OF AN ALL-STAR PUNK LIVESTREAM CONCERT CELEBRATING STEVE SOTO’S BIRTHDAY

GREG ANTISTA & THE LONELY STREETS ARE SET TO PERFORM AS PART OF AN ALL-STAR PUNK LIVESTREAM CONCERT CELEBRATING STEVE SOTO’S BIRTHDAY

BENEFIT CONCERT MARKS THE FIRST BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION SINCE THE DEATH OF SOTO, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S AGENT ORANGE AND ADOLESCENTS, IN 2018

ALSO CONFIRMED: Performances of Soto songs by members of Adolescents, 
Bad Cop/Bad Cop, CH3, Death by Stereo, Left Alone, Manic Hispanic, Punk Rock Karaoke, Swingin’ Utters, and more

Worldwide livestream begins at 5:00 PM PST on Saturday, August 22;
Tickets & livestream: https://stevesototributeconcert.veeps.com

The concert event will actually feature an equal mix of live performances and additional pre-recorded footage. Comedian Joe Sib, a former bandmate of Soto’s in 22 Jacks, will be the live on-air host.

In order to access the livestream, viewers will be required to make a donation to National Independent Talent Organization (NITO), a non-profit organization created in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. NITO exists for the purpose of supporting local musicians and helping to keep live music venues operational. After production costs for the event, 100% of the proceeds will go to NITO.

Also scheduled to perform at this Southern California punk rock extravaganza are members of Adolescents, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, CH3, Death by Stereo, Left Alone, Manic Hispanic, Punk Rock Karaoke, Swingin’ Utters, and other surprise guests.

This will be the first concert celebrating Soto’s birthday. Soto (August 23, 1963 – June 27, 2018) was a multi-talented instrumentalist and founding member of the long-running SoCal punk bands Agent Orange (1979) and Adolescents (1980). During his lifelong career in rock ‘n’ roll, he was also a member of Legal Weapon, Joyride, Manic Hispanic, and the punk supergroup 22 Jacks. Soto fronted his own band, Steve Soto and the Twisted Hearts, and he also became a member of Punk Rock Karaoke. Soto died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 54 from natural causes.

Greg Antista, who released the well-received Shake, Stomp and Stumble album with his band The Lonely Streets in 2019, was a lifelong friend of Soto’s. In 1979, the two met in shop class at Troy High School in their native Fullerton, CA. “I had never thought about playing an instrument until punk rock exploded at my high school” Antista recalls. “I had members of Adolescents, Agent Orange, and Social Distortion as my schoolmates and they were all playing backyard parties and their first local club gigs. Being that close to the bands and music made many of us pick up guitars.” In 1990, Antista, Soto, and Adolescents drummer Sandy Hanson joined forces in Joyride, a pop-punk band that released two albums on Dr. Dream Records.

Antista’s bandmates in the Lonely Streets also shared close ties to Soto. In 1981-1982, guitarist Frank Agnew played with Soto in the Los Angeles band Legal Weapon, appearing together on the group’s Death of Innocence album. In the 1990s and 2000s, Lonely Streets bassist Warren Renfrow performed alongside Soto in the bands Manic Hispanic and 22 Jacks. The Lonely Streets’ lineup is completed by drummer Jorge E. Disguster, who while never having played in a band with Soto, has nevertheless shared many stages with the musician.

Greg Antista & the Lonely Streets:
Website: gregantistaandthelonelystreets.com
Facebook: gregantistaandthelonelystreets
Twitter: @greg_antista
Instagram: @gregantistaandthelonelystreets