I just learned that punk rock has lost yet another member of its extended family. Stevo (real name: Steven R. Jensen), the original singer of The Vandals (who sang on the only Vandals record I like, the classic first album, Peace Thru Vandalism) has passed away. There is a memorial service planned and you can find the info, along with a few pix (which is where I copied the above from) of Stevo here.
Bummer. The Vandals stuff I liked was the Peace Thru Vandalism/When In Rome… CD. I always wondered what happened to him. Joe Escalante always bad-mouthed Stevo, but that early stuff was the only interesting stuff the Vandals did.
We are getting old…..this is sad! Saw them at a house party in Rossmoor…RIP
Hey MXV, weren’t the original Vandals somehow connect to TSOL? Do you know the story behind that?
Aside from both being in Suburbia and being from around the same area of SoCal, I don’t think there is any other relation. I don’t think they ever shared memebers.
I thought I heard that one of the original guys was related to someone in TSOL or something. Maybe I’m wrong.
RIP Bro
Any idea how he died?
The “real” (og) Vandals members knew TSOL and Todd played with TSOL and did some collaborative stuff with the original vandals.
Human who was the Vandals Bassist on the first record also roadied for TSOL on their first two nationwide tours in 80-81-82 or thereabouts. Todd (already committed to Vicious Circle) sat in on drums for a minute before Joe got the spot in 1980 or 81. Somebody at the Weekly or the Times said that the Vandals sported the same “rock-as-punk” sound that TSOL did. So yeah, we ripped off TSOL’s sound and they ripped off everybody else’s equipment. We were like their little brothers who never turned gay like they did. Well, maybe the Vandals went a little gay but that was after I quit the band. And it was mostly Joe trying to get more airplay in the novelty-new-wave section. But there were never any keyboards. Never. Not on my watch.
Stevo was a great guy and he is missed. He should be alive and playing shows today–too bad he was sued in to musical nonexistence. You can read more about his life at http://www.stevojensen.com
Don’t forget to visit the lawyerscumbag.com link before it gets shut down for good.
Man, Stevo was great. Fuck the new Vandals! Saw Stevo play at the Olympic in 84. Trying to get away from the stage til all of sudden I hear the begining of URBAN STRUGGLE. FUCK! The pit went nuts and the only way I could get away from the stage was go through the it. FUck did that hurt, but man, it was a balst.
i remember stevo and human when i lived in lb and saw them many of times… i hang around randal peterson and had many drinking sessions and drug parties when we lived in punker palace together.. quit following the vandals when everyone left and joey fucked it up.. i lived on maui for 18 years and saw stevo a few times there. had some memories… nothing like seeing him on stage at falling waters in pedro and the band playing frog stomp…