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More than a decade before Weezer’s Blue Album toasted undone sweaters, surf boards, and Happy Days, the Adolescents’ highly influential debut was well known for its cerulean cover. Springing up from the ashes of Agent Orange and Social Distortion during the affectionately turbulent days of the Southern California hardcore scene in the early ’80s, the band emerged alongside titans such as Black Flag, San Francisco’s Dead Kennedys, and D.C. luminaries Bad Brains and Minor Threat.
The Adolescents fused the energy of hardcore with an attention to melody and snotty defiance that was 100-percent suburban disenchantment. And eventually, it became one of the most adored bands of the era — most notably for the 1981 release of that aforementioned, self-titled “blue album.” The record features songs with loads of attitude from singer-snarler Tony Cadena, including the snide diatribe “LA Girl” and cant-get-the-chorus-out-of-your-head punk classic “Amoeba.” It’s a collection that remains hugely influential, inspiring bands such as Bad Religion, Pennywise, and NOFX, just to name a few.
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