Wasted Youth (American Band)
Encyclopedia
Wasted Youth was a hardcore punk
band in early 1980s from Los Angeles, California
. The band
followed in the footsteps of Black Flag
and the Circle Jerks
, and were a prominent and popular act amongst the Los Angeles
punk
underground
of the early 1980s.
, is a record of early West Coast
hardcore punk music
. This entire album
, with its ten song
s, takes less than 15 minutes to complete, and is famous for the Pushead
artwork
of Ronald Reagan
on its front cover. The Pushead drawing was originally of Charles Manson with a swastika on his forehead. It was changed without Pushead's approval, for the album.
Later releases moved toward a more heavy metal
sound. Jeff Dahlgren
front man after Danny Spira 1983–1985 left the band while recording what was to be re-recorded by Paolo Rossi and become "Get Out Of My Yard" culminating with their last album, Black Daze
. Get Out Of My Yard was co-produced with Darin Scheff. Wasted Youth came out and prospered at the same time as bands such as The Adolescents
, TSOL
, Social Distortion
, Bad Religion
, Agent Orange
, The Stains, and others were dominating the vibrant punk scene in the early 1980s in Los Angeles. Chett and Paolo Rossi (the last generation of Wasted Youth front men) went on to start an indy label "Open Circle Records" in Glendale, California (Open Circle released Get Out Of My Yard LP). The final creation of Wasted Youth had a very successful "Crack Across America Tour" in the late 1980s to support "Get Out Of My Yard." Michael Licalsi, a club and show promoter from the SF Bay Area, served as their manager. Michael booked their national tour at the age of 19. Wasted Youth performed with bands such as Bad Brains, The Ramones, Circle Jerks on this final tour.
Members went on to perform in the tribal-industrial
group Savage Republic; Joey Castillo
became a drummer for Danzig
and later Queens of the Stone Age
; while Dave Kushner
, who played guitar on Black Daze, went on to become a member of the chart topping rockers, Velvet Revolver
.
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band in early 1980s from Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. The band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
followed in the footsteps of 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...
and the Circle Jerks
Circle Jerks
The Circle Jerks are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Los Angeles, California. It was formed by Black Flag's original singer, Keith Morris, and future Bad Religion guitarist Greg Hetson. They were among the preeminent hardcore punk bands of the L.A. scene in the late 1970s.The band...
, and were a prominent and popular act amongst the Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
of the early 1980s.
Overview
The band consisted of Chett Lehrer, Jeff Long, Allen Stiritz, and Danny Spira. The band's first release, Reagan's InReagan's In
Reagan's In is the 1981 debut album by the Los Angeles punk band Wasted Youth. The cover art was drawn by Pushead.- Track listing :# "Reagan's In" - 1:03# "Problem Child" - 2:07# "Teenage Nark" - 0:53# "Uni-High Beefrag" - 1:03...
, is a record of early West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
hardcore punk music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. This entire album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, with its ten song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s, takes less than 15 minutes to complete, and is famous for the Pushead
Pushead
Pushead is an artist, record label owner, and writer within the hardcore punk and heavy metal field. He has created artwork for many bands, artists, and athletes including Metallica, the The Misfits, Dr. Dre, Travis Barker, and Craig Johnson. He has designed many record covers, T-shirts,...
artwork
Visual arts
The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...
of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
on its front cover. The Pushead drawing was originally of Charles Manson with a swastika on his forehead. It was changed without Pushead's approval, for the album.
Later releases moved toward a more heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
sound. Jeff Dahlgren
Jeff Dahlgren
Jeff Dahlgren is American guitarist and producer.In 80's Jeff Dahlgren was frontman of punk band Wasted Youth.In 1994 he was main actor in French movie Giorgino,directed by Laurent Boutonnat....
front man after Danny Spira 1983–1985 left the band while recording what was to be re-recorded by Paolo Rossi and become "Get Out Of My Yard" culminating with their last album, Black Daze
Black Daze
Black Daze is the 1988 and final album by the Los Angeles punk band Wasted Youth, that saw the band turn to a thrash metal style.- Track listing :# "Any Gun Can Play"# "Ordinary Woman"# "Bucket Head"# "Black Daze"# "Good Day for a Hanging"...
. Get Out Of My Yard was co-produced with Darin Scheff. Wasted Youth came out and prospered at the same time as bands such as The Adolescents
The Adolescents
The Adolescents are an American punk band formed in 1980 in Fullerton, California. It is a punk supergroup, made up of early members of Agent Orange and Social Distortion. They are often credited as one of the leading bands of the 1980s hardcore punk scene....
, TSOL
TSOL
TSOL is an American punk rock band which formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California. TSOL is short for True Sounds of Liberty although they are rarely referred to by their full name....
, Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
, Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
, Agent Orange
Agent Orange (band)
Agent Orange is an American punk rock band formed in Orange County, California in 1979. The band is one of the first to mix punk rock with surf music. They first gained attention with their song "Bloodstains" which they released on their own 7" E.P. An early demo of the song was presented to...
, The Stains, and others were dominating the vibrant punk scene in the early 1980s in Los Angeles. Chett and Paolo Rossi (the last generation of Wasted Youth front men) went on to start an indy label "Open Circle Records" in Glendale, California (Open Circle released Get Out Of My Yard LP). The final creation of Wasted Youth had a very successful "Crack Across America Tour" in the late 1980s to support "Get Out Of My Yard." Michael Licalsi, a club and show promoter from the SF Bay Area, served as their manager. Michael booked their national tour at the age of 19. Wasted Youth performed with bands such as Bad Brains, The Ramones, Circle Jerks on this final tour.
Members went on to perform in the tribal-industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
group Savage Republic; Joey Castillo
Joey Castillo
Joseph Willam "Joey" Castillo is an American drummer currently playing with Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal...
became a drummer for Danzig
Danzig (band)
Danzig is an American heavy metal band, formed in 1987 in Lodi, New Jersey. The band serves as a musical outlet for the singer/songwriter Glenn Danzig. Danzig can be seen as the third stage in Glenn Danzig's musical career, preceded by the horror punk bands The Misfits and Samhain...
and later Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
; while Dave Kushner
Dave Kushner
David "Dave" Kushner is an American musician perhaps best known as the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock supergroup Velvet Revolver...
, who played guitar on Black Daze, went on to become a member of the chart topping rockers, Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
.