‘Adolescents’ to Be Among Punk Reissues

Two long-running Southern California punk-alternative record labels will team up to reissue a series of vintage punk albums, including “Adolescents,” one of the definitive records in the Orange County rock archive.

Epitaph, the Los Angeles-based punk specialty label that has shown its marketing muscle with the mega-success of the Offspring and solid sales by Pennywise, NOFX and Bad Religion, will distribute some vintage items from the catalog of the persistent but perennially struggling Frontier Records.

While the albums have remained available since their initial releases in the early 1980s, Frontier has suffered “endless distribution woes,” according to Frontier official John Troutman. Putting out catalog nuggets through Epitaph’s channels, he added, “will get them where they need to go.”

“Adolescents,” the 1981 debut album by the Adolescents, marked the punk-rock baptism of future Offspring producer Thom Wilson. The album, which established an oft-imitated melodic-punk sound based on massed, harmonized guitars, is keyed by such classic anthems as “Amoeba,” “Kids of the Black Hole” and “Creatures.”

It will be re-released on Feb. 11, along with Suicidal Tendencies’ 1983 debut album, “Suicidal Tendencies” and Christian Death’s 1982 release, “Only Theatre of Pain,” which featured Adolescents guitarist Rikk Agnew. Two early ‘80s albums by the Circle Jerks will emerge on March 25.

Another classic early-’80s O.C. punk album, T.S.O.L.’s “Dance With Me,” also is getting a push from Epitaph, but under a separate deal with Frontier. Instead of reissuing the album--a crucial influence on the Offspring--as a joint venture, Frontier sold it to Epitaph outright, according to Fancher.

BATTLING BANDS: Moose McGillycuddy’s, the Long Beach club that’s literally a stone’s throw from the Orange County line, will begin featuring rock ‘n’ roll as a competitive sport, starting Jan. 15.

Each Wednesday will be devoted to an ongoing battle of the bands, with competitors vying for a chance to play at the House of Blues.

Three bands will play each week, until, on the sixth week of the cycle, the weekly winners will meet for a final round that will determine who gets the House of Blues gig.

The contest awards an edge to bands with big fan bases and/or get-out-the-vote marketing skills: the three criteria for judging the preliminary rounds are drawing power, audience response and performance quality, as judged by promoter Brent Harvey.

In the every-sixth-week finals, however, the decision will lie with a panel of judges, including Harvey, John Pantle, the House of Blues talent buyer, and others culled from the music biz or music journalism.

The bands start playing at 9:30 p.m.; admission is free. The club is at 190 Marina Drive, in the Seaport Village shopping center. (310) 596-8108. Bands interested in competing can call Moose McGillycuddy’s or KBH Entertainment, (310) 426-2577. Prospective contestants should send demo tapes to KBH at 2540 1/2 Lime Ave., Long Beach CA 90806.

FOOD DRIVE: Besides fomenting friendly (one hopes) rivalries among bands and their fans, Moose McGillycuddy’s will be promoting charitable virtue among the local rock scene’s Deadhead division.

Cubensis, the popular Grateful Dead tribute band that plays each Tuesday at the club, will preside over a food drive for the needy on the last Tuesday of each month, with guest bands.

Club-goers are asked to bring a can or sealed package of food with at least a half-year shelf life. The first drive takes place Jan. 28. Donations will go to the Oceanside Gospel Lighthouse church. Information: (310) 596-8918.