Mau Maus and Punk Rock Riots at the Hong Kong Cafe
Fear’s Lee Ving and the Mau Mau’s Rick Wilder and the Hong Kong Cafe 12/31/80. Photo by Edward Colver.
On New Year’s Eve of 1980, the Mau Maus played main support to Fear at the last night of the first wave of shows at the Hong Kong Café. Also on the bill were the Circle Jerks and Angry Samoans, and one of the ensuing punk rock riots was a fitting end to a legendary run of shows at the club. Now, PBS has done an episode of Artbound featuring the Hong Kong Café and its running battle with the competing Madam Wong’s Restaurant. The following is part of the episode’s preview.
The Weirdo’s Dix Denny and Rick Wilder fight outside the Hong Kong Cafe
The shows and audiences could get chaotic, but it was all worth it to draw bigger crowds into Central Plaza. Bigger crowds meant more money spent at the bar and in the restaurant. And although it was mainly a business decision for owner Bill Hong, the Hong Kong Cafe ended up becoming hugely important to the punk scene. The blood-soaked shows were working — kids who had to be turned away at the door were scaling the roof and breaking in through the air conditioning ducts.
One person who was not a fan of the Hong Kong’s chaotic, punk-loving vibe was Esther Wong. In the beginning, Esther was actually quoted in the LA Times welcoming the competition in Chinatown, but that attitude changed very quickly. Tensions grew. On one side of the courtyard was Esther Wong and her skinny-tie-wearing new wave bands, and on the other was the Hong Kong and the punks. The LA press got wind of this tension in Chinatown and stoked the flames of the feud. The local media gave the whole clash a nickname that was probably intended to be snappy, but exposed the underlying racism lurking below the surface: the Wonton Wars.
The Mau Maus’ Nickey Beat, Rick Wilder, Scott “Chopper” Franklin, Michael Livingston at the Hong Kong Cafe, NYE 1980. Photo by Edward Colver.
Punk music in Chinatown burned bright, but it burned fast. Within a few years, the genre had evolved and by 1981 bands like the Bags, The Alley Cats, and the Dils who helped define the sound of first wave LA punk had drifted out of the scene. Punk wasn’t dying, but it *was* changing. The music was being overtaken by hardcore bands and audiences. It was faster, harder, more aggressive, and tended to bring in a very different crowd. Madame Wong’s managed to survive punk and the introduction of MTV in the early 80s, but the bottom line is that even if you were successful, there wasn’t a lot of money in running rock clubs. After a while, the hassle just wasn’t worth it anymore.
The Mau Maus of New York and California
We came across this article on owaahh.com comparing the Mau Maus of New York with the Hollywood Mau Maus. For those that don’t know the two histories, it should be an interesting read:
The image that comes to mind whenever you hear of the Mau Mau is that of Kenya’s dreadlocked freedom fighters. Not a gang of Puerto Rican thugs or even a Hollywood band, right?
In 1954, a brutal gang appeared in Fort Green, Brooklyn. The Puerto Rican gang called itself The Mau Maus, of course after the Kenyans. This was at the height of the State of Emergency and Britain was filled with headlines about a bloodthirsty savage group of ingrates who were roaming the forest and defying the perks of being subjugated by a foreign power.
Gang members: L-R Carl Cintron, Carlos Reyes, Melvin Torres & Israel Narvaez (most likely showing the middle finger)
The Mau Maus effectively died out in 1962 with the conversion of one of its main leaders, Nicky Cruz, and the arrests of others. Others moved to rival gangs, but the history of the Mau Maus as an exceptionally brutal gang remained set. Cruz had joined the gang at the age of 16; he rose through the ranks through violence and uncanny leadership, becoming Warlord of the gang only six months later. He later converted to Christianity and renounced the thug life [I had to say that, it was just opportune].
The Mau Maus was formed by breakaway members of the Apaches. They first sought permission from the established Chaplains, another gang, to set up a Puerto Rican gang in Brooklyn. The gang took the name the Mau Mau Chaplains, more commonly known as the Mau Maus. Their insignia was the crimson MM for the Mau Maus right on the breast of special sweaters made for members.
Although gangs had roamed New York before the Fifties, the Mau Maus represented a new wave of teenage gangsters who were less unbridled about brutality than their older counterparts. The gang has been termed as the most feared gang in New York between 1955 and 1958.
________
There is another group, a music band, called the Mau Maus. The band was started in 1977 by Rick Wilder after the breakup of the Berlin Brats. It featured Wilder in the lead, Rich Sherman on drums, Roderick Donahue on bass and Greg Salva on guitar. The punk rock band was based in Hollywood, California. They appeared in the movies Rock n Roll High School albeit briefly, and Cocaine and Blue Eyes.
The band only has one album Scorched Earth Policies…then and now but is said to be working on the second one.
Mau Maus of Hollywood, Godzilla’s 1982
The band members changed often, but they all had a notorious reputation as trouble makers starting riots and shooting heroin. The group was, however, virtually unknown outside the LA punk rock scene because of Wilders aversion to major record labels. It fizzled out in the 1980s, although its members still play to date.
