Descendents

Not to be confused with The Descendants (disambiguation).

The Descendents
Descendents performing in Austin, Texas on November 7, 2010.
Background information
Origin	Manhattan Beach, California
Genres	Punk rock
Years active	1978–1983, 1984–1988, 1995–1997, 2002–2004, 2010-present
Labels	New Alliance, SST, Epitaph, Fat Wreck Chords
Associated acts	All, Black Flag, Only Crime
Website	www.descendentsonline.com
Members
Milo Aukerman Stephen Egerton Karl Alvarez Bill Stevenson
Past members
Frank Navetta Tony Lombardo Ray Cooper Doug Carrion

The Descendents are an American punk rock band from Manhattan Beach, California. As of 2011, they have released six studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums and three EPs. The Descendents broke up and reformed several times over the years, sometimes with different musicians. The band's current lineup is singer Milo Aukerman, guitarist Stephen Egerton, bassist Karl Alvarez and drummer Bill Stevenson.

History

Early years (1978-1983)

The Descendents were formed in 1978 by guitarist Frank Navetta, bassist Tony Lombardo and drummer Bill Stevenson. Their first release—the only one with this lineup—was the new wavish single "Ride the Wild"/"It's a Hectic World".

In 1980 they enlisted Stevenson's old schoolfriend Milo Aukerman as a singer, and reappeared as a punk band, becoming a major player in the hardcore scene developing in Los Angeles at the time. Their first release with Aukerman, 1981's Fat EP, was a furious six-minute barrage of teen angst and humour, featuring such songs as "My Dad Sucks" and the eleven-second "Weinerschnitzel".

Their debut album the following year, Milo Goes to College, was more melodic than many other hardcore records of the time. They sang about being (and wanting to be) rejected ("I'm Not A Loser", "I Wanna Be A Bear", "Parents"), girls ("Hope", "Myage", "Marriage", "Kabuki Girl"), fishing ("Catalina"), and other emotionally sensitive subjects. Songwriting was shared among the band members.

First hiatus and reformation (1984-1986)

Milo Aukerman really was off to college, embarking on an education that would take him as far as a doctorate in biochemistry, while Bill Stevenson became the drummer for Black Flag. The Descendents did not record again until 1985 with the album I Don't Want to Grow Up. Much of the song-writing on this LP was much more sensitive than the band's earlier records, despite being peppered by songs such as "Pervert" and "No FB".

The band's lineup changed during the recording of I Don't Want to Grow Up. Navetta departed to become a fisherman in Oregon, and Lombardo left because touring was incompatible with his career as a postal carrier. Ray Cooper, who had originally replaced Milo as vocalist, then replaced Navetta on guitar upon Milo's return, and Doug Carrion (formerly of ANTI) replaced Lombardo on bass.

Enjoy!, their next album (released in 1986) was not well received by critics. It was a mix of silly songs ("Enjoy", "Kids", "Orgofart", etc.), and emotional, mature songs such as "Get The Time" and a cover of "Wendy" by the Beach Boys. The band even experimented with thrash metal on "Hürtin' Crüe".

After the Enjoy! tour, Ray Cooper got a job working in the emerging software scene and Doug Carrion left for other projects, eventually ending up in Dag Nasty. Stevenson invited Stephen Egerton and Karl Alvarez of Salt Lake City's Massacre Guys to replace them, and the now permanent lineup of the Descendents was in place.

All (1987)

The group released All in (1987), which, despite "Van", "ALL-O-Gistics" and the one-second "All", was the Descendents most mature 1980s album, and featured emotional songs such as "Coolidge", "Cameage" and "Clean Sheets". This would be the band's final album before their seven-year hiatus. On the reunion tour, the band that five years before had claimed that they "couldn't sell out a telephone booth" were selling out nearly every show.

