Steven Ronald Jensen

Steven Ronald "Stevo" Jensen (April 29, 1959 – August 21, 2005) was an American musician and an original founding member of The Vandals, alongside Jan Nils Ackermann. The band was based out of Huntington Beach, California, United States. After performing for some time in different bands in Southern California, Ackermann decided to form The Vandals, enlisting Jensen as vocalist.

Steven Ronald "Stevo" Jensen
Birth nameSteven Ronald Jensen
Also known asStevo
Born(1959-04-29)April 29, 1959
Los Angeles County, California, United States
DiedAugust 20, 2005(2005-08-20) (aged 46)
Maui, Hawaii[1]
GenresPunk rock, comedy rock
Occupation(s)Singer, composer, actor
InstrumentsVocals, scratch box, flute
Years active1980–1986, 1989.
LabelsEpitaph, National Trust, Restless Records, Posh Boy Records.
Associated actsThe Vandals, S.N.I.V. (Stevo's New Improved Vandals)

"I admired the way Mike Roche and Ron and Bob Emory (Ron's older brother) dressed and acted, and I followed in their footsteps," Jensen recalled. But before long, he developed his own outrageous take on punk that was far from T.S.O.L.'s glowering style.

"I said, 'We're going to have a good time with it. We're going to make fun of everybody and we're going to have fun doing it,' " Jensen said. "That's what I wanted – fun."[2] After performing with Steve Gonzalez and Vince Mesa, the original line-up of The Vandals performed at the Costa Mesa Club, the Cuckoo's Nest, owned by Jerry Roach.[3] Stevo and the Vandals performed that night with China White and Shattered Faith before Gonzalez and Mesa left the initial group. Steve Soto from Adolescents and Agent Orange, rehearsed with Jan Nils Ackermann on bass guitar previous to the Peace thru Vandalism line-up of The Vandals recording, constructing bass parts for many future songs; along with early notables on bass who helped write songs such as Bob Emory, Steve Gonzalez and Steve "Human" Pfauter.

Jensen died in 2005 in Maui, Hawaii.[4]

Peace thru Vandalism

In mid-1981, Jensen and Jan Nils Ackermann sought a lineup for their band that could consistently both record, and perform live shows, for possible touring purposes. After many bassists came and went, The Vandals eventually recruited Steve "Human" Pfauter as their full-time permanent bassist, before adding Joe Escalante on the drums. Escalante's presence completed the original Peace Thru' Vandalism era lineup of the band, which went on to perform and record for the remainder of 1981 throughout Southern California. Jensen then entered the studio with this Vandals' lineup in 1982 and recorded the Peace Thru Vandalism EP with Thom Wilson as producer. Released later that year on Epitaph Records, Peace Thru Vandalism is the only EP that The Vandals have recorded as of 2017.[5]

Year Album details
1982 Peace thru Vandalism[I]
Personnel
  • Steven Ronald "Stevo" Jensen: vocals
  • Jan Nils Ackermann: guitar
  • Steve "Human" Pfauter: bass
  • Joe Escalante: drums

Backing Vocals on "Anarchy Burger (Hold The Government): Brett Gurewitz

Produced by: Thom Wilson

Suburbia

In 1983, Stevo and The Vandals were approached to appear in Suburbia, a film written and directed by Penelope Spheeris and produced by Roger Corman. It is a disturbing and prophetic story of rebellious, homeless kids squatting in abandoned houses, trying to make new families, and protecting one another. Suburbia won first place at the Chicago Film Festival.[6] Jensen performed live singing in the band for the movie and subsequent soundtrack.[7]

When in Rome, Do as the Vandals

After performing extensively in Southern California and playing out of town concerts in Arizona, Jensen recorded The Vandals' first album, When in Rome Do as The Vandals. The album was released on National Trust Records in 1984 after disagreements with The Vandals' previous label, Epitaph, resulted in withheld royalties for sales of the band's Peace thru Vandalism. By the time 'When in Rome' was recorded in studio, bassist Steve Human had left the band and was replaced by Chalmer Lumary from the Huntington Beach punk rock band, The Hated.[8] However, Lumary soon broke his arm, preventing him from playing bass, Eric VonArab filled in briefly on bass before Brent Turner was brought in to record the album's bass tracks using previously captured audio from live performances and rehearsals for guidance. Lumary was able to sing backup vocals on the album and later joined Stevo and the Vandals as the band's fulltime bassist following the album's release.[9]

Personnel
  • Steven Ronald "Stevo" Jensen - vocals, scratch box on "Ladykiller"
  • Jan Nils Ackermann - guitar, acoustic guitars on "Mohawk Town" and "Rico"
  • Brent Turner - bass
  • Joe Escalante - Drums, trumpet on "Rico"
  • Chalmer Lumary - backing vocals
  • Record label:
  • Produced by Thom Wilson
  • Art & design by Mike Doud
  • Cover photos by Alan Newberg
  • Sleeve photos by Mike Leczkowski

Leaving the Vandals

After providing lead vocals for The Vandals during the band's early years performing throughout Southern California and Arizona, Jenson left the Vandals in 1986. His departure followed a period of inactivity for the band caused by friction and personality conflicts regarding performance during live shows.

Compilations
  • "Rodney on the ROQ volume 3" ℗1982 (V/A) Posh Boy Records. Vocalist on "Urban Struggle"[10]
  • "When Men Were Men... And Sheep Were Scared" ℗1985 Bemisbrain Records. Vocalist on "Dachau Cabana" and "Frog Stomp"[11]
  • "Stage Diving to the Oldies" ℗1995 (V/A) Restless Records. Vocalist on "Lady Killer" and "Mohawk Town"[12]

References
  1. "In Memoriam: Steven "Stevo" Jensen of the Vandals (1959-2005)". Punknews.org.
  2. "Faces of O.C.'s Punk Scene : Youths Looked at Their Suburbia; They Didn't Like What They Saw, and They Told the World". Los Angeles Times. 30 July 1989. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  3. Coker, Matt. "Jerry Roach of Cuckoo's Nest: Not Dead – OC Weekly". Ocweekly.com. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  4. Carreon, Mary (6 April 2016). "The Vandals, OC Punk's Merry Pranksters, Claim a Place In the Coachella Sun". Ocweekly.com.
  5. "Vandals - Peace Through Vandalism EP". Epitaph.com. 1 January 1984.
  6. "Suburbia: original soundtrack recording". Worldcat.org. 18 September 1984. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  7. "Suburbia". IMDb.com. 12 October 1984. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  8. "THE HATED | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos". Myspace.com. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  9. "The Vandals - When In Rome Do As The Vandals". Discogs.com. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  10. "Various - Rodney On The ROQ Vol. III". Discogs.com. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  11. "Various - When Men Were Men... And Sheep Were Scared". Discogs.com. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  12. "Stagediving to the oldies". Worldcat.org. 18 September 1995. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
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