Ratchet Blade Records Offers Shipping Savings on Mau Maus CD
The Mau Maus and Ratchet Blade Records are aware of the insane International shipping charges and and have worked with their on-demand supplier to bring a cost efficient Mau Maus CD to international fans. They are offering a jewel case edition of the Scorched Earth Policies: The & Now CD, complete with a full color 2 panel insert, back cover and disc. These are shipping straight from the manufacturer so they ship separately from any other items in your order, but if you want these albums with just $6 shipping (as opposed to $17+ shipping for the regular release) this is the way to go. The CD orders also include a full digital download of the album. Get the Scorched Earth Policies: The & Now International Shipping Super Saver today! (click HERE to order).
“Formed from the ashes of legendary Los Angeles glam rock band Berlin Brats, the Mau Maus have proven to be one of punk rock’s more tenacious groups, with lineups having existed in five different decades now—and yet despite forming in 1977—prior to this CD, the only legitimate recordings one could find were two tracks featured on the second Hell Comes to Your House compilation. In an effort to both clear the vaults and make up for lost time, this features six tracks recorded in 1983 and produced by Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger (who also lays down a barnburner solo on one track), plus eight tracks of more recent vintage that meld fairly seamlessly with the earlier tunes, making this the definitive showcase for this band’s take on punk rock: one part Dolls, one part Stones, mix in a whole lotta attitude ‘n’ hostility and set the whole fuckin’ thing ablaze. An all-around swell collection complete with extensive liner notes, pics, and some of the finest punk rockin’ you’re likely ever gonna come across.”
Mau Maus LP & CD eBay Bundle
Ratchet Blade Records has put up a killer deal on a Mau Maus Lp and Cd ebay bundle, to get both the Mau Maus lp and cd (w/ a 20 page full color booklet on the Mau Maus notorious history) and 3 free fliers from the collection of lead singer Rick Wilder for one low price. Take advantage now and get this vital piece of Los Angeles punk rock history. Click HERE to check it out.
Here is an excerpt from the CD booklet biography:
“The Mau Maus have a reputation as one of the baddest of Hollywood’s bad-boy bands- and it’s no hype. Leader Rick Wilder, a local underground legend sings (and looks) like a Mick Jagger-Johnny Rotten clone created by some mad punk scientist. And like the New York Dolls (another Mau Maus influence), the band has a reputation for showing up in dubious playing condition, arriving late on stage and sometimes falling apart during it’s sets.
So it came as no surprise that the quartet, headlining a four-band bill at the Cathay De Grande Tuesday, had to wait on stage about 15 minutes before Wilder appeared. But once the band unleashed its classic raunch ‘n’ roll, the only question about the Mau Maus was why it isn’t a bigger success.” Craig Lee, Los Angeles Times 1/20/1983
Why indeed. The Mau Maus were the most notorious of the original 1970’s Hollywood punk rock bands, and there was no shortage of praise for their hellacious sound & fury. But they were also the band that had a street hustler’s stubborn suspicion of every opportunity, not looking but kicking the gift horse in the mouth, thus resisting management, agents and even record labels. And they rode that fuck-‘em-all locomotive right off the tracks and into the woods.
Volatile as a den of thieves, with members being fired and rehired at the blink of a bloodshot eye, you never knew if they would show up, but goddamn it, you knew when they showed up.
Mau Maus’ Rick Wilder Featured on Pitchfork
Pitchfork did a great feature on the Mau Maus’ Rick Wilder, along with video director Grant Singer. Below is a portion of it, click HERE for the full interview.
When Grant Singer made “Dayzed Inn Daydreamz”, his third video for Ariel Pink’s album Pom Pom, the director relegated the singer to a cameo and gave the lead role to Rick Wilder. Shockingly thin, hair dyed marmalade orange, and a hoop through his right nostril, Wilder is an arresting figure. His character alternates between a dull job at a grocery store, drinking in a trailer park, and prancing on a bar’s stage in glittering silver pants.Though his sunken face is not familiar to most, Wilder once fronted the Berlin Brats, the group he founded in 1972 that Rodney Bingenheimer described as “the first real L.A. homegrown glam rock band” in the Los Angeles punk scene oral history We Got the Neutron Bomb. After the Brats broke up, Wilder lead the Mau Mau’s in various forms since the late 1970s, with sporadic recorded output. He is also interviewed in The Decline of Western Civilization III, the documentary made in 1998 but widely seen for first time with the boxset release of Penelope Spheeris’s series.
After Singer got the opportunity to do three videos leading up to the release of the Weeknd’s new album Beauty Behind the Madness, he again brought in Wilder and made him a through line in this trilogy. In “The Hills” Wilder looms in the mansion that Abel Tesfaye hobbles into, in “Can’t Feel My Face” he throws the lighter that ignites the singer, and in “Tell Your Friends” he catches a couple bullets. With his hair slicked back and in dark suits, some have taken his character to represent the devil or the music industry (same diff?), but in keeping with the Weeknd’s insistent opaqueness, Singer won’t really talk about the videos’ meaning or what it’s like working with the artist.Singer and Wilder have become friends over the past year and plan to continue collaborating in the future. At a restaurant in West Hollywood, the two talked about their relationship.
