Richard Francis "Rikk" Agnew Jr. (born December 9, 1958) is an American musician with a career spanning more than 40 years. He has previously been a member of some of the most influential bands of the
Orange County hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier pu ...
genre, as well as the influential
deathrock
Death rock (or deathrock) is a rock music subgenre incorporating horror elements and gothic theatrics. It emerged from punk rock on the West Coast of the United States in the early 1980s and overlaps with the gothic rock and horror punk ge ...
band
Christian Death
Christian Death is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles County, California, in 1979 by Rozz Williams. With major line-up changes over the years, Christian Death has retained "a relentlessly confrontational stand against organized religi ...
.
During his years with the
Adolescents
Adolescence () is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with the ...
, Agnew became known as one of the best guitarists in the Southern California hardcore punk scene.
Agnew has also pursued a solo career and released his debut studio album, ''
All by Myself
"All by Myself" is a song by American singer-songwriter Eric Carmen released in 1975. The verse is based on the second movement (''Adagio sostenuto'') of Sergei Rachmaninoff's circa 1900–1901 ''Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor'', Opus 18. The ...
'', in 1982. He later released ''Emotional Vomit'' in 1990 and ''Turtle'' in 1992.
Early life and education
Richard Francis Agnew, Jr. was born on December 9, 1958, in
Newport Beach, California. He is half Irish and half Mexican-American and was raised in a
blue-collar
A blue-collar worker is a working class person who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled labor. The type of work may involving manufacturing, warehousing, mining, excavation, electricity generation and po ...
neighborhood in
Fullerton, California. He attended
Fullerton High School.
Despite graduating with a 4.2
GPA, he loathed high school, saying it "destroyed more than it taught socially" and describing it as a place where people going through the changes of puberty and angst are being taught together to learn stuff for their lives.
Because he was shy, Agnew gravitated toward music, and played various instruments that he and his younger brothers
Frank and
Alfie found around the house.
Career
With
Casey Royer, Agnew played bass in
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness (lead vocals, lead guitar), Jonny Wickersham (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Brent Harding (bass, backing vo ...
from late 1978 to late 1979
and guitar in the Detours in 1979. He later played drums in the Social Distortion splinter group following his departure from Social Distortion.
[ He joined the Adolescents in 1980, initially as a substitute drummer before becoming a guitarist.][ His guitar style and writing dominated the Adolescents' '' Blue Album'', released in May 1981 on ]Frontier Records
Frontier Records is an independent record label, started in 1980 in Sun Valley, Los Angeles by Lisa Fancher, a former employee of Bomp! Records and writer of the liner notes for the first album by The Runaways.
History
Frontier Records first ...
. Agnew left the band soon after the album's release due to personal and creative differences.
In 1981, Agnew attended a performance by Christian Death in Pomona, California
Pomona is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California. Pomona is located in the Pomona Valley, between the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's population ...
. Attracted by their style and sound, he approached them after the show and asked if they needed another guitarist. Agnew joined Christian Death soon after leaving the Adolescents, writing and playing guitar on the seminal ''Only Theatre of Pain
''Only Theatre of Pain'' is the first studio album by the American rock band Christian Death, released on March 24, 1982, by the Frontier record label.
It is considered by most critics to be the harbinger of the deathrock style of music, as well ...
'' album, issued by Frontier in March 1982. He also performed on the band's '' Deathwish'' EP, recorded before the album during the sessions for the compilation '' Hell Comes to Your House'' but not released until 1984.
He joined D.I. in 1983, playing on their 1983 debut EP '' Team Goon'' (originally known simply as ''D.I.'') as well as their first two albums (1985's '' Ancient Artifacts'' and 1986's '' Horse Bites Dog Cries'') before deciding to leave the band in 1987.
When the Adolescents reunited in 1986, Agnew rejoined the band until its hiatus in 1989. He rejoined Casey Royer and Tony Adolescent to record ''Where Were You?'' with ADZ in 1992.
1982–1992: Solo career
In 1982, Agnew released his first solo album, ''All by Myself'' (Frontier), on which he played all the instruments. Agnew went on to release two more solo albums, ''Emotional Vomit'' (under the name ''Rikk Agnew's Yard Sale'') in 1990 and 1992's ''Turtle'', both on Triple X Records. About the album ''Emotional Vomit'', Agnew said, "A lot of (the songs) I wrote while I was in a very bad state, a very lonely and self-abusing state. It was a way of letting it out".
Recent work
In 2000, Agnew again regrouped with the Adolescents and continued to play with them until 2003.
Agnew toured with the reunited 45 Grave
45 Grave is an American rock band from Los Angeles formed in 1979. The original group broke up in 1985, but vocalist Dinah Cancer subsequently revived the band.
History
The band was founded during the punk rock movement by Paul B. Cutler ...
, in place of original guitarist Paul B. Cutler, in 2004 and 2005. He also played guitar in Poop (with Scott Hoogland, former frontman of the influential Orange County band The Mechanics) and the reunited Detours.
After playing in Christian Death 1334 with James McGearty and Eva O
Eva Ortiz (born January 11, 1961), better known as Eva O, is a music artist most notable for her previous works in Christian Death and a band she formed with her then-husband Rozz Williams called Shadow Project. Regarded as a veteran and "one of ...
, Agnew joined the new lineup of Voodoo Church as second guitarist and performed on their 2009 album ''Eminence of Demons''.
In 2013, Agnew was active playing in Wrong Beach, producing bands and recording solo work and various projects. He also rotated between guitar, drums and bass for Chaotic Stature. In 2015, Agnew was listed as active with the Detours and also had a touring band of his own, the Rikk Agnew Band. In Los Angeles he occasionally works on film soundtracks. He is also currently active in the Gitane Demone Quartet and Only Theatre of Pain (a band that performs the entire Christian Death album of the same name).
Influences
Agnew has cited influences such as the Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developm ...
, the Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts ...
, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are c ...
's Jimmy Page
James Patrick Page (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the Rock music, rock band Led Zeppelin. Page is prolific in creating guitar riffs. His style involves various ...
, Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American Rock music, rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, ...
's Rick Nielsen
Richard Alan Nielsen (born December 22, 1948) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist, primary songwriter, and leader of the rock band Cheap Trick. He is well-known for his numerous custom-made guitars from Hamer Guitars, inclu ...
, Black Flag's Greg Ginn
Gregory Regis Ginn (born June 8, 1954) is an American guitarist, bassist, singer and songwriter, best known for being the leader, primary songwriter, and the only continuous member of the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led ...
and Flipper's Ted Falconi.
Personal life
Agnew struggled with alcohol and drug use over much of his career, but in 2010, had a health crisis and started an effort to stay sober. Besides being a musician, Agnew is also a visual artist, working in painting and sculpture.
In 1990, Agnew was engaged to Karen Mountain, with whom he had a daughter named Polina (Polli). He became engaged to fellow former Christian Death member Gitane DeMone on May 3, 2013. Each has a daughter from a previous relationship.
Solo discography
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Agnew, Rikk
1958 births
20th-century American drummers
20th-century American guitarists
20th-century American singers
21st-century American guitarists
21st-century American singers
Adolescents (band) members
American male singers
American male bass guitarists
American male drummers
American male guitarists
American multi-instrumentalists
American musicians of Mexican descent
American people of Irish descent
American post-punk musicians
American punk rock guitarists
American punk rock singers
Christian Death members
Guitarists from California
Lead guitarists
Living people
Record producers from California
Singers from California
Social Distortion members
Songwriters from California
Triple X Records artists