Middle Class (band)
Encyclopedia
The Middle Class are an American punk rock
/hardcore punk
band established in 1977 in Santa Ana, California
. The band consisted of Jeff Atta on vocals
, Mike Atta on lead guitar
, Mike Patton on bass
, and Bruce Atta on drums
. The band achieved major success in the hardcore punk scene of Southern California. Their first shows were in 1977 in various Los Angeles clubs and ballrooms.
They were included in the 2006 documentary American Hardcore
. The band's most popular release was Out of Vogue EP
, released in 1978, particularly known for its extremely fast title track.
The Middle Class are generally considered one of the first bands to play hardcore punk
. Once after a show, the band was approached by a young spectator by the name of Keith Morris
, who quipped that he was going to start a band of his own. The band would turn out to be the legendary Black Flag
, another band credited with originating the style.
They pioneered a shouted, fast version of punk rock which would shape the hardcore sound that would soon emerge from scores of like-minded bands, primarily throughout California
and Washington, D.C.
at first, but which eventually found its way all across America and became the predominant style of punk for a number of years long after the band's breakup.
The first record featured just the title track along with three other songs, but the band also had many demo tapes and 7 inch records in the L.A. area. After this they released the Scavenged Luxury 7" in 1978 which retained the assault of the first record, but 1982 saw the release of their first full-length album, the darker Homeland. Their first seven inches were re-released on the compilation album Blueprint for Joy along with several live tracks and songs they contributed to the Tooth and Nail compilation.
In the mid-1980s the Atta brothers briefly formed a band with former Bags vocalist Alice Bag
, the Cambridge Apostles. Bassist Mike Patton went on to produce The Adolescents
' first album, guitarist Mike Atta now owns and operates a vintage furniture shop in Fullerton, California
called "Out Of Vogue", and drummer Bruce Atta went on to UCLA to major in Philosophy
and now teaches philosophy at Cal State University at Los Angeles.
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...
/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...
band established in 1977 in Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
. The band consisted of Jeff Atta on vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, Mike Atta on lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, Mike Patton on bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, and Bruce Atta on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. The band achieved major success in the hardcore punk scene of Southern California. Their first shows were in 1977 in various Los Angeles clubs and ballrooms.
They were included in the 2006 documentary American Hardcore
American Hardcore (film)
American Hardcore is a documentary directed by Paul Rachman and written by Steven Blush. It is based on the book American Hardcore: A Tribal History also written by Blush. It was released on September 22, 2006 on a limited basis...
. The band's most popular release was Out of Vogue EP
Out of Vogue
Out of Vogue EP was the first release by Californian punk rock band the Middle Class. The record was distributed locally by independent label Joke Records in 1978, though it received only small local success in an era where punk had virtually no chance of radio airplay in the US...
, released in 1978, particularly known for its extremely fast title track.
The Middle Class are generally considered one of the first bands to play 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...
. Once after a show, the band was approached by a young spectator by the name of Keith Morris
Keith Morris
Keith Morris is an American singer and songwriter known for his role as frontman of the hardcore punk bands Black Flag, the Circle Jerks, and Off! Born and raised in Hermosa Beach, California, he formed Black Flag at the age of 21 with guitarist Greg Ginn and performed on the band's 1978 debut EP...
, who quipped that he was going to start a band of his own. The band would turn out to be the legendary 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...
, another band credited with originating the style.
They pioneered a shouted, fast version of punk rock which would shape the hardcore sound that would soon emerge from scores of like-minded bands, primarily throughout California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
at first, but which eventually found its way all across America and became the predominant style of punk for a number of years long after the band's breakup.
The first record featured just the title track along with three other songs, but the band also had many demo tapes and 7 inch records in the L.A. area. After this they released the Scavenged Luxury 7" in 1978 which retained the assault of the first record, but 1982 saw the release of their first full-length album, the darker Homeland. Their first seven inches were re-released on the compilation album Blueprint for Joy along with several live tracks and songs they contributed to the Tooth and Nail compilation.
In the mid-1980s the Atta brothers briefly formed a band with former Bags vocalist Alice Bag
Alice Bag
Alice Bag is a punk rock singer. She is famous for being a member of The Bags, one of the first and most popular bands on the L.A. punk scene. She is also a member of Stay at Home Bomb and teaches at inner city schools. She was also in the band Castration Squad with Phranc.-External links:*...
, the Cambridge Apostles. Bassist Mike Patton went on to produce 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....
' first album, guitarist Mike Atta now owns and operates a vintage furniture shop in Fullerton, California
Fullerton, California
Fullerton is a city located in northern Orange County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 135,161.It was founded in 1887 by George and Edward Amerige and named for George H. Fullerton, who secured the land on behalf of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway...
called "Out Of Vogue", and drummer Bruce Atta went on to UCLA to major in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and now teaches philosophy at Cal State University at Los Angeles.
Discography
- Out of VogueOut of VogueOut of Vogue EP was the first release by Californian punk rock band the Middle Class. The record was distributed locally by independent label Joke Records in 1978, though it received only small local success in an era where punk had virtually no chance of radio airplay in the US...
7" (1978) - Scavenged Luxury 7" (1978)
- Homeland (1982)
- Blueprint for Joy (compilation, 1979)
External links
- "Suddenly In Vogue again: The Middle Class may have been one of the most influential bands ever" by Matt Coker, OC WeeklyOC WeeklyOC Weekly, a sister publication of both LA Weekly and The Village Voice, is a free, left-wing weekly paper distributed in Orange County, California and also in Long Beach....
, December 5, 2002.