Angry Samoans
Encyclopedia
The Angry Samoans are an American
punk rock
band in the first wave of American punk. Formed in August 1978 in Los Angeles, California
by early 1970s rock writer "Metal" Mike Saunders
and his sibling lead guitarist bonze blayk, along with co-conspirator Gregg Turner (another rock writer, for Creem Magazine during the late 1970s-mid 1980s) and original recruits bassist Todd Homer and drummer Billy Vockeroth.
, which issued a posthumous 5-song EP
Live at Surf City on White Noise Records
in early summer 1978. In 1969 in hometown Little Rock, Saunders and Samoans guitarist bonze had cut a 14-song highschool garage-rock album I'm a Roadrunner Motherfucka (unissued until the late 1990s) under a twice-used local band name the Rockin' Blewz, and in 1975 Saunders briefly played in an embroyonic backing line-up for 1950s rockabilly cult artist Ray Campi before moving back to Arkansas for two years (pursuant to a second college degree). Bassist Todd Homer had played in 1977 Masque-era band Jesus Prick, and drummer Bill Vockeroth was a veteran of the Pasadena "backyard kegger party" cover band circuit.
Shortly after the Angry Samoans formed, in late 1978 Saunders/Turner/Homer wrote a song about long-time LA/Hollywood scenemaker (and KROQ DJ, beginning in 1976) Rodney Bingenheimer
titled "Get Off the Air." Due to Bingheimer's strong influence with LA/Hollywood clubs, when the song was included on the band's first record Inside My Brain
, the band was blacklisted at the Starwood/Whiskey and any other club in Hollywood/LA proper for about two years during mid 1980 - late 1982. The band's ostensibly offensive, politically incorrect
attitude and (somewhat humorous) lyrical content was not a factor in this situation.
and the Aliens in Richmond, California
on October 30, 1978. Roky was sick and did not make the show (Aliens band members covered for his lead vocals) but remained a lifelong friend and inspiration to Gregg Turner of the Samoans (the next night they played an "all-LA bill" at the SF Mab, opening for Shock and the Zeros).
The Samoans' first release, Inside My Brain
, was one of the early hardcore punk
albums to come out of the 1980 LA punk rock scene. In between this recording and Back from Samoa
, the band released a four-song EP as "The Queer Pills," allegedly using the pseudonym because the EP was to get air time on Rodney's KROQ radio program. (See interview, Forced Exposure magazine) Their 14-song 17-minute hardcore album, Back from Samoa
, released in 1982, featured lyrics on such themes as the trendiness of poking your eyes out ("Lights Out"), finding Adolf Hitler's
penis ("They Saved Hitler's Cock"), and ranking on your old man ("My Old Man's A Fatso"), over hyper-distorted guitars and "early LA/OC hardcore" drum beats.
In the mid-1980s, the Angry Samoans returned to their roots/influences from mid-60's American garage rock (they had long cited many 1966 bands such as The Velvet Underground
, the 13th Floor Elevators
and Shadows of Knight
as among their musical influences). The next two releases recorded during 1986-87, Yesterday Started Tomorrow
EP and STP Not LSD
, were largely in this neo-1960s garage/psych style. Singer/bassist Todd Homer left at the end of 1988, and formed The Mooseheart Faith Stellar Groove Band
with Larry Robinson
, formerly of 1970s teen pop-soul band Apollo
. And in 2005 Homer co-formed, The Hollywood Squaretet, a free-jazz band with comedian/drummer Larry "Copcar" Scarano, formerly of Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen for HBO and the 1960s New York rock band The Bougalieu. Turner left in early 1992, putting out an album in 1993 with the Mistaken before forming his next band, the Blood Drained Cows (two albums issued to date), occasionally featuring autoharp player Billy Angel (née Miller) from the Aliens. During the mid-to-late 1980s Saunders moonlighted in several electric/acoustic two-guitar duos (only, no rhythm section) such as the Clash Brothers (with Bob Fagan in SF), the Sons of Mellencamp (with Turner), and the Gizmo Brothers (with Kenne Highland), with various small-club performances during that period in San Francisco, LA/OC, and even Boston (with Krazee Ken Highland from the Gizmos/Hopelessly Obscure/etc).
, besides occasional out-of-state weekend trips and three short/successful tours of mainland Europe in 2003/2007/2008. At present the band is still playing weekend gigs once a month, usually all-ages shows around all of Southern California like the many other old LA/OC bands (from 1977–1982) who have been active during the 21st century—the Adolescents, the Dickies, the Crowd, Circle Jerks, Agent Orange, CH3, the Germs, Redd Kross, TSOL, Fear, the Weirdos, the Skulls, D.I., not to mention one-time major-label acts Social Distortion, X, and Bad Religion.
