Really Red

Really Red was one of Houston, Texas' first punk bands and existed from the late 1970s through 1985.

History

The Really Red line up consisted of John Paul Williams on bass guitar, Ronnie "U-Ron" Bond vocalist/lyricist, Bob Weber on drums and Kelly Younger on guitar. Really Red quickly evolved into one of the most prominent and popular Texas punk bands of that era. Their sound developed into something unique and distinctive, while never straying too far from its loud, fast, aggressive roots. As one of the original first-generation Texas punk bands they built on the punk genre bringing all kinds of influences to bear, including the influences of Texas psychedelic stalwarts like the 13th Floor Elevators and the Red Crayola.

Like Austin's Big Boys and The Dicks, they made something specifically Texan out of punk rock. Their progressive socially conscious politics boldly flaunted the Lone Star mainstream. The result was inventive, multifaceted, and powerful. They left behind memories of countless passionate, high-energy shows, and a legacy of classic recordings. On special rare occasions Austrian avante garde film maker, Kurt Kren, would project his films as a backdrop for the band's performance.

Along with a few other groundbreaking local bands, they helped kick-start the early punk scene in Houston and spread their message further by taking to the road touring the USA several times and playing some dates in Canada. They often shared the bill with other such pioneering acts as D.O.A., The Dicks, Circle Jerks, The Offenders, 999, The Lewd, Articles of Faith, Mydolls, SPK, John Cale, Negative Approach, Sado Nation, MDC, Vex, Culturcide, The Bad Brains, The Stranglers, The Effigies, The Big Boys and The Dead Kennedys among many others.

In Houston, their efforts helped make the local scene explode and created a sense of community like no other local band had done previously or since. Along with their "paying gigs" they were always available to do benefit shows for causes as diverse as The Nuclear Freeze Campaign, the Canadian Vancouver 5 Legal Defense, KPFT radio or even for a vet bill for an injured dog. Thriving on the DIY ethic, they starting their independent co-op C.I.A. Records label. Their huge contributions to the early Houston and Texas underground scene cannot be overstated yet somehow Really Red's contributions and influence has been often overlooked and neglected.

Among their other accomplishments, Really Red were the first Texas punk band to tour extensively outside of Texas. They were the only Texas punk band to be included on the first nationally distributed compilation album of North American punk and alternative music. They were also the first Texas punk band to release a nationally distributed full-length album.

Their song "Prostitution" appeared on the Alternative Tentacles compilation album Let Them Eat Jellybeans. The song "Nobody Rules" was included on the compilation "Cottage Cheese from the Lips of Death". That version was intended for their "Rest in Pain" album but due to a mix up it ended up on "Cottage Cheese" while the alternative version intended for that release showed up on "Rest in Pain". The song "I was a Teenage Fuckup" appeared on the soundtrack to the film American Hardcore. Their 1st single's A side "Crowd Control" was included on the bootleg album release "Killed by Death Vol 2" while both sides of the single were legally included on the compilation album "Deep in the Throat of Texas". Their 2nd single A side "Modern Needs" was included on the bootleg album release "Killed by Death Vol 4".

Really Red broke up in 1985 after releasing 2 albums, 2 singles, 2 EP's, and the tracks on various compilations. Their classic '81 LP "Teaching You The Fear" was re-issued on Empty Records in 2004. Most of side two of their 2nd album, "Rest in Pain", departed from the punk genre into a dark soundscape that was a homage to the Red Crayola's "Parable of Arable Land" album and a conscious "nose thumbing" at the trend of a developing regimented "faster for faster's sake" speed metal scene.

2015 saw the long anticipated reissue of all of Really Red's material, as well as unreleased rarities, by the Alternative Tentacles label. This release came as a two CD set "Teaching You The Fear: The Complete Collection" and three full length vinyl albums (see below).

For years, as well as fronting Really Red, lead singer U-Ron (as Perry Coma) hosted the original "Funhouse" radio show, on Pacifica's Houston station KPFT, cracking open many a young suburban Houston mind to punk and other new underground music.

The only member to continue making music has been drummer Bob Weber who did a California tour with the notorious Culturcide and then joined The Anarchitex. Both groups were from Houston Texas.

Members (sometimes under various other names)

Discography

Singles and EPs

Full lengths

Compilations

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, January 07, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.