New Mau Maus Merch Store
There is a new Mau Maus merch store where you can preview and purchase the historical LA Punk Rock release Scorched Earth Policies: Then & Now, along with other Mau Maus merchandise. Click HERE to visit the store.
“The ones that impressed us in look had bad attitudes, like the Mau Maus. They were great. They were really hard… and that totally impressed me. And I thought, “That’s a great way to look.” So I always tried to look like one of those guys.” Spit Stix – FEAR
“Can we just tell the world what incredible groundbreakers the Mau Maus were?! I first saw them in the late 70’s and I’ve been a fan ever since. Back in the day when everyone was trying to be “cool,” the Mau Maus had everybody beat, hands down. No question, they were the absolute coolest. Rick Wilder is always the strongest force in the room. There’s something unique and beautiful about him… I’m hoping in another life we can hook up.” – Penelope Spheeris
“Everybody knows the Mau Maus. Whether it’s some story of a chaotic back-alley Hollywood show, or dark tales of crimes real or imagined, the Los Angeles punk scene wouldn’t have been the same without Rick Wilder and the nefarious group. Reveled AND reviled, and taking the raw energy of Iggy & the Stooges and infusing an unhealthy dose of James Brown jive, the original Mau Maus (Wilder, Greg Salva, Rod Donahue & Earl Washington) sprang upon the emerging Hollywood scene in 1978. After tearing through the Masque and one-time pimp-hang the King’s Palace (as well as tearing through some member changes), a new line up of Wilder, Michael Livingston, Scott Franklin and Paul Mars shanghaied the Hong Kong Café, pounded down the Whiskey and uprooted the Mabuhay Gardens. They then proceeded to record the incendiary Robby Krieger-produced Mad Dog sessions, the little-heard, after-hour Paramount tapes and two songs for Hell Comes To Your House Vol. 2. A scene-stealing performance in the OJ Simpson detective movie “Cocaine and Blue Eyes” accented this “Joyride to the End of the World”…
Rick Wilder on Mike Watt Radio Show
Rick Wilder appeared on the Watt From Pedro Radio Show, the podcast of Mike Watt from the Minutemen, as well as the Iggy and the Stooges. Click HERE to listen to the interview.
PROGRAM NOTES:
Mike Watt (solo artist, Minutemen, fIREHOSE, Iggy Pop and The Stooges) playing some tunes and doing some spiel. Assisted by brother matt and coming to you from the wild kingdom at the pleasure point, in San Pedro California! TWFPS www.twfps.com
hour one: “abide with me” john coltrane w/thelonious monk “re-pulsion” kyoka (w/mike watt on bass) “all fall down” (live on target video) Rick Wilder mau maus “the street is my home” berlin brats “ticking beat” sandra vu “who tattled told?” sock-tight “houdini” cuz “good complexion” tobacco “sacando pecho y brazo” victor jara “inside looking out” omega is the alpha “tropically hot” berlin brats hour two: “(I’m) psychotic” berlin brats “talkin’ about my neighbors” san pedro slim “mujer metralleta” familea miranda “utsu” hobocombo “sun” in zaire “as they swim” tom gallo “objectivication” (live) peer group “peel the sticker off the apple” jee jee band “war baby” mau maus “clear the runway” wharton tiers ensemble “hang on” the gears “cannibalism is the future” toepunt “buddha’s hair” devin flynn hour three: “roadhouse blues” (live) mau maus w/robbie krieger “impaired nominee” scarcity of tanks “father’s day” (live) bob schriner “people” rewild “the manual” 208 talks of angels “blooms & blossoms” freescha “mechanical mammoth” mystical weapons
Mau Maus Are Appearing with the Avengers
The Mau Maus are appearing November 1st at Los Globos with San Francisco’s Avengers.
The Avengers are an American punk rock band formed in 1977 in San Francisco, California, United States. The band recorded an EP, We Are the One (1977), and after opening for the Sex Pistols worked with Steve Jones, but had not released an album before breaking up in 1979. After the breakup an EP with the Steve Jones-produced songs was released (The Avengers), and later an album, Avengers, in 1983. Their lead singer, Penelope Houston, is also a folk singer who has a solo career. Since 1999 a number of other albums were released with studio and live tracks, and the band has come together for various occasions.
Mau Maus & Dickies at the Whiskey on September 1st
The Mau Maus are appearing with the Dickies at the legendary Whiskey-au-go-go on Sunday Sept. 1st in celebration of Dickies singer Leonard’s Birthday Bash.
Mau Maus & Dickies
The Dickies are an American punk rock band formed in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, in 1977. One of the longest tenured punk rock bands, they have been in continuous existence for over 40 years. They have consistently balanced catchy melodies, harmony vocals, and pop song structures, with a speedy punk guitar attack. This musical approach is paired with a humorous style and has been labelled “pop-punk” or “bubble-gum punk”. The band have sometimes been referred to as “the clown princes of punk”.
Some artists eschew the term “pop punk”, perhaps viewing it as implying less authenticity than the label “punk rock” (for example, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong: “I’ve always hated the phrase. I think it’s a contradiction in terms. Either you’re punk, or you’re not”). Leonard Phillips, however, has said he “has no problem” with the label being applied to the Dickies, rhetorically asking “can I help it if we are musical?” Stan Lee once said of the early period of the Dickies: “We were a pop band masquerading as a punk band.”
