Agent Orange was formed in Placentia, California in 1979 by guitarist Mike Palm, a musical omnivore whose early influences included vintage surf music, heavy metal, and '50s and '60s rock. Emboldened by the rise of punk rock, Palm began consolidating his tastes into a meld that fused the style of classic sounds with the impact and velocity of punk. Teaming with bassist Steve Soto and drummer Scott Miller, Palm assembled the first edition of Agent Orange (the name was a dual reference to the notorious defoliant used by the United States military in Vietnam and the group's home in California's Orange County). In 1980, the trio self-released their debut single, "Bloodstains" b/w "America" and "Bored of You." Thanks to frequent spins on Bingenheimer's KROQ radio show, "Bloodstains" became a favorite in the Southern California punk community, and the band struck a deal with the independent Posh Boy label to cut their first full-length album, 1981's Living in Darkness. By the time Agent Orange cut the LP, Steve Soto had left the group to form the Adolescents, and James Levesque took over on bass. Living in Darkness spread the word about the band's skate-friendly surf/punk sound, and Posh Boy pulled a single from the album, "Everything Turns Gray," backed with a revved-up cover of the Chantays' "Pipeline." 1982 saw the release of Bitchin' Summer, a four-song EP featuring covers of four classic surf instrumentals.
In 1983, Agent Orange jumped from Posh Boy to a larger and better distributed indie, Enigma Records, and brought out the EP When You Least Expect It, which featured two originals and two covers, including their take on Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love." While Agent Orange remained active as a live band, it would be three years before they released another recording, their second full-length album, 1986's This Is the Voice, which boasted slicker production and a poppier sound than their previous efforts. Agent Orange were never an especially prolific recording act, and it would be 1991 before another album appeared, a live recording titled Real Live Sound. During the downtime between This Is the Voice and Real Live Sound, Scott Miller and James Levesque both left the group, and bassist Brent Liles and drummer Derek O'Brien signed on. In 1991, O'Brien dropped out, and Scotty Lund took over behind the drums, while Sam Bolle preplaced Liles on bass in 1992. In 1996, Agent Orange released their third studio album, Virtually Indestructible, released by the Gunka Disc label. The album featured drummer Charlie Quintana (formerly of the Plugz and Social Distortion) taking over for Scotty Lund, though Steve Latanation would step in after Quintana's departure in 1997.
In 2000, Agent Orange returned with Greatest & Latest, which collected live and studio recordings of original songs as well as tunes from their back catalog. The album was reissued in 2004 as Blood Stained Hitz, and was recycled again in 2008 as Surfing to Some F#*ked Up S@!t, with the addition of a cover of Metallica's "Seek and Destroy." In 2004, there was another turnover in the rhythm section with the arrival of bassist Bruce Taylor and drummer Dusty Watson. In 2006, bassist Perry Giordano came on board after Taylor moved on, and Dave Klein succeeded Watson as drummer in 2009. In 2003, Agent Orange's Enigma Records material was reissued in a two-CD set titled Sonic Snake Session. Liles died in 2007 after being hit by a truck, Levesque passed in 2014, and Quintana lost his life after struggling with emphysema and heart disease in 2018.
Biography by Mark Deming
Members
Mike Palm : Vocals & Guitars (1979 - Present)
Steve Soto : Bass & Vocals (1979-1980)
James Levesque : Bass & Vocals (1980 - 1988)
Brent Liles : Bass & Vocals (1989 - 1995)
Sam Bolle : Bass & Vocals (1996 - 2005)
Perry Gx : Bass & Vocals (2006 - Present)
Scott Miller : Drums & Vocals (1979 - 1988)
Derek O'Brien : Drums & Vocals (1989 - 1995)
Charles Quintana : Drums & Vocals (1996 - 1998)
Dusty Watson : Drums (1999 - 2000)
Steve Latanation : Drums (2000 - 2005)
Dave Klein : Drums (2009 - Present)
Albums
Living in Darkness 1980
When You Least Expect It 1984
This Is The Voice 1986
Real Live Sound 1990
Virtually Indestructible 1996
This That-n-The Other Thing 2000
There are other artists with the same name:
Dutch Agent Orange
The second Agent Orange was a Dutch hardcore punk band from Amsterdam. They were formerly known as Jezus and the Gospelfuckers and also recorded songs for a Pusmort compilation under the bandname "Genocide Express". As Agent Orange they record 2 singles, the first called "your mother sucks coocks in hell" which sells on ebay for insanely high prices, and a second one called "VD" aka "hello boyfriend coming my way?
