Most Influential 70's Punk Band From Your City
esskay
221 Posts
For San Diego, CA survey says:
The Zeros (American band)From Wikipedia
The Zeros were an American punk rock band, formed in 1976 in Chula Vista, California. The band was composed of Javier Escovedo (younger brother of Alejandro Escovedo, older brother of Mario Escovedo of the Dragons) on vocals/guitar and Robert Lopez (later known as El Vez) on guitar, who were both attending Chula Vista High School; Hector Penalosa, (bass), and Baba Chenelle, (drums), who attended Sweetwater High School.
Contents
1 Biography
2 Discography
3 References
4 External links
BiographyIn 1977, The Zeros played their first major gig in Los Angeles at the Orpheum Theater. Opening the show was the first performance by The Germs, followed by The Zeros and then The Weirdos. The gig was promoted by Peter Case of The Nerves who later served as the frontman of The Breakaways and The Plimsouls. The Zeros' first single release, "Wimp" b/w "Don't Push Me Around" was released in 1977 on Bomp! Records.
In 1978, Penalosa left the band briefly to live and play in Los Angeles, and was replaced by Guy Lopez, Robert Lopez's brother. Soon after, Robert left to live in Los Angeles as well and his brother quit the Zeros. Penalosa rejoined the band and they continued as a trio, and eventually relocated to San Francisco. In March 1979, the UK music magazine, NME, reported that "punk riots had come to the U.S., when Los Angeles police broke up a Zeros' gig at Elks Hall."[1] In 1980, the band recorded a new single, including the songs "They Say That (Everything's Alright)," "Girl on the Block" and "Getting Nowhere Fast." After more touring that led to Austin, Texas and New York, the band fizzled out.
The band is infamous for playing an entire set consisting of 8 replays of "Beat Your Heart Out" in San Francisco.
More recently, the Zeros reunited to tour in Spain in early 2007. All four members reunited again for a short West Coast tour that began in San Diego in June 2009. In October 2010, the Zeros embarked on a short U.S. tour of the East Coast.
Cover versions of songs by The Zeros were released by The Hoodoo Gurus (Wimp), Los Angeles' bands, Wednesday Week ("They Say That Everything's Alright") and The Muffs ("Beat Your Heart Out").
DiscographySingles
"Wimp" b/w "Don't Push Me Around" - 1977 Bomp! Records
"Beat Your Heart Out" b/w "Wild Weekend" - 1978 Bomp!
"Getting Nowhere Fast" b/w "They Say That (Everything's Alright)" - 1980 Test Tube Records
"I Don't Wanna" b/w "Li'l Latin Lupe Lu" - Sympathy for the Record Industry
"You, Me, Us" b/w "Talkin'" - 1998 Penniman
Albums
"Don't Push Me Around" - 1980 Bomp!
"Right Now!" - 1992 Bomp!
"Knocking Me Dead" - 1994 Bomp!
The Zeros (American band)From Wikipedia
The Zeros were an American punk rock band, formed in 1976 in Chula Vista, California. The band was composed of Javier Escovedo (younger brother of Alejandro Escovedo, older brother of Mario Escovedo of the Dragons) on vocals/guitar and Robert Lopez (later known as El Vez) on guitar, who were both attending Chula Vista High School; Hector Penalosa, (bass), and Baba Chenelle, (drums), who attended Sweetwater High School.
Contents
1 Biography
2 Discography
3 References
4 External links
BiographyIn 1977, The Zeros played their first major gig in Los Angeles at the Orpheum Theater. Opening the show was the first performance by The Germs, followed by The Zeros and then The Weirdos. The gig was promoted by Peter Case of The Nerves who later served as the frontman of The Breakaways and The Plimsouls. The Zeros' first single release, "Wimp" b/w "Don't Push Me Around" was released in 1977 on Bomp! Records.
