Wasted Youth (American band)

Infobox musical artist |
Name = Wasted Youth


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Background = group_or_band
Alias = LA's Wasted Youth
Origin = Los Angeles, California, USA
Years_active = 1981-1988
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Associated_acts = Velvet Revolver Danzig Queens of the Stone Age Goatsnake Zilch Sugartooth Savage Republic
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Current_members = Chett Lehrer Jeff Long Allen Stiritz Danny Spira Jeff Dahlgren Lucky Lehrer Joey Castillo Dave Kushner Paolo Rossi
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Wasted Youth (also known as LA's Wasted Youth) was a hardcore punk band in early 1980s from Los Angeles, California. The band followed in the footsteps of Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, and were a prominent and popular act amongst the Los Angeles punk underground of the early 1980s.

Overview

Hailing from the "faster, louder" school, the band crafted a unique sound by removing all of the bass and most of the mid-range frequencies from Chett Lehrer's guitars. Coupled with this is the often intricate bass work of Jeff Long, the tight drumming of Allen Stiritz, and the wail of Danny Spira. The band's first release, "Reagan's In" is a classic of early West Coast hardcore punk music. This entire album, with its ten songs, takes less than 15 minutes to complete, and is famous for the Pushead artwork of Ronald Reagan on its front cover.

Later releases moved toward more and more of a heavy metal sound, Jeff Dahlgren front man after Danny Spira 1983–1985 left the band while recording what was to be re-recorded by Paolo Rossi and become "Get Out Of My Yard" culminating with their last album, "Black Daze". Wasted Youth came out and prospered at the same time as bands such as The Adolescents, TSOL, Social Distortion, Bad Religion, Agent Orange, The Stains, and others were dominating the vibrant punk scene in the early 1980s in Los Angeles. Chett and Paolo Rossi (the last generation of Wasted Youth Front Men) went on to start an indy label "Open Circle Records" in Gelndale CA (Open Circle Released "Get Out Of My Yard" LP) The final creation of Wasted Youth had a very successful "Crack Across America Tour" in the late 80's to support "Get Out Of My Yard." Michael Licalsi - a club and show promoter from the SF bay area served as their manager. Michael booked their national tour at the age of 19. Wasted Youth performed with bands such as The Bad Brains, The Ramones, Circle Jerks on this final tour.

Members went on to perform in the tribal-industrial group Savage Republic; Joey Castillo became a drummer for Danzig and later Queens of the Stone Age; while Dave Kushner, who played guitar on "Black Daze", went on to become a member of the chart topping rockers, Velvet Revolver.