In 2010, they played at the Van's Warped Tour for 4 dates on the legends stage.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
punk rock
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...
band in the first wave of American punk. Formed in August 1978 in 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...
by early 1970s rock writer "Metal" Mike Saunders
Mike Saunders
Mike Saunders , better known as "Metal Mike" Saunders, is a rock critic and the singer of the Californian punk band Angry Samoans...
and his sibling lead guitarist bonze blayk, along with co-conspirator Gregg Turner (another rock writer, for Creem Magazine during the late 1970s-mid 1980s) and original recruits bassist Todd Homer and drummer Billy Vockeroth.
Background
During 1978 both Turner and Saunders had played in the Los Angeles punk band VOMVOM (punk rock band)
VOM was conceived in 1976, a self-described beat combo featuring the renowned writer and critic Richard Meltzer on vocals, with Gregg Turner on 2nd vocals and "Metal" Mike Saunders on drums under the pseudonym "Ted Klusewski". The band also featured Dave Guzman on 'tuneless rhythm guitar', Lisa...
, which issued a posthumous 5-song EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Live at Surf City on White Noise Records
White Noise Records
White Noise Records was a record label founded in Los Angeles in 1978 by artists Ronn Spencer and Louise Spencer, writers Nicole Panter and Jim Bickhart, attorneys Gordon Rubin and Peter Paterno, and publicist Bob Merlis....
in early summer 1978. In 1969 in hometown Little Rock, Saunders and Samoans guitarist bonze had cut a 14-song highschool garage-rock album I'm a Roadrunner Motherfucka (unissued until the late 1990s) under a twice-used local band name the Rockin' Blewz, and in 1975 Saunders briefly played in an embroyonic backing line-up for 1950s rockabilly cult artist Ray Campi before moving back to Arkansas for two years (pursuant to a second college degree). Bassist Todd Homer had played in 1977 Masque-era band Jesus Prick, and drummer Bill Vockeroth was a veteran of the Pasadena "backyard kegger party" cover band circuit.
Shortly after the Angry Samoans formed, in late 1978 Saunders/Turner/Homer wrote a song about long-time LA/Hollywood scenemaker (and KROQ DJ, beginning in 1976) Rodney Bingenheimer
Rodney Bingenheimer
Rodney Bingenheimer, born December 15, 1947, is a radio disc jockey on the long-running Los Angeles rock station KROQ who is notable for helping numerous iconic bands become successful in the American market. His contribution to the music business has been described as important...
titled "Get Off the Air." Due to Bingheimer's strong influence with LA/Hollywood clubs, when the song was included on the band's first record Inside My Brain
Inside My Brain
Inside My Brain is the debut album by the American punk rock band Angry Samoans. It was released in 1980 . The most infamous song on the album is the defamatory "Get Off the Air" pointed at influential KROQ-FM DJ Rodney Bingenheimer....
, the band was blacklisted at the Starwood/Whiskey and any other club in Hollywood/LA proper for about two years during mid 1980 - late 1982. The band's ostensibly offensive, politically incorrect
Political correctness
Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts,...
attitude and (somewhat humorous) lyrical content was not a factor in this situation.
The Angry Samoans
The first Angry Samoans gig was opening for Roky EricksonRoky Erickson
Roky Erickson is an American singer, songwriter, harmonica player and guitarist from Texas. He was a founding member of the 13th Floor Elevators and a pioneer of the psychedelic rock genre.-Biography:...
and the Aliens in Richmond, California
Richmond, California
Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905. It is located in the East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a residential inner suburb of San Francisco, as well as the site of heavy industry, which has been...
on October 30, 1978. Roky was sick and did not make the show (Aliens band members covered for his lead vocals) but remained a lifelong friend and inspiration to Gregg Turner of the Samoans (the next night they played an "all-LA bill" at the SF Mab, opening for Shock and the Zeros).
The Samoans' first release, Inside My Brain
Inside My Brain
Inside My Brain is the debut album by the American punk rock band Angry Samoans. It was released in 1980 . The most infamous song on the album is the defamatory "Get Off the Air" pointed at influential KROQ-FM DJ Rodney Bingenheimer....
, was one of the early hardcore punk
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...
albums to come out of the 1980 LA punk rock scene. In between this recording and Back from Samoa
Back from Samoa
Back from Samoa is the second album by the American punk rock band Angry Samoans. It was initially released in 1982 on Bad Trip Records .-Track listing:# "Gas Chamber" – 1:02...
