Ron Reyes
Encyclopedia
Ron Reyes is an American musician
most noted as the second singer for the Los Angeles
punk rock group Black Flag
. Reyes, who is of Puerto Rican
descent, joined Black Flag after original vocalist Keith Morris
had quit to form the Circle Jerks
. Black Flag needed a singer to go on a tour to Vancouver, Canada, and had asked Reyes to fill in.
shop in California and Ron grew up listening to his father's record collection. As a boy, Ron would hang out in the streets and listen to Black Sabbath
and David Bowie
while his friends sniffed glue and smoked cannabis
. He remembers himself as an outcast in school, where the jocks would make fun of his KISS
inspired glam rock fashion.
, along with Greg Hetson
, who went on to form the Circle Jerks
with Keith Morris, and subsequently joined Bad Religion
.
On May 23, 1980, Reyes quit Black Flag mid-show at the Fleetwood in Redondo Beach
. For the remainder of the gig, the band invited audience members onstage to take turns singing "Louie Louie
". Reyes was drinking heavily at the time, and was tired of the fan violence and escalating police harassment.
"This was at the beginning of the Orange County punk explosion. The surfers cut off their hair and turned into punks. And they were fucking maniacs! Crazier than hell. The Hollywood punk was a totally different animal, into drugs and getting drunk, liking the Sex Pistols. But the surf punks--these guys were insane. At the show, they'd start going in circles, punching each other - one big dance floor brawl. That was invented by the surf punks. Every fucking high school had hundreds of them. And that crowd liked us, and would come to our shows at the Fleetwood. Well, Ron had met a girl on the road and brought her back to L.A., and at this show she got into the middle of that shit. She got pushed around, and Ron didn't like it so he took off with that girl, went back to Vancouver and left us in the middle of everything." - ROBO
(drummer) http://www.jaybabcock.com/blackflag.html
Reyes was coaxed back into Black Flag long enough to record the "Jealous Again
" EP. He also appeared on some selections included on the 1983 compilation album Everything Went Black
. He can be seen in Penelope Spheeris
' 1980 documentary The Decline of Western Civilization
, in which he dedicates the song "Revenge" to the LAPD
, and jokingly shows off his apartment, which is a closet. After the recording sessions, Reyes went back to Vancouver and was replaced by singer Dez Cadena
.
The Jealous Again EP was released after Reyes had left the band for a final time. He was credited as "Chavo Pederast", nonstandard Spanish for pedophile, after a falling out with the band. Reyes was so angered at this perceived betrayal that he hit Dez Cadena in the head with a brick, and later smashed their touring van's windshield. Reyes had also alerted the Canadian border agents to the band's lack of work permits, which prevented them from playing their final Canadian show of the tour.
Many bands later, Reyes would form Crash Bang Crunch Pop
with friends from Lawndale California and Vancouver
BC.
in celebration of his 50th birthday in July 2010. Joining him on the bill were The Jolts
, The Modernettes, Little Guitar Army, and The Braineaters featuring renowned artist Jim Cummins on lead vocals. Ron's band consisted of guitarists Kevin Rose from Crash Bang Crunch Pop
, and Jon Doe from the Scramblers along with a rhythm section consisting of Real McKenzies
founding member Anthony Walker on bass and Scott Beadle on drums. Greg Ginn
performed three songs with the Ron Reyes Band at this event: "Jealous Again," "Revenge," and a new, original composition entitled "Broken."
Reyes appeared in the Vancouver based documentary "Bloodied but Unbowed" about Vancouver's punk community in the late 1970s and "The Other "F" Word" about being a parent involved in the punk community.
Reyes currently is performing as the guitarist for PIGGY. Other members of this new project include Swingin Pat "Mud" Rae on lead vocals Lisafurr Lloyd (ex Slickjacks; currently in the East Vamps) on bass guitar; Craig McKimm (Little Guitar Army; The Fiends) on drums and "Dusty" Doug Smith (The Strugglers; ex LGA) on keys.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
most noted as the second singer for the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
punk rock group 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...
. Reyes, who is of Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
descent, joined Black Flag after original vocalist 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...
had quit to form 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...
. Black Flag needed a singer to go on a tour to Vancouver, Canada, and had asked Reyes to fill in.
Early life
Ron Reyes was from a middle class family, His father owned a popular jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
shop in California and Ron grew up listening to his father's record collection. As a boy, Ron would hang out in the streets and listen to Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
while his friends sniffed glue and smoked cannabis
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
. He remembers himself as an outcast in school, where the jocks would make fun of his KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
inspired glam rock fashion.
Black Flag
At the time of joining Black Flag, he was a street kid who had been following them since the beginning, and already knew all the songs. He also played drums in an early incarnation of Redd KrossRedd Kross
Redd Kross, a rock band from Hawthorne, California had their roots in 1978 in a band called The Tourists begun by Jeff and Steve McDonald while the brothers were still in middle school...
, along with Greg Hetson
Greg Hetson
Greg Hetson is an American guitarist. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and has lived in Los Angeles, California since he was 2 years old...
, who went on to form 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...
with Keith Morris, and subsequently joined 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...
.
On May 23, 1980, Reyes quit Black Flag mid-show at the Fleetwood in Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach is one of the three Beach Cities located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 66,748 at the 2010 census, up from 63,261 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the South Bay region of the greater Los Angeles area.Redondo Beach was originally part of...
. For the remainder of the gig, the band invited audience members onstage to take turns singing "Louie Louie
Louie Louie
"Louie Louie" is an American rock 'n' roll song written by Richard Berry in 1955. It has become a standard in pop and rock, with hundreds of versions recorded by different artists...
". Reyes was drinking heavily at the time, and was tired of the fan violence and escalating police harassment.