German Agent Orange are from Germany and were formed in 2005 in "hude" near Bremen.
Swiss Agent Orange
Trip/bit hop producer, to avoid confusion, he changed his name to agentff6600.
Danish Agent Orange
Two musicians of a local danish band called digiis (short of digital inspired), who has made a side project. The music is both electronic and acoustic.
http://www.myspace.com/davidmads
There is also another German Agent Orange from Bisingen. They played Metal and released a single and 2 albums, the second on B.O. Records.
America
Agent Orange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm so bored of you
It's such a frustration situation
And I don't know what to do
I really wish they'd let me be
To work things out my way
America's been good to me
But I laugh when people say:
All the kids salute the flag
Uncle Sam wants you
Come on, boys, let's hear it for the
Red, white, and blue
I'm so bored of television
TV dinner on a TV tray
Join the Pepsi generation
That's the American way
Fight for your country
Fight for survival
Fight for the fear of war
Sometimes, I wonder who makes the rules
And I wonder who they're making them for
All the kids salute the flag
Uncle Sam wants you
Come on, boys, let's hear it for the
Red, white, and blue
In the song "America" by Agent Orange, the singer expresses their boredom and frustration with education and American society. They wish to have the freedom to work things out on their own terms and are critical of the patriotism and blind allegiance to the government that they see around them. The singer scoffs at the idea of the American dream, as symbolized by the TV dinner on a TV tray and the Pepsi generation, which they see as empty and meaningless.
The chorus of the song, which repeats the phrase "All the kids salute the flag, Uncle Sam wants you, Come on, boys, let's hear it for the Red, white, and blue" is a satirical take on the propaganda and recruitment messages that were prevalent during the Vietnam War era in America. The singer questions who is really making the rules and why, highlighting the hypocrisy and irrationality of the political and social systems in place.
This song reflects the disillusionment and rebellion of the punk rock movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s, where bands rejected mainstream culture and chose instead to speak out against societal norms and government oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm so bored of education
I'm tired and uninterested in the current educational system
I'm so bored of you
I'm feeling indifferent and uninterested towards the person I'm talking to
It's such a frustration situation
The current situation is causing me significant stress and annoyance
And I don't know what to do
I feel helpless and unsure of how to address the situation
I really wish they'd let me be
I desire the freedom to make my own choices and follow my own path
To work things out my way
I need independence to resolve problems in a manner that suits me best
America's been good to me
In general, I've experienced success and prosperity living in America
But I laugh when people say:
Despite my positive experiences, I find it amusing when others praise America
All the kids salute the flag
Young people demonstrate their loyalty to America by honoring the national flag
Uncle Sam wants you
The US government is asking citizens to help with national efforts, such as enlistment in the military
Come on, boys, let's hear it for the
Let's celebrate and show support for
Red, white, and blue
The colors of the American flag, symbolizing the country's values and principles
I'm so bored of television
Television programming is unappealing and uninteresting to me
TV dinner on a TV tray
A pre-packaged meal is being consumed while watching television
Join the Pepsi generation
Participating in popular culture trends, such as drinking Pepsi, is part of the American lifestyle
That's the American way
These cultural norms are expected and representative of American identity
Fight for your country
Defend America from its enemies and support its values and goals
Fight for survival
Strive to overcome obstacles and preserve one's prosperity and well-being
Fight for the fear of war
Be prepared to defend against potential threats and maintain peace through strength
Sometimes, I wonder who makes the rules
I'm curious as to who has the power to decide important matters
And I wonder who they're making them for
I question whom the rules and decisions are meant to benefit
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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