, the band released a four-song EP as "The Queer Pills," allegedly using the pseudonym because the EP was to get air time on Rodney's KROQ radio program. (See interview, Forced Exposure magazine) Their 14-song 17-minute hardcore album, Back from Samoa
Back from Samoa
Back from Samoa is the second album by the American punk rock band Angry Samoans. It was initially released in 1982 on Bad Trip Records .-Track listing:# "Gas Chamber" – 1:02...
, released in 1982, featured lyrics on such themes as the trendiness of poking your eyes out ("Lights Out"), finding Adolf Hitler's
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
penis ("They Saved Hitler's Cock"), and ranking on your old man ("My Old Man's A Fatso"), over hyper-distorted guitars and "early LA/OC hardcore" drum beats.
In the mid-1980s, the Angry Samoans returned to their roots/influences from mid-60's American garage rock (they had long cited many 1966 bands such as The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
, the 13th Floor Elevators
13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators were an American rock band from Austin, Texas formed by guitarist and vocalist Roky Erickson, electric jug player Tommy Hall, and guitarist Stacy Sutherland, which existed from 1965 to 1969...
and Shadows of Knight
Shadows of Knight
The Shadows of Knight are an American rock band from the Chicago suburbs, formed in the 1960s, who play a form of British blues mixed with influences from their native city. At the time they first started recording, the band's self-description was as follows: "The Stones, Animals and Yardbirds...
as among their musical influences). The next two releases recorded during 1986-87, Yesterday Started Tomorrow
Yesterday Started Tomorrow
Yesterday Started Tomorrow is an EP by Angry Samoans, released in 1987. The EP featured a major style change contrasting with their first two albums.-Track listing:All songs by Angry Samoans unless noted.#"Different World" - 1:47...
EP and STP Not LSD
STP Not LSD
-Track listing:#"I Lost " - 1:57 #"Wild Hog Rhyde" - 2:07 #"Laughing at Me" - 1:47 #"STP Not LSD" - 2:05...
, were largely in this neo-1960s garage/psych style. Singer/bassist Todd Homer left at the end of 1988, and formed The Mooseheart Faith Stellar Groove Band
The Mooseheart Faith Stellar Groove Band
The Mooseheart Faith Stellar Groove Band, sometimes known as Mooseheart Faith, is a Los Angeles based rock band blending 1960s folk rock and psychedelia, 1970s space rock and progressive rockand a variety of influences from world music and jazz...
with Larry Robinson
Larry Robinson
Larry Clark Robinson is a former ice hockey player and coach in the National Hockey League. Robinson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995 and is currently the defensive coach for the New Jersey Devils...
, formerly of 1970s teen pop-soul band Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
. And in 2005 Homer co-formed, The Hollywood Squaretet, a free-jazz band with comedian/drummer Larry "Copcar" Scarano, formerly of Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen for HBO and the 1960s New York rock band The Bougalieu. Turner left in early 1992, putting out an album in 1993 with the Mistaken before forming his next band, the Blood Drained Cows (two albums issued to date), occasionally featuring autoharp player Billy Angel (née Miller) from the Aliens. During the mid-to-late 1980s Saunders moonlighted in several electric/acoustic two-guitar duos (only, no rhythm section) such as the Clash Brothers (with Bob Fagan in SF), the Sons of Mellencamp (with Turner), and the Gizmo Brothers (with Kenne Highland), with various small-club performances during that period in San Francisco, LA/OC, and even Boston (with Krazee Ken Highland from the Gizmos/Hopelessly Obscure/etc).
Recent activity
The Angry Samoans continued with Saunders, original drummer Bill Vockeroth, and a wide variety of other individuals, and gigging steadily from early 1996 into the new millennium. They have performed mainly along the West CoastWest 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...
, besides occasional out-of-state weekend trips and three short/successful tours of mainland Europe in 2003/2007/2008. At present the band is still playing weekend gigs once a month, usually all-ages shows around all of Southern California like the many other old LA/OC bands (from 1977–1982) who have been active during the 21st century—the Adolescents, the Dickies, the Crowd, Circle Jerks, Agent Orange, CH3, the Germs, Redd Kross, TSOL, Fear, the Weirdos, the Skulls, D.I., not to mention one-time major-label acts Social Distortion, X, and Bad Religion.
In 2010, they played at the Van's Warped Tour for 4 dates on the legends stage.
Studio albums
- Inside My BrainInside My BrainInside My Brain is the debut album by the American punk rock band Angry Samoans. It was released in 1980 . The most infamous song on the album is the defamatory "Get Off the Air" pointed at influential KROQ-FM DJ Rodney Bingenheimer....
