AGENT ORANGE - LIVING IN DARKNESS

 

Repress!! Adventurous southern California punk trio Agent Orange was the first band to mix surf rock with punk. The group was formed in1l979 in Placentia, a small town close to Fullerton and Anaheim, by frontman Mike Palm on guitar and lead vocals, Steve Soto on bass and Scott Miller on drums. That early line up recorded the classic version of "Bloodstains" in 1979 as a demo produced by Daniel R. van Patten (of the group Berlin). A year later it was included on the seminal Rodney On The Roq compilation album released by Posh Boy Records. Meanwhile James Levesque had replaced Steve Soto (Adolescents) and the new line up released their own self produced and self released 7" ep in 1980. A year later, the group signed with Robbie Fields' Posh Boy Records for their debut LP Living In Darkness, co-produced by Fields and former Simpletones guitarist Jay Lansford. The album was recorded at Brian Elliott's store front studio in North Hollywood (a few years before Elliott struck gold writing Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach"). A milestone in California Punk Rock history.