Tearing Down The Orange Curtain: How Punk Brought Orange County To The World
“There were so many levels of inconceivable going on,” is the perfect description of the newly released book: TEARING DOWN THE ORANGE CURTAIN, and there’s no better time than now to get into punk rock. I’m not talking about giving yourself a makeover, getting a mohawk, and throwing everything out in your closet that’s not black or studded. I’m talking about free speech, self-expression, an open mind, and innovating social standards. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this book that can be implemented into everyday life in today’s world, it’s that being a punk enthusiast within society is way better than forgetting to be human and living like a sheep. Though it’s not a self-help book, what the book offers is a glimpse into the subculture of Orange County, reminding its readers that all it possibly takes to get ahead in life is confidence, community, and maybe a mosh pit to release some energy.
TEARING DOWN THE ORANGE CURTAIN is a compilation of untold stories about the OC punk scene featuring legendary bands T.S.O.L., The Adolescents, The Offspring, Sublime, Social Distortion, No Doubt, The Vandals, and more. The Vandals’ Warren Fitzgerald said on The Offspring’s Time to Relax podcast, “There were so many levels of inconceivable going on,” referring to a key moment in time when The Vandals opened for The Offspring in Milan, Italy. The book shares “inconceivable going ons” in every story—from the birth & rise of bands to the opening & closing of some of the most beloved venues—and includes many important figures who shaped the punk scene. Every chapter is written in such a way that captures and teleports its readers to experience what it must have been like in the scene during the 1980s and 1990s.
From beginning to end, whether you’re a big reader or not, this book is written in a fashion that makes every sentence feel important. Pushing every story told forward and making every reader want even more to learn about each chapter. Whether you’re wanting to learn about the punk scene & punk music or a punker who crowns themself the Jeopardy winner of all things punk rock, this book will school you—and by that, I mean there’s something for anyone & everyone to enjoy and learn. If you’re still on the fence about whether or not you should read the book, at the very least read the foreword by Mike Ness to see if it tickles your fancy. It’s interesting. It’s entertaining. It glues you in from start to finish—but that’s just my own opinion. See, I guess I did learn something: freedom of speech and personal point of view. That’s so punk rock.
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BOOK EVENTS
5/20 Fullerton, CA – Fullerton Museum Center w/Noodles of the Offspring, Georgette Collard and Jim Washburn
5/21 Long Beach, CA – Fingerprints Records w/Jim Ruland
5/25 Las Vegas, NV – Punk Rock Museum w/Jonny 2 Bags (Social Distortion, Cadillac Tramps)
5/28 Los Angeles, CA – Grammy Museum w/Adrian Young (No Doubt), Joe Escalante (The Vandals), Jim Guerinot (former manager of Social Distortion, No Doubt, the Offspring, Gwen Stefani, more) and moderator Kat Corbett
5/30 Reno, NV – Shea’s Tavern w/Bud Gaugh of Sublime
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Nate Jackson was born in Orange County and came up in the local punk scene, playing in bands and rumbling through the mosh pit in warehouses, DIY venues, and clubs across SoCal. He is currently the Deputy Editor of entertainment at the Los Angeles Times. He was previously the Music Editor for OC Weekly and also worked as a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times. His work has also been featured in the Village Voice, LA Weekly, VICE/Noisey, Dope Magazine and others. He currently lives in Long Beach with his wife.
Daniel Kohn was born in New York City and grew up in Long Island but has long been mesmerized by Orange County punk rock. He lived in Southern California for nearly two decades, covering many of the artists featured in this book. Kohn’s work has been featured in SPIN, OC Weekly, Rolling Stone, Billboard, VICE, Noisey, SF Weekly, MLB, LA Weekly, and Village Voice. He currently lives in Nashville with his wife and son.