U.S. Chaos

Infobox musical artist
Name = U.S. Chaos

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Born = 1981
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Origin = New Jersey, United States
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Genre = Hardcore punk Streetpunk Oi!
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Years_active = 1981-1987; 1995 – present
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Associated_acts = The Front Line The Radicals The Chosen Few Fahrenheight 451 Johnny and The Barflys The New York Violators The Pickles The Undead
Blanks 77
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Current_members = Jack Gibson Rene "U.S. Chaos" Wasted Glenn "Spikey" Maer Allan "Skully" Skolsky,Rene Wasted
Past_members = English Ron, Brian Daily, Eddie Enzyme, Mark Beers, (Frank) Buddy Vern, H.C., "Hotshot" of The "NY Violators"
Notable_instruments =

U.S. Chaos are an American hardcore punk band from New Jersey, formed in early 1981.

Formed from the remainders of late 1970s punk rock group The Radicals, U.S. Chaos were one of the first bands in the United States to play in a street punk or Oi! style. The band was originally based in Passaic and Bergen counties, New Jersey. U.S. Chaos is one of few punk bands of their time to author, produce, record as well as publish music with an ironic as well as satirical, overzealous pro-American stance, both in lyrical content as well as attitude.

Their first release was "We've Got the Weapons". This vinyl EP is highly collectible, and has been priced in the range of $500 at the highest time of an offer, during the 1990s. [ The production of the EP, with recording and printing by Ross Eliss, cost them $5,000.00 in 1983, which was unheard of in the American punk scene, and which set a precedent for future punk bands. The second to be released, was the "Kill The Killers" b/w "Suicide", which immediately sold out.]

They are considered extremely controversial, with a non-politically-correct approach for their time.. They loved to taunt and harass their audiences with military marching cadences, air-raid sirens and polyphonic sound assaults before going on stage. They often employed bodyguards with loaded sidearms.

Career

When U.S. Chaos started out, they had been writing songs and rehearsing in a basement for months, but had never played a concert. In 1981, when their singer Ron quit, Jack Gibson asked Alan Skolski (Skully) if he wanted to be in a punk band. Skolski knew of U.S. Chaos, but had never seen them play. He listened to a few songs that they had recorded on a portable tape deck a few weeks earlier, and thought they were good. At first he declined, but when Gary asked him again, Skolski agreed to audition. The audition was unimpressive, but due to lack of interest, the band took Skolski on.

In the winter of 1982-1983, U.S. Chaos rehearsed and wrote several songs. In March 1983, the band played at a party at Aldo's Hideaway in Lyndhurst, NJ; this being there first gig. The lineup at this time was: Skolski on vocals, Jack Gibson on bass, Gene on drums, Gary on guitar and Brian (HC) on the other guitar. Steve Hotshot from hardcore punk band The New York Violators soon joined.

After Gary's departure from U.S. Chaos in order to focus on his career, the only original member of the band was Skolski. The band decided to change their name to The Chosen Few and write new material. This change coincided with the end of the first wave of US hardcore punk, with many bands changing their sounds or leaving the scene altogether.

The 1990s and later

In 1992, U.S. Chaos decided to do a reunion performance at a party. The band continued this tradition every year until 1995, when they decided to fully bring U.S. Chaos out of hiatus. Marty Munsch became the band's manager during this period. This led to several more releases and several movie appearances. From 1996 to 1997, the lineup was: Gary on guitar, Jack on bass, Spiky (Glen) on drums and Skully on vocals. They then kicked Spiky out of the band again and convinced Eddie Enzyme (who had played in Fahrenheit 451 and The Undead) to rejoin. The band continued to play and release new material into 2007. In 2007, Gary died, but prior to his death, he had recommended Buddy Vern (Backseat Driver, Cherry 13, Crash Street Kids and 25 Pills )to fill his place. He had recently declined a longterm membership, and was replaced by Reitmeyer's younger sister Rene Wasted, who also is an active founding member of Blanks 77. U.S. Chaos had resumed their normal performance schedule as of September 15, 2007. The current lineup is Jack Gibson on bass, Skolski on vocals, Spiky on drums and Rene Wasted on guitar.