Paul Mars has a new website check it out at www.paulmarsblack.com
Mau Maus Interview and Edward Colver Photos
Here’s a historic Mau Maus radio interview with the 1982 line up (Rick Wilder, Scott “Chopper” Franklin, Mike Livingston and Paul Mars Black) along with some unreleased Mau Maus Edward Colver photos . The interview was conducted by Austin DJ Stig Stench for Stench Radio:
Edward Colver is an American photographer, best known for his early punk photographs. Colver not only created a visual document of the birth of the hardcore punk in suburban Southern California from late 1978 to mid-1984, but also he greatly helped in defining the photography style and graphic identity of the American hardcore punk movement.
Mau Maus 1983 (all photos by Edward Colver)
His early work is an authentic self-portrait of the Southern California hardcore punk scene in its golden years. His work was featured extensively in the book American Hardcore: A Tribal History (2001), written by Steven Blush, and in its documentary film version, American Hardcore (2006), directed by Paul Rachman.
Scott “Chopper” Franklin
Essentially a self-taught photographer, Colver had a brief formal training during night classes at University of California, Los Angeles, where he studied beginning photography with Eileen Cowin. Largely influenced by Dada and Surrealism, Colver was most impressed in his early years by the art of Southern Californian native Edward Kienholz. In the late 1960s, Edward’s perspective on life and art was changed by his exposure to composers such as Edgar Varèse, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Krzysztof Penderecki and John Cage.
Three months after he began taking photographs, Colver had his first photograph published: an image of performance artist Johanna Went, featured in BAM magazine. Since then he has shot photographs for dozens of record labels including EMI, Capitol and Geffen. His pictures have been featured on more than 500 album covers and include some of the most recognizable and iconic covers of the punk era.
Mau Maus at the Punk Rock Picnic April 13th
The Mau Maus will be appearing at the Punk Rock Picnic on Saturday April 13th and will be featuring a new line up consisting of Rick Wilder, Michael Livingston, Danny Kuperson and Alex Gomez. Check the Live Dates for more info.
“Scorched Earth Policies” Reviewed on Rock Over America
Artist: The Mau Maus
Album: Scorched Earth Policies: Then & Now
Label: Rachet Blade Records
Reviewer: Cassandra Young
Date: Oct 21, 2012
Established in 1977, resulting from the breakup of their former band the Berlin Brats, the Mau Maus have a notorious reputation as trouble makers. With the release of their first legitimate recorded album ‘Scorched Earth Policies: Then and Now’, the band has given their fans something tangible, as they have been craving for almost forty years.
With the legendary Rick Wilder filling the position of front man; Robbie Krieger, Michael Livingston, and Greg Salva on guitar; Scott “Chopper” Franklin on bass; and Paul “Black” Mars on drums, the band has become an icon in the Punk scene. Though Wilder is the only original member still standing, all have a chemistry that is undeniably powerful. Their drive and ability to create a lasting sound has made them a permanent staple in the music industry.
With a history like The Mau Maus, there is no escaping their reputation. Band members changing like the days of the week, cops appearing at their doorstep about five times a night, and starting uncountable riots, the band hasn’t just made their mark on music, they’ve made it on society. Incorporating both songs from their past as well as recently written and recorded songs from today, they have pieced together a compelling album that will be played for many decades to come.
Kicking of their album with “(I’m) Psychotic”, they already paint a picture of just who they really are. The dominant bass line, sweet guitar solos, extremely fun chorus, and just about as much china as you can handle introduces The Mau Maus in the best way possible. “Warbaby” is the perfect song for one who’s looking for the angst expected from angry rockers. With impressive guitar riffs and a single amazing guitar solo the song has become a fan favorite. “Joyride (to the End of the World)”, written by Wilder, is one of the slower (however, not slow at all), and more powerful songs. “Doomsdaze”, one of the most enjoyable songs on the album, opens with the group yelling, “Yeah, yeah, yeah” which continues throughout the song, giving off the loud, rambunctious vibe loved by all Punk listeners.
Though they’re what would be considered veterans of the scene, The Mau Maus plan on releasing another album in the future. With talent like theirs, there is no reason not to. The Mau Maus have been an influential band throughout the entire Punk industry since 1977 and are continuing to influence bands in today’s music scene.
Mau Maus Added To Punk Rock Picnic Line Up
The Mau Maus have been added to the 2013 line up for the Punk Rock Picnic. It takes place April 13th & 14th at the Queen Mary in Long Beach California. To buy tickets and for more info go to http://www.punkrockpicnicmusicfestival.com/
Mau Maus Live Review in Sugarbuzz Magazine
Victoria Joyce has written a great review of the Mau Maus live in the newest Sugarbuzz, it also features photos by Mila Reynaud. Click HERE to read it online.
The Mau Maus
The Redwood Bar and Grill
Downtown Los Angeles
Brixton
South Bay Redondo Beach
By Victoria Joyce
Photography by Mila Reynaud
We took a break from the Sunset Strip Music Festival to head downtown. A very special show by LA Punk Legends, The Mau Maus, were playing a set at the forever funky Redwood Bar with the original 1981 line up. (They was just babies.) Self described as psycho-sexual Punk Death Rock, this show could not be missed.
