Beach Blvd

Beach Blvd is a seminal compilation album featuring early Californian punk rock bands.

Beach Blvd
Compilation album by various artists
Released	Summer 1979
Recorded	November 1978 – July 1979
Studio	Media Art
Genre	Punk rock
Length	31:39
Language	English
Label	Posh Boy
Producer	Robbie Fields

Overview

An influential sampler LP, Beach Blvd helped to usher in the hardcore punk movement in suburban Southern California,[nb 1] aided by DJ Rodney Bingenheimer, who gave the record its first airplay on his weekly radio show.[2][3] Conceived by the controversial Robbie "Posh Boy" Fields,[nb 2][2][3][4][5][6] the album gathers three acts with quite different musical styles: the Crowd[7][8] from Huntington Beach, Rik L Rik[9][10][11] from West Covina, and the Simpletones from Rosemead.[2][4][12]

The record title advertised the music's suburban origins: California State Route 39, named Beach Boulevard in the stretch that crosses Orange County, ran inland from the Crowd's hometown to Rik L Rik's.[3]

Production

Produced by Fields,[2][3][4] all songs on Beach Blvd were recorded and mixed between November 1978 and July 1979 at Media Art Studio in Hermosa Beach, California.

The tracks credited to Rik L Rik are remixes[nb 3] of five demo songs recorded in November 1978[13] by the third lineup of Negative Trend,[10][14] where he was the lead singer. These versions feature bass overdubs by Jay Lansford, who also added a new guitar track on "Atomic Lawn".[13]

Beach Blvd was mastered by Lanky Linstrot at Wally Heider's Mobile Recording Truck, based in Hollywood, California.

Release

Only three songs featured on Beach Blvd were previously released: Simpletones' "California" was the lead tune on their eponymous 7-inch single record[nb 4][15] from early 1979; while "Meat House" and "I Got Power" were issued as a Rik L Rik 7-inch single[nb 5][13][16] in mid-1979.

Accompanied by liner notes provided by Bingenheimer,[3] Beach Blvd was originally released in the summer of 1979 on Posh Boy Records, in 12-inch LP format.[nb 6][4][17] The album was also the Crowd's recorded debut.

Reissues

In 1981, Posh Boy Records issued a rare edition of Beach Blvd on cassette tape,[nb 7][18] which included, as bonus tracks, the entire Red Cross EP[nb 8] by Redd Kross from Hawthorne, California.[19]

The original release on 12-inch vinyl disc was repressed in 1986.

In 1990, Posh Boy issued a 29-track extended version on CD[nb 9][2][20] featuring liner notes by Fields and Tony Cadena. Bonus tracks included almost half of Like It or Not Live!,[nb 10][21] the only album by Rik L Rik's first band, the short-lived West Covina four-piece F-Word!,[10][11] recorded live at San Francisco's Mabuhay Gardens in the spring of 1978 and released posthumously that same year. The 1990 CD edition also added six more Simpletones songs: "I Like Drugs", the B-side of the single "California"[nb 4] from 1979; "TV Love" from Rodney on the ROQ,[nb 11][22] the first of Bingenheimer's compilations,[23] originally issued in 1980;[24] "Disco Ape" (aka "You Drive Me (Disco) Ape"), an unreleased Lansford arrangement of the Dickies' "You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)" from 1978; and tracks 13, 15 and 17, all released for the first time. The 1990 edition closed with three additional cuts by the Crowd: "Right Time", also taken from Rodney on the ROQ,[nb 11] "Desmond and Kathy", and an instrumental rendition of the Archies' "Melody Hill" from 1969, both taken from band's first studio album, A World Apart[nb 12][25] from 1981.

In 1991, the original compilation was included in Richard Elerick's numbered 3-LP box set History of Rik L Rik,[nb 13][16][26] in conjunction with F-Word!'s album Like It or Not Live![nb 10] and Rik L Rik's The Lost Album[nb 14][16][27] from 1991.

In 2004, under license from Posh Boy, the Italian label Get Back re-released the 1979 12-inch LP.[nb 15][28]

The following year, Get Back released a 24-song Digipak CD edition,[nb 15][29] an abridged version of the 1990 edition.

