Now Playing: The Adolescents’ ‘Caesar Salad Days’

The Adolescents have just released a new album. It's a Frontier Records release titled Caesar Salad Days. But first, for those of you not yet familiar with the act in question, a bit o’ background.

The Adolescents

According to the band’s official website, the punk rock band known as the Adolescents was founded in Fullerton, California in 1980 by the late American musician Steve Soto after he “was booted from Agent Orange in December 1979.” The original group included: “Tony Cadena (vocals), Steve Soto (Bass), Frank Agnew (Guitar), John O’Donovan (Guitar), and Peter Pan (Drums). Both John & Peter left [after a few months] and were replaced by Rikk Agnew (Guitar) and Casey Royer (Drums), both formerly of Social Distortion & The Detours.”
They released their premiere platter Adolescents a.k.a. the Blue Album on Frontier Records the following year.

Since then, the group has dropped additional albums, toured live, and gone through break ups, and roster changes. In fact, your rockin’ writer briefly interviewed Soto just prior to the release of the group’s 2011 album The Fastest Kid Alive.

Soto specifically addressed the subject of roster changes saying: “As for lineup changes, it hasn't hurt us at all. In fact, we've always been able to find awesome players to come into the band so in some ways it makes us stronger. At the end of the day, Tony and I started the band together and as long as we enjoy doing it we plan to keep it going.”

As to the group’s best album (at that time), he had mixed feelings. He responded: “We had the most success with the first record and I’m very proud of that record.” When asked what he considered the band’s best song he replied: “I love them all.”

Signature Sound

The Adolescents’ signature sound is consistent persistent punk with a hint of hardcore rock. When asked if he was surprised the punk rock genre still existed, Soto stated: “Not at all; it’s teenage rebellion at its finest. It’s questioning authority.”

Soto concluded: “It speaks to the individual. Those ideas aren't going anywhere. Each new generation of kids gets their hands on it and keeps it alive. Punk’s not going away ... ever.”

He may have been right. After all, both fans and critics have previously reported that the band’s debut disc is still “one of the most influential So Cal punk albums” and one of the most popular groups on the “1980s hardcore/skate punk scene.” The Adolescents were even deemed the Number 1 “best Orange County band of all time” by OC Weekly.

Caesar Salad Days

Caesar Salad Days is their eleventh LP and celebrates the group’s 43rd anniversary. A recent email confirms that this work is “the first studio LP The Adolescents have released on Frontier Records since their La Vendetta… è un piatto che va servito freddo in 2014, continuing a relationship that began with The Blue Album and the Welcome to Reality EP.” Available on both vinyl and digital formats, it contains 15 re-recorded rare and import-only songs, almost all co-written by Soto and Reflex.

Unsurprisingly, the origins of this album are COVID-related. According to a recent email, when the infamous pandemic hit, the band had been booked for a European tour that was canceled twice. Cadena (now Reflex) “ realized that many of the songs in their repertoire were either out of print or only available on European presses at import prices.”

He thought they should put out a new platter for “the fans who couldn’t find the songs at a record store or an Adolescents’ gig. He wanted to collect many of the songs the band loves to play…” but there was “no money to pull off the recording as the Adolescents couldn’t play live shows due to the pandemic, therefore no income.” He garnered the funds by using “online auction sites” to sell “lots of possessions”.

The title came about shortly after he asked Scott Reeder (Kyuss, Fireball Ministry) to produce the project. As the group was returning from the studios in their van, they “were goofing on silly phrases for possible album titles…Cambra was eating a salad and came up with ‘Caesar Salad Days,’ a tribute to the Minor Threat’s Salad Days EP. By unanimous laughter it was agreed upon–[because] these are the Adolescents’ Caesar Salad days, for sure.”

The album cover artwork is by artist and guitarist Paul Kostabi of Youth Gone Mad and White Zombie fame. The album features Tony (Cadena) Reflex on lead vocals, Dan Root on lead guitar and vocals (since 2010), Ian Taylor on rhythm guitar and vocals (since 2014), Brad Logan on bass (since 2018), and Mike Cambra drums and vocals (since 2013). Steve Soto, the founder, and only constant band member until his 2018 death, is credited as “brother and spiritual guide.”