Check out The Punk Museum being curated by Miss Tacquila Mockingbird for some mind-blowing handbills from some of their seminal shows where the Mau Maus shared stages with Black Flag, The Germs, X, etc.
With some changes to the original, original 70s band, a newer line up of Rick Wilder, Michael Livingston, Scott Franklin and Paul Mars Black formed in 1981 and that is who would be on stage tonight. The last time The Mau Maus went into the studio, they recorded with Robby Krieger (The Doors) on the Mad Dog Studio sessions included two songs for “Hell Comes To Your House Vol. 2.” A scene-stealing performance in the OJ Simpson detective movie “Cocaine and Blue Eyes” accented this “Joyride to the End of the World.”
We were very disappointed Mr. Krieger did not show up at the Redwood. But he was busy at Viper Room, playing a solo show as part of the SSMF. Break on through.
The Redwood is a teensy weensy serious dive bar, five times as long as it is wide, a virtual hall way with a tiny stage in the back. They have been back in business for a few years now reviving the downtown LA Rock to white hot and weird on most weekends. The Redwood features the obscure, the strange and like tonight legendary bands with a capital “L.”
The Tinglers out of Las Vegas opened the evening. Twangy Punk Pop with very strange songs that were just brilliant. Very Garage.
Followed by the Muertones, a trio out of Lincoln Heights with hardcore Dark Surf very Misirlou-Pulp Fiction type stuff. They did a cover of “LA Woman” that was to die for.
Chit-chatting with the Mau Maus pre-set got us some props for the interview Mr. Lucky did with the enigmatic Rick Wilder who may also be doing a book. Paul Mars Black gave us some of the skinny on the earlier Robby Krieger sessions. When the guitar player didn’t show – Robby jumped in and brought out a little bitty Dubose amp to the session. When the bewildered band questioned the size of the box, Krieger informed them this is what was used on all The Doors very own sessions. It’s not the size of the wave, it’s the motion in the ocean.
Taking the stage around 11, The Mau Maus were frightening. The undiluted energy of the original Punk movement was in full flower jogging the memory of a genuine underground scene back in the day-e-ay. You could get hurt if you got too close. And we are not talking about some fake mosh pit full of overweight suburban white boys. More like slam-dancing with scissors and knives kind of thing. It was wonderful to be that scared of a band.
The PA was terrible to the point of being absent if you were squeezed off to the side. (We were.) The enigmatic Rick Wilder’s vocals with his pale white skin and shock of candy apple red hair were more lost than usual. But the musicianship was stellar. The gorgeous Paul Mars Black (also of LA Guns) on drums was sharper than a disposable razor. The classically trained Michael Livingston on guitar was a revelation and one time Cramp, Scott Franklin on bass was a stunner.
We were doubly delighted to learn that another gig was added the following Sunday night, way the hell down in Orange County at the Brixton in Redondo Beach. This time the club was ten times as big and the sound system was 100 times better. The performance was a lot tighter. The contained chaos was crystal clear.
AND HEY KIDS: For a limited time there will be a special deal on the Mau Maus brand new CD, “Scorched Earth Policies” with an eBay bundle including a signed copy of the Mau Maus debut LP (autographed by the 1981 line up), a “Scorched Earth” CD (w/ a 20 page full color booklet with super duper photos by Mila Renaud), a Mau Maus Black Matte Sticker and 3 Mau Maus Posters, all for just $19.78!
Razorcake Review of Mau Maus “Scorched Earth Policies”
Razorcake Review of THE MAU MAUS
Scorched Earth Policies: Then & Now
Formed from the ashes of legendary Los Angeles glam rock band Berlin Brats, the Mau Maus have proven to be one of punk rock’s more tenacious groups, with lineups having existed in five different decades now—and yet despite forming in 1977—prior to this CD, the only legitimate recordings one could find were two tracks featured on the second Hell Comes to Your House compilation. In an effort to both clear the vaults and make up for lost time, this features six tracks recorded in 1983 and produced by Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger (who also lays down a barnburner solo on one track), plus eight tracks of more recent vintage that meld fairly seamlessly with the earlier tunes, making this the definitive showcase for this band’s take on punk rock: one part Dolls, one part Stones, mix in a whole lotta attitude ‘n’ hostility and set the whole fuckin’ thing ablaze. An all-around swell collection complete with extensive liner notes, pics, and some of the finest punk rockin’ you’re likely ever gonna come across.
Jimmy Alvarado
Razorcake Magazine
Mau Maus NYE 1981
As Flipside was going under, Taylor decided that he did not want to cease to write about music. His initial idea was to create a webzine instead of a print zine because of financial restraints.
The name for both editions was chosen while searching for a domain name. Many of the 300 possibilities, such as “Born to Rock” and “Barbed Wire Asshole,” were either taken, too expensive, or thought to be a name that “would trap [them].” “Razorcake” was suggested by Katy (a.k.a. KT), a friend of Taylor and Carswell. The name was chosen since it meant nothing and was economical, and Skinny Dan (a.k.a. Danny) set up the website at www.razorcake.com.