Discography

* "We've Got the Weapons" EP (1983)
* "Eye For An Eye / Don't Wanna Live" 7" (self-released, 1984 - later reissued by punkcore records) [http://www.btinternet.com/~thisispunkrock/ps/ushc/2/uschaos.htm]
* "Complete Chaos" LP (1996)
* "You Can't Hear a Picture" LP (Punkrockrecords/Razorwire E.U., 1997) [LP (Punkrockrecords/Razorwire E.U., 1997)]
* "We Are Your Enemy" - split 7" single with Portland, Oregon's Statch and the Rapes, Remixed and Mastered by Marty Munsch Rel. 1999, Punkrockrecords. ["Blame It On Sam" Remixed and Mastered by Marty Munsch Rel. 1999, Punkrockrecords Reviews in RazorCake Fanzine]

Compilation appearances

* "Stinkbox Records Compilation" LP (1996)
* "Pins and Skins" CDLP (1996) [http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1500768/a/Skins+'n'+Pins.htm]
* "Punk Dwellings: New York's Finest Vol. 1"'CD - songs "For Being You" and "Last Call For Alcohol" (Dwell, 1996) [http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1038338/a/Punk+Dwellings:+New+York's+Finest+Vol.+1.htm]
* "No More Heroes: A Tribute To The Stranglers" song "Shut Up" (Elevator Music, 1998) [http://www.interpunk.com/item.cfm?Item=58182&]
* "Broken Bones And Power Chords Vol. 1: New York's Finest" CD songs "For Being You" and "Last Call For Alcohol" (Crosscheck, 2005) [http://www.interpunk.com/item.cfm?Item=127517&]
* "The Punks" EP (Punkrockrecords, 2007)

Filmography

* "Pariah" - movie soundtrack inclusion (1996)
* "Punk's Not Dead" - movie soundtrack inclusion (2006)-(Susan Dyner)
* "All Grown Up The Movie"- A documentary movie soundtrack, full inclusion, lengthy verbal video interview (2006) - (Andrea Witting) [http://www.allgrownupthemovie.com]
* "Love and Bullets" - movie soundtrack inclusion (1999)-(Matthew Brown)

Members

* 1982 Gary guitar, HC (Brian Daily) guitar, Jack bass, Spiky drums, Ron vocals
* 1982 Gary guitar, HC guitar, Jack bass, Gene drums, Skully vocals
* 1983 Gary guitar, HC guitar, Jack bass, Spiky drums, Skully vocals
* 1984 Gary guitar, Jack bass, Spiky drums, Skully vocals
* 1984 Gary guitar, Hot Shot guitar, Jack bass, Spiky drums, Skully vocals
* 1984-85 Hot Shot guitar, Jack bass, Spiky drums, Skully vocals.
* 1985 Gary guitar, Hot Shot (Steve) guitar, Jack bass, Eddie Enzyme drums, Skully vocals.
* 1986 Gary guitar, Mark Beer guitar, Jack bass Eddie Enzyme drums, Skully vocals.
* 1986 Gary guitar, Mark Beer guitar, Jack Bass, Jade drums, Skully vocals.
* 1987 Mark Beer guitar, Gary guitar, Tim Taylor bass, Jade drums, Skully vocals.

U.S. Chaos Reunited

* 1996 - Gary guitar, Skully vocals, Spiky drums, Jack Bass, Spiky drums.
* 1997 - Skully vocals, Gary guitar, Jack bass and Eddie drums.
* 8.30.07 - Present Skully vocals, Buddy guitar, Jack bass, Spike Changes place with Eddie Enzyme. The lineup currently consists of 3 founding members.

Others

* Freddy L. - manager during first incarnation
* Marty Munsch - Band manager from 1995 to present.
* Matthew Brown filled in on drums while drummer Eddie Enzyme seriously injured his hand.
* Rene Wasted, guitarist of punk band Blanks 77 is Gary U.S. Chaos' younger sister and is a full time contributing member of U.S. Chaos.
* Jack Gibson, U.S. Chaos' bassist, is the owner of Mad One Jacks, a prominent hair salon, in Hoboken, New Jersey

References

External links

* [http://www.uschaos.com Official U.S. Chaos website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/uschaos U.S. Chaos] on MySpace
* [http://www.punkrockrecords.com punkrockrecords.com]
* [http://superfantasyart.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/uschaos.jpg20 Years of U.S. Chaos artwork]
* [http://www.btinternet.com/~thisispunkrock/fliers/el/ironcross.htm Show flier with Iron Cross]