Track listings

1979 LP release

Side A

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Artist	Length
1.	"Kirsty Q"	Jay Lansford	Simpletones	2:50
2.	"I Have a Date"	Lansford, Richard W. Scott	Simpletones	2:29
3.	"Tiger Beat Twist"	Lansford, Eric Kiertzner, David Perry	Simpletones	2:02
4.	"Black and Red"	Craig Gray	Rik L Rik	3:56
5.	"Meat House"	Will Shatter, Craig Gray	Rik L Rik	2:44
6.	"Suzy Is a Surf Rocker"	The Crowd	The Crowd	1:21
7.	"Living in Madrid"	The Crowd	The Crowd	1:20
8.	"Trix Are for Kids"	The Crowd	The Crowd	0:51

Side B

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Artist	Length
1.	"Modern Machine"	The Crowd	The Crowd	1:29
2.	"New Crew"	The Crowd	The Crowd	1:16
3.	"I Got Power"	Rik L Rik, Craig Gray	Rik L Rik	1:31
4.	"Mercenaries"	Shatter, Gray	Rik L Rik	2:36
5.	"Atomic Lawn"	L Rik, Gray	Rik L Rik	2:07
6.	"Don't Bother Me"	Lansford	Simpletones	2:16
7.	"California"	Lansford	Simpletones	2:51
Total length:				31:39

1981 MC edition

Side A

No.	Title	Artist	Length
1.	"Kirsty Q"	Simpletones	2:50
2.	"I Have a Date"	Simpletones	2:29
3.	"Tiger Beat Twist"	Simpletones	2:02
4.	"Black and Red"	Rik L Rik	3:56
5.	"Meat House"	Rik L Rik	2:44
6.	"I Got Power"	Rik L Rik	1:31
7.	"Mercenaries"	Rik L Rik	2:36
8.	"Atomic Lawn"	Rik L Rik	2:07

Side B

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Artist	Length
1.	"Suzy Is a Surf Rocker"		The Crowd	1:21
2.	"Living in Madrid"		The Crowd	1:20
3.	"Trix Are for Kids"		The Crowd	0:51
4.	"Modern Machine"		The Crowd	1:29
5.	"New Crew"		The Crowd	1:16
6.	"Cover Band"	Greg Hetson	Red Cross	1:25
7.	"Annette's Got the Hits"	S. McDonald, J. McDonald	Red Cross	1:08
8.	"I Hate My School"	J. McDonald	Red Cross	0:57
9.	"Clorox Girls"	S. McDonald, J. McDonald	Red Cross	0:58
10.	"S & M Party"	Hetson, J. McDonald	Red Cross	0:56
11.	"Standing in Front of Poseur"	J. McDonald	Red Cross	0:58
12.	"Don't Bother Me"		Simpletones	2:16
13.	"California"		Simpletones	2:51
Total length:				38:01

1990 CD edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Artist	Length
1.	"Introduction" (live spoken language)		Dirk Dirksen (emcee)	1:00
2.	"Do the Nihil" (live)	Rick L Rick, Dim Wanker	F-Word!	1:55
3.	"Out There" (live)	L Rick, Wanker	F-Word!	1:42
4.	"In the Haze" (live)	L Rick	F-Word!	2:11
5.	"Government Official" (live)	L Rick, Wanker	F-Word!	2:37
6.	"Shut Down" (Germs live cover)	Darby Crash	F-Word!	3:39
7.	"Kirsty Q"		Simpletones	2:50
8.	"I Have a Date"		Simpletones	2:29
9.	"Tiger Beat Twist"		Simpletones	2:02
10.	"Don't Bother Me"		Simpletones	2:16
11.	"California"		Simpletones	2:51
12.	"I Like Drugs"	Jay Lansford, Jerry Koskie	Simpletones	2:10
13.	"Dead Meat (Killer Smog)"	Lansford, Koskie	Simpletones	2:23
14.	"TV Love"	Lansford	Simpletones	1:34
15.	"Rock 'n' Roll Star"	Koskie	Simpletones	2:18
16.	"Disco Ape" (The Dickies alternate version)	Chuck Wagon, Stan Lee	Simpletones	1:52
17.	"Nasty Nazi"	Lansford	Simpletones	3:14
18.	"Black and Red"		Rik L Rik	3:57
19.	"Meat House"		Rik L Rik	2:44
20.	"I Got Power"		Rik L Rik	1:32
21.	"Mercenaries"		Rik L Rik	2:37
22.	"Atomic Lawn"		Rik L Rik	2:08
23.	"Modern Machine"		The Crowd	1:29
24.	"New Crew"		The Crowd	1:16
25.	"Suzy Is a Surf Rocker"		The Crowd	1:21
26.	"Living in Madrid"		The Crowd	1:20
27.	"Trix Are for Kids"		The Crowd	0:51
28.	"Right Time"	James Kaa	The Crowd	2:33
29.	"Desmond and Kathy"	James Kaa, Jay Decker	The Crowd	2:34
30.	"Melody Hill" (The Archies instrumental version)	Ritchie Adams, Mark Barkan	The Crowd	1:55
Total length:				1:05:20

