Agent Orange (band)

Agent Orange is an American punk rock band formed in Placentia, California in 1979.[2] The band was one of the first to mix punk rock with surf music.[3]

Agent Orange
Agent Orange performing at the San Diego House of Blues in 2011.
Background information
OriginPlacentia, California, United States
GenresPunk rock, hardcore punk, surf punk, skate punk[1]
Years active1979 (1979)–present
LabelsPosh Boy Records, Enigma Records, Restless Records, Invisible Records, Gunka Disc, Anarchy Music
Associated actsThe Adolescents, Social Distortion, D.I., Legal Weapon, the Plugz, Dick Dale, the Bomboras, Ghastly Ones, the Seeds
Websiteagentorange.net
MembersMike Palm
Perry Giordano
Dave Klein
Past membersScott Miller
Steve Soto
James Levesque
Brent Liles
Derek O'Brien
Tim Riley
Scotty Lund
Sam Bolle
Charlie Quintana
Steve Latanation
Dusty Watson

History

The power trio's original lineup was Mike Palm on guitar and vocals, Steve Soto on bass, and Scott Miller on drums.[3]

They first gained attention for their song "Bloodstains,"[3] originally appearing on their self-released debut 7" EP in 1980. A demo version of the song was given to Rodney Bingenheimer, a DJ at Pasadena radio station KROQ-FM, who placed it on his seminal 1980 compilation album, Rodney on the ROQ, on Posh Boy Records.

With James Levesque on bass (replacing Soto, who left to form the Adolescents[4]), the group recorded their debut Living In Darkness album with Brian Elliot, best known for composing Madonna’s hit "Papa Don’t Preach." The record was released by Posh Boy in November 1981 and included another, newer version of "Bloodstains" (later used in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4). A 12" EP, Bitchin' Summer, followed in 1982 on Posh Boy.

Signing to Enigma Records, the band released another 12" EP, 1983's When You Least Expect It..., followed by a second album, This Is the Voice, released in 1986.[5]

In 1988, former Social Distortion bassist Brent Liles replaced Levesque, and the following year, Derek O'Brien (also a former member of Social Distortion as well as D.I.) replaced Miller on drums. In 1991, Restless Records released the Real Live Sound live album, recorded at The Roxy in Hollywood on July 21, 1990.[6] It was the only Agent Orange recording to feature the Palm/Liles/O'Brien lineup.

Sam Bolle replaced Liles in January 1992, remaining with the band until May 2003, when he left to join Dick Dale's band.

A third studio album, Virtually Indestructible, was released in 1996 on the Gunka Disc label. The album featured drummer Charlie Quintana, formerly of the Plugz and later of Social Distortion.

Greatest & Latest – This, That-N-The Other Thing a compilation of rerecorded older material and new songs, was released in 2000 on Cleopatra Records, and featured Bolle on bass and Steve Latanation on drums. Latanation as well as Dusty Watson alternately played drums through 2008. In 2006, Perry Giordano joined on bass. In 2009, the band added drummer Dave Klein, who had previously recorded with numerous bands including the Bomboras, Ghastly Ones and the Seeds/Sky Saxon.

Former bassist Liles died on January 18, 2007,[7] and former bassist Levesque died on October 19, 2014.[8] Founding member and former bassist Steve Soto died on June 27, 2018.[9]

Band members
Current members
  • Mike Palm – guitars, lead vocals (1979–present)
  • Perry Giordano – bass, backing vocals (2006–present)
  • Dave Klein – drums, backing vocals (2009–present)
Former members
  • Scott Miller – drums (1979–1989)
  • Steve Soto – bass (1979; died 2018)
  • James Levesque – bass (1979–1988; died 2014)
  • Brent Liles – bass (1988–1991; died 2007)
  • Derek O'Brien – drums (1989–1991)
  • Scotty Lund – drums (1991–1995)
  • Sam Bolle – bass (1992–2003)
  • Charlie Quintana – drums (1996; died 2018)
  • Steve Latanation – drums (1997–2003)
  • Dusty Watson – drums (2004–2008)
  • Bruce Taylor – bass (2004–2005)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

