Agent Orange (band) explained

Agent Orange
Image Upright:1.2
Origin:Placentia, California
Genre:Punk rock, surf punk, skate punk[1]
Years Active:–present
Label:Posh Boy, Enigma, Restless, Invisible, Gunka Disc, Anarchy
Current Members:Mike Palm
Perry Giordano
Sandy Hansen
Past Members:Scott Miller
Steve Soto
James Levesque
Brent Liles
Derek O'Brien
Tim Riley
Scotty Lund
Sam Bolle
Charlie Quintana
Steve Latanation
Dusty Watson
Dave Klein

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]

A power trio, the band was founded by frontman and guitarist Mike Palm who has remained the band's sole constant member. The lineup of Palm, James Levesque (bass) and Scott Miller (drums) recorded Agent Orange's first two albums, Living in Darkness (1981) and This is the Voice (1986). The band's third album, Virtually Indestructible (1996) was released with Brent Liles on bass and Charlie Quintana on drums. The band has not released any new albums since. As of 2019, the band consists of Palm, Perry Giordano (bass) and Sandy Hansen (drums).

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-inch EP in 1980.[4] 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.[4]

With James Levesque on bass (replacing Soto, who left to form the Adolescents[5]), 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-inch EP, Bitchin' Summer, followed in 1982 on Posh Boy.[4]

Signing to Enigma Records, the band released another 12-inch EP, 1983's When You Least Expect It...,[4] followed by a second album, This Is the Voice, released in 1986.[4] [6]

In 1988, former Social Distortion bassist Brent Liles replaced Levesque,[4] 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,[4] recorded at The Roxy in Hollywood on July 21, 1990.[7] It was the only Agent Orange recording to feature the Palm/Liles/O'Brien line-up.

In 1990, the band was featured as the nightclub performers in the Direct-to-Video film, Pale Blood. Songs included were Fire and the Rain, Bite the Hand That Feeds, and So Strange.

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.

In 2019, Sandy Hansen joined on Drums.

Former bassist Liles died on January 18, 2007,[8] and former bassist Levesque died on October 19, 2014.[9] Founding member and former bassist Steve Soto died on June 27, 2018.[10]

Band members

Current
Former

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Singles

Live albums

Compilation albums

Selected compilation appearances

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Reardon. Tom. The 10 Best Skate Punk Records of All Time. Phoenix New Times. October 21, 2015. October 28, 2019.
  2. Book: Blush. Steven. Steven Blush. Petros. George. George Petros. American Hardcore (Second Edition): A Tribal History. October 19, 2010. Feral House. Port Townsend, Washington. 978-1932595895. 99. 2nd. April 22, 2017.
  3. Web site: Lamb. Gordon. Agent Orange's Surf-Punk Is Still Essential. Flagpole Magazine. February 10, 2016. October 28, 2019. October 28, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191028171648/https://flagpole.com/music/music-features/2016/02/10/agent-orange-s-surf-punk-is-still-essential. dead.
  4. Book: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock. Colin Larkin. Virgin Books. 1999. First. 0-7535-0257-7. 16.
  5. Book: Ensminger, David. Left of the Dial. 96. PM Press. 2013. 978-1-60486-641-4.
  6. Web site: Agent Orange (7) – This Is The Voice (Vinyl, LP, Album) . Discogs.com . October 27, 2015.
  7. Web site: Agent Orange (7) – Real Live Sound (Cassette, Album) . Discogs.com . July 21, 1990 . October 27, 2015.
  8. Web site: Carpenter. Eric. Early Social Distortion bassist ID'd in wreck . January 21, 2007. . October 27, 2015.
  9. Web site: Bennett . Sarah . R.I.P. Agent Orange Bassist James Levesque | OC Weekly . . October 29, 2014 . October 27, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151016155924/http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2014/10/rip_agent_orange_bassist_james_levesque.php . October 16, 2015 . dead .
  10. Blistein. Jon. Steve Soto, Adolescents Founder and Punk Veteran, Dead at 54 . Rolling Stone. June 28, 2018. October 28, 2019.

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