Led by Los Angeles punk legend Rikk Agnew, the Adolescents lived up to their name, bawling out song after angst-ridden song about how much everything--mom, dad, the cops, and, most likely, you--totally sucked. Admittedly, ... more »that was nothing special for the scene that spawned them, but Agnew's jaw-dropping array of guitar tricks vaulted the Adolescents near to the top of the heap. Equal parts Dick Dale, Johnny Thunders, and Chuck Berry, Agnew didn't flaunt virtuoso moves, but the riffs he laid down on classics like "I Hate Children," "Wrecking Crew," and "Section 8" were instrumental in creating America's first mosh pits. --David Sprague« less
Led by Los Angeles punk legend Rikk Agnew, the Adolescents lived up to their name, bawling out song after angst-ridden song about how much everything--mom, dad, the cops, and, most likely, you--totally sucked. Admittedly, that was nothing special for the scene that spawned them, but Agnew's jaw-dropping array of guitar tricks vaulted the Adolescents near to the top of the heap. Equal parts Dick Dale, Johnny Thunders, and Chuck Berry, Agnew didn't flaunt virtuoso moves, but the riffs he laid down on classics like "I Hate Children," "Wrecking Crew," and "Section 8" were instrumental in creating America's first mosh pits. --David Sprague
Fritz L. Vaupel | Seattle, WA United States | 09/09/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Ad's were from Orange County not L.A. The two places were a totally different life experience. I went to high school with these guys and that's when they wrote these songs. The base player, Steve Soto, went to El Dorado High, the same school that Mike and James from Agent Orange went to. The music was inspired from the f@#ked up mind set of everyone in O.C. back then. AO's song, El Dorado, was a statement of frustration at the mindless people around them in their school. These were the days when jocks would beat you up for being a punk. The Ad's wrote and played with a fury that I had never seen before. Seeing them play at parties and shows was incredible madness. It was glorious. Being an adolescent myself at the time, and having the same experiences that these guys were going through made this music even more powerfull. It was a drug. It was dangerous. It was punk at it's purest, at it's best. I saw these guys play in Seattle last month and even though it's been 25 years since I first heard these songs, they still gave me goose bumps. This is punk rock. This is music. All the new punk is crap when compared to this."
Best punk album ever recorded.
Tony Baloney | 09/14/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Without a doubt. A must own. This record stands out from it's peers. It was an instant classic. This album has influenced countless amounts of bands. In much the way the band X wrote songs songs about what they saw in LA, The Adolescents wrote songs about what they saw. Due to that fact, this album captures perfectly the mind set and attitude of the early punk scene. The bonus album, Rikk Agnew's All By Myself is worthy of purchace in it's own right. A vert talented man shows what he is made of by recording ALL the instruments himself. As titled. All By Himself. Classics later recorded with Rikkand Casey's band DI OC life and Falling Out are instant classics as well. Check out section 8"
A great skate punk album
Jack Green | Anysmalltown, State, Country | 08/18/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This really is a great album, but the few standout tracks don't excuse all the excrement that the Adolescents also turned out. Still, for any hardcore or punk fan, this is a must."
Great 80s punk!
L. Scott | Boston | 01/05/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"the Adolescents are an incredible 80s punk band. Even though they didn't release too many albums, this one rules. This marks the beginning of mosh pits and chaos in punk rock. "Kids of the black hole" is great. Great riff too. "Amoeba" is enjoyable too. "No friends" is one of my personal favorites. "I HATE CHILDREN" is probably the best!"