
Tearing Down the Orange Curtain
How Punk Rock Brought Orange County to the World
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Narrated by:
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Marc Worden
About this listen
The untold story of OC punk—the loud, rebellious force behind the ‘90s explosion of the Orange County music scene, featuring stories about legendary bands.
When it comes to punk communities across the world, the Orange County punk scene stands out as an undeniable trendsetter that helped define the sound and style of the rapidly evolving genre. From hard luck storytellers Social Distortion and multi-platinum sellers like The Offspring to cult heroes like The Adolescents and T.S.O.L., there’s much insight to gain from the story of this popular though often misunderstood music scene.
In Tearing Down the Orange Curtain, journalists Nate Jackson and Daniel Kohn explore the trajectory of punk and ska from their humble beginnings to their peak popularity years, where their cultural impact could be felt in music around the world. Delving deep into the personal and professional lives of bands like Social Distortion, The Adolescents, The Offspring, and their ska counterparts No Doubt, Sublime, Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris, and more, this book gives listeners a deeper look into the very human stories of these musicians, many of whom struggled with acceptance, addiction, and brutal teenage years in suburbia.
Through exclusive first-hand interviews, Tearing Down the Orange Curtain brings the 20-year period of OC punk and third-wave ska (1978-2000) to life, focusing specifically on the historical and musical roots of this creative explosion. Thought-provoking, meticulously researched, and refreshingly candid, this book presents a compelling narrative of how a suburban wasteland turned into a hub for rock-n roll culture, just over 30 miles away from the bright lights of LA.
©2025 Nate Jackson and Daniel Kohn (P)2025 Hachette BooksListeners also enjoyed...
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- By: Justin F. Jackson
- Narrated by: Jim Seybert
- Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1898, on the eve of the Spanish-American War, the US Army seemed minuscule and ill-equipped for global conflict. Yet over the next fifteen years, its soldiers defeated Spain and pacified nationalist insurgencies in both Cuba and the Philippines. Despite their lack of experience in colonial administration, American troops also ruled and transformed the daily lives of the 8 million people who inhabited these tropical islands.
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To Hell with Poverty!
- A Class Act: Inside the Gang of Four
- By: Jon King
- Narrated by: Jon King
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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From Jon King, legendary front man of iconic post-punk band Gang of Four, comes a memoir to remember. To Hell with Poverty! documents King’s story from a south London slum and working-class background to international success as core musician, lyricist, writer, and producer in the legendary post-punk/funk band Gang of Four.
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Best Cultural History of Post Punk Era in England
- By Mark Ellsworth on 06-03-25
By: Jon King
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Mellon vs. Churchill
- The Untold Story of Treasury Titans at War
- By: Jill Eicher
- Narrated by: Susan Ericksen
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Andrew Mellon, one of the most accomplished businessmen of his era, is almost unknown today. To this shy, diffident (but brilliant) man fell the daunting task of collecting the war debts from European governments still devastated by WWI and struggling to recover economically. Dealing with the US Congress and the heads of foreign governments on the world stage became one of the great adventures of his life. Mellon vs. Churchill presents Winston Churchill through a different lens, focusing on his service as Chancellor of the Exchequer when Great Britain was the largest debtor to the US.
By: Jill Eicher
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The Most Interesting Man in the World
- By: Vinnie Stigma, Howie Abrams - contributor, Roger Miret - foreword
- Narrated by: Vinnie Stigma, Howie Abrams
- Length: 4 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Born Vincent Capuccio on December 3, 1955, Vinnie Stigma—as his countless friends and fans lovingly refer to him—is the founder and guitarist of New York City's legendary hardcore band Agnostic Front. He's also one of the Big Apple's earliest punk rockers, having frequented such eclectic downtown haunts as Max's Kansas City, The Electric Circus, and of course, CBGB while it was still known as Hilly's on the Bowery during the early 1970s.
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Stigma..say no more!
- By Jim Boatwright on 05-09-25
By: Vinnie Stigma, and others
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The Sword of Damocles
- Our Nuclear Age
- By: Michael Hall, James Hall
- Narrated by: Susan Fouche
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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This work, The Sword of Damocles: Our Nuclear Age, deals with our history as well as today's headlines. I had the opportunity to study that precarious period in a unique way. As a museum director with a forty-year career behind me, I met and worked with some of the leaders in the field of nuclear weapons testing.
By: Michael Hall, and others
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From the Basement
- A History of Emo Music and How It Changed Society
- By: Taylor Markarian
- Narrated by: Laura Darrell
- Length: 4 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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A Look at the History of the Emo and Indie Music Era. Explore the cultural, social, and psychological factors surrounding the genres.
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Genuine and heartfelt.
- By Tony F. on 10-22-24
By: Taylor Markarian
Fantastic History of OC Punk & its legacy
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Tearing Down the Orange Curtain: How Punk Rock Brought Orange County to the World by Nate Jackson and Daniel Kohn is a treasure trove of old school goodness. I love the inside scoop of how the Orange County scene started and spread. This is an entertaining look back on the original bands of the OC and the clubs that changed the landscape of punk.
This is pure punk rock history that will excite all passionate people of the early days as well as a younger generation who are just starting to discover the bands and their music.
This book was extremely well-written, detailed, and documented. Extremely impressed.
Let’s hear it for the early days of OC punk and the folks that started it all!
Tearing Down the Orange Curtain! Bam!
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Memories
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Also, after 5 chapters I realized this story isn’t being told very well. It’s not that exciting. Someone got exposed to punk music, decided they really liked it and then they became part of the scene.
Maybe it gets better, but I couldn’t do 10 more hours of that narrator. Sorry.
As a 90’s kid from SoCal I was so ready to get into this book and just fell flat in every way.
Also, the chapter about the Coo Coo’s nest took all of its quotes from an old documentary. That’s a little lazy.
The Narrator made it impossible to enjoy
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