Orange County, CA : S/D/C/D?

Weird trivia fact: Tom Waits was born in Orange.

OMG, to lump southbay/long beach or the inland empire in with OC is just effed up! why don't you throw in SD too... :P

orange county in general (not to offend all of you anteaters) is pretty high on the DUD rankings (STP) but superconductor from costa mesa... i had their first 3 singles and saw them live in like 1995 (casbah) and it was really funny, they had a cool van too IIRC.

ps: agent orange were originally from riverside (according to a flipside i have from like 79-80).

The Soundhead are good, except for their singers' insistence on singing. Nebula's singles were grate! But their albums have failed to move me thus far.

Most big bands from OC have also rated a big dud in my book (the guilty know who they are...)

Tom Waits also lived most of his adolescence in El Cajon, which explains a lot if you've been there. And shout out to my bruthas in the Unarius cult!

I'd say destroy O.C.

Why?

why don't you throw in SD too... :P

but dude, like, San Dimas rules, kay? :p

Well, the Inland Empire at least is entirely different, geographically, classwise/demographically, down the line, from everything I've seen.

I dunno about the South Bay thing though--the sometimes joke amongst some of my friends is that everything south of the airport might as well be O.C.

El Cajon reprazent! Unarians in the house! Jamul in the house! Adalbertos in the house and the Chaldean mafia in the house! Sorry, but Tom Waits grew up in National City. My dad bounced at the old 'Canes a bit when he started playing there. Only "big" band El Cajon ever put out is Sprung Monkey, to the best of my recollection. And Lucas, please don't generalize about the entire east county when you mention rednecks and nazis. You know as well as I do your desccription only squarely fits Santee.

Gygax!, isn't STP from San Diego county only? I could've sworn the majority of those fellows went to Helix high school.

D: Pennywise, No Doubt, Something Corporate
S: Coo's Cafe in Santa Ana

Not sure if all of these are technically OC or not but shoutouts for Southern California nu-skool breaks! City of Angels! Uberzone! Cirrus! What the hell, even the Crystal Method! Reprazent!

Ups also to Nitro Records and the whole Nitro family! May you all follow the yellow brick road in the steps of your A.F.I. brethren!

I prefer Roberto's to Adalberto's, myself.

Avacados and nazis? Isn't that Falbrook, lucas? Or is that all of east county?

I always heard that STP were from LA and then tried to pass themselves off as an SD band (god only knows why...). Which led to some interesting drink substitutions at the Casbah.

OC will always shine if I'm around. < /Divine in Pink Flamingos >

We in LA affectionately called O.C. "BEHIND THE ORANGE CURTAIN."

Man.

Oh yeah and Search: Fender guitars, Dick Dale

Well, deleting the notion of pedestrians, yeah totally.

also think mike patton is from there, but I'm not 100% on that one.

Oh yeah, and Tony Scalzo, who later ended up in that band that had the recent hit 'The Way' (band: Fastball). Kerry Brown (my roommate in Tustin in 1982-3) when he was in St. Vitus Dance, later also drummed for and married a Smashing Pumkpin, and lives in Chicago, and is still friends with other Tustin roommate Russell Scott, who briefly played in Children's Day in L.A. and ended up with a publishing deal. Let's see who else...Cruzados--the guy Tony was around, I think he lived in O.C. but he could have just visited a lot. I won't even talk about Rozz, but he came around. Long-term roommate Peter Gilabert (also formerly in St. Vitus Dance, in Veg-ex and Candyhead with me) is now in L.A. band The Shakes.

So it's not just the bands from O.C. it's also the musicians from O.C. who went forth into the music world. If I had time to think about it, I'm sure I could remember more 1979-1983. After that I don't know because I GOT THE HELL OUT.

Man, that's a connection I didn't expect! His band Catherine (not Catherine Wheel, just Catherine) had a couple of good albums there.

The Orange Groove: Orange County's Rock n' Roll History
Dec. 18 - May 22

Coinciding with the 50th birthday of the most famous rock 'n' roll guitar - the Fullerton-born Fender Stratocaster--the Orange Groove celebrates Orange County's musical legacy and the impact it has had on popular music.

"Politically Conservative" Orange County has long been a breeding ground for rock music, from the early 1950s days when it grew out of Western, Swing, and Rhythm & Blues. (Did you know that the garage-rock staple "Louie Louie" was written backstage at Anaheim's Harmony Park ballroom in 1955?) In the 1960s, the "blue-eyed soul" of the Righteous Brothers and the pulsating surf music of Dick Dale, the Chantays and others found world-wide success. Throughout the psychedelic '60s, the singer-songwriter movement of the '70s, the punk rebellion of the '80s and the music charts of today, OC has made an indelible contribution, which is documented here in rare photos, vintage instruments and artifacts, many from the artists personal collections.