2005 Digipak CD edition

No.	Title	Artist	Length
1.	"Kirsty Q"	Simpletones	2:50
2.	"I Have a Date"	Simpletones	2:29
3.	"Tiger Beat Twist"	Simpletones	2:02
4.	"Don't Bother Me"	Simpletones	2:16
5.	"California"	Simpletones	2:51
6.	"I Like Drugs"	Simpletones	2:10
7.	"Dead Meat (Killer Smog)"	Simpletones	2:23
8.	"TV Love"	Simpletones	1:34
9.	"Rock 'n' Roll Star"	Simpletones	2:18
10.	"Disco Ape"	Simpletones	1:52
11.	"Nasty Nazi"	Simpletones	3:14
12.	"Black and Red"	Rik L Rik	3:57
13.	"Meat House"	Rik L Rik	2:44
14.	"I Got Power"	Rik L Rik	1:32
15.	"Mercenaries"	Rik L Rik	2:37
16.	"Atomic Lawn"	Rik L Rik	2:08
17.	"Modern Machine"	The Crowd	1:29
18.	"New Crew"	The Crowd	1:16
19.	"Suzy Is a Surf Rocker"	The Crowd	1:21
20.	"Living in Madrid"	The Crowd	1:20
21.	"Trix Are for Kids"	The Crowd	0:51
22.	"Right Time"	The Crowd	2:33
23.	"Desmond and Kathy"	The Crowd	2:34
24.	"Melody Hill"	The Crowd	1:55
Total length:			52:16

Personnel

Simpletones[15] Richard W. Scott (aka Snickers) – vocals (tracks A1 to A3, B6), backing vocals (B7) Jay Lansford – guitar Danny Ruiz – bass Ken "Rabbit" Bragger (credited as Rabit) – drums Kendall Behnke – vocals (B7) Jerry Koskie – backing vocals (B7) Simpletones (1990 CD edition) Snickers – vocals (13, 14, 16) Kendall – vocals (13) Jerry – vocals (12, 13, 15, 17) Rik L Rik Richard Elerick (best known as Rik L Rik) – vocals Craig Gray – guitar (A4, A5, B3, B4) Jay Lansford – bass, guitar (B5) Tim Mooney – drums The Crowd Jim "Trash" Decker – vocals James Kaa (credited as Jim K) – lead guitar Tracy Porterfield – guitar Jay Decker – bass Barry "Cuda" Miranda – drums Dennis Walsh – drums (28 to 30 on the 1990 CD edition) Red Cross (1981 MC edition)[18] Jeff McDonald – vocals Greg Hetson – guitar Steve McDonald – bass Ron Reyes – drums F-Word! (1990 CD edition) Rik L Rik (credited as Rick L Rick) – vocals Kenny Sercu (aka Dim Wanker) – guitar Steve Effete (aka Steve Offut) – bass David "Dutch" Schultz – drums Dirk Dirksen – emcee (1)

Production Robbie Fields – production (A4, A5, B3 to B5, B7), co-production (A1 to A3, A6 to B2, B6)[2][3][4] Jay Lansford – co-production (A1 to A3, B6) The Crowd – co-production (A6 to B2) Rolf Erickson – engineering David Tarling – engineering Glen Lockett (best known as Spot) – engineering Lanky Linstrot – mastering Ginger Canzoneri – graphic design Kristina Birrer – photography Rodney Bingenheimer – liner notes[3] Additional production (1981 MC edition) Roger Harris – production, engineering (B6 to B11)[18] Additional production (1990 CD edition) Robbie Fields – production (1 to 6, 12), co-production (14 to 17, 28 to 30) Michael Corby – production (13) Jay Lansford – co-production (14 to 17), arrangement (16) The Crowd – co-production (28 to 30) Chip Brown – engineering (1 to 6) Uvex Reed – engineering (1 to 6) David Hines – engineering, mixing (28 to 30) Robert Vosgien – mastering Christian Witt – graphic design Tony Cadena (credited as Tony Montana) – liner notes Robbie Fields – liner notes