March 2001 saw the first issue of the print edition of Razorcake. The inaugural issue was the only one to bear a newsprint cover. Every issue since the first has had a glossy cover. As opposed to the cover, the focus of the content within Razorcake has never changed. Also, the fanzine’s circulation has more than doubled (to 6,000) since the first issue. August 2021 saw the 123rd issue of Razorcake, making it the longest continually printed DIY punk zine in the United States still in operation.
Mau Maus Live So. Cal. Dates – Don’t Miss It!
Don’t miss the Mau Maus live one week from tonight at the Redwood Bar in Downtown Los Angeles and at the Brixton in Redondo Beach. The new album will be for sale and you can have the 1981 version of the Mau Maus sign your copy!
New Mau Maus Video Debuts Tonight!
Rick Wilder
Here’s the new Mau Maus video for “Warbaby” by Glen Bennett featuring newly declassified secret atomic bomb films, blitzing action and Rick Wilder! From YouTube: Hollywood’s most infamous punk rock n roll band the Mau Maus ripping through “Warbaby”, the first video from “Scorched Earth Policies: Then & Now” out now on Ratchet Blade Records. The video was directed by Glen Bennett and features newly declassified secret atomic bomb films, as well as the 1981 line up of the Mau Maus playing their most notorious song. “Scorched Earth Policies” features 6 songs produced by Doors’ guitarist Robby Krieger in 1983 and 8 songs recorded by the band and producer Geza X in 2011, and you might not be able to tell difference in the sonic frenzy of the two sessions. Check out the album here: https://maumaus.bandcamp.com/album/sc… Taking the raw energy of Iggy and the Stooges and infusing an unhealthy dose of James Brown jive, the Mau Maus were forged at the original punk rock haven the Masque and sprang upon the emerging Hollywood scene in 1978. Listen to samples, see photos and read more about the Mau Maus at https://maumaus.monster Rick Wilder – vocals Michael Livingston – guitar Scott “Chopper” Franklin – bass & guitar Paul “Black” Mars – drums
Glen Bennett works as VFX artist and supervisor at Sea Level VFX. Prior to joining Sea Level, he spent over five years as a senior compositor at Asylum Visual Effects, working primarily on A-List commercials for brands such as Chevy, BMW, Adidas, Skittles, Sprint, Visa, Lexus, Geico, Nike and Toyota, as well as feature films, including National Treasure, Phantom of the Opera, Pirates of the Caribbean, King Kong, Domino and Apocalypto. From 1992 to 1995, Bennett worked at Rushes in his native UK, during which he won an International Monitor Award for Best Visual Effects for the Enigma Guinness commercial helmed by Michael Haussman.
Santa Barbara Live Review
Legendary L.A. punk rock band gives first-ever performance in Santa Barbara
By Jeff Moehlis, Noozhawk Contributing Writer | Published on 07.26.2012 1:25 p.m
When I asked Rick Wilder what we could look forward to at the concert on Sunday night at Whiskey Richards by The Mau Maus, the L.A. punk rock band for which he is the frontman, he declared, “Punk rock insurrection meets nuclear horror show circus.”
And you know what? He was right!
The Mau Maus were a force of shock and awe back in the late 1970s, with wild performances at the Hollywood punk rock club The Masque and elsewhere around Los Angeles, and sometimes beyond. With various lineup changes but always Wilder at the helm, they somehow survived (as individuals and as a band) into the 1980s, ultimately recording a collection of songs in 1983 with ex-Doors guitarist Robby Krieger in the producer’s chair.
However, these tracks went unreleased until a little more than a month ago when the album Scorched Earth Policies: Then and Now came out, an instant classic that also includes new recordings by Wilder and the blazing band/“chaos machine” currently on tour: Michael Livingston on guitar, Scott “Chopper” Franklin on bass guitar, and Paul “Black” Mars on drums. (All except Livingston also played on the 1983 recordings.)
The Mau Maus’ music is old-school punk rock at its finest, with loud guitar, fast rhythms, snarling singing and song titles that would make your mother blush. And, as on the new album, they delivered the sound and fury of old-school punk rock in concert, to the delight of the small but enthusiastic and oft-moshing crowd at Whiskey Richards.
If there is justice in the musical universe, the recent album release and live performances will raise The Mau Maus’ 21st-century profile, bringing them into the punk rock pantheon where they belong, alongside the Sex Pistols, The Ramones, the Dead Kennedys, X, the Buzzcocks, etc.
Thanks to Electric Sex Enterprises for bringing these guys and openers Crying 4 Kafka to Whiskey Richards, and thanks to The Mau Maus for keeping the punk rock flame burning.
Setlist
Doomsdaze
Dead or Alive
Sex & The Single Sniper
Laughtrack
Never Talk to Strangers
Greenlight
Family Jewels
Joyride (To the End of the World)
Sex Girls in Uniform
Rectum of Nefertiti
All Fall Down
Warbaby
Faker
(I’m) Psychotic
— Noozhawk contributing writer Jeff Moehlis is a professor of mechanical engineering at UCSB. Upcoming show recommendations, advice from musicians, interviews and more are available on his Web site, music-illuminati.com.
New Record Review at Strange Reaction
The Mau-Maus
Scorched Earth Policies: Then & Now
Produced: Robbie Krieger, the Mau Maus & Geza X
Ratchet Blade Records
Rick Wilder – Vocals
Michael Livingston – Guitar
Scott ‘Chopper’ Franklin – Bass
Paul ‘Black’ Mars – Drums
1. (I’m) Psychotic
2. Dead or Alive
3. Laughtrack
4. Rectum of Nefertiti
5. Sex & the Single Sniper
6. Puberty
7. Warbaby
8. Faker
9. All Fall Down
10. Never Talk to Strangers
11. Joyride to the End of the World
12. Family Jewels
13. Doomsdaze
14. Greenlight
This album is the first (and only legit) release by the most notorious punk band of the late 1970′s, early 1980’s, it contains six songs from a 1983 session produced by Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger (remixed in 2010), as well as eight songs from their 2011 session produced by the Mau Maus and Geza X.
The CD includes a twenty-page full-color booklet that gives you the complete history of the Mau Maus!
Prior to this release the only recorded evidence that The Mau-Maus existed were the two songs on Hell Comes To Your House 2, Sex Girls in Uniforms, and We All Fall Down. Now, after all these years you can hear why they were one of the most legendary bands in all of Los Angeles.
If I had to sum up the overall Mau-Maus sound on this album, it’d be this: they seem to be the perfect hybrid of The Seeds and The Sex Pistols. The great sound of 1960’s garage guitars, and Mr. Wilder’s kick-ass snarling vocals.
(I’m) Psychotic and Puberty are my favorite cuts from the album.
If you get the chance to get a copy of this, go get it.
Rating: *** Three out of three stars.
Read this review HERE
Mau Maus Interview w/ Ed Colver Slideshow
We’re posting the Mau Maus interview conducted by Stig Stench on June 29th 2012 in two parts, both are to accompanied by a Edward Colver slideshow of never seen before photos of the Mau Maus. The photos were taken between the years of 1980 and 1983 and are direct scans from Ed’s negatives. Here’s Part I, check back for Part II. Thanks to Stig Stench and Edward Colver.
Edward Colver is an American photographer, best known for his early punk photographs. Colver not only created a visual document of the birth of the hardcore punk in suburban Southern California from late 1978 to mid-1984, but also he greatly helped in defining the photography style and graphic identity of the American hardcore punk movement.
Mau Maus 1983 (all photos by Edward Colver)
His early work is an authentic self-portrait of the Southern California hardcore punk scene in its golden years. His work was featured extensively in the book American Hardcore: A Tribal History (2001), written by Steven Blush, and in its documentary film version, American Hardcore (2006), directed by Paul Rachman.
Rick Wilder
Essentially a self-taught photographer, Colver had a brief formal training during night classes at University of California, Los Angeles, where he studied beginning photography with Eileen Cowin. Largely influenced by Dada and Surrealism, Colver was most impressed in his early years by the art of Southern Californian native Edward Kienholz. In the late 1960s, Edward’s perspective on life and art was changed by his exposure to composers such as Edgar Varèse, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Krzysztof Penderecki and John Cage.
Three months after he began taking photographs, Colver had his first photograph published: an image of performance artist Johanna Went, featured in BAM magazine. Since then he has shot photographs for dozens of record labels including EMI, Capitol and Geffen. His pictures have been featured on more than 500 album covers and include some of the most recognizable and iconic covers of the punk era.
Jersey Beat Magazine Review
The Mau Maus – Scorched Earth Policies: Then & Now (ratchetbladerecords.com)
ATTENTION! ATTENTION! ATTENTION!! The missing link has been found Between The Dough Boys and The Dictators, and they’re here to rock yer socks off!! Listen to the first cut, first nasty lick, first fierce, nasal vocal from the new album (produced by the Doors’ Robbie Kreiger, Geza X, and the band) by the legendary 70’s punk/glam/rock ‘n’ roll band The Mau Mau’s, and you will be in Punk Rock Heaven (is there really a Rock ‘N’ Roll Heaven?). The guitars sound like shrapnel shards exploding from a landmine and the rhythm section is down and dirty like two whirling dervishes on a mission. Then there are the vocals: Warped, nauseating, gruff, and other-worldly. All total, just the right mixture for a goddamn, attitude-driven, snot nosed punk rock band!
I’m on my first of what willzbe several listens of The Mau Mau’s (they get a gazillion points for one of the best band names ever) first album in quite a few years, and I’m just… vibing!! My typing skills are minimal (two finger typing), but listening to this amazingly cool album I’m, “typing to the beat!” Something like a bazillion words per minute, right along with the manic beat that The Mau Mau’s have burned onto this party platter. Heavy stuff!
By the third go-round, I’m getting into the lyrics (the beat is STILL relentless), and they singing about being psychotic (“I’m Psychotic,”) the end of the world (“Joyride,”) rectums (“Rectum of Nefertiti,”) and – what else – ROCK ‘N’ FUCKIN’ ROLL (“Never Talk to Strangers,” “Doomdaze!”)
