The Generators were an American

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

band formed in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

in the year 1997, following the breakup of the 1990s punk rock group Schleprock. The original lineup featured Doug Dagger (Doug Kane) on vocals, Mike Snow and Sir Doosky (Eric Ortega) on guitars, "Dirty" Ernie Berru on drums, and Rich Richards (Rich Santia) on bass.

History

The Generators released their debut album, ''Welcome to the End'', on

-based

Triple X Records Triple X Records was a Los Angeles-based record company started by three former employees of the bankrupt Greenworld Distribution: Dean Naleway, Peter Heur and Charley Brown. The label was known for "a fearlessly eclectic catalogue that broke awa ...

in 1998. The band released a seven-song EP titled ''Ninety Nine,'' and two more albums by 2001: ''Burning Ambition'' on Urgent Music Ltd. and ''Tyranny'' on

TKO Records TKO Records is an independent punk rock record label in Portland, Oregon. The label is primarily known for its role in the late 1990s American street punk scene and has continued its notability as a source of new releases, reissues, and archival ...

. During the European leg of the ''Tyranny'' tour, Dirty Ernie Berru and Sir Doosky temporarily left the band. Mike Snow and Doug Kane recruited drummer Mike Clark and began working on a new EP. Sir Doosky returned to the band before the recording session for the EP State of the Nation, released on

. In 2002, guitarist Mike Snow left the band, coinciding with Dirty Ernie's return to the drums. With Kane and Doosky as the primary songwriters, the band released the album ''Excess, Betrayal... and Our Dearly Departed'' in 2003. This action continued with the release of '' The Winter Of Discontent'' in 2005. Throughout these changes, Kane, Sir Doosky, and Dirty Ernie remained core members. The band was joined by bassist Teddy Hahn and guitarist

Ace Von Johnson Ace Von Johnson is an American musician who was the lead guitarist in the glam metal band Faster Pussycat and currently rhythm guitarist for L.A. Guns. Johnson was previously a member of punk and metal bands such as Cheap Sex, Madcap, the U. ...

, followed soon after by the release of ''The Great Divide'' in 2006 and their subsequent tour, which lasted until 2008. In 2009, Dirty Ernie and Teddy Hahn left the band. Derek O’Brien of

Social Distortion Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. It consists of Mike Ness (vocals, guitar), Jonny Wickersham (guitar), Brent Harding (bass), David Hidalgo Jr. (drums), and David Kalish (keyboards). Emerg ...

handled recording duties on the next album, and Brandon Lutz took over on bass. The resulting album, ''Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea'', was recorded and released via People Like You. A summer European tour alongside the Damned followed the album. Ace Von Johnson left the band after a disagreement with Kane during the tour. In 2010, Sir Doosky left for personal reasons, leading to a restructuring of the lineup. In 2011, The Generators reconvened with a new lineup that included the return of Mike Snow, former Schleprock guitarist Sean Romin, and drummer Lou Guzman. The band recorded and released their eighth studio album, ''Last of the Pariahs'', under DC-Jam Records. Subsequent years saw further lineup changes and releases, including the six-song EP called ''The Deconstruction of Dreams'' in 2013 under Concrete Jungle Records and the album ''Life Gives Life Takes'' in 2014 under Randale Records. During a brief hiatus in 2014, Doug Kane and Mike Snow initiated a side project called Bedlam Knives, which released a 7-inch record under Dr. Strange Records. Simultaneously, Sir Doosky, Dirty Ernie, and former Generators bassist Brandon Lutz formed NeuAllies, releasing an EP the same year. In 2015, both Bedlam Knives and NeuAllies disbanded. The band returned in 2016 with the retrospective album ''Earn Your Stripes'' on Randale Records, followed by a split EP with British band Crashed Out titled ''Blood, Sweat & Glory'' and touring. In 2017, The Generators released the single "Street Justice" and announced a forthcoming album, resulting in the release of ''Broken Stars & Crooked Stripes'' in 2018. After over two decades, the Generators went on hiatus in 2019. During this period, Doug Kane reunited with his 1980s

Oi! Oi! is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The music and its associated subculture had the goal of bringing together punks, skinheads, and other disaffected working-class youth. The movement wa ...

band, Doug & the Slugz. Generators WTTE

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2022 Reunion

On September 20, 2022, the band announced a reunion of the original 1997 founding lineup via

social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...

