Geza X
Encyclopedia
Geza Gedeon, professionally known as Geza X was a personality in the Los Angeles punk scene in the late 1970s. Geza produced records for a number of early California punk bands including the Dead Kennedys
, The Germs
, Black Flag
, The Avengers
and The Weirdos
. His productions of "Holiday in Cambodia
" for the Dead Kennedys and "Lexicon Devil" for The Germs separated California's punk sound from others at the time with its eccentricity, humor and spunk, making Los Angeles very different than the scenes in New York or London. Record executive Howie Klein
, then writing for BAM, a San Francisco music magazine, was quoted as saying "...Geza X is THE ONLY person to capture the West Coast's compelling power and urgency."
Geza also played guitar, sang, and dealt with most studio issues in his band Geza X and the Mommymen. He is credited as having pioneered the use of the headset microphones now ubiquitous in music. They released one official single and a full-length album You Goddam Kids! on the minor label Final Gear in 1982. The song "Isotope Soap" was also featured on Jello Biafra
's Let Them Eat Jellybeans sampler via Alternative Tentacles
, and "We Need More Power" appeared on Posh Boy's Rodney on the ROQ Volume Two. The "Power Pals" fan club was started after the release of the latter song. It was thought that if enough people joined this fan club they would conquer the impossible and obtain telekinetic powers to reshape history.
In the 1990s, X opened a recording studio, City Lab, with Josie Cotton
, and recorded acts like Butt Trumpet
. He achieved his greatest mainstream success in 1997, when Meredith Brooks
' "Bitch", which he produced at City Lab, spent 30 weeks on the Billboard
Hot 100, peaking at number two for six weeks.
Again with Cotton, X designed, built, owned, and operated Satellite Park Recording, in Malibu, California. Satellite Park is the "basement on the hill" Elliott Smith
named From a Basement on the Hill
after, having done a lot of recording there.Satellite Park closed Jan 1, 2011 after 13 years of Indie and Major-Label recording. Geza is now one of the organizers of The Vortex, a multipurpose community center in Downtown Los Angeles, dedicated to political and social activism.
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
, The Germs
The Germs
The Germs are an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1977 to 1980. The band's early lineup consisted of singer Darby Crash, guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom, and their most consistent drummer Don Bolles. Germs have since reformed in 2005 with Shane...
, Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
, The Avengers
The Avengers (band)
The Avengers are an American punk rock band formed in 1977 in San Francisco, California. Penelope Houston, who has also been a folk musician, is their singer.-Original history:...
and The Weirdos
The Weirdos
The Weirdos were an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California. They formed in 1976 and broke up in 1981, were occasionally active in the 1980s, and recorded new material in the 1990s...
. His productions of "Holiday in Cambodia
Holiday in Cambodia
"Holiday in Cambodia" was the second single by the American punk band Dead Kennedys. The record was released in May 1980 on Alternative Tentacles with "Police Truck" as the b-side...
" for the Dead Kennedys and "Lexicon Devil" for The Germs separated California's punk sound from others at the time with its eccentricity, humor and spunk, making Los Angeles very different than the scenes in New York or London. Record executive Howie Klein
Howie Klein
Howie Klein is an American DJ, music producer, record label founder, record label executive, and political blogger, who was president of Reprise Records from 1989 to 2001....
, then writing for BAM, a San Francisco music magazine, was quoted as saying "...Geza X is THE ONLY person to capture the West Coast's compelling power and urgency."
Geza also played guitar, sang, and dealt with most studio issues in his band Geza X and the Mommymen. He is credited as having pioneered the use of the headset microphones now ubiquitous in music. They released one official single and a full-length album You Goddam Kids! on the minor label Final Gear in 1982. The song "Isotope Soap" was also featured on Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
's Let Them Eat Jellybeans sampler via Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
, and "We Need More Power" appeared on Posh Boy's Rodney on the ROQ Volume Two. The "Power Pals" fan club was started after the release of the latter song. It was thought that if enough people joined this fan club they would conquer the impossible and obtain telekinetic powers to reshape history.
In the 1990s, X opened a recording studio, City Lab, with Josie Cotton
Josie Cotton
Josie Cotton is an American singer/songwriter, best known for her minor hits "Johnny Are You Queer" and "He Could Be the One" from 1982...
, and recorded acts like Butt Trumpet
Butt Trumpet
Butt Trumpet was a Los Angeles punk band that was known more for its crass lyrics and deliberately offensive style than its music. The group featured two bassists among its members...
. He achieved his greatest mainstream success in 1997, when Meredith Brooks
Meredith Brooks
Meredith Ann Brooks is an American singer/songwriter and guitarist. She is best known for her 1997 hit song "Bitch", for which she was nominated for a Grammy Award.- Early life :...
' "Bitch", which he produced at City Lab, spent 30 weeks on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100, peaking at number two for six weeks.
Again with Cotton, X designed, built, owned, and operated Satellite Park Recording, in Malibu, California. Satellite Park is the "basement on the hill" Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith
Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and resided for a significant portion of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity...
named From a Basement on the Hill
From a Basement on the Hill
From a Basement on the Hill is the sixth and final studio album by the late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. Released posthumously on October 19, 2004 by ANTI- Records in CD, double LP, and digital download, it peaked at #19 in the US and #41 in the UK....
after, having done a lot of recording there.Satellite Park closed Jan 1, 2011 after 13 years of Indie and Major-Label recording. Geza is now one of the organizers of The Vortex, a multipurpose community center in Downtown Los Angeles, dedicated to political and social activism.