Notes

1. "The Beach Boulevard compilation came out ... just as the suburban hardcore attitude was beginning to kick in ... it sort of documented the rise of suburban punk."
                                   – Rik L Rik[1]
2. The American-born, British educated Robbie Fields, a former aspiring journalist, was the founder of Posh Boy Records.
3. Done at Media Art Studio in Hermosa Beach, California.
4. Posh Boy #PBS 3
5. Posh Boy #PBS 4
6. Posh Boy #PBS 102
7. Posh Boy #PBC 102
8. Posh Boy #PBS 1010
9. Posh Boy #PBCD 88102-2
10. Posh Boy #PBS 101
11. Posh Boy #PBS 106
12. Posh Boy #PBS 108
13. Posh Boy #PBS 88101-1
14. Posh Boy #PBS 119
15. Get Back #GET 114

References

1. Spitz, Marc; Mullen, Brendan (2001). We Got the Neutron Bomb: The Untold Story of L.A. Punk. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 9780609807743. p. 181.
2. Boehm, Mike (July 19, 1991). "Punks to Revisit Beach Blvd : 3 Suburban Groups Will Play in Huntington to Mark Release of Compilation CD" (page 1/2). latimes..com. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
3. Boehm, Mike (December 31, 1998). "Alt.Rock.OC: 20 Years of Suburban Struggle: Essential Albums, '78-98" (page 2/5). latimes.com. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
4. Vodicka, Gabe (August 6, 2009). "1979: Various Artists: Posh Boy - Beach Blvd.". tinymixtapes.com. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
5. Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Second ed., 2010. Feral House. ISBN 9781932595895. p. 80.
6. Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Second ed., 2010. Feral House. ISBN 9781932595895. p. 327.
7. Robbins, Ira. "Crowd". Trouser Press. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
8. The Crowd, cover art Archived 2015-07-14 at the Wayback Machine. recordcollectorsoftheworldunite.com. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
9. (July 5, 2000). "Obituaries: Rik L Rik; Pioneering Punk Rocker". latimes.com. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
10. Rabid, Jack. "F-Word". Trouser Press. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
11. MXV (February 6, 2006). "Selections from The Punk Vault (F-Word)". punkvinyl.com. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
12. Spitz, Marc; Mullen, Brendan (2001). We Got the Neutron Bomb: The Untold Story of L.A. Punk. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 9780609807743. pp. 181-182.
13. "Negative Trend Three". negativetrend.net. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
14. "Beach Blvd LP". killfromtheheart.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
15. Simpletones, cover art Archived 2015-06-26 at the Wayback Machine. recordcollectorsoftheworldunite.com. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
16. Rik L Rik, cover art Archived 2015-06-26 at the Wayback Machine. recordcollectorsoftheworldunite.com. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
17. Beach Blvd, 1979 LP release cover art Archived 2016-03-14 at the Wayback Machine. recordcollectorsoftheworldunite.com. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
18. Beach Blvd, 1981 MC edition cover art Archived 2015-05-29 at the Wayback Machine. recordcollectorsoftheworldunite.com. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
19. Tonooka, Tim (Fall 1981). Red Cross, Red Cross (EP), review. Ripper (5).
20. Beach Blvd, 1990 CD edition cover art Archived 2015-07-09 at the Wayback Machine. recordcollectorsoftheworldunite.com. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
21. F-Word!, Like It or Not Live!. poshboy.com. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
22. Various artists, Rodney on the ROQ. allmusic.com. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
23. Rodney on the ROQ, compilation series cover art Archived 2015-06-27 at the Wayback Machine. recordcollectorsoftheworldunite.com. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
24. Various artists, Rodney on the ROQ. poshboy.com. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
25. The Crowd, A World Apart. poshboy.com. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
26. Rik L Rik, History of Rik L Rik. poshboy.com. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
27. Rik L Rik, The Lost Album. poshboy.com. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
28. Beach Blvd, 2004 LP reissue cover art Archived 2016-03-14 at the Wayback Machine. recordcollectorsoftheworldunite.com. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
29. Beach Blvd, 2005 CD edition cover art Archived 2016-03-14 at the Wayback Machine. recordcollectorsoftheworldunite.com. Retrieved February 16, 2016.

External links

• Beach Blvd. poshboy.com.
• Boehm, Mike (July 19, 1991). "Punks to Revisit Beach Blvd : 3 Suburban Groups Will Play in Huntington to Mark Release of Compilation CD" (page 1/2). latimes.com.

Reviews

• Vodicka, Gabe (August 6, 2009). "1979: Various Artists: Posh Boy - Beach Blvd.". tinymixtapes.com.
• Boehm, Mike (December 31, 1998). "Alt.Rock.OC: 20 Years of Suburban Struggle: Essential Albums, '78-98" (page 2/5). latimes.com.
• Clark, Jenna (February 12, 2014). "Vinyl of the Week - Claude Coma, Beach Blvd. - KCR College Radio". kcr.sdsu.edu.