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Band Timeline

1977

Formation of Descendents as a Power Pop/Surf Punk Band

The Descendents were formed in Manhattan Beach, California, by guitarist Frank Navetta, bassist Tony Lombardo, and drummer Bill Stevenson. Originally conceived as a power pop and surf punk band, the group sought to carve out a niche combining elements of rock, surf music, and punk. Early songwriting began between Navetta and David Nolte, initially under the name "The Itch." Despite initial struggles to solidify the lineup, by the end of 1977 the band began formalizing their musical identity and direction.
1979

Milo Aukerman Joins and Shift to Melodic Hardcore Punk

In 1979, the band enlisted Milo Aukerman, a school friend of Bill Stevenson, as the lead vocalist. This addition marked an important turning point, steering Descendents towards a more aggressive, faster, and shorter style characteristic of melodic hardcore punk. Aukerman's arrival led the band to reshape their sound as they moved away from their earlier power pop orientation. The band became a key player in the developing Los Angeles hardcore punk scene, gaining recognition and momentum with their evolving style.
1980

Release of Debut Single and Establishing Their Sound

The Descendents released their debut single "Ride the Wild" / "It's a Hectic World" in 1980 on their own label Orca Records. The single reflected their early sound, blending surf-punk influences with energetic guitar work and hard-driving bass lines. The recording was marked by Navetta on vocals for one track and Lombardo on the other. This release laid the foundation for the band's identity within the punk community and helped establish a dedicated following.
1981-1982

Release of Fat EP and Milo Goes to College Album

Between 1981 and 1982, the Descendents released the influential Fat EP followed by their debut full-length album Milo Goes to College through SST Records. These works solidified their presence in the Southern California hardcore punk movement with their fast, melodic, and aggressive songs. The Milo Goes to College album reflected Aukerman's impending departure for higher education, and the cover art famously illustrated his 'nerd' persona. This period marked the height of the band’s early creative output and influence on melodic hardcore.
1983-1984

Hiatus Due to Milo Aukerman’s College Studies

With Milo Aukerman leaving to focus on his studies in biology, the Descendents took an official hiatus around 1983-1984. This pause in their activity reflected Aukerman's dual career path balancing science and music. Despite the break, the band maintained a legacy from their early work, which would continue to influence punk and hardcore rock genres. The hiatus also created space for lineup changes and future reinventions of the group.
1985-1987

Return with New Lineup and Release of I Don't Want to Grow Up and Enjoy!

The band reformed in 1985 with guitarist Ray Cooper replacing Navetta and released the album I Don't Want to Grow Up. Shortly after, bassist Doug Carrion joined replacing Lombardo. By 1986, Carrion and Cooper were replaced by Karl Alvarez and Stephen Egerton respectively, forming the core lineup that would continue since. In 1986, they released Enjoy!, which continued to develop their melodic hardcore sound. During this period, New Alliance released Bonus Fat, a compilation combining earlier work which helped maintain interest in the band’s catalog.
1987

Release of All and Milo Aukerman’s Departure

1987 saw the release of their fourth album All under SST Records after the absorption of New Alliance into SST. Soon after, Milo Aukerman left the band again to pursue his biochemistry career. This led the remaining members to change the band’s name to All, under which they released eight albums between 1988 and 1995 with various singers. Despite Aukerman’s departure, he continued to contribute occasionally to All’s work as a sign of ongoing collaboration and friendship.
1995-1996

Reunion and Release of Everything Sucks

In 1995, Aukerman decided to return to music, and the band members simultaneously operated as two bands: Descendents with Aukerman, and All with Chad Price. Both signed to Epitaph Records. In 1996, Descendents released Everything Sucks, their first album to chart on the Billboard 200 at number 132. The release was supported by singles and music videos like "I'm the One" and "When I Get Old," reestablishing the Descendents' presence in the punk scene after years of intermittent activity.
2001-2004

Live Album Release and Cool to Be You Album

In 2001, Epitaph Records released Live Plus One, a double live album featuring performances by both Descendents and All. The album reached number 45 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart. The Descendents reconvened to record Cool to Be You, released in 2004 by Fat Wreck Chords. This album achieved commercial success, reaching number 143 on the Billboard 200 and number 6 among independent albums, showcasing the band's enduring appeal and ability to evolve musically.
2002-2021

Recording and Delayed Release of 9th and Walnut

In 2002, the original lineup of Stevenson, Navetta, and Lombardo reunited to record 9th and Walnut, an album containing songs that were previously written but had never been recorded. However, it was not until 2020 that Milo Aukerman returned to record vocals for the album. The long delay between recording instruments and vocals highlighted the band's complex scheduling and Aukerman’s commitments to his scientific career. The album was finally released in 2021, adding a notable chapter to the Descendents' extensive discography and legacy.
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Members

Current

Name
Begin
Occupation

Karl Alvarez

1987

Bass guitar

Stephen Egerton

1987

Guitar

Chuck Biscuits

N/A

Bill Stevenson

1978

Membranophone

Milo Aukerman

1985

Lead vocals

History

Name
Begin
End
Occupation

Frank Navetta

1978
1983

Guitar

Milo Aukerman

1980
1982

Lead vocals

Tony Lombardo

1978
1986

Bass guitar

Doug Carrion

1986
1987

Bass guitar

Ray Cooper

1982
1987

Lead vocals

Guitar

Story of Descendents

The Descendents, a seminal force in American punk rock, emerged from Manhattan Beach, California in 1977. Initially a power pop/surf punk trio featuring Frank Navetta (guitar), Tony Lombardo (bass), and Bill Stevenson (drums), the band underwent a crucial transformation in 1979. The addition of Stevenson`s school friend, Milo Aukerman, on vocals propelled them into the melodic hardcore punk scene exploding in Los Angeles. This shift solidified their place as major players in the burgeoning hardcore movement.

Their prolific career boasts eight studio albums, three live albums, three compilations, and four EPs. Since 1986, the classic lineup has settled on Aukerman, Stevenson, Stephen Egerton (guitar), and Karl Alvarez (bass).

Early Years (1977-1984): From "The Itch" to Hardcore

The Descendents story began even earlier, in 1977, with Frank Navetta and David Nolte initially collaborating on acoustic guitars under the name "The Itch." Navetta later coined the name "Descendents," but the early lineup proved unstable. Noltes departure to join his brothers` band, The Last, left the project temporarily stalled.

In late 1978, Navetta and Stevenson revived the Descendents, with Nolte briefly returning, this time on bass and sharing vocal duties with Navetta. However, The Lasts growing activity led to Noltes second departure in Spring 1979. Tony Lombardo filled the bass slot, completing the trio that recorded their debut single at Media Art studios, self-releasing it on Orca Records, a label named after Stevenson`s fishing boat. This marked a pivotal step on their journey to hardcore punk dominance.

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