Tearing Down the Orange Curtain

Moderated by SiriusXM’s Kat Corbett

The GRAMMY Museum is thrilled to welcome Adrian Young of No Doubt, authors Nate Jackson & Daniel Kohn, legendary manager Jim Guerinot, and Vandals bassist and Sublime manager Joe Escalante to the Museum’s intimate 200-seat Clive Davis Theater for an evening discussing OC Punk and Jackson and Kohn’s book Tearing Down the Orange Curtain.

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 readers 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.  

ABOUT ADRIAN YOUNG

Adrian Young is best known as the drummer for the multi-platinum band No Doubt. The Long Beach native’s relentless beats have soundtracked some of the biggest songs of all time. During his tenure with No Doubt, Young has performed at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, won two Grammy Awards, and became one of the most recognizable drummers in rock. Additionally, Young features behind the kit in the new wave supergroup Dreamcar, which includes No Doubt bandmates Tony Kanal and Tom Dumont, along with AFI singer Davey Havok.

When he’s not rocking on stage with those bands, Young produces, scores, and engineers scores for films.

ABOUT NATE JACKSON

Nate Jackson was born in Orange County and came up in the local punk scene, playing in bands and rumbling through the mosh pit in warehouses, DIY venues and clubs across SoCal. He is currently the Deputy Editor of entertainment at the L.A. Times. He served as Music Editor for OC Weekly and was also a staff writer for the L.A. Times. His work has also been featured in the Village Voice, LA Weekly, VICE/Noisey, Dope Magazine and others. He currently lives in Long Beach with his wife.

ABOUT DANIEL KOHN

Daniel Kohn was born in New York City and grew up in Long Island but has long been mesmerized by Orange County punk rock. He lived in Southern California for nearly two decades, covering many of the artists featured in this book. Kohn’s work has been featured in SPIN, OC Weekly, Rolling Stone, Billboard, VICE, Noisey, SF Weekly, MLB, LA Weekly, and Village Voice. He splits time in Los Angeles and Nashville with his wife and son.

ABOUT JIM GUERINOT

Jim Guerinot is the owner of Rebel Waltz, an entertainment company based in Laguna Beach. Previous management clients include Beck, Social Distortion, Trent Reznor, Nine Inch Nails, Gwen Stefani & No Doubt, Rancid, Chris Cornell, The Offspring, and Robbie Robertson. Prior to this, Jim was a concert promoter (Goldenvoice & Avalon Attractions) and the Senior Vice President/General Manager of A&M Records.

Jim co-wrote the best-selling children’s book, “Legends, Icons, and Rebels” which came out in 2013. He assumed the role of producer of the documentary film, “20 Feet From Stardom,” when his friend and mentor from A&M, Gil Friesen, passed away. The film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary.

Jim co-founded SLAM Management, an action sports management company with Pat Hawk and Terry Hardy. Clients included Tony Hawk, Kelly Slater, Shaun White, Bam Margera, and others. Jim was also a co-owner of Tony Hawk’s “Boom Boom Huck Jam” arena sized action sports touring exhibition.

ABOUT JOE ESCALANTE

Joe Escalante is best known as the bassist for the Southern California punk rock band, the Vandals. He has played in the band since 1981 when he recorded the band’s first E.P. on Epitaph Records as their drummer. In 1985, he moved to bass, making room for the eventual arrival of Josh Freese, rounding out the Vandals lineup that continues to this day.

With guitarist Warren Fitzgerald, Escalante founded Kung Fu Records in 1996. Fat Mike credits Escalante with introducing him to punk rock at Summer Camp in 1979. Escalante credits Fat Mike with convincing him to start a record label in ‘96. Kung Fu Records is known as the home of the first recordings by Blink 182, The Ataris, Bigwig, Ozma, Tsunami Bomb, and many Vandals albums.

Through his old-timey relationships, Escalante was able to reform Sublime with Jakob Nowell, the late Bradley Nowell’s son, and his “uncles” Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh. They debuted at Coachella on the main stage in 2024 and the rest is music history, with Joe and his partner Kevin Zinger as managers. Escalante majored in Old Norse at UCLA and received a J.D. from Loyola Law School. He lives in Seal Beach, California with his wife Sandra.

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BAG POLICY: please note that only bags 9 inches x 6 inches and smaller will be allowed for this event. Vinyl, memorabilia, gifts, etc. will also not be allowed inside the building.   

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