. The band played shows throughout the end of 2022, performing material from their first three releases. A-453349-1669518113-2351

Following the reunion shows, Kane, Doosky, and Snow reunited, adding former member Ted Hahn on bass and Marco Duarte on drums. Duarte had previously filled in on tours. Their return included a performance at the 2023

Punk Rock Bowling Music Festival The Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival is an annual outdoor punk rock rock festival, festival held since 1999 mixing a bowling tournament and live music performances. The first occurrence was held in 1999 with a show at the now-defunct Huntr ...

in Las Vegas and a European tour the following summer in 2024.

Death of Doug Kane

Doug Kane passed away on May 30, 2024, due to an "aggressive form of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

". He was 56 years old. Shortly before his death, the band had decided they would not continue as The Generators in his absence.

Discography

* ''Welcome to the End'' (1998),

, US * ''Ninety-Nine'' (1999), Outcast Records/

, Europe * ''Burning Ambition'' (2000), Urgent Music Ltd. US/ People Like You, Europe & Japan * Dead at 16 7-inch (2000),

* ''

Tyranny A tyrant (), in the modern English language, English usage of the word, is an autocracy, absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurper, usurped a legitimate ruler's sovereignty. Often portrayed as cruel, tyrants may defen ...

'' (2001),

US/People Like You, Europe & Japan * '' State of the Nation'' (

2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...

/ Dead Beat, US * Sounds of the Street Vol. 2: Split CD w/ Vicious Rumors * ''From Rust to Ruin'' (2003),

(compilation: greatest hits album) * Riverboat Gamblers split 7-inch" * '' Excess, Betrayal...And Our Dearly Departed'' (2003), People Like You, Europe & Japan, Fiend Music, US * ''The Winter of Discontent'' (2006), People Like You, Europe & Japan, Sailor's Grave, US * ''The Great Divide'' (2007), People Like You, Europe & Japan * ''Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea'' (2009), People Like You, Europe & Japan * ''You Against You'' 7-inch (2011), I Hate People Records * ''Last of the Pariahs ''(2011), I Hate People Records, Europe & Japan, DC Jam, US * ''3 of a Kind ''(2012), Split with

Sledgeback Sledgeback (stylized as Sledge𐐒ack) is a Seattle, Washington-based punk rock band, formed in early 2004, with Hungarian-born American guitarist Gábor Szakácsi (Gabi Hun) as the frontman. Former member of the long-standing influential Hungar ...

and C.A.F.B. * ''The Deconstruction of Dreams'' (2013), Concrete Jungle Records * ''Life Gives-Life Takes ''(2014), Randale Records * ''Earn Your Stripes ''(2016), Randale Records * ''Blood, Sweat & Glory ''(2016), split EP w/ Crashed Out, Randale Records/Longshot Music * ''Street Justice'' (2017), Longshot Music/Randale Records * ''Broken Stars & Crooked Stripes'' (2018),Randale Records

Filmography

* ''Where the Bad Boys Rock 2004'' (Live DVD) (2004), People Like You Records * ''Where the Bad Boys Rock 2005'' (Live DVD) (2005), People Like You Records

References

External links

*
Sailor's Grave Records site

People Like You Records site

TKO Records Records site
*
Interview /Totalrock.hu/
Gabor Hun of

interviewed Doug Dagger singer {{DEFAULTSORT:Generators, The Punk rock groups from California Musical groups from Los Angeles Musical groups established in 1997 Musical groups disestablished in 2024 1997 establishments in California 2024 disestablishments in California