Fear

Los Angeles punk band formed in the late 1970s, fronted by Lee Ving. Early and influential exponent of Californian hardcore; known for short, furious songs and provocative lyrics.

Featured in the documentary The Decline of Western Civilization (appearing with other LA punk bands) and performed on Saturday Night Live in 1981. The Record was released in 1982.

Two DeBaser reviews celebrate Fear's abrasive, influential hardcore sound and Lee Ving's confrontational persona. The Record is described as a 1982 masterpiece of short, furious tracks with themes of urban decay. The Fear Record receives a vividly ironic, apocalyptic reading. Both reviews emphasize raw energy, sarcasm and a mixture of punk with blues/jazz elements.

For:Listeners of hardcore punk and punk rock; readers interested in early 1980s Los Angeles punk scene.