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Avengers (band)

(Redirected fromThe Avengers (band))
For another band, seeThe Avengers (New Zealand band).For other uses, seeAvenger (disambiguation) § Music.

TheAvengersare an Americanpunk rockband formed in 1977 inSan Francisco,California,United States.[1]The band recorded an EP,We Are the One(1977) and, after opening for theSex Pistols,worked withSteve Jones,but had not released an album before breaking up in 1979.[2]After the breakup an EP with the Steve Jones-produced songs was released (The Avengers),[3]and later an album,Avengers,in 1983. Their lead singer,Penelope Houston,is also afolksinger who has a solo career. Since 1999 a number of other albums were released with studio and live tracks, and the band has come together for various occasions.[4]

Avengers
Avengers in 2012
Avengers in 2012
Background information
Also known asscAvengers
OriginSan Francisco,California,United States
GenresPunk rock,hardcore punk
Years active1977–1979, 1999, 2004–present
LabelsDangerhouse,White Noise,CD Presents,Lookout! Records
MembersPenelope Houston
Greg Ingraham
Joel Reader
Luis Illades
Past membersDanny Furious (Danny O'Brien)
Jonathan Postal
James Wilsey(deceased)
Brad Kent(deceased)
Danny Panic

History

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Early history

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Drummer Danny Furious (Danny O'Brien) and guitarist Greg Ingraham decided to start a band, and Furious approachedPenelope Houstonto be their singer, who agreed.[2]They finished their lineup with Jonathon Postal on bass, although he was replaced shortly after byJimmy Wilsey.[5]Their first release (and only release while the band was originally together) wasWe Are the One,a three-song EP which was released onDangerhouse Recordsin 1977.[6]

The Avengers opened for theSex Pistolsin San Francisco at their final show atWinterland,[7]which led to Sex Pistols guitaristSteve Jonesproducing a recording session for the band.[6]In January 1979, Ingraham left the band and was replaced byBrad Kent,although the band only lasted a few more months until June 1979.[5]An EP, titledAvengers,was released onWhite Noise Recordsa few months after the band broke up, which included songs from the Steve Jones produced session. Houston went on to record as a solo artist.[6]

An album calledAvengers(sometimes referred to as thePink Album,including by Houston herself)[8]was released in 1983. It featured tracks recorded through the band's whole time together, and was compiled by drummer Danny Furious.[5]The album was out-of-print for a long time due to being in "legal limbo", during which time Houston sold the album inCD-Rformat directly through her website. The album was re-released in 2010.

New releases and re-formation

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In 1999, acompilation albumcalledDied for Your Sinswas issued byLookout! Records.In addition to original unreleased studio recordings and live tracks, three tracks were newly recorded in 1999 by the scAvengers, featuring original members Houston and Ingraham with new members bassist Joel Reader (The Mr. T Experience,The Plus Ones) and drummerDanny Panic(Screeching Weasel). To support the album, the scAvengers did a few shows.[9]In 2003, a live album titledZero Hourwas released in Italy. The next year,The American in Mewas released, featuring all of the tracks fromZero Hourplus four other unreleased studio recordings. Houston and Ingraham again joined with Reader and new drummer Luis Illades to perform some record release shows, and this lineup has performed sporadic live shows since.[9]

On July 16, 2006, Houston and Ingraham joinedPearl Jamto perform "American in Me" at the Bill Graham Civic Center. By January 2017, they were recording in Berkeley withRobert Shimp.

Reception

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  • "The Avengers were one of the best punk bands. I’m proud that they’re from the Bay Area" (Billie Joe Armstrong,Green Day)[3]
  • "The Avengers, featuring singer Penelope Houston, helped lay the groundwork for political punk while giving the nascent musical form one of its first dynamic frontwomen. (San Antonio Current) "[10]

Members

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Current

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Previous

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  • Danny Furious (Daniel O'Brien) – drums (1977–79)
  • Jonathan Postal – bass (1977)
  • Jimmy Wilsey– bass (1977–79) (died December 24, 2018)[11]
  • Brad Kent– guitar (1979) (died February 3, 2016)[12]
  • Danny Panic– drums (1999)

Discography

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Compilation albums

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Live albums

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EPs

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Singles

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  • "Paint it Black" b/w "Thin White Line" (1983, CD Presents)
  • "Teenage Rebel" b/w "Friends" (1995, Really Fast Records)

References

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  1. ^Pehling, Dave (January 6, 2024)."SF punk legends the Avengers share stages with Kid Congo Powers in San Francisco, San Jose - CBS San Francisco".cbsnews.Archived fromthe originalon March 18, 2024.RetrievedMarch 18,2024.
  2. ^abCallwood, Brett (February 19, 2020)."Avengers Assembled".SF Weekly.RetrievedMarch 16,2021.
  3. ^abMerlis, Bob Merlis (January 6, 2021)."The Tracks of My Years".Spin.RetrievedMarch 16,2021.
  4. ^Margasak, Peter(October 26, 2012)."Sunday: Marco Cappelli's Italian Surf Academy and the Avengers".The Chicago Reader.RetrievedNovember 1,2012.
  5. ^abcBackman, Karl (December 1, 2004)."Danny Furious of the Avengers interviewed".Summer of Hate. Archived fromthe originalon March 3, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 30,2016.
  6. ^abcStrong, Martin C.(2003).The Great Indie Discography.Canongate Books.p. 9.ISBN1-84195-335-0.RetrievedJanuary 30,2016.
  7. ^Vaziri, Aidin (May 17, 2019)."Penelope Houston reflects on life as a San Francisco punk icon".San Francisco Chronicle.RetrievedMarch 16,2021.
  8. ^Houston, Penelope."Glad I'm a Girl store".Penelope Houston.RetrievedJanuary 30,2016.
  9. ^abEncoule, Jean (January 1, 2005)."The Avengers – Payback".Trakmarx.RetrievedOctober 23,2010.
  10. ^Nowlin, Sanford (November 6, 2019)."Penelope Houston of the Avengers on the Band's San Antonio Gig and Preserving Punk History".San Antonio Current.RetrievedMarch 16,2021.
  11. ^Goldberg, Michael(January 28, 2019)."The 'King of Slow': Remembering Guitarist James Calvin Wilsey".Rollingstone.RetrievedJune 26,2019.
  12. ^Adams, Gregory(4 February 2016)."R.I.P. Former D.O.A. Member Brad Kent".Archived fromthe originalon 12 March 2016.Retrieved6 March2016.
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