F-Word

A couple days ago, we were transported to 1977... the debut of Blondie at the Whisky a Go Go in the first of a several date stand that saw them headline (with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers opening) and then support The Ramones.

A year later on these same dates, Orange County's F Word was playing several dates at the Whisky, making their mark.

Pictured above are two seminal punk rock front men, both sadly no longer with us. Rik L Rik of F Word is joined on stage by Darby Crash. One of the more interesting bits of trivia about F Word and what they did for the local scene was their support of bands like The Germs and that they covered Germs songs in their own set! For my money, however... F Word originals like Do the Nihil and Hillside Strangler captured the feel and issues of the times in which we lived, and did it perfectly.

A little history: February 9 - 11, 1978 F Word and The Quick were at the Whisky and from February 16-19, 1978, F Word were on a bill with the Screamers and The Deadbeats. There was a lot of punk rock by this time... with some weeks at the Whisky being nothing but punk.

In between two stands by F Word at the Whisky, San Francisco's Avengers played a Valentine's Day and day after show.



Fresh from their outstanding gig opening for the Sex Pistols at Winterland where they showed they were capable of holding their own, keeping their cool and performing well despite a hostile audience, The Avengers were poised for great things.

After a year or more of dedicated forming, gigging and standing in the shadows of other scenes that always got the spotlight, West Coast Punk Rock had arrived.