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.
Bloodstains
Agent Orange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes I'd rather die
They can tell me lots of things
But I can't see eye to eye
Well, I know they know the way I think
I know they always will
But someday I'm gonna change my mind
Sometimes I'd rather kill
Blood stains, speed kills
Fast cars, cheap thrills
Rich girls, fine wine
I've lost my sense, I've lost control, I'm lost my mind
Things seem so much different now
The scene has died away
I haven't got a steady job
And I've got no place to stay
Well, it's a futuristic modern world
But things aren't what they seem
Someday you'd better wake up
From this stupid fantasy
Come on, blood stains, speed kills
Fast cars, cheap thrills
Rich girls, fine wine
I've lost my sense, I've lost control, I'm lost my mind
Blood stains, speed kills
Fast cars, cheap thrills
Rich girls, fine wine
I've lost my sense, I've lost control, I'm lost my mind
In Agent Orange's song "Bloodstains," the lyrics depict a sense of disillusionment and despair that the singer is feeling towards society and their own life. They feel as though things are getting worse for them and they would rather die than continue living in their current situation. The singer acknowledges that others may try to offer guidance or advice, but they cannot see eye to eye because they are stuck in their own negative mindset. The idea of killing becomes a real possibility for them as a means to escape their problems.
The chorus of the song mentions "blood stains, speed kills, fast cars, cheap thrills, rich girls, fine wine" which could be interpreted as various symbols of luxury and excess that the singer has lost touch with. They feel as though they have lost control and perhaps even their minds. The singer acknowledges that the world has changed, but they feel as though it has not changed for the better. They are unable to find steady employment and have nowhere to stay. The last line of the song warns listeners to "wake up from this stupid fantasy," indicating that the singer believes society is caught up in a delusion of wealth and luxury that is ultimately unfulfilling.
Line by Line Meaning
They can make things worse for me
I have people in my life who can cause harm to me
Sometimes I'd rather die
The thought of death seems preferable to the pain and struggles I face
They can tell me lots of things
I receive plenty of advice but have a hard time accepting it
But I can't see eye to eye
I am unable to agree on their perspective or ideas
Well, I know they know the way I think
I'm self-aware that others understand my thought process
I know they always will
I know that they will continue to interfere or control me
But someday I'm gonna change my mind
I hope to have the strength and courage to break free from their influence
Sometimes I'd rather kill
At times, my anger and frustration lead me to harbor violent thoughts
Things seem so much different now
Life has changed a great deal for me since the past
The scene has died away
The things that once gave me hope and joy have disappeared
I haven't got a steady job
I am unemployed or struggle to maintain long-term employment
And I've got no place to stay
I am homeless or have an unstable living situation
Well, it's a futuristic modern world
We live in an advanced society with technological advancements
But things aren't what they seem
There is a sense of disillusionment or deception about the world and its promises
Someday you'd better wake up
I hope that one day others will also realize the truth about the world
From this stupid fantasy
We need to let go of our delusions and face reality
Come on, blood stains, speed kills
Calling attention to the risks and dangers of reckless behavior
Fast cars, cheap thrills
The false excitement and temporary escape that comes with dangerous activities
Rich girls, fine wine
The shallow desire for wealth and luxury
I've lost my sense, I've lost control, I'm lost my mind
Expressing the feeling of being overwhelmed and unable to cope with life
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: MICHAEL PALM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind