Offenders
THE OFFENDERS from Killeen, Texas
Not to be confused with the Sex Offenders, Repeat Offenders, Young Offenders or even Willie Nelson’s Offenders for chrissakes! Texas produced some of the best punk/hardcore in the world: D.R.I., Verbal Abuse, The Dicks, Big Boys, M.D.C. . . . and of fuckin’ course, the Offenders. And of all the god forsaken places to have been spawned, a dump – Killeen – near Fort Hood, Hood named after, get this (Tony’s gonna’ love it) a confederate general! Half-way between Austin (Thank God) and Wacko. Famous for the Luby’s Massacre where George Hennard murdered 24 people and then committed suicide in a Luby’s Cafeteria on October 16, 1991. I mean, you would too if you lived there and the fact that it’s like 115º F . . . in the shade! Home of the Killeen Kangaroos – wow! Anyway, back to the band.
Not since 1981 has there ever been nor will there ever be a band like the Offenders. Vastly under-rated – I mean true punk and hardcore has since been vastly underrated and ignored. The industry, blind as usual, having missed out, chose to focus on what came after they missed the bus. Otherwise, how is it that folks actually listen to and think punk is Sum 41, Blink 182, Good Charlotte and let’s not leave out Green Day (?) with their fluffy Wake Me Up When September Ends! I think I just puked! The Dicks song Fake Bands applies just as much today. No thanks to your pat yourself on the back self-anointed R’n’R Hall of Shame. We know who you are . . . sorry, back to the band again.
Tony, a friggin’ redneck at heart and rumoured to be a distant relative to Robert E. Lee reincarnated in a Marshall Tube Screamer Les Paul mojo, is still one of the best hardcore guitar players out there. With the ability to blend vintage rock tradition, modern thrash and solos unique only to himself and all to the desired effect, i.e. in your face – kick your ass!
Mikey Donaldson, Kiss Fan Club Member #49, once a pudgy little cigarette smoking Asian turned Bass God wrote some of the best tweak inspired thrash riff-knitted songs into the tapestry that IS the Offenders. Without him there is no, never would’ve been and never will be any Offenders. Gracing the stage with other such notables as D.R.I., Sister Double Happiness, Direct Control, Nitwitz, Brutalized Super Star and permanent residence with M.D.C. Mikey passed away in Barcelona, Spain September 22, 2007.
JJ. After hearing Mick Buck’s sufferah Clash influenced Brit punk bordeline pop interpretations, JJ was a God-send. The troubled youth who’s kitchen sunk tortured by self abuse mind was the psyche of the band. Sadly he kept going nowhere faster than you and the long awaited reunion back at Emo’s was short lived behind bars. JJ was the key to getting the band back together but with Mikey gone, now it’s too late.
Pat Doyle, at the time, a cross between muppet Animal and Keith Moon who dropped Thrash LSD and had a bad trip on the drums. Easily up there with the best of the old schoolers – Circle Jerks Lucky Lehrer, Dead Kennedys D.H., Bad Brains Earl, M.D.C. Alschvitz, D.O.A. Chuck Biscuits – you name ‘em. Not many in his league . . . even today. Pat is currently in Roger’s Porn Collection and IGNITOR. Check it out!
x-con ron 10.06 (revised 2008)
Releases*
Lost Causes/Rockin’ the Town 7″ (Suffering Sounds, 1981)
We Must Rebel 12” LP (R Radical, 1983)
I Hate Myself 7” Single (Rabid Cat, 1984)
Endless Struggle 12” LP (Rabid Cat, 1985)
Reissues
We Must Rebel CD/LP (Bitzcore, has first LP with 5 extra songs)
Fight Back 7” (Bitzcore, 1989)
We Must Rebel LP (Reflex Records) *all releases except Endless Struggle
Died in Custody CD (Grand Theft Audio) Pat Doyle’s production – includes 2nd 7″, 2nd LP, demo from 83, and an Maximum Rock’n’Roll interview with Tim Yohannon)
Wanted by Authority 1981 – 1985 CD (Kangaroo Records) *all releases – CLICK HERE
Compilations
P.E.A.C.E. Comp (R Radical, 1984) “Face Down In the Dirt”
Nothing Lasts CD (Bitzcore, 1989) “Fight Back”
Suburban Voice 15th Anniversary Comp (Suburban Voice, 1998)
Covers
Napalm Death – Leaders Not Followers Part II – Face Down in the Dirt – track 2.