Track by Track

The album lead-in is “Operation FTW”. It's an apt album opener as listeners are greeted with a strong starting song: “Hello, you great big crazy world!” The song first appeared on the 2011 album The Fastest Kid Alive.

The second selection is the biographical “OC Confidential”. This a frantic, guitar-driven song from the 2005 disc of the same name. It was co-composed by Reflex, Rikk Agnew, and once-guitarist brother Frank Agnew.

Soto spoke favorably of the work saying: “I feel closest to OC Confidential. Tony was going through a difficult time having lost two of his brothers in the same month. The whole point of that record was a healing process. His writing is heart-wrenching.”

The next number is the rowdy “Riot on the Beach”. This is a great example of what Soto could do as a solo songwriter and was originally included on 1988’s Balboa Fun Zone. It’s a fiery flashback to both a 1986 Labor Day weekend and a spastic spring break back in 1987.

The fast-paced “5150 or Fight” is a crazy cut! It is originally from the 2022 disc Cropduster. It was co-written by Reflex and Taylor.

“Brats in Battalions” harkens back to 1987. The song is the title track of their second album. This was also co-written by Reflex and Rikk Agnew.

“Do the Eddie”, yet another tune by Reflex and Rikk Agnew is hard, fast, and short but does the job. An early version of this one appears on 2005’s The Complete Demos 1980-1986.

The seventh selection is the rapid-fire partisan punk piece “Just Because”. It’s from the 2022 album Cropduster. This emotive audio will go over especially well with liberal Democrats and TDS sufferers.

Side One ends with “Lost on Hwy 39”. The original version appears on 2016’s Manifest Destiny The cut offers a raging road trip rally that’s all too brief but still closes the first side effectively.

Side Two begins with “Queen of Denial”. This is yet another political punk piece from Cropduster. It should truly speak to those faux punks who paid for their leather and piercings with Mommy and Daddy’s credit cards. They might not pay rent but somebody’s gotta pay for the next Adolescents album, right?

“Lockdown America” Co-written by Reflex and former drummer Derek O’Brien, this is more musically rockin’ rage courtesy of OC Confidential. If you didn’t know the song harkens back to 2005, you might think it’s about the more recent pandemic.

Critic's Choice here is “Escape from Planet F*ck”.
Also born of 2016’s Manifest Destiny, it is an overwhelming online fave. It’s blissfully radio-unfriendly and fans love it too.

“Forever Summer” follows here. The band continues to keep things moving here. This potential end-of-school-year anthem harkens back to 2013’s Presumed Insolent.

“Big Rock Shock” also first appeared on Presumed Insolent. It is yet another over-the-top example of Adolescent energy and effort complete with a kernel of cautionary tale. Shocking, indeed.

Also included here is “Serf City USA”. The song first appeared on the 2011 album The Fastest Kid Alive.
It is a surf music-influenced, stand-alone statement about capitalism as only California can sell it. It is even more relevant today.

The closing cut is “Pointless Teenage Anthem”. The song first appeared on the 2011 album The Fastest Kid Alive. Sure, it was written about those who lost their youth in 1983 and yet if you ignore that, you’ll discover it remains powerful and is truly more apropos than ever.

Overall…

Overall, this is an exciting pet project that should be plentifully praised by more recent hardcore fans who feel they were missing out on earlier, hard-to-find rarities. Consider it a rockin’ and oft’times madly melodic, post-pandemic presentation of pre-pandemic punk rock re-visits. With the exception of one or two well-worn references, this material is nigh timeless.

In a message on social media Reflex recently confirmed this adding that the cuts “are revisits of songs released over the last 35 years. A sampler, of sorts.” So, pick up The Adolescents’ Caesar Salad Days Almost Time* and “Escape From Planet F*ck” for a while.

(Images courtesy of It’s Alive! Media)