By: David Strongos

Let’s talk about an unknown and VERY underrated band: (impatient) YOUTH. Formed in Vallejo, in 1977, with a sound filled with melodic references from the sixties, they paved the way to the "californian punk style". However contemporary to groups like The Dils, Avengers, Sleepers, Dead Kennedys, among others, they never managed to establish themselves amongst "first line" (I hate categories, after all music is personal taste, totally subjective) bands.

The roots of (I) Youth are in an even more obscure rock group called Faze, who had in its line-up the guitarist and vocalist Bill Martin and drummer Chris Coon. These two friends, influenced by the pioneering punk bands of the West Coast, left Faze as they intended to make a more aggressive sound. Initially the bassist was a guy named Michael, who soon would be replaced by Paul Casteel, at that time manager of the group. This first incarnation of the (I) Youth lasted just over a year, when Chris and Paul left to found Woundz (with Paul as vocalist not bassist).

But Bill Martin, who was the real founder and main composer, didn’t give up and called Mark Anderson to bass and Christopher Fisher to play drums. With this second line up, (I) Youth got a little more exposure, as the “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition” was included on the historical compilation “Not So Quiet in The Western Front” – released in 1982, after the band split up. That comp, a double album, not only showed the world the new scene of California (and Nevada), with 47 bands - including Dead Kennedys, Social Unrest, 7 Seconds, Vicious Circle, MIA, Pariah, etc.. – as brought the zero issue of Maximum Rock'nRoll.

Perhaps as a result of the hardcore explosion, the more melodic style of (I) Youth drew no attention. Also, they never achieved a good contract or a good production, so they called it a day by 1981. The legacy of (IMPATIENT) Youth is in the sound of bands such as Green Day and all the melodic HC from the 90’s to now. This can be heard in songs like Don’t Listen to The Radio, Definition Empty, Just Another Joe, Were you popular in High School and many others.

While they were in activity, they just launched one only EP (self titled), in 1979, with six tracks. Before, in 1978, they had released a split 7" with The Mutants, called '78 on 45, in which they appear with two live tracks.

In 1990, Lost and Found, the German label, rescued old recordings of the group and released the Frontline EP, with four track, and a superb LP, Don’t Listen, with 16 songs. A rightly deserved posthumous tribute, curiously heralded across the Atlantic . Moreover, I can’t to understand why (I) Youth had no recognition in its own homeland. The band was very creative, with great lyrics and attitude. Maybe they were in the wrong place and wrong time (in the years that they were active, HC was predominant in U.S. ).

After the Lost and Found release, Bill Martin (this time as Billy Ray Martin) tried to resurrect the group next to his wife, Suzy Mae Martin, and drummer Curt Anderson, who produced the maxisingle All for Fun, with five tracks (I never heard this record, but all I read about this is that it's miles away from the original Impatient Youth). This third incarnation also submerged. With so many "reunions" that are occurring now (many with one original member only), it is possible that a fourth (impatient) Youth arises from the vault. But what will be really difficult, is to recover the original energy of the first years.

Facts

* They should open for The Clash at the Kezar Pavilion in the London Calling Tour, but in the last minute Bill Graham, the producer of the tour, announced that they were out, without further explanation.

* After the Wounds, Paul Casteel founded the Black Athletes. Chris Coon played with No Alternative. They were together in the House of Wheels too. Both remain in music business. Recently, Paul sang in one of the many apparitions of Negative Trend. Away from punk rock, Chris released a solo album in 2008, called License to Departure, full of keyboards, more to jazz or "art-rock" style.

* Many people think that Praise the Lord ... was a punk version of a war song made by US soldiers during the World War II, but I isn’t true, as the lyrics of the two songs are differents.

The war song:

Down went the gunner, a bullet was his fate
Down went the gunner, then the gunners mate
Up jumped the sky pilot, gave the boys a look
And manned the gun himself as he laid aside The Book, shouting
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition and we'll all stay free!

Praise the Lord and swing into position!
Can't afford to sit around and wishin'
Praise the Lord we're all between perdition
and the deep blue sea!

Yes the sky pilot said it
You've got to give him credit
for a son - of - gun - of - a - gunner was he,
Shouting;
Praise the Lord we're on a mighty mission!
All aboard, we're not a - goin' fishin;
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition and we'll all stay free!

(I) Y version:

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
God is on our side
Battling over the book, slaughtering over the psalms
Onward Christian soldier with your sword and cross
Putting the fear of god into heathen flesh
The blood easily washed off of the Christian hand
Cleansed in the river of lies promise of salvation
From the mouth of madmen’s interpretations
Don’t forget the golden rule
The man with the gold is making the rules Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition
God is on our side

* This article was written originally in Portuguese by David “Strongos”
and published by Factor Zero Blogzine
(http://factor-zero.blogspot.com)