Spazm 151 – I Hate Myself
We Must Rebel 12” LP
Label: R Radical Records
Released: 1983
1. Fight Back
2. No Chance
3. Like Father – Like Son
4. Just For Fun
5. We Must Rebel
6. Never Cared
7. Direct Defiance
8. Wanted by Authority
9. New Militia
10. Youth Riot
I Hate Myself 7″ single
Label: Rabid Cat Records
Cat. #: RAB-001
Released: 1984
1. I Hate Myself
2. Bad Times
Endless Struggle 12” LP
Label: Rabid Cat Records
Cat. #: 005
Released: 1985
1. You Got a Right
2. Face Down In the Dirt
3. Victory
4. On the Crooked Edge
5. Impact
6. Endless Struggle
7. Coming Down
8. Get Mad
9. Inside the Middle
10. Trials and Tribulations
11. Do or Die
12. When Push Comes to Shove
13. You Keep Me Hanging On
Fight Back 7″ Single
Label: Bitzcore Records
Released: 1989
1. Lost Causes
2. Poor House Energy
3. I Hate Myself
4. Rockin’ the Town
5. One Fine Morning
OFFENDERS – We Must Rebel (lyrics)
Fight Back
People always put me down
Don’t like me hanging around
With twisted values, what a mess
Put me away if they could
Say it’s for my own good
Let them know just what they lack
Rise up now and fight them back
They’ll bust in and raid the bars
Roit squad and 10 cop cars
If we don’t do what they say
They’ll put us under lock and key
We don’t care what they say
We’ll do things our own way
Let them know just what they lack
Rise up now and fight them back
Let them know you’ve got a brain
Let them see your anger and pain
Society took their minds away
Fucking morons, make them pay
Now we’ll fight them back
We’ll let them know just what they lack
Fight back
No Chance
Annihilation stands before me
No cease fire holds remember history
Both superpowers, they profess peace
While greed triggers war in the middle east
There’s no chance, no chance for me
There’s no chance for us to be free
Wars are old news, they’re out of date
But human beings can’t live without debate
This earth is here for all to see
We want our chance to be free
Reagan steps in here comes the war
Death in every state what the hell for
Listen and watch on our T.V.
See people die in agony
Burning sky, burning sky
They’re burning you, they’re burning me
There’s no chance, no chance for me
There’s no chance for us to be free
So listen now and listen good
I wanna be free and understood
War’s not worthwhile, it never was
Got worse problems now and always will
Like Father/Like Son
Work us hard, day and night
Make us starve until we fight
Crowd us in and we’ll get pissed
Start your war, we’ll be on your list
After thousands die
You’ll say you’ve won
Then you’ll go back home
and teach it to your son
So that he’ll join, just like you
And end up living in a zoo
He’ll grow up to be a soldier
Won’t know nothing until he’s older
Load the gun, put it in his hand
So he can fight to save your fucked up land
After thousands die
You’ll say you’ve won
Then you’ll go back home
And teach it to your son
So that he’ll join, just like you
And end up living in a zoo for life
Just For Fun
You’re out of place in this crowd
Slam me down cause the music’s loud
Knock me in the face, you’re so cool
This ain’t the place for a fucking fool
Not for pain, just for fun
Thrash some heads, off you run
You’re caught up in your fucking game
Looking for someone to take the blame
Strong aggression on the dance floor
Push me down, what the hell for
Not for pain, just for fun
Thrash some heads, off you run
You don’t have to be so goddamn rough
Do you think that’s what makes you punk
What the fuck have you got against me
Ain’t done shit to you, let me be
Not for pain, just for fun
Thrash some heads, off you run
JUST FOR FUN
JUST FOR FUN
JUST FOR FUN
JUST FOR FUN
We Must Rebel
See the KKK dressed in their gowns
As they come to meet from all around
They wear a white hood over their head
I hate their guts, how I wish they were dead
Stand up now against them, we must rebel
Don’t give in, take a stand, we must rebel
See the cops on the street looking for you
They look so stupid all dressed in blue
They wear a badge and carry a gun
They like to kill, just for fun
Stand up now against them, we must rebel
Don’t give in, take a stand, we must rebel
Stand up now against them, we must rebel
Don’t concede your beliefs, we must rebel
We must rebel against them
Take a stand for what we are
We must rebel, don’t give in
We must rebel, against them
We must rebel, we must rebel, we must rebel
See they’re both the same, hate minorities
They leave no chance for us to be free
So we must rebel for what’s right
Join us as one in our fight
Stand up now against them, we must rebel
Don’t give in, we must rebel
Stand up now against them, we must rebel
Don’t you do what they say
WE MUST REBEL
Never Cared
You never cared, snug in America
Life in the suburbs easy as could be
You never knew or even thought
How nuclear fission turns us into asphalt
War and despair, you never cared
War and despair, it’s everywhere
Life in a bunker, it won’t be fun
With nuclear war, don’t need a gun
How can you stand it, death everywhere
It’s plain to see, you never cared
War and despair, it’s everywhere
War and despair, you never cared
The neutron is next, it’s tragic death
Kills instantly, no chance for breath
Painless death, yes that’s the goal
What becomes of us when we crowl out of this hole?
War and despair, you never cared
War and despair, you never fucking cared
Direct Defiance
White trash fools
Fucking rules
Got their head
Up their ass
The system fucking me
See why I don’t agree
Let the cops make the rules
Nazi tactics in the schools
Dress in blue
Against you
Fuck their laws
Shoot their dogs
Doing what you want
Can be lots of fun
But you won’t survive
Unless you got a gun
Pull the trigger
Watch the cops run
Direct defiance
The way has just begun
NOW!
Wanted By Authority
Pigs are always chasing me
Don’t like what I chose to be
They never leave me alone
I’m wanted by authority
Wanted by authority
Runaway at sixteen
Wanted by authority
They’re coming after me
Try to get the system back
FOr making my life such a wreck
Just a punk on the street
I’m wanted by authority
Wanted by authoriy
Runaway at sixteen
Wanted by authority
They’re coming after me
Pigs are always chasing me
Don’t like what I chose to be
They never leave me alone
I’m wanted by authority
Wanted by authority
Runaway at sixteen
Wanted by authority
They’re coming after me
WANTED BY AUTHORITY!
New Militia
You don’t want us in your city
Cause we’re too rough on the street
But we only want to be ourselves
So give us a fucking chance
We’re the new militia
And we think for ourselves
We got our way of saying
There has to be a better way
We’re the new militia
And we mean what we say
If you don’t believe us
Jus tempt us, see what we do
Why do you treat us this way?
Is it because we’re not like you?
But don’t you know that no one’s the same
This is what we stand for
We’re not gonna take your shit no more
Now it’s time to even the score
If you wonder why we feel this way
It’s expressions of reality
If you think we’ll agree with you
We dare you to force us to
Since we’ve got so much to lose
Let us choose for ourselves
Our alternative to hell
Cause we know what we want
So don’t stand in our way
Youth Riot
We want to be free
And on our own
To live life
The way we want
Don’t need no rules
No government
To take control
Of where our money’s spent
All the kids want is to be free
If you don’t let us, then you’ll see
A youth riot
Then we’ll be your worst enemy
And you don’t want that
Cause we’ll take over
In the streets
We’ll do what we want
Do what we please
We’ll show no mercy
To no one
If you don’t like the way I think
If you don’t like the way I look
Fuck you
Cause I’m gonna do what I want
We don’t care
Anymore
We’re gonna do
What we want
We’re gonna live
By our own rules
What are we gonna do
We’re gonna youth riot
I’m only gonna tell you
One more time
So you better listen
And take my advice
We want to be free
And on our own
And if you don’t let us
Then we’ll youth riot
I Hate Myself
I don’t like the way I feel
Tell me is this real
I don’t like the way I think
My mind is like the kitchen sink
I Hate Myself
I live a life of self abuse
I think it’s time to tie the noose
It’s too late now to reconstruct
I know I’m gonna self destruct
When I die I’ll go to hell
You know I’ll like it very well
Lots of junkies just like me
Screaming for eternity
Bad Times
I don’t go to church on Sunday
Don’t get on my knees to pray
According to their knowledge
I live a life of sin
If there really is a god
Up there looking down on us
You’d think he’d put an end
To our bad times
Organized religion
Only want your money in the end
Did you ever wonder what the fuck
Is god gonna do with all those bucks
I’m not for religion
Don’t want to be born again
Make the best of what I got
Whether there’s a god or not
Some people believe that god above
Will save them from what they’ll become
What they don’t realize
It’s up to them to decide
Cause god’s not gonna save you from your bad times