Youth Brigade “Sink with California” 1983/2023. Trust Records/BYO Records, limited edition “Punk Rock Bowling 2023” red vinyl. We’re heading to Vegas tomorrow for Punk Rock Bowling and while Youth Brigade isn’t performing this year, the festival is still run by BYO (Youth Brigade’s own label) and at least one of the Stern brothers from the band. Since I’ll be featuring a lot of vinyl next week by bands that are playing PRB, I figure I’d get into the mood with one of my favorite, and most significant, songs and bands from my 80’s punk days.

Youth Brigade at Punk Rock Bowling, Las Vegas 2021

“Sink with California” appears on Youth Brigade’s 1983 version of the LP Sound & Fury (a different version was released in ’82) and that album was one of my most-listened to in the mid-80’s – me and my friends played it constantly so it was a huge thrill for me to finally see them play that track (and a ton more) in 2021 at our first Punk Rock Bowling experience, when there was a small pause in the pandemic. (I am very much looking forward to not having to wear a mask and standing in line to get a wristband proving my vaccination status this year!) Side B has another one of my top tracks from Sound & Fury: “Blown Away” which is a catchy-as-hell high-speed anthemic anti-war song. While I am soooo excited to see a bunch of great bands this upcoming weekend (The Chats, 999, Cosmic Psychos, Stiff Little Fingers, etc) I would be extra stoked if Youth Brigade staged a surprise appearance 🤞