MDC, originally from Texas, relocated to San Francisco in the early 80′s and helped define the California hardcore punk sound and San Fran punk political messages of equal rights, equality and anti-corruption (along with Dead Kennedys of course – Jello Biafra’s label Alternative Tentacles would collaborate with MDC on subsequent releases). Millions of Dead Cops is crammed with manic energy and classic lightning-speed punk tracks including their first single from ‘81 “John Wayne Was a Nazi,” as well as “Corporate Deathburger,” “Dick for Brains,” “Greedy & Pathetic,” “Business on Parade” and “Church & State,” the titles of which give a good idea of the lyrical content.

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The show was at local dive bar Mi Place near the shore of Lake Winnebago, just on the outskirts of Appleton, WI in the Town of Menasha. It was kind of a biker bar – I think that the owner (crabby, cantankerous, basically someone you would expect to own such a place) had a garage full of motorcycles next door. The bar and garage are long-gone now, a Kwik Trip gas station and convenience store in their place.

The weather was nice – hot! – so the show was outdoors and all-ages. But this was a Midwestern small town in the mid-80′s so, seriously, it was no problem for the kiddos to hang out inside the bar. I was 14, looked it, and no one even raised an eyebrow at me (I did not try ordering a drink from the bar, though).

I found some info on just two of the bands that played. From the Green Blah! The History of Green Bay Punk Rock website: Moral Disgust were a group of guys from Kimberly (a town neighboring Appleton) and played shows with Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Husker Du and others, and also appeared on the Maximum Rock ‘n’ Roll radio program. There are two song clips on the website for your listening pleasure: “Party’s Over” and “All Good Businessmen.”

Wisconsintration Camp were from Manitowoc and from a Flickr photo caption I learned “Wisconsintration Camp (or “The Camp” as friends referred to them) were famous only in Manitowoc and venerated all things Manitowoc. Their highly publicized shows would attract a crowd, but they never played at least when we attended. They had great clothes and a logo (“WTC” over a spider web), drank Kingsbury beer (once made in Manitowoc) and sported the “54220” Manitowoc zip code on their leather jacket lapel. Several of them had done time or created an air of mystery that they may have.” Here is one of their incoherent songs from a show that was likely in the mid-80s. I found another video of the song “Wienervice,” and if it is the same band they are clearly much older with better recording equipment.

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Youth of Today “Disengage” b/w “Modern Love Story” and “Envy” 1990. Revelation Records. Flyer from a show they played with fellow straight-edge hardcore punks Uniform Choice, likely from August 1986, but possibly ‘87, as that was around the time Youth of Today and Uniform Choice shared Wishing Well Records as their label. I have zero recollection of the show – I saw way too many punk shows at that venue in the mid to late 80′s for them to have much memory clarity. We’d see pretty much any show that came to town: being cheap, all ages and not too far from home made it easy. If I had to guess my motivation for going to this show, besides getting out of the house and socializing at a punk show, it was likely because of Youth of Today’s connection to Seven Seconds, which we all LOVED. Their debut EP was released on Kevin Seconds’ record label, Positive Force Records and Seconds played drums for Youth of Today for awhile in ‘86.

This 3 song 7″ was the single release from their final recording (a whopping 4 song 7″ EP Youth of Today EP) before breaking up in 1990. They did reunite in 2003 for a European tour and then again in 2010 and have continued to play live periodically to present day. It’s pretty standard “Youth Crew” punk that comments on the degradation of modern society due to corruption and greed and it’s the job of youth to rise up, speak up, etc. etc. The single “Disengage” comments:

We’ve got to disengage/Can’t you see this age/Dragging us down, down to the ground/We’ve got to disengage/And I think it’s sad that our society’s gone mad/Possessed by taking more than we need/And our motivation’s a sad situation/Because it’s fueled by anger, envy, and greed

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The Adolescents have had a fluctuating lineup over the years, including punk legends like Pat Smear (the Germs) and Steve Soto (Agent Orange). Adolescents (also called the Blue Album) features Casey Royer (D.I.) on drums, Rikk Agnew (Social Distortion, Christian Death) and Frank Agnew (Social Distortion, touring guitarist for T.S.O.L.) both on guitar, Steve Soto (Agent Orange) on bass and Tony Cadena on vocals. I have zero clues as to who was in the band when I saw them, but by that point Casey Royer, Tony Cadena and Frank Agnew had all left The Adolescents.

The album has one ‘hit single,’ “Amoeba,” which has been featured in video games and movies and received some SoCal airplay in the early 80′s. Adolescents is considered a classic punk release that helped establish the SoCal mid-tempo punk sound.

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