Book Descendents

The Descendents are a pioneering American punk rock band from Manhattan Beach, California, whose fast, melodic and heartfelt songs helped shape pop-punk for generations of bands that followed. Frank Navetta on guitar, Bill Stevenson on drums and Tony Lombardo on bass started the group in 1977 as a power pop and surf punk outfit, and their first single, "Ride the Wild" backed with "It's a Hectic World", came out on their own Orca Records label. In 1979 Stevenson's school friend Milo Aukerman stepped in as singer, and the band became a leading force in the Los Angeles hardcore scene with releases such as the Fat EP and Milo Goes to College. Since 1986 the band has held a steady lineup of Aukerman and Stevenson with Karl Alvarez on bass and Stephen Egerton on guitar. The band signed with Epitaph Records in 1998, and their catalog spans eight studio albums, three live albums, three compilations and four EPs. A Descendents show is short, sharp and joyful, with crowds shouting back every word of their fast, melodic anthems.