(1980) - Back from SamoaBack from SamoaBack from Samoa is the second album by the American punk rock band Angry Samoans. It was initially released in 1982 on Bad Trip Records .-Track listing:# "Gas Chamber" – 1:02...
(1982) - STP Not LSDSTP Not LSD-Track listing:#"I Lost " - 1:57 #"Wild Hog Rhyde" - 2:07 #"Laughing at Me" - 1:47 #"STP Not LSD" - 2:05...
(1988) - The '90s Suck and So Do YouThe '90s Suck and So Do YouThe '90s Suck and So Do You is an album by punk band Angry Samoans released in 1999 . It was their first studio album since 1988 STP Not LSD, but featured only two of the original members - vocalist Mike Saunders and drummer Bill Vockeroth.-Track listing:*All songs by Mike Saunders unless noted.# "...
(1999)
EPs
- Queer Pills (1981) – EP (Pseudonymous release)
- Yesterday Started TomorrowYesterday Started TomorrowYesterday Started Tomorrow is an EP by Angry Samoans, released in 1987. The EP featured a major style change contrasting with their first two albums.-Track listing:All songs by Angry Samoans unless noted.#"Different World" - 1:47...
(1987) – EP - Fuck the War EPFuck the War EPFuck The War is an EP by Angry Samoans.-Track listing:#"Election Day" - 1:45 #"Gas Chamber" - 1:02 #"Letter To Uncle Sam" - 1:06 #"Let's Burn The Flag" - 1:50...
(2006) – EP - I'm In Love With Your MomI'm in Love with Your MomI'm In Love With Your Mom is an EP by Angry Samoans containing all six tracks from their first recording session in September 1978.-Track listing:#"I'm In Love With Your Mom" - 2:56...
(2010, recorded in September 1978) - EP
Other releases
- Return to SamoaReturn to SamoaReturn to Samoa is an unauthorized compilation album by punk band Angry Samoans, released in 1990. It features some unreleased tracks.-Track lisiting:#"Are You a Square?" - 1:49#"Permanent Damage" - 0:44#"D for the Dead" - 2:27...
(1990) (unauthorized bootleg) - Live at Rhino RecordsLive at Rhino RecordsLive at Rhino Records is a live album by the punk band Angry Samoans, recorded in 1979 and released in 1992. The first two tracks were included on re-releases of their debut album Inside My Brain.-Track listing:#"Too Animalistic" - 2:04...
(1992, recorded in May 1979) - The Unboxed SetThe Unboxed SetThe Unboxed Set is a boxed set by punk rock band Angry Samoans, released in 1995. It features all the songs from their first four albums.-Track listing:#"Right Side of My Mind"#"Gimme Sopor"#"Hot Cars"#"Inside My Brain"#"You Stupid Asshole"...
(1995)
Vocalists
- "Metal Mike" SaundersMike SaundersMike Saunders , better known as "Metal Mike" Saunders, is a rock critic and the singer of the Californian punk band Angry Samoans...
– vocals, guitar, drums/1978–present - Gregg Turner – vocals, guitar/1978-1991
- Todd Homer – vocals, bass/1978-1988
- Bill Vockeroth – vocals, drums/1978–present
- Jeff DahlJeff DahlJeff Dahl is an American musician. Born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1955, but in 1960 the Dahl family relocated to Hawaii. Jeff recorded his first single, Rock N Roll Critic, in 1977 and it was released on the Doodley Squat label...
– vocals/1981
Guitarists
- bonze blayk – lead guitar/1978-79
- P.J. Galligan – lead guitar/1979-1984
- Steve Drojensky – lead guitar/1984-1988
- Alison Victor – lead guitar/1996
- Mark Byrne – guitar/1996-1998
- Jonathan Hall – lead guitar/1998-2003
- Kevin Joseph – lead guitar/2006-2010
- Landon Gale-George – guitar/2007
- Colin Alflen – lead guitar/2011
Bass Guitarists
- Scott Greer – bass/1988-1990
- Heith Seifert – bass/1990-1991
- Mike "Cyco Loco" AvilezOppressed LogicOppressed Logic are a punk band from Oakland, California who formed in 1994. The first album the band appeared on was a compilation called Pigs Suck, which was released in 1995 by Clean Plate Records. The band has gone through many line-up changes throughout the years with Mike "Cyco Loco" Avilez...
– bass/1996 - Adrianne Harmon – bass/1997
- Rick Dasher – bass/2005
- Dan Siegal – bass/2007
- Matt "Malice" Vicknair – bass/2009–present