Ep480: 45 Years of Adolescents with Tony Reflex

The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds

Tony Reflex of The Adolescents discusses the band's 45-year journey, from the early days, the Blue Album, the legacy of "Amoeba", working with Frontier Records to current day releases, rarities and more.

Topics Include:

• Adolescents approaching 45 years as a band
• Band attracts three generations of fans to shows
• Beatles and Cheap Trick were major musical influences
• First records were children's Golden Records on yellow vinyl
• Cereal boxes used to come with cardboard records
• Tony couldn't play instruments, focused on vocals instead
• First vinyl appearance was "Amoeba" on Rodney on the Roq compilation
• Rodney Bingenheimer played their demo tape immediately after receiving it
• "Amoeba" originated from Rik and Casey's previous band Detours
• Lisa Fancher signed them to Frontier after shows turned into riots
• Blue Album recorded over single weekend with Tom Wilson
• Album cover inspired by Cheap Trick's logo design
• Band wasn't close friends, created internal tensions
• Pat Smear briefly joined band for three months
• "Welcome to Reality" single - Ed Colver gravestone cover photo
• Recently discovered Starwood live tapes from Rob Ritter
• Hollywood punks accepted Orange County bands despite distance
• Cuckoo's Nest venue paid bands very little money
• 1986 reunion show at Fender's Ballroom with Weirdos
• "Brats and Battalions" released on SOS Records
• Steve Soto and Tony called themselves "rock wives"
• Recent albums include Russian Spider Dump, Caesar Salad Days
• Tony collects CDs more than vinyl records
• Owns original Germs "Forming" single in true mono

VIDEO version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Photos by Alan Snodgrass, Glen E Friedman

Listen on Apple: https://apple.co/2Y6ORU0 Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/36qhlc8