The Faction was a hardcore punk rock band from Halloween 1982 until Halloween 1985. Coming from the heart of the once skateboarding capital of the world, (Thats San Jose, if you though I was talking San Francisco or Santa Cruz you're just wrong!) the band was one of the original "Skate Rock" bands whose music and lifestyle tastes centered on skateboarding and punk rock.
One of skateboarding's brightest stars for 20 plus years (he's been arguably the best all-around skateboarder in the world) played bass, and then guitar, in the Faction. Steve Caballero probably attracted a lot of young skateboarder's interest to the band, but the music kept us coming back for more, and he wasn't the only skater in the band. Singer Gavin O'Brien was a heavy local at the Winchester Skatepark and was more than able to hold his own in any session: vert, street, banks, whatever. Adam "Bomb" Segal's trademark high top Vans in all the bright, cool colors of the day had ollie holes on both shoes-the dude was doing switch tricks before anyone. He was a damn fine guitar player, too. Keith Rendon (drummer #1), Ray Stevens, II (bass) and Craig Bosch (drummer #2) were all accomplished skaters; Craig even has a trick named after him: the Bosch (a invert to blunt on a curb, ledge, etc).
But as much as the Faction were into skateboarding, they were just as much about playing loud and fast and heavy punk rock with an emphasis on guitars. The first lineup was Adam playing guitar, Steve playing bass, Keith on drums, and Gavin singing. I think Corey O'Brien had a pretty steady gig as the roadie, too. As a four piece, they recorded two 7" EPs, one LP, and songs for several comps, including the infamous Thrasher "Skate Rock" tape (vol.1) and LP (vol. 2). In 1984, Keith left the band, Craig came aboard, Stevie switched from bass to guitar, and Ray Stevens (who had played in such great bands as the Drunk Injuns and Los Olvidados, and more recently, the Clay Wheels) lent his bass skills. As a five piece, they recorded two more 12" EPs: "Dark Room" and the posthumous "Epitaph," with six songs each. Thirty-four songs in all, recorded over two and a half years, which progress from fairly simple fast thrash/punk to heavy and layered quality punk songs that are fast and loud and beautiful!
As Adam got more into heavy metal (Went on to form The Living End, which became The End), his influence on the guitar leads became more prevalent, but was just one of the factors that led to the band's breakup. It was a sad day in early November 1985, when they'd finaly broken up.
One of skateboarding's brightest stars for 20 plus years (he's been arguably the best all-around skateboarder in the world) played bass, and then guitar, in the Faction. Steve Caballero probably attracted a lot of young skateboarder's interest to the band, but the music kept us coming back for more, and he wasn't the only skater in the band. Singer Gavin O'Brien was a heavy local at the Winchester Skatepark and was more than able to hold his own in any session: vert, street, banks, whatever. Adam "Bomb" Segal's trademark high top Vans in all the bright, cool colors of the day had ollie holes on both shoes-the dude was doing switch tricks before anyone. He was a damn fine guitar player, too. Keith Rendon (drummer #1), Ray Stevens, II (bass) and Craig Bosch (drummer #2) were all accomplished skaters; Craig even has a trick named after him: the Bosch (a invert to blunt on a curb, ledge, etc).
But as much as the Faction were into skateboarding, they were just as much about playing loud and fast and heavy punk rock with an emphasis on guitars. The first lineup was Adam playing guitar, Steve playing bass, Keith on drums, and Gavin singing. I think Corey O'Brien had a pretty steady gig as the roadie, too. As a four piece, they recorded two 7" EPs, one LP, and songs for several comps, including the infamous Thrasher "Skate Rock" tape (vol.1) and LP (vol. 2). In 1984, Keith left the band, Craig came aboard, Stevie switched from bass to guitar, and Ray Stevens (who had played in such great bands as the Drunk Injuns and Los Olvidados, and more recently, the Clay Wheels) lent his bass skills. As a five piece, they recorded two more 12" EPs: "Dark Room" and the posthumous "Epitaph," with six songs each. Thirty-four songs in all, recorded over two and a half years, which progress from fairly simple fast thrash/punk to heavy and layered quality punk songs that are fast and loud and beautiful!
As Adam got more into heavy metal (Went on to form The Living End, which became The End), his influence on the guitar leads became more prevalent, but was just one of the factors that led to the band's breakup. It was a sad day in early November 1985, when they'd finaly broken up.
Faction shows were fun and chaotic, and all of us westside San Jose skaters were always up for them: they were an event not to be missed. We never missed one whenever they played in San Jose or SF. I won't go into how it was different then; if you weren't there, you wouldn't understand.
"Collection..." comes with a list of every Faction gig they ever played, including the three shows represented by four songs on the CD. "Spineless Majority" was one of my favorite songs, and they never recorded it in a studio, so we used it live from a Halloween 1984 show live in the studio at KFJC, the South Bay's dominant force in punk rock radio for at least 15 years, way before "it was safe," as Gavin put it in the liner notes. Ironically, that song is about being a free-thinker in a world of jocks, idiots, rednecks: the Spineless Majority. If you're into the history of hardcore/punk rock, it's all there: shows with Social Distortion, Void, Big Boys, JFA, Executioner, Corrosion of Conformity, the Melvins, Scream, Agent Orange, Aggression, Suicidal Tendencies, RKL, Code of Honor, Wasted Youth... the list goes on. Those bands were in good company.
The CD also has a dupe of the original Love 22 dollar bill which was found in a San Jose mall and started a mini phenomenon, plus lyrics to all 28 songs.
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