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DOA
Canada - Vancouver, BC

Band History compiled by Jeff, Discography by James Vancouver's D.O.A. were an early and extremely influential punk rock band. Formed in 1978, they quickly got down to business by releasing the Disco Sucks EP on singer/guitarist Joey Shithead's own Sudden Death label. Along with other early pioneers, they blazed the trail to a North American punk scene by putting out records and touring with virtually no existing 'scene' infrastructure to rely on. Early shows included clashes with audience members and police, and they can attest that police riots at punk shows were not strictly an LA occurrence. The original D.O.A. lineup was Joey, bassist Randy Rampage, and amazing drummer Chuck Biscuits. Their first full length, Something Better Change, came out on Friends Records in 1980, and was soon followed by 1981's seminal Hardcore 81 LP. The latter is commonly cited by the first wave of "hardcore" bands as a catalyst and namesake for the that movement. Following this record both Randy Rampage and Chuck Biscuits left the band. Chuck joined Black Flag and began his long career as a punk rock band slut (Social D, Circle Jerks, Danzig). His brother Dimwit took over for him, and Wimpy from the Subhumans joined on bass. D.O.A. jumped to Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles label for the War on 45 EP and most of their subsequent records (short stints at Frontier and Enigma didn't last). The War on 45 record found them attempting to ditch the punk straitjacket by interjecting funk, reggae, and a cover of Edwin Starr's Motown classic "War" into the mix. Apparently it actually charted in Billboard. While D.O.A. shared the political commitment of Jello's Dead Kennedys or fellow Canadians the Subhumans, they also cultivated a party band image (exemplified by the cover of their 1985 effort, Let's Wreck the Party). Their manager Ken Lester billed them as a "populist" band. Joey has kept at it with various backing bands over the years, putting out a 1995 album on a Virgin subsidiary before revamping the Sudden Death label for a few albums and reissues.

DISCOGRAPHY Releases: DISCO SUCKS 7" EP (Sudden Death Records, 1978) THE PRISONER 7" (Quintessence Records, 1978) TRIUMPH OF THE IGNOROIDS 12" (Friends Records, 1979) WORLD WAR 3 7" (Quintessence Records/Sudden Death Records, 1979) SOMETHING BETTER CHANGE LP (Friends Records, 1980) HARDCORE 81 LP (Friends Records, 1981) POSITIVELY DOA 7" EP (Alternative Tentacles Records, 1981) WAR ON 45 12" (Alternative Tentacles Records, 1982) RIGHT TO BE WILD 7" (Sudden Death Records, 1983) GENERAL STRIKE 7" (Sudden Death Records, 1983) DON'T TURN YER BACK (ON DESPERATE TIMES) 12" (Alternative Tentacles Records, 1984) LET'S WRECK THE PARTY LP (Alternative Tentacles Records, 1985) TRUE (NORTH) STRONG AND FREE LP (Profile Records, 1987) LAST SCREAMS OF THE MISSING NEIGHBOURS LP (Alternative Tentacles Records, 1989) MURDER LP (Restless Records, 1990) TALK MINUS ACTION EQUALS ZERO LP (Restless Records, 1991) 13 FLAVOURS OF DOOM LP/CD (Alternative Tentacles Records, 1992) IT'S NOT UNUSUAL 7" EP (Alternative Tentacles Records, 1993) LOGGERHEADS LP/CD (Alternative Tentacles Records, 1993) THE ONLY THING GREEN 7" (Alternative Tentacles Records, 1993) THE BLACK SPOT CD (Essential Noise/Virgin Records, 1995) FESTIVAL OF ATHEISTS CD (Empty Records/Sudden Death Records, 1998) Splits: KEN JENSEN MEMORIAL SINGLE split 7" EP (Sudden Death Records, 1995) Reissues/Etc: BLOODIED BUT UNBOWED LP (CD Presents, Ltd., 1984) THE DAWNING OF A NEW ERROR CD (Alternative Tentacles Records, 1991) GREATEST SHITS LP+7"/CD (QQRYQ Productions, 1991) MOOSE DROPPINGS CD (Timberyard Records, 1993) Compilations: VANCOUVER COMPLICATION LP (Pinned Records, 1979) EASTERN FRONT LP (ICI Sanoblast Records, 1981) LET THEM EAT JELLYBEANS LP (Alternative Tentacles Records, 1981) RAT MUSIC FOR RAT PEOPLE LP (Go! Discs, 1982) PEACE 2xLP (R Radical Records, 1984) SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN LP (BYO Records, 1984) BASIC SAMPLER tape (Deux Ex Machina Records and Tapes, 1984) WE WON'T BE YOUR FUCKING POOR 2xLP (Mortarhate Records, 1985) 77 KK LP (77 KK Records, 1985) LAST CALL: VANCOUVER INDEPENDENT MUSIC 1977-1988 2xCD (Zulu Records, 1991) KILLED BY DEATH #26 LP (bootleg, 1996) INFO Interviews: