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