You might think that a band with so much road under their heels would rest on their laurels, or make an album with a couple of decent songs and the rest just mush. Well, Scorched Earth Policies: Then & Now is ALL KILLER-NO FILLER!! You will not want to stop this disc from playing ‘til you squeezed all of the friggin’ musical mojo outta this mother!
Where the Dictators shouldered heavy metal as a means to commercialize their punky pop, and NJ’s Dough Boys gave us some of the heaviest punk riffage this side of the Ramones, The Mau Mau’s inject wit, economy, intelligence, and classic pop structure into raw, powered punk rock. Not that the other bands I mentioned didn’t possess the same elements, it’s just that The Mau Mau’s mojo is definitely their own. Period.
Bottom line, this album is a fun-filled blast of riffs and roars that rock like crazy! It’s a credible continuation of what’s come before, and a hard look into the future. It doesn’t get any more neanderthalic and fun than this .
Sparkplug Magazine Album Review / Geza X
The Mau Maus-“Scorched Earth Policies: Then And Now” Well this explains what Geza X meant when he said he was busy with something awhile back. Hard review to write. I should be able to just say, “What did you god damned expect?” and leave it at that. But I’d probably get in trouble.
First off, if you’ve never heard of the Mau Maus/Berlin Brats, turn in your LA Punker card to this magazine for shredding, you don’t deserve it.
The Mau Maus were the king gods of snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory. Always finding a way to mess it up. Impossible to get in to the studio, pissing people off, in short Punk as Fuck. They managed to get booted from Decline And Fall Of Western Civilization for the love of god. One of the anti-hero’s, one of the upper echelon of woulda, coulda, shoulda. Until now.
The classic 81 lineup somehow was corralled in to the studio, to actually attempt the completion of an actual album, with Geza X controlling the knobs, and probably locking the door to keep em the hell in there until they were done.
And what an album it is.
A combination of tracks from the ’83 sessions with Robbie Krieger (you might have heard about him from a Val Kilmer flick) and stuff recorded now. This is, well, “What did you god damned expect?” If you have any affinity and love for Masque era punk, this is the album that’s been floating through your best nightmares for years now.
Mau Maus 1982
There are no hiccups and lacks in intensity between the ’83 tracks and the new tracks, if somebody didn’t tell you which were which, you’d have no clue they weren’t recorded all at once.
This is late 70’s LA punk. I’m not going to compare it to anyone. What’s the point? You don’t compare the influence to the influenced. If you don’t know what this sounds like, your loss buddy-o. Because you’re only getting what you should expect.
-The Right Wrong Reverend Paul Putrid
SPARK PLUG Magazine
Read it HERE
Permanent Records In-Store Review
The Mau-Maus
Permanent Records, Eagle Rock, CA
by Michael Essington
A couple of years back I wrote a review for a show I went to at the Redwood in Los Angeles. The show was Mau-Maus, Billy Bones and Symbol Six. Fun show, but I wasn’t overly enthused with the Mau-Maus performance. Now I didn’t fully slag them off, but I could have been a little nicer in my review.
Anyway, a year and a half, or so, later Mr. Rick Wilder shoots me an email saying that I was probably 99% accurate in my review. This surprised the shit out of me. Usually when a review doesn’t go a band’s way I get cursed at and told I know nothing about music. Not in this case. Mr. Wilder was a true gentleman and has become a bit of a friend. So, I told him to be fair, I’d come and check them out again next time they play.
On June 3, 2012, Permanent Records in Eagle Rock, CA created an event page on Facebook for an in-store show with the Mau-Maus promoting their new album, SCORCHED EARTH POLICIES: then and now.
Two or three weeks back I went to lunch with master photographer Edward Colver, and after lunch we stopped into Permanent Records. So, I knew exactly where it was. Great streamlined shop. Unlike most used records shops it’s not over-run with clutter.
Show is scheduled for 6:00, and I tried to take a shortcut which made me about twenty minutes late. I hate being late. Ran into the shop at about 6:25, 6:27. The shop was pretty empty. I figured Mau-Maus went on at 6:00, blew through their set and I missed the whole fucking thing. I went up to the counter, and asked the lady sitting there if “I missed the set?” She said, “No,” they were waiting for the opening band to set up. Whew.
I stood around and waited, no opening band. I bumped into a couple of friends who I saw the Mau-Maus with two years ago, Mary and Frank. Then a friend of my late uncle Rick’s comes up and introduces himself, Danny from Warning Label Records out of Boston. Small frickin’ world.
As I’m talking to Danny I hear the crowd start to buzz, “He’s here, he’s here.” The party has started. Rick Wilder, Michael Livingston, Scott Franklin and Paul Black did a few final tune-ups and they launched into a kick-ass set. My main complaint last time I saw them was I couldn’t hear Mr. Wilder’s vocals, not the case this time. The mike was held close to the grill throughout his performance.
Only problems they had was the mikes cut out once, then, I think, the amps cut for a minute. Both resolved quickly and then back to a powerful set.
Rick Wilder is a cool front man, people are drawn to him. You want to see what he’s going to do. And I have to mention Michael Livingston, he is such a great guitarist that it’s almost unbelievable.
Afterwards, Rick gave me a copy of their new album to review, and I hung out with him for a bit. The album review will be here soon, buy a copy. All in all, a great show.