For bands or artist that I do like, not mentioned, I would say Tim and Jeff Buckley are about as good as it gets.

are there any good record stores in Orange County? i have to spend the day down there soon. brunch in San Juan Capistrano and then a few hours to kill before a party in Laguna Woods

What day, exactly?

A lot of the old standbys have bit the dust, and you're in South County, which is kinda the unknown place to me. But if you can sneak up to Costa Mesa there's some spots to check out (I would suggest a meal too but sounds like you're covered).

Underdog Records in Laguna was the only store left in south county and that closed last year. You're pretty much out of luck

HAW HAW!

Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona, his wife and his alleged former mistress surrendered today at the U.S. District Courthouse in Santa Ana, where they are facing federal corruption charges.

Carona and his wife, Deborah, entered the building about 7 a.m. They were followed at about 8:30 a.m. by Debra V. Hoffman, who was described in an indictment unsealed Tuesday as Carona's long-term mistress. They are expected to appear in court this afternoon.

Some background information

The indictment charges that Carona engaged in a broad conspiracy to enrich himself, his wife and Hoffman by trading access to his department for cash and gifts.

The indictment says the scheme took root in March 1998 and stretched until August, when Carona allegedly tried to keep one of his chief accusers -- a former assistant sheriff -- from testifying truthfully to a grand jury. Federal prosecutors also charged Carona's wife and Hoffman.

Court documents describe a furious pursuit of money, perquisites and expensive baubles, including more than $200,000 in payments and loans, a boat, a Lake Tahoe vacation, luxury box seats to the World Series, Mont Blanc pens and Ladies' Cartier watches. Carona, 52, is also accused of helping co-conspirators get a piece of a wrongful-death settlement that the family of a dead deputy won in a lawsuit.

Carona said in an interview with The Times that he was innocent and would not resign as head of the state's second-largest sheriff's department. He declined to discussed the specific allegations in the indictment.

"I'm staying because I love the job and I do a good job," he said. "Most importantly, I have committed no criminal acts."

Deborah Carona said in a prepared statement: "There is no merit to this indictment, and the government's strategy of using me as leverage against my husband will not succeed."

Hoffman could not be reached for comment.

Until he became the target of several state and federal investigations, Carona seemed to be on a path toward political power and prominence. He was dubbed "America's Sheriff" by television personality Larry King, courted by former White House political guru Karl Rove and groomed as a prospective Republican candidate for lieutenant governor. He gained nationwide recognition for his tough, on-camera performance during the 2002 hunt for the kidnapper of 5-year-old Samantha Runnion, who was murdered.

The 10-count indictment paints a very different picture, alleging that Carona and close associates began their criminal activities by illegal fundraising to win election in 1998, then, once he was in office, using the powers of the sheriff to enrich themselves.

In all, Carona faces one count of conspiracy, four counts of mail fraud and two counts of tampering with a grand jury witness. His wife is charged with a single conspiracy count. Hoffman is charged with one count of conspiracy, four counts of mail fraud and three of bankruptcy fraud.

A central figure in the alleged conspiracy is Donald Haidl, an Orange County businessman who formerly owned a business that generated $100 million a year selling surplus police cars and assets seized by law enforcement agencies.

Prosecutors charge that Haidl lined Carona's pockets with paycheck-like regularity. In return, they allege that Carona made Haidl an assistant sheriff, helped his son get preferential treatment in a drug case, and gave badges and guns to relatives and friends.

Haidl, in effect, bought a "Get out of jail free card" from Carona, prosecutors allege.

The sheriff also allegedly exerted influence in an unsuccessful effort to have Haidl's son tried as a juvenile when he was accused of rape in 2002.

Haidl, who pleaded guilty in a related case, has now turned against Carona and is expected to be a witness against the sheriff. He went undercover and taped conversations with Carona after striking a deal that spared him serious charges.

According to the indictment, the payments Haidl made to Carona and Hoffman ranged from a $110,000 "loan" to Hoffman's law firm to $1,000 in monthly stipends that Carona received for doing no work as a board director for company tied to Haidl.

Another alleged co-conspirator was George Jaramillo, who was also one of Carona's assistant sheriffs. He, too, has pleaded guilty in the case and has been cooperating with prosecutors.

