Burning Black Flag At Double Ground Zero: A “Jesus Punk” Remembers the Mid 80s OC

By Andy Grenier

 

Eric grabbed the WD-40 and soaked the album cover of Black Flag’s Jealous Again EP. With a flick of my lighter, it burst into flames, almost burning Eric’s hand before he dropped it. Then we grabbed the black vinyl record and did it again. The plastic curled as it was engulfed in flames. It wasn’t because we didn’t like the record. I think we did it just because it was the most “punk rock” thing we could think to do in the moment. The year was 1981 and I was a thirteen-year-old kid finding my way while growing up in a sort of Double Ground Zero for both punk rock and the emerging Christian rock underground: Orange County, California.

Southern California is home to an exceptionally rich and diverse music environment. My first real concert, featuring the progressive arena rock band, Asia, (whose hit “Heat of the Moment” was all over the radio,) strikes me as an apt theme for my memories today. Just a few miles away from the sports arena where Asia had performed that day, I could see some of the best original punk bands in history and the first-ever Christian New Wave and punk groups. From the biggest mainstream music to the scummiest punk pits, to the most cutting-edge Christian rock events taking place in increasingly large churches, Orange County seemed to have it all.

In those days punk rock was nowhere near as accessible as it is today. In my high school, there was a small group of kids who stood out with their thrift store clothes and personally modified jeans and T-shirts. One girl wore studded pants and a faded “Generation X” t-shirt well before anyone really knew who Billy Idol was. Another dude wore bleached jeans and a torn white t-shirt with handwritten names of local bands: The Germs, The Vandals, HVY-DRT, and Agent Orange. They wore jackets with X, Dead Kennedys, Ramones, PIL, and Social Distortion patches. “Punkers”, “mods”, and “new romantics” were added to the arsenal of sub-culture cliques that had previously been limited to “jocks”, “stoners”, and “rockers.” We got along for the most part. We were just kids.

Up until that point, the only Christian music that I had heard besides hymns were The Continental Singers, Keith Green, and Mustard Seed Faith. The Lifesavors, Undercover, and the Altar Boys were something completely different. I first experienced The Lifesavors at a youth night at a local Catholic church gym. I clearly remember them playing the song “Operation” with lead singer Mark Krischak singing in his pseudo-British accent. I’m pretty sure that Mike Knott was on guitar that night too. He would go on to become one of the most prolific and eclectic artists to emerge from that scene.

For me, the punk rock center of gravity formed solidly on March 23, 1984.  A friend of mine had an older sister whose boyfriend was into punk. He brought all four of us to a huge punk show at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles. UK Subs were the headliner (all the way from England) supported by TSOL, Battalion of Saints, and 7 Seconds. That night both freaked me out and inspired me. With thousands of punks pulsing and slam dancing, the place was violent and confusing. The relentless energy and wall of sound coalesced with the smells of cigarette smoke, alcohol, and humanity, to create an experience very different than what you would experience at a Christian rock youth group night.

From 1983 to 1986 I went to see shows relentlessly. Dozens of them. For example, one night I’d be at Pomona Valley Auditorium seeing Social Distortion, Vandals, and Mad Parade, and then a couple of weeks later I’d be in a pizza place watching the Altar Boys playing LOUD, with singer-guitarist Mike Stand screaming out the lyrics to “Gut Level Music” along with their brand of edgy rock reminiscent of The Replacements or The Clash.

The Christian bands did have some raw punk songs in their repertoire. Check out “Young” on The Lifesavors first album Us Kids or “Oh, Oh Nancy” from Altar Boys’ 1984 self-titled debut album. What drew me to them was their apparent rebellious streak which differentiated them from the church culture that didn’t seem to accept everyone and was often hypocritical. I had chosen a path to follow Jesus, but I didn’t connect with the mainstream Christian church culture very well. These bands filled that void. Their music encouraged me to read the Bible and to learn about why Jesus was so important. Romans 12:2 became my “life verse.” I could definitely relate to the apostle Paul’s instruction not to conform.

Looking back, it is a bit surreal to have grown up in that environment of musical extremes and opposites. As diverse as the culture was, it was rare to see Christian artists reaching into the mainstream scene. It seemed they were there mostly to perform for Christian kids in Christian environments, and if any of them – like Mike Knott or The Choir – played in a rock club or at a “secular” venue, they might catch a lot of grief from some of their Christian fans. It was a time rich in opportunity for God’s grace and mercy to be communicated and demonstrated. But there were so many missed opportunities for the fans and for the bands to share the love, forgiveness, and grace of Jesus Christ along with the life-saving message of the Gospel with a thirsty population outside of the “Christian music scene.”

I wonder if we have learned anything from those experiences. The scene, or what is left of it, is so different now. Orange County continues to be an artistic ground zero where discerning fans can find joy and solace in a wide variety of music, including many of those same artists who were blazing the trails of punk or Christian rock in the tumultuous 1980s. It’s more diverse now than ever – and more extreme.

I still listen to the music from those days; to keep the fire burning for both the punk and the “Christian rock” stuff I used to love. Those experiences taught me the enduring value of discernment, and to look beyond the wall of sound and raw energy of the music to understand what was happening deep down. How did that music impact my emotions and my outlook? How has it shaped my understanding of the path I am on? As I look deeper into the songwriters’ perspectives, and as I find new music by some of those same artists and from young new artists, I develop a deeper understanding of life and faith.

 

Nowadays, instead of recklessly burning record albums or stage diving as an act of nonconformity, I seek to live out God’s will in ways that honor Him and reflect His love to a world that is ever thirstier for it. I ask God for the strength and wisdom to do so.  Peace and grace to you and remember to “PLAY IT LOUD!”

by Andy Grenier, 22 December 2021