It’s 1978 and Los Angeles is mic-checking and clearing its throat before unleashing its answer to New York City and London punk rock. It’s about to birth two of the most influential punk bands of all time.
Descendents and Circle Jerks, titans of the sun-drenched and beach-salted heel of America, would sneer and scream over pits of flailing SoCal faithful, routinely dodging the infamous LAPD. Alongside Black Flag, Fear, and Vicious Circle – they would dominate a new flavor of sonic aggression. Their shadows have loomed large over the entire state of California for decades.
Their ‘descendants” are also legion. Pennywise, Green Day, Propaghandhi, and Blink 182 owe much more than guitar tuning and chord progressions to them. An entire attitude – an insouciant humor, a petty teenage horniness – would define generations of delinquents on the Left Coast.
Saturday, both of these bands share a stage at The National. It’s sold out but maybe you’ll think twice about waiting to buy tickets til the last minute. Yo, ahem, if anyone has an extra, holla at yer boy…
