The Hollywood Lads were one of the most racially diverse clubs of it’s time. For instance, there were Hispanics, Filipino’s, Blacks, Asians, Puerto Ricans, Jews and they even let The Irish in like little ol’ me.

We were ALL IN, this human race, TOGETHER!…and when you brought shit our way you wouldn’t forget meeting up with us any time soon.

We took care of our own. When outsiders came around and got rude with our women or when someone much larger was picking on someone much smaller or weaker from our scene… We wouldn’t have it. Because godamnit, we were all under dogs too and this was our home. We’d spot a bully and bully the shit out of them until they were laying in a heap on the ground or running so fast away that all you could see was ass and elbows in the dark.

I know, I know… This coming from some guy named James Genocide? What the hell?…Well, something you also might not know is that I never gave myself that moniker. I was in some fights at a place called Phases in the valley one night, I was like 14. This punk chick I knew watched the fights and when it was over she said, shit man, you exterminated those guys, it was like Genocide, a mass extermination. That’s where my moniker comes from. She’d see me around at shows and call me James Genocide. I eventually just went with it because Lurch and I realized early on…When you’re running wild in the streets it’s better to not use your real name. There are guys that have been apart of my set for years and I still don’t know their real names.

I have my prejudices, we all do. Maybe if we acknowledged that first we’d all be better off? But, If I were a racist, I would have missed out on meeting all the wonderfully interesting people whom I’ve come to know and count on in my life. Plus, I also couldn’t listen to Ska, Reggae, The Blues and a whole lot of other really awesome music…And that, my friends, would just not do!

I certainly never thought Punk Rock was “Conservative” in any way. It was about living without the restraints of ordinary “Conservative” life.