Danger Zone (EP)

Last updated
Danger Zone
ChinaWhite DangerZoneEP cover.jpeg
EP by
Released1981
StudioRedondo Pacific
Genre
Length19:31
Language English
Label Frontier
Producer
China White chronology
Danger Zone
(1981)
Addiction
(1995)

Danger Zone is the debut EP by the American hardcore punk band China White.

Extended play Musical recording longer than a single, but shorter than a full album

An extended play record, often referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single, but is usually unqualified as an album or LP. Contemporary EPs generally contain a minimum of three tracks and maximum of six tracks, and are considered "less expensive and time-consuming" for an artist to produce than an album. An EP originally referred to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play (SP) and LP, but it is now applied to mid-length CDs and downloads as well.

Hardcore punk Subgenre of punk rock

Hardcore punk is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk scenes in San Francisco and Southern California which arose as a reaction against the still predominant hippie cultural climate of the time. It was also inspired by New York punk rock and early proto-punk. New York punk had a harder-edged sound than its San Francisco counterpart, featuring anti-art expressions of masculine anger, energy, and subversive humor. Hardcore punk generally disavows commercialism, the established music industry and "anything similar to the characteristics of mainstream rock" and often addresses social and political topics with "confrontational, politically-charged lyrics."

China White (band)

China White was an influential hardcore punk band from Huntington Beach, California, famous for their EP Danger Zone and their violent gigs. They were, along with the Crowd, Adolescents, Social Distortion, T.S.O.L. and Shattered Faith, the most preeminent figures of the early Orange County punk scene.

Contents

A longer early version of the title track, "Dangerzone", recorded in June 1980, [1] would be later released as "Danger Zone" on the 1983 New Underground Records compilation album Life Is Beautiful So Why Not Eat Health Foods? [nb 1] [2] [3]

New Underground Records was an American independent record label founded by Danny Phillips and Gary Kail. Phillips and Kail were influenced by D. Boon and Mike Watt's New Alliance Records label and decided to create their own to promote bands they knew. Alongside New Alliance, New Underground was one of the first DIY labels in the South Bay punk scene of the 1980s.

A compilation album comprises tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several performers. If by one artist, then generally the tracks were not originally intended for release together as a single work, but may be collected together as a greatest hits album or box set. If from several performers, there may be a theme, topic, time period, or genre which links the tracks, or they may have been intended for release as a single work—such as a tribute album. When the tracks are by the same recording artist, the album may be referred to as a retrospective album or an anthology.

Production and release

Produced by Mike Patton [nb 2] and Thom Wilson, [4] Danger Zone was recorded at Redondo Pacific Studios in Redondo Beach, California.

Record producer Individual who oversees and manages the recording of an artists music

A record producer or music producer oversees and manages the sound recording and production of a band or performer's music, which may range from recording one song to recording a lengthy concept album. A producer has many, varying roles during the recording process. They may gather musical ideas for the project, collaborate with the artists to select cover tunes or original songs by the artist/group, work with artists and help them to improve their songs, lyrics or arrangements.

Thom Wilson was an American punk rock record producer and engineer.

Sound recording and reproduction recording of sound and playing it back

Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical, mechanical, electronic, or digital inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording.

The EP was released by Frontier Records in 1981 on 12-inch vinyl disc. [nb 3] .

Frontier Records is an independent record label, started in 1980 in Sun Valley, Los Angeles by Lisa Fancher, a former employee of Bomp! Records and writer of the liner notes for the first album by The Runaways.

Cover art

The photo on the front cover, portraying a murder scene, [5] was taken by Southern Californian punk photographer Edward Colver.

An album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10 in (25 cm) and 12 in (30 cm) 78-rpm records, single and sets of 12 in (30 cm) LPs, sets of 45 rpm records, or the front-facing panel of a CD package, and, increasingly, the primary image accompanying a digital download of the album, or of its individual tracks.

Crime scene location that may be associated with a committed crime

A crime scene is any location that may be associated with a committed crime. Crime scenes contain physical evidence that is pertinent to a criminal investigation. This evidence is collected by crime scene investigators (CSIs) and Law enforcement. The location of a crime scene can be the place where the crime took place, or can be any area that contains evidence from the crime itself. Scenes are not only limited to a location, but can be any person, place, or object associated with the criminal behaviors that occurred.

Southern California Place in California, United States

Southern California is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises California's southernmost counties, and is the second most populous urban agglomeration in the United States. The region contains ten counties: Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, and Kern counties.

The most interesting attribute of 1981's Dangerzone 12" ... was its Edward Colver cover shot of a murder scene he came across after a Fear show, using the available light of a police car.

Fear (band) American band

Fear is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1977. The band is credited for helping to shape the sound and style of Californian hardcore punk. The group gained national prominence after an infamous 1981 performance on Saturday Night Live.

The band members photographs on the back cover were taken by Glen E. Friedman, another American photographer.

Critical reception

Charles P. Lamey of Trouser Press was of the view that:

"China White ... was an early force on the California beach-punk scene. These six songs show them to be a solid hardcore unit, playing loud, fast and spirited, lacking only distinctiveness." [7]

Reissues

In 1996, Danger Zone was re-released on a split CD [nb 4] shared with the Flyboys' self-titled EP from 1980. [nb 5] [4]

In 2013, Frontier, in collaboration with Burger Records, reissued the original EP as a 300-copy limited edition, hand-numbered cassette. [nb 6] [4]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Frank Ruffino and Marc Martin, except where noted.

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Dangerzone"2:30
2."Live in Your Eyes"3:43
3."Addiction"4:06
Side B
No.TitleLyrics/MusicLength
1."Daddy's Little Queen" (The Outsiders [nb 7] cover)The Outsiders2:35
2."Anthem" 2:29
3."Nightlife" 4:08
Total length:19:31

Personnel

China White

Production

Notes

  1. New Underground Records #NU-44
  2. 1 2 Mike Patton was the bassist of the punk rock band Middle Class. Not to be confused with the lead singer of the alternative metal band Faith No More.
  3. Frontier #FLP 1005
  4. Frontier #FLP 31005-2
  5. Frontier #FLP 1001
  6. Burger #BRGR354
  7. Frank Ruffino's first band, the Outsiders (originally named the Fucked), from the small Surfside community in Seal Beach, were part of the first wave of Orange County punk rock. [8] [9]

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References

  1. Various artists (1983), Life Is Beautiful So Why Not Eat Health Foods?. New Underground Records. #NU-44. Insert sheet.
  2. Various artists, Life Is Beautiful So Why Not Eat Health Foods?, cover art Archived 2016-10-26 at the Wayback Machine . Record Collectors of the World Unite. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  3. Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History . Second ed., 2010. Feral House. ISBN   9781932595895. p. 395.
  4. 1 2 3 Danger Zone. Frontier Records . Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  5. Epting, Chris (2014). Rock 'n' Roll in Orange County: Music, Madness and Memories. The History Press. ISBN   9781626196094. p. 72.
  6. Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Second ed., 2010. Feral House. ISBN   9781932595895. p. 107.
  7. Lamey, Charles P. "China White". Trouser Press . Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  8. "Social Task". Artifix Records. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  9. Sheklian, Brian (April 2007). "Sun, Sand, and Safety Pins: The Sensationalistic Saga of Punk Rock in Surf City". TrakMarx. Retrieved August 8, 2016.