EPs
  • Bloodstains 7" EP (1980, self-released)
  • Bitchin' Summer 12" EP (1982, Posh Boy Records)
  • When You Least Expect It... 12" EP (1983, Enigma Records)

Singles
  • "Everything Turns Grey" 7" (1981, Posh Boy Records)
  • "Secret Agent Man" 7" (1986, Invisible Records)
  • "Eldorado" Found: The Lost 12th Song 7" (1990, Posh Boy Records)
  • "The Electric Storm" 7" (1992, self-released)
  • "Bloodstains" 7" (1997, Anarchy Music)
  • "This House Is Haunted - Whistling Past The Graveyard" (2010, self-released)

Live albums

Compilation albums
  • Greatest & Latest – This, That-N-The Other Thing (2000, Cleopatra Records)
  • Sonic Snake Session (2003, Restless Records)
  • Blood Stained Hitz (2004, Anarchy Music)
  • Surfing to Some F#*ked Up S@!t (2008, Anarchy Music)

Selected compilation appearances
  • "Bloodstains" on Rodney on the ROQ (1980, Posh Boy Records)
  • "Mr. Moto" on Rodney on the ROQ – Volume 2 (1981, Posh Boy Records)
  • "Everything Turns Grey" on Posh Hits Vol. 1 (1982, Posh Boy Records)
  • "Out of Limits" and "Surf Beat" on What Surf (1983, What Records?)
  • "Bloodstains" on Blood on the ROQ! (1983, Quiet)
  • "Shakin' All Over" on Flipside Vinyl Fanzine Vol 2 (1984, Flipside Records/Gasatanka)
  • "Surfbeat '85" on What Surf II (1985, Iloki Records)
  • "Fire in the Rain" on River's Edge (1987, Enigma Records)
  • "It's in Your Head" on Under Cover Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1987, Enigma Records)
  • "Pipeline" on The Allnighter – Original Soundtrack (1987, Chameleon Records)
  • "Out of Limits" on What Surf III (1988, Iloki Records)
  • "Bloodstains" and "Misirlou" on The Best of Rodney on the ROQ (1989, Posh Boy Records)
  • "Everything Turns Grey" and "Pipeline" on Posh Boy • The Singles Vol. One (1990, Posh Boy Records)
  • "Tiki Ti" on Attack of the New Killer Surf Guitars (1997, Shanachie Records)
  • "On a Plain" on Smells Like Bleach – A Punk Tribute to Nirvana (2000, Cleopatra Records)
  • "Seek & Destroy" on A Punk Tribute to Metallica (2001, Cleopatra Records)
  • "Everything Turns Grey" on Freddy Got Fingered (2001, Restless Records)
  • "Bloodstains" on Punk and Disorderly (2001, Cleopatra Records)

References
  1. Reardon, Tom (October 21, 2015). "The 10 Best Skate Punk Records of All Time". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  2. Blush, Steven; Petros, George (October 19, 2010). American Hardcore (Second Edition): A Tribal History (2nd ed.). Port Townsend, Washington: Feral House. p. 99. ISBN 978-1932595895. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  3. Lamb, Gordon (February 10, 2016). "Agent Orange's Surf-Punk Is Still Essential". Flagpole Magazine. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  4. Ensminger, David (2013). Left of the Dial. PM Press. p. 96. ISBN 978-1-60486-641-4.
  5. "Agent Orange (7) – This Is The Voice (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  6. "Agent Orange (7) – Real Live Sound (Cassette, Album)". Discogs.com. 1990-07-21. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  7. Carpenter, Eric. "Early Social Distortion bassist ID'd in wreck". The Orange County Register. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  8. Bennett, Sarah (October 29, 2014). "R.I.P. Agent Orange Bassist James Levesque | OC Weekly". OC Weekly. Archived from the original on 2015-10-16. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  9. Blistein, Jon (June 28, 2018). "Steve Soto, Adolescents Founder and Punk Veteran, Dead at 54". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
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