The Punk Vault

Code of Honor – Complete Studio Recordings CD

Code of Honor CD

Code of Honor – Complete Studio Recordings 1982 – 1984 CD
Subterranean Records

Code of Honor were a Northern California punk rock band who sort of formed out of the ashes of Sick Pleasure, whom they shared a split LP with more than 20 years ago. The band was formed by Michael D. Fox, who was one of the two founders of Subterranean Records, and who played in more than his share of bands back in the day, as well as recording quite a few as well in his studio.

During their two year life-span, Code of Honor put out a 7″, the aforementioned split LP, and their own LP before calling it a day. Their early material was top notch hardcore punk that was as good as any of their peers at the time. As they progressed, they slowed down a bit and got a bit more musical and experimental, yet were still very enjoyable. I think the fact that the band’s records have been out of print for well over a decade has harmed their legacy and prevented them from being as much of a household name as many of their peers from the same era. This of course can finally be remedied as everything they ever recorded, including an unreleased song, is included on this CD.

The songs are presented in chronological order and all the lyrics are printed inside the booklet, along with some very interesting liner notes from Michael D. Fox about his punk rock history and how it led to starting Code of Honor sprinkled with some great old band photos. The packaging is really nice overall, not to mention the tunes sound as good to me now as they did back when I was in high school and heard them for the first time. I’m glad they finally got around to reissuing this material for the masses, and here’s hoping the Sick Pleasure material will be next!

Related links:

Subterranean Records website






69 comments

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  • What a grat surprise to find this thread – I had bookmarked the punk vault URL ages ago because of what was written/shown about Northern California Punk –

    I wish the old pages were still here-I like to share them with people.

    I’d like to chime in and say howdy to COH-
    I am another former Guy St. roomie.
    -Kathy O-
    Now i have a son that was my age then – who woulda thunk! I plan to be at the Ruthie’s Show so look for another post later on.

    If you use myspace, pls look up kathologist

    It makes me happy to hear how you are doing now. How is Mike Fox?

  • Howdy.
    Two things.
    1) The Most Amazing show just happened this weekend. Several hundred people in a giant West Oakland space: Including Fang, Verbal Abuse, etc.. From one of Code of Honor’s old haunts. Dave Chavez was really good. Sept 2006. Rare form: http://www.myspace.com/ruthiesinn

    2) One of the highlights of my art and design career was doing the cover art and direction for Beware the Savage Jaw (in ’84). Some fun touches like the cameos of one other band-member in each of the photos on the back (dual portrait). And the pattern made from Cracked paint on a cabinet in my backyard.

    Hi to Sal, and yet COH was a great and dynamic poetic and searing force.

    Best, -Peter
    peter_mont AT yahoo . com

  • oh yeah. And the half pipe on last Saturday was amazing and Joel and Dave tore it up along with kids half their age. With giant barrels of burning fire, rock music, and jet engines. -Peter Montgomery

  • johnithin,
    I’ve often wondered what happened to you, I’m so glad to hear you’re alive and doing well.
    love,
    Mitzi

  • Johnithin,
    I’ve thought about you often over the years, I’m so happy to hear you’re alive and well.
    love,
    Mitzi

  • Johnny,
    I’m so happy to hear you’re alive and well, I’ve often wondered what happened to you…
    Love,
    Mitzi

  • Mitzy, thank you. I have thought of you, infact I thought of you only last week. I hope life is good to you. I am a single father with my oldest daughter in college, my son in high school just got offered a snow board scholarship to a Utah college, and my 5 year old daughter is in kindergarten. I am an advertising exec for a publishing co. Things turned out ok. I wish well to everyone that I knew in that period of time. Those were wonderful crazy days. The good and the bbad, I have learned from and use every life experiance to my advantage. My best hopes and love to you, Mitzy, and to everyone who’s path has entwined with mine.

  • YEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS!
    At long last it’s been released! I’ve been looking for this on cd for the last 15 yrs or so. Both the ep and the lp were amazing in their own rights. Can’t wait to hear them again without the popping and scratching.

  • Johnny,
    I would like to communicate with you without this forum, I just saw Paula and she sends her love, and we would both like to know how to contact you.
    My email is: mitzilanius@gmail.com
    Please write,
    Love
    Mitzi

  • thanx mitzi, and to anyone who would like to contact me, go to my space “johnithin christ”

  • Hi everyone,

    I found this post while looking for pictures and information on my dad, John Powers.. I guess better known as Jonathin Christ. My dad passed away this morning from heart failure, one of many complications that stemmed from a brain tumor they found in late 2007. I am the oldest of his 3 children and we all love and miss him very, very much. Thank you to everyone that loved his music. I know he will be missed by many.

    Thank you,

    Megan

  • Hi,

    I was the guitarist in Deadline Screamer in the early 90s and I am sorry to hear of Jon’s death. DS was definitely the most original band I was ever a member of.

    RIP JC

  • I remember seeing Society Dog at a hole in the wall in San Francisco (the Hell Hole?). I have a vivid memory of Jonithin leading a group of punks from the Sound of Music club in the Tenderloin to the North Beach Police Station to protest the holding of punks who’d been busted. At the station, Denz Havoc took off his swastika arm band and threw it on the station desk, saying to the cops, “this is for you!”
    RIP Jonithin Christ .. and also some names I remember (Sal?) in this thread.

  • Hi Matt,

    Do you remember me? I couldn’t have been more than 5 or 6 when Deadline Screamer was together but I kind of remember going to recordings and stuff.. Like wanting a Deadline Screamer shirt but only if it was pink 🙂 You wouldn’t happen to have any t-shirts or other DS stuff do you? I’d love to find something and my brother (John’s son, obviously) is 19 and would think its really cool.. Thanks!

    Megan

  • I’m so sorry about Johnithin, he was my roommate back in the day. I was so glad to find him alive and now he’s not. I will miss him.

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