THE SINS Discography: SoCal Punk 1982-87

Here’s something I haven’t seen anywhere else online:  the complete discography (as far as I know) of California punk band The Sins.  I first heard them on the Sudden Death compilation LP (1982), which I bought because Redd Kross was on it.  Impressed by The Sins’ songs, I mail ordered their 7” EP Mood Music (which now sells for three figures).  The songs were short and fast, with violent and antisocial lyrics, but you could tell The Sins had something more than the average hardcore band.  The EP ends with “Skin Walk” (a bluesy riff that reminded me of “Shake Appeal”) and “525” (a 12 bar train song that Chuck Berry could have written). 

The Sins appeared on the Version Sound tape Try A Dull Knife (1983), Kevin Seconds’ compilation LP Another Shot For Bracken (1986) and the Bad Compilation Tapes release Experience The Freedom Of Total Control (1987).  In 1986, Kevin Seconds also released The Sins’ album Beginning From The End.  

At some point in the late 80's The Sins broke up, but Tony Fate (guitar) and Randy Stain (drums) recruited a new singer and bassist for a new band, The Grey Spikes.  Their self-released 1990 cassette (Sex & Hate) was issued on CD in Japan.  Several singles and compilation appearances followed on Tony’s record label (Vital Gesture), and a second Grey Spikes CD (Year Zero) appeared in 1997.

Meanwhile, Tony produced an LP for The Rosethorns (singer Lisa Kekaula and her husband Bob Vennum).  The Rosethorns became The Bellrays, and Tony produced their 1990 debut and 1992’s In The Light Of The Sun.  

Tony Fate joined The Bellrays as guitarist for Let It Blast (1996).  Bob Vennum switched from guitar to bass.  Ten of the 16 songs on Let It Blast were written by Tony.  He wrote all but one of the songs on Grand Fury (2000), and the majority of the originals on Raw Collection (2002), The Red, White & Black (2003), Merry Christmas From The BellRays (2005), and Have A Little Faith (2006).  

Tony left the Bellrays sometime before the recording of Hard Sweet And Sticky (released in 2008), but he continued to play with Bob Vennum in the instrumental band The Black Widows (who released three studio albums and a live set between 2001 and 2016).  Tony joined reunited SoCal punk band Symbol Six in 2011.   His current project is The Rat Brigade.  

Anyway, here’s an hour of music from The Sins, including their EP, LP and compilation tracks.  Most of it sounds (to me) less like hardcore and more like first wave bands such as The Saints and The Heartbreakers.  “Sins Prayer”, “Born To Plagarize” (sic), and “Deadly Morning Rain” have some interesting “free” and improvisational elements.  Tony lists jazz, blues and soul musicians among his influences in this bio.  These aren’t my vinyl rips; I only compiled them.  Thank you to the original rippers and uploaders who shared the music of The Sins!

ELSEWHERE ON THE BLOG: more Lisa Kekaula!