With the release of All, the Descendents introduced to the world the driving concept behind their career's work, from which the album derives its title, the philosophy of ALL. The song ALL was actually written at the time of the philosophy's conception around 1980, in the midst of the song-writing fury that produced a number of the tunes from the "Fat" EP, including "I Like Food." Stevenson co-wrote these songs with best friend/fishing buddy/Descendents "Fifth Member," Pat McQuiston. The two came up with the concept while working a late night on the water, and fishing and coffee (Enjoy's "Kids" and Everything Sucks's "Coffee Mug") remained themes for Descendents songs and spiritual aids in the quest for ALL, which they define quite conventionally as "the total extent." The idea of ALL as a concept beyond this conventional definition is one of endless self improvement. "The total extent" is an all-encompassing greatness, the pursuit of which is endless and impossible, but which is also the source of all real happiness. Thus, "No, All!," speaks to the fruits of this "endless quest," and "happiness is the pursuit of ALL" is the viable credo which is often lost in the midst of the Descendents' slightly more conventional dual-motif of off-beat humor and girls.

Second hiatus and reformation (1988-2003)

Milo left after the back-to-back "All" and "Finall" tours in 1987 and the remaining Descendents reformed with singer Dave Smalley (later replaced by Scott Reynolds, who was followed by Chad Price) and reformed under the name All, and continued the legacy until 1995, when they reformed again with Milo Aukerman, now a full-time research biochemist, to record and tour in support of the album Everything Sucks, a bit of a return to their early-80s punk style (with Frank Navetta and Tony Lombardo making appearances on "Dog House" and "Eunuch Boy"). A reunion of sorts occurred at All's quasi-annual Stockage festival in Fort Collins, Colorado, in the spring of 2002. Frank Navetta joined Tony Lombardo and Bill Stevenson to play songs from when they were a trio, before Aukerman joined the group.

Recent history (2004-present)

In 2004 the band released the 'Merican EP and their newest full length Cool to Be You, which is among their more emotional releases to date. Containing songs not just about the regular Descendents lyrical themes, but also political commentary ("'Merican") and a more mature view on relationships, ("Talking", "Anchor Grill") and break-ups ("She Don't Care"). By this point the group's future was uncertain as the members were living in disparate parts of the United States; Aukerman in Newark, Delaware, Stevenson and Alvarez in Fort Collins and Egerton in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In October 2008, founding member Frank Navetta died after "becoming ill over the course of a few days".

In 2010 the Descendents reunited again and a series of gigs, including No Sleep Til Festival, Groezrock Festival and Fun Fun Fun Fest.^{[citation needed]}

Discography

Main article: Descendents discography

Studio albums

• Milo Goes to College (1982)
• I Don't Want to Grow Up (1985)
• Enjoy! (1986)
• All (1987)
• Everything Sucks (1996)
• Cool to Be You (2004)

Band members

Descendents lineups
The left column lists releases recorded by each lineup (excluding compilations).

1979 "Ride the Wild" / "It's a Hectic World"	Tony Lombardo – bass, vocals Frank Navetta – guitar, vocals Bill Stevenson – drums
1980–82 Fat EP Milo Goes to College	Milo Aukerman – vocals Tony Lombardo – bass Frank Navetta – guitar Bill Stevenson - drums
1982–83	Ray Cooper – vocals, guitar Tony Lombardo – bass Frank Navetta – guitar Bill Stevenson - drums
1985–86 I Don't Want to Grow Up	Milo Aukerman – vocals Ray Cooper – guitar Tony Lombardo – bass Bill Stevenson - drums
1986–87 Enjoy!	Milo Aukerman – vocals Doug Carrion – bass Ray Cooper – guitar Bill Stevenson - drums
1987-88 All Liveage! Hallraker: Live! 1996–97 Everything Sucks Sessions Live Plus One 2002–04 'Merican Cool to Be You 2010–present	Karl Alvarez – bass Milo Aukerman – vocals Stephen Egerton – guitar Bill Stevenson - drums

Current members

• Bill Stevenson – drums (1979–83, 1984–88, 1995–97, 2002–04, 2010–present)
• Milo Aukerman – vocals (1980–84, 1985–88, 1995–97, 2002–04, 2010–present)
• Karl Alvarez – bass guitar (1987–88, 1995–97, 2002–04, 2010–present)
• Stephen Egerton – guitar (1987–88, 1995–97, 2002–04, 2010–present)

Past members

• Tony Lombardo – bass guitar (1979–84)
• Frank Navetta – guitar (1979–84)
• Ray Cooper – guitar, vocals (1982–87)
• Doug Carrion — bass guitar (1986–87)

External links

• Descendents at Allmusic
• Descendents Online
• Flipside Interview - Descendents interview from 1986
• Suburban Voice Interview - Descendents interview from 1985