Adolescents (band)

Adolescents
The Adolescents performing on the 2007 Warped Tour
Background information
Origin	Fullerton, California, United States
Genres	Hardcore punk, skate punk
Years active	1980–1981 1986–1989 2001–present
Labels	Finger, Frontier, Posh Boy
Members	Tony Cadena Steve Soto Frank Agnew Mike McKnight Mando Del Rio Joe Harrison
Past members	Alfie Agnew Rikk Agnew Jeff Beans Dan Colburn John O'Donovan Sandy Hansen Rick Herschbeth Peter Pan Paul Steve Roberts Casey Royer Derek O'Brien Matt Beld Pat Smear Frank Angew Jr.
Website	myspace.com/theadolescents

The Adolescents are an American punk rock 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.

For more than 30 years after its inception, the Adolescents have had many member changes. The band broke up and reformed twice, sometimes with different guitarists, bass players and/or drummers. Their first break up was sometime after the release of their 1981 self-titled debut release, which is often considered an influential punk rock album, when some members of the band were involved in their own projects, including Agent Orange and D.I.. However, the Adolescents reunited in 1986 and released two more albums (Brats in Battalions in 1987 and Balboa Fun*Zone in 1988) before splitting up again in 1989. The band once again reunited in 2001 for a 20th anniversary tour and have continued performing ever since. They released OC Confidential, their first studio album in 17 years in 2005, followed by 2011's album The Fastest Kid Alive.

The band has influenced many notable punk rock, alternative and hard rock/metal groups, including Bad Religion, NOFX, Face to Face, Good Riddance, The Offspring, Pennywise, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fu Manchu, Mudhoney, Blink-182 and The Vandals.

History

The beginning, first album and hiatus (1980–1985)

The Adolescents were formed by Steve Soto and Tony Cadena in January 1980 after Steve left Agent Orange in December 1979. The original line-up was led by frontman Tony Cadena, with Steve Soto on bass, Frank Agnew on guitar, John O'Donovan on guitar and Peter Pan on drums. Both O'Donovan and Pan left in June. Later that year, the group released the classic punk single "Amoeba" on Posh Boy Records. The track also appeared on the Rodney on the ROQ compilation, assembled by L.A. DJ Rodney Bingenheimer. It is one of the band's best known songs.

The Adolescents signed with Frontier Records in January 1981 and recorded their debut album, Adolescents, the following month. It quickly became one of the best-selling California punk albums, behind the Dead Kennedys' Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables. Despite this success, Rikk Agnew left the band in 1981, shortly before the band's second release, a 7" EP named "Welcome to Reality." He was replaced by Pat Smear, formerly of The Germs. This lineup lasted until the end of June, when Smear left. Cadena formed The Abandoned, Steve Soto and Frank Agnew joined Legal Weapon, Royer fronted and formed D.I., and Rikk Agnew joined Christian Death.

Rikk Agnew made his solo album in 1983 then joined D.I. with Alfie Agnew, Frank and Rikk's younger brother.

Reunion and second hiatus (1986–2000)

In 1986 the Adolescents reformed with their original line-up and started to work on a new album. Before recording Casey Royer and Frank Agnew left the band. Royer had wanted to keep D.I. going (until 1995), and Agnew lost interest. Sandy Hansen took Royer's place on drums and Alfie took Frank's place on guitar. They recorded Brats in Battalions in the late summer. The record came out in August 1987 due to the band deciding to produce and release the album themselves with little cash or backing.

At the end of 1986 Alfie went to college and his place was taken by Dan Colburn; by the end of the year Cadena and Colburn left.

In 1988 Rikk Agnew and Steve Soto decided to replace Colburn with Paul Casey and start singing themselves. Casey left after four months and Frank Agnew replaced him on guitar, after touring the band recorded their then-final album Balboa Fun Zone.

The Adolescents broke up in April 1989. Steve Soto, Sandy Hansen and Frank Agnew started Joyride and Rikk Agnew did a couple of solo albums.

Second reunion and the future of the band (2001–present)

The band regrouped to tour for the 20th anniversary of their self-titled album in 2001 and have continued to perform. Live guitarists can vary depending on who is available—their summer 2006 tour had Joe Harrison and Matt Beld in place of the Agnews. They released their first reunion album, OC Confidential, in 2005 on Finger Records, a label owned and run by Mel Schantz out of Orange County, California.

In March 2007, bassist Steve Soto confirmed that the Adolescents had begun writing material for their follow-up to O.C. Confidential, which was possibly due for release "by the end of" that year. In late 2007, the Adolescents announced in a MySpace blog entry that they were working on the new album originally expected to released in the spring of 2008. In March 2009, the band announced that they were in the process of writing lyrics to the album and were to begin recording shortly. The record, "The Fastest Kid Alive" was released June 3, 2011, on Concrete Jungle Records.

Current members

• Tony Cadena – Vocals (1980–1981, 1986–1987, 2001–present)
• Steve Soto – Bass (1980–1981, 1986–1989, 2001–present), Vocals (1988–1989), Guitar (2007 and 2008 European tours)
• Frank Agnew - Lead Guitar (1980-1981, 1986, 2001–present)
• Mando Del Rio – Drums (2008–present)
• Joe Harrison – Rhythm Guitar (2006–present)

Previous members

• Alfie Agnew (Guitar 1987)
• Rikk Agnew (Guitar 1980–1989, 2001–2003)
• Jeff Beans (Bass 1982)
• Dan Colburn (Guitar 1987–1989)
• John O'Donovan (Guitar 1980)
• Sandy Hansen (Drums 1987–1989)
• Rick Herschbein (Guitar 1982)
• Peter Pan (Drums 1980)
• Steve Roberts (Guitar 1981–1982)
• Casey Royer (Drums 1980–1989)
• Pat Smear (Guitar 1981)
• Frank Angew Jr. (Guitar 2006–2007)
• Derek O'Brien – Drums (2001–2008)
• Warren Renfrow- Bass (2007 and 2008 European tours)

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Title	Notes
1981	Adolescents	Debut release. Reissued in 1997, then again in 2001.
1987	Brats in Battalions	The first Adolescents album since their first break up.
1988	Balboa Fun*Zone	Final album before breaking up again.
2005	OC Confidential	First album since their second reunion; chosen as one of the "ten best OC albums of the first ten years of 21st Century" by OC Weekly.
2011	The Fastest Kid Alive [1]

Other releases

Year	Title	Notes
1980	Amoeba	7"
1981	Welcome to Reality EP	EP (Re-released in a re-issue of self-titled album)
1987	Rat Music for Rat People, Vol. 3	CD Presents Compilation
1989	Live in 1981 and 1986	Live album
1997	Return to the Black Hole	Live album
2003	Live at the House of Blues 10/3/03 (The Show Must Go Off!)	Live album; CD/DVD Set
2004	Unwrap and Blow Me	EP
2005	The Complete Demos 1980–1986	Compilation album
2009	Split 12" with Burning Heads	split LP with French band Burning Heads
2012	American Dogs In Europe	EP

External links

• Template:Myspace
• Adolescents discography at Discogs