The Five Most Underrated East L.A. Backyard Punk Bands Of All Time
Union 13
By the '90s East L.A.'s backyard punk scene was well established, with bands using it as a proving ground and an alternative to the pay-to-play scams plauging L.A. club scene. After reaching a high point around 1988-89, the scene kept chugging along before reaching another high point in the mid-1990s. Union 13 were part of a new generation of punk bands that included like Social Conflict, Teenage Rage, and Crucial Justice. Their bilingual hardcore thrash caught the attention of Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz, who saw the band in a backyard. He signed the group to his Epitaph label and released their inaugural salvo, East Los Presents, in 1997. This raised their profile, and they gained fans well outside the eastside's boundaries. There have since been lineup changes, but Union 13 has managed to release four albums. They've also kept themselves rooted to their home scene by augmenting national tours with shows at La Casa Del Mexicano and, of course, backyard gigs.
Email to Friend
Write to Editor
Print Article