Lawyers for Haidl and Jaramillo declined to comment on the case.

There's a separate thread on the Haidl case, but I can't find it.

Carona, 52, is also accused of helping co-conspirators get a piece of a wrongful-death settlement that the family of a dead deputy won in a lawsuit.

ugh

Carona in take-my-photo-with-my-mobster-buddy oops

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp_6tAehUnU

I'm waiting for the bad punk tribute comp.

Caronary Heart Disease, featuring Guttermouth.

So as of last month, i am the editor of "The OC Travel Guide: The Insider's Guide to Anaheim/Orange County." Congratulate me.
I have been asked to mention Gwen Stefani and the Righteous Brothers. No requests for TSOL, but give it time. GIVE IT TIME.

Wait, do you live around here or something?

haha, no ... the company i work for partners with various travel & tourism bureaus around the country and we produce their guides. I live in Colorado. But hopefully, sometime in the next month or so, I'll be in the area for some research. You know, I've still never been to the Disney California Adventure thing ... So ... I've got that going for me.

OC Travel Guide: walk along the beach, eat at Taco Mesa, meet up with Ned Raggett at the Gypsy Den

Your work is done.

oh yeah, oc LOLOLOLLLOOOOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLLLOLOLOL.

Yes.

what, no trip to the Nixon Presidential Library & Museum?

You bringing the spray paint?

http://www.ocregister.com/newsimages/more_news/2007/11/01corona_sketch.jpg

See, that's just wrong.

It doesn't have the Weiland sparkle.

Michael Carona frolicking with the dolphins...

a friend of mine just went there and went to a punk bar to see black fag....

he described the scene as "imagine a world where social distortion were the beatles"

Hahahah. If anything that understates. I was just telling the bands staying with me over the weekend about how Mike Ness is essentially god in my neck of the woods.

Anyway as long as this thread's been revived, the local scene's been the healthiest it has in a while. A fair amount of bands are just pleasant or good in preset forms (and there's inevitably plenty of useless acts), but even more than on record it's a great live scene, a lot of different venues and performers.

Best thing that's happened on a grassroots/indie front has been the reestablishing of UCI as a good place for bands to perform, thanks to the efforts of Sam Farzin over at KUCI who founded a promo/booking collective:

http://acrobaticseveryday.com/

Which further led to a small but thriving label:

http://www.lifesblood.org/

Inspiring stuff! The festival they put on this last weekend was a treat; mostly touring or out of the area bands, but the point was that people were here and turned up for it.

what are some of the good bands locally?

Trying to think who would be most up your alley and I'm...not sure. (This is partially because I think you and I listen for different things in music despite all the points of commonality.) I like these two dudes, their drummer and I were catching up at Legendary Pink Dots (their music does not sound anything like LPD, though):

http://www.myspace.com/roosterheadmusic

Meanwhile some other folks who have done stuff lately I like:

http://www.myspace.com/ihateyoujustkidding

http://www.myspace.com/birdsofpreymusic

http://www.myspace.com/northernlabourparty

There's also Brian Evans, who kinda singlehandedly maintains a shoegaze-tinged scene in Costa Mesa and nearby via his label:

http://drifttheory.net/

And there's always local angry prog-metal-punk-etc:

http://www.cerebellion1.com/

And I should also tip the hat to the folks at my local coffee place that play out:

http://www.myspace.com/caseyandthetallboys

http://www.myspace.com/billykernkamp

I should definitely also mention the guy who is only just a touch bit legendary than Ness and all the other punk-era lifers, if only because he started up twenty years back rather than thirty, but the dude is a local roots music hero for damn good reason:

http://www.myspace.com/bigsandyandhisflyriteboys

oh shit yeah big sandy used to play minneapolis all the time!

(am listening to post http://images.chron.com/blogs/askacat/hatcat.JPG talk radio fallout right now will investigate this stuff later thx ned)

And getting back to some of the bands affiliated with Lifesblood/Acrobatics Everyday:

http://www.myspace.com/tandollar

http://www.myspace.com/hatepophatepop

http://www.myspace.com/thenogoego

Among many others! This is all scratching the surface stuff that's pretty skewed towards my own tastes.

Meanwhile, show of next year already, and it will only be eight days into it:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144087528975525

Just looked up my old home place in Stanton and saw that it's in the evacuation zone. Glad the crisis seems to be passing.

oh we might have been neighbors my childhood home was in Buena Park