The Weirdos

All Music Guide:

One of Southern California's earliest punk bands, the Weirdos released two EPs during the late '70s before breaking up; consistent reunion gigs during the '80s kept their name alive, and the group returned to the studio in 1988 for Condor, released two years later. The backbone -- and only constant members -- of the Weirdos, brothers John and Dix Denney (vocals and guitar, respectively), formed the band in 1977 with bassist Cliff Roman and drummer Nickey Beat. By the time the band recorded the 1979 EP Who? What? When? Where? Why?, drummer Danny Benair (later of Three O'Clock) was an active member; another EP followed one year later, but the Denney brothers were deserted soon after.

Though the Weirdos didn't release a single record from 1981 to 1990, John and Dix continued to record at home and re-form the band for occasional live shows. By 1988, they added original members Beat and Roman for a new edition of the Weirdos and signed to Frontier Records for 1990's Condor, which also included bassist Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Frontier released the Weird World compilation in 1991, after which the group again took an extended vacation.

Wikipedia:

The Weirdos were an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California. They formed in 1976 and broke up in 1981, were occasionally active in the 1980s, and recorded new material in the 1990s. Critic Mark Deming calls them "quite simply, one of the best and brightest American bands of punk's first wave."

History [edit]

The band was formed in 1976 by singer John Denney and his brother Dix on guitar, initially using the band names The Barbies and The Luxurious Adults. The sons of actress Dodo Denney, they were the only constant members, though guitarist/bassist Cliff Roman, bassist Dave Trout and drummer Nickey "Beat" Alexander were relatively long-term Weirdos.

Cliff Martinez, who briefly drummed for the band, went on to join The Red Hot Chili Peppers, playing on the latter's first two albums. Dix Denney was also close to becoming a member of the Chili Peppers. However, after many practices with Denney, things didn't work out and he was replaced by guitarist Jack Sherman. Zander Schloss, who would later join a reunited Weirdos lineup, also auditioned for the Chili Peppers when guitarist John Frusciante quit in 1992.

The Weirdos were originally an art rock band, and were featured in a news article featuring punk rock groups in Time magazine; thus the "punk" label stuck.

The band broke up in 1981, but reunited several times, recording 1990 album Condor. A 2004 reunion included Circle Jerks bassist Zander Schloss and The Skulls drummer Sean Antillon in the lineup.

Cliff Roman later became an eighth-grade art and algebra teacher at Oliver Wendell Holmes Middle School in Northridge, CA.

The band is scheduled to appear at the 2013 Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival in Las Vegas.