"This was at the beginning of the Orange County punk explosion. The surfers cut off their hair and turned into punks. And they were fucking maniacs! Crazier than hell. The Hollywood punk was a totally different animal, into drugs and getting drunk, liking the Sex Pistols. But the surf punks--these guys were insane. At the show, they'd start going in circles, punching each other - one big dance floor brawl. That was invented by the surf punks. Every fucking high school had hundreds of them. And that crowd liked us, and would come to our shows at the Fleetwood. Well, Ron had met a girl on the road and brought her back to L.A., and at this show she got into the middle of that shit. She got pushed around, and Ron didn't like it so he took off with that girl, went back to Vancouver and left us in the middle of everything." - ROBO
ROBO
Robo is a Colombian-American drummer. He was the drummer for the Misfits, and first gained recognition as a drummer for Black Flag.-Life and career:...
(drummer) http://www.jaybabcock.com/blackflag.html
Reyes was coaxed back into Black Flag long enough to record the "Jealous Again
Jealous Again
-Band:* Ron Reyes – vocals* Greg Ginn – guitar* Chuck Dukowski – bass guitar; vocals on "You Bet We've Got Something Personal Against You!"* Robo – drums-Production:* Spot – producer, recording engineer, mix engineer...
" EP. He also appeared on some selections included on the 1983 compilation album Everything Went Black
Everything Went Black
Everything Went Black is a compilation album by the American hardcore punk band Black Flag, released in 1982. It comprises early songs recorded before Henry Rollins became the band's vocalist in 1981, and released initially without the band's name on its cover, due to their lawsuit with MCA/Unicorn...
. He can be seen in Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris is an American director, producer and screenwriter. She is best known as a documentary film director whose works include the trilogy titled The Decline of Western Civilization...
' 1980 documentary The Decline of Western Civilization
The Decline of Western Civilization
The soundtrack was released in December 1980 by Slash Records on LP. In the late 1990s it was released on CD as well. It is currently out of print. Germs singer Darby Crash appears on the soundtrack album cover. He died shortly before the film was released, though the promotional images for the...
, in which he dedicates the song "Revenge" to the LAPD
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
, and jokingly shows off his apartment, which is a closet. After the recording sessions, Reyes went back to Vancouver and was replaced by singer Dez Cadena
Dez Cadena
Dez Paul Cadena is an American punk rock singer and guitarist. He was the third vocalist and later rhythm guitarist for hardcore punk band Black Flag. Since 2001 Cadena has played guitar with the Misfits...
.
The Jealous Again EP was released after Reyes had left the band for a final time. He was credited as "Chavo Pederast", nonstandard Spanish for pedophile, after a falling out with the band. Reyes was so angered at this perceived betrayal that he hit Dez Cadena in the head with a brick, and later smashed their touring van's windshield. Reyes had also alerted the Canadian border agents to the band's lack of work permits, which prevented them from playing their final Canadian show of the tour.
Many bands later, Reyes would form Crash Bang Crunch Pop
Crash Bang Crunch Pop
Crash Bang Crunch Pop was a band started singer Ron Reyes with friends from Lawndale, California and Vancouver, British Columbia.After quitting Black Flag, Reyes moved to Canada. There he joined several bands, making music for the sheer fun of it...
with friends from Lawndale California and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
BC.
Recent Activity
Ron performed live in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
in celebration of his 50th birthday in July 2010. Joining him on the bill were The Jolts
The Jolts
The Jolts are a Canadian punk rock group formed in Vancouver, BC in 2004 with a focus on playing relentless high-energy classic 1970s style punk rock.The band also moonlights as a Ramones tribute band called The Ramores.-History:...
, The Modernettes, Little Guitar Army, and The Braineaters featuring renowned artist Jim Cummins on lead vocals. Ron's band consisted of guitarists Kevin Rose from Crash Bang Crunch Pop
Crash Bang Crunch Pop
Crash Bang Crunch Pop was a band started singer Ron Reyes with friends from Lawndale, California and Vancouver, British Columbia.After quitting Black Flag, Reyes moved to Canada. There he joined several bands, making music for the sheer fun of it...
, and Jon Doe from the Scramblers along with a rhythm section consisting of Real McKenzies
Real McKenzies
The Real McKenzies is a North American Celtic punk band founded in 1992 and based in Vancouver, British Columbia.In addition to writing and performing original music, Real McKenzies perform traditional Scottish songs, giving them a new punk-influenced sound...
founding member Anthony Walker on bass and Scott Beadle on drums. Greg Ginn
Greg Ginn
Gregory Regis Ginn is a guitarist, songwriter, and singer. He is best known for being the leader of and primary songwriter for the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led from 1976 to 1986....
performed three songs with the Ron Reyes Band at this event: "Jealous Again," "Revenge," and a new, original composition entitled "Broken."
Reyes appeared in the Vancouver based documentary "Bloodied but Unbowed" about Vancouver's punk community in the late 1970s and "The Other "F" Word" about being a parent involved in the punk community.
Reyes currently is performing as the guitarist for PIGGY. Other members of this new project include Swingin Pat "Mud" Rae on lead vocals Lisafurr Lloyd (ex Slickjacks; currently in the East Vamps) on bass guitar; Craig McKimm (Little Guitar Army; The Fiends) on drums and "Dusty" Doug Smith (The Strugglers; ex LGA) on keys.
External links
- http://www.jaybabcock.com/blackflag.html Interview (Jay Babcock/Krist Noveselic)
- http://www.breakmyface.com/bands/blackflag1.html Black Flag early years
- http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/blackflag/int_skitzoid7.html Interview (1980) Skitzoid Magazine
- http://www.discogs.com/release/1384786 Red Cross 12" EP (Posh Boy, USA)