In 1978, Penalosa left the band briefly to live and play in Los Angeles, and was replaced by Guy Lopez, Robert Lopez's brother. Soon after, Robert left to live in Los Angeles as well and his brother quit the Zeros. Penalosa rejoined the band and they continued as a trio, and eventually relocated to San Francisco. In March 1979, the UK music magazine, NME, reported that "punk riots had come to the U.S., when Los Angeles police broke up a Zeros' gig at Elks Hall."[1] In 1980, the band recorded a new single, including the songs "They Say That (Everything's Alright)," "Girl on the Block" and "Getting Nowhere Fast." After more touring that led to Austin, Texas and New York, the band fizzled out.
The band is infamous for playing an entire set consisting of 8 replays of "Beat Your Heart Out" in San Francisco.
More recently, the Zeros reunited to tour in Spain in early 2007. All four members reunited again for a short West Coast tour that began in San Diego in June 2009. In October 2010, the Zeros embarked on a short U.S. tour of the East Coast.
Cover versions of songs by The Zeros were released by The Hoodoo Gurus (Wimp), Los Angeles' bands, Wednesday Week ("They Say That Everything's Alright") and The Muffs ("Beat Your Heart Out").
DiscographySingles
"Wimp" b/w "Don't Push Me Around" - 1977 Bomp! Records
"Beat Your Heart Out" b/w "Wild Weekend" - 1978 Bomp!
"Getting Nowhere Fast" b/w "They Say That (Everything's Alright)" - 1980 Test Tube Records
"I Don't Wanna" b/w "Li'l Latin Lupe Lu" - Sympathy for the Record Industry
"You, Me, Us" b/w "Talkin'" - 1998 Penniman
Albums
"Don't Push Me Around" - 1980 Bomp!
"Right Now!" - 1992 Bomp!
"Knocking Me Dead" - 1994 Bomp!
Comments
formed in 1980, but close enough?
The Nervebreakers first big break came when they opened for the Ramones on July 24, 1977 at The Electric Ballroom, a dance hall in the industrial district of Dallas. In 1978 The Nervebreakers opened for the Sex Pistols at The Longhorn Ballroom, and a photo of Barry made it into the March 1978 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine. Later that year the band recorded their debut EP "Politics", and the song "My Girlfriend is A Rock" became a runaway hit in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Boston and was later covered by the Angry Samoans and Wool, among others. They also opened for The Clash, John Cale, The Police and Johnny Thunders.
Napalm Beach
Poison Idea
And because I like them, Smegma.
They still play: http://www.thereducers.com/
Good question
In my case it is a band that pretty much spearheaded a pretty big local scene and made national pub like Rolling Stone while doing so....their influence probably doesn't reach outside of Texas.
OK, maybe The Ramones.
From Your CityMost influential from your home town is the question.
The most influential band from Rochester might not be that influential, but they are still the most influential from Rochester.
Teenage Head
The Diodes
I mentioned the Reducers who were (and continue to be) quite influential to punk/rock bands in CT and the surrounding area. And they were known nationally to some degree in the late 70s and early 80s. Lesser known but still regionally influential. But you obviously can't stack these guys next to the most influential bands from LA/London/New York/San Fran. Without the Ramones, there would've been no Reducers.
I was just reading the other day about how The Oblivians essentially took Reatard under their wing when he was first starting out and backed him on his first releases when he was in his mid-teens. Great example of fostering the art you care about.
And it really sucks that Reatard died at 30. I'd been up on a couple of albums and singles compilations, but I had no idea he was as prolific as he was. One of the best rock artists of the last couple of decades, I think, and criminally overlooked by "serious music afficiandos".
There were a couple of years when Jay Reatard was all my band listened to when driving anywhere. He is absolutely one of my favorite rock songwriters of all time. His songs are perfect. He played a festival in my town about a year before he passed and put on such a great show. No breaks between songs ... just go go go. Of course, he hadn't slept in a few days and his appetite for drugs was enormous. Yet another example of an artist pushing himself beyond the edge. Sad.
Here's a clip from that show ... (shaky as all hell but decent audio):
Output and input do go together, unfortunately, in many cases. But any discussion of it in the rock context always ends up in the tired Neil Young burnout v. fadeaway argument. No false dichotomy rasta.
Technically, Teenage Head were from Hamilton. But they were still a HUGE part of the early Toronto scene. R.I.P. Frankie Venom.