Tearing Down the Orange Curtain: How Punk Rock Brought Orange County to the World

by Nate Jackson, Daniel Kohn

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 like Social Distortion, The Offspring, No Doubt, Sublime, The Adolescents, The Vandals, and many more
 
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 (one of the highest-grossing punk rock bands of all time) to cult heroes like The Adolescents (one of the former band’s greatest influences) and T.S.O.L., there’s so much insight to gain from the story of this widely-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 many exclusive and first-hand interviews with the principal personalities, 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.
 

Genres: Music, History, Nonfiction, Punk, Audiobook

400 pages, Hardcover

Published May 20, 2025

Reviews

[Lando27 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The history is this particular scene is interesting and a story worth telling, full of colorful characters, wild tales, and funny anaecdotes, so the book is entertaining…but it’s not well written and desperately needs another rewrite. This first edition I have contains multiple errors, sloppy writing, rehashed comments and many tortuous, poorly written sentences. It’s not a total mess, but it feels rushed or unfinished.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a ton about not only rock, but Orange County through this read! 4.5 stars rounded up. I wouldn’t call myself a huge rock fan, so I wasn’t sure going in what I would think about the book. Can absolutely say I have a newfound appreciation since having finished Jackson and Kohn’s account! Rock is so much more than a type of music, it’s a representation of an ethos and a lifestyle. Loved the historical framing of this book, as it really speaks to the roots of OC rock and rock as a movement more generally. I’m thankful to have won a finished, hardback copy in a Goodreads giveaway! I tore through this read and would highly recommend. The photos are a lovely addition and help transport you to a time and place that is unique to the OC. The writing in this book is very accessible. A surprisingly welcome addition to my bookshelf and especially those of music aficionados!

[Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overall history of the Orange County punk scene. The writing had a few too many typos and grammatical errors though, which felt rushed and sloppy at times. Also the author had a weird way of sometimes presenting short blocks of detail more than once; a quick story or detail would be described, only to be re-written in a different way a few pages later. My other question/issue is why was Sublime (Long Beach) given so much attention, or really why were they included in the first place? Long Beach = L.A. County, not OC. Maybe that’s nitpicking but if you’re writing a book specifically focused on the OC scene, don’t dedicate several chapters to an L.A. County band.

[Tricky Nicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Clockwork Orange County

There was no interest in signing with a major label, or getting any endorsements. It was all about making noise and venting frustrations while having fun.

The Orange County Punk Scene...was the rejects from the suburban monolith. It was very white, but there was also a lot of color....At the time, many of the punkers attended either Fullerton or Troy High School.

How did Fullerton become the bedrock of OC Punk?

Close to home, "Obnoxious" referenced the streets of Fullerton.

....calling the (Adolescent's) record an "underground classic", Baum wrote in 1998 that the album's thirteen songs defined the OC Punk Experience back when Punk was a beleaguered sub-culture.

...there was no doubt that a Punk scene in Fullerton was emerging away from the genre's hubs of London, New York and Los Angeles.

That's what punk is all about- Change. It's about music by kids for kids, reflecting the frustrations and problems kids face every day.

As the late 80's began a new epic that fostered Hair Metal and then killed it in favor of Grunge, Punk in OC felt like the outlier in a world that migrated from Spandex to Plaid seemingly overnight.

“(Punk) just seemed to be kind of like the Melting Pot.” Jemmison said. As its evolution progressed, Punk acquired many different genres, which resulted in naturally eclectic lineups and naturally eclectic music. All of it came along at the time when Rock Radio was having a major moment that was focused on Orange County.

As goes KROQ so goes the country.

Not bad for a kid from the wrong side of the Fullerton tracks.

[MATTHEW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in this era, in this part of California, I’ve always wanted a book that could capture the scene from start to finish. Behind the Orange Curtain finally gives me that. It doesn’t just tick off names, venues, and setlists the way some rock books do—it lingers, it lets the characters breathe, and it pulls you right into the chaos and community of the time.

The writing has a narrative flow that makes it read more like a story than a document, and that’s what makes it so compelling. You don’t just learn about the scene—you feel it. The personalities aren’t reduced to bullet points; they come alive in their contradictions, ambitions, and flaws.

It reminded me of Legs McNeil’s Please Kill Me in the best way: immersive, voice-driven, and raw. However, where McNeil’s book focused on New York punk, this one captures the geography and energy of Orange County in a way that feels personal and essential. For me, it’s the best music book I’ve read since Please Kill Me.

[Greg Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having grown up on Orange County punk rock and having a small part in it (by managing some bands), I went into this book with some trepidation. But I gotta say, I freeking loved it. The book is well written, well researched and great read. I was even drawn in by the chapters in the book featuring bands I don’t really care for. That’s good writing. Cheers to the authors and participants.

[Callista Milligan · Rating 4 out of 5]

i won this from a goodreads giveaway and i’m glad i did!! as a music journalist i really appreciated the great music writing here. through reading the story of these bands i also learned more about california, the festival industry, and the various genres in the punk scene. and i guess i really need to start listening to the offspring !

[Scott Cordingley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall an excellent book about the punk and ska scene in Orange County/Southern California during the eighties and nineties. For me, it gets off to a slow start - I didn’t connect much with the chapters about the origins of OC punk and bands like The Adolescents and T.S.O.L., but that’s just because I don’t have a keen interest in it. If I was a big fan of this genre, I likely would have gotten more out of this part of the book. Once the book got into the stories behind the bands I was very familiar with (e.g. Social Distortion, The Offspring, Sublime, No Doubt,) then it really grabbed my attention. The research is a pretty even blend of original interviews and quotes from other publications, but the former sources are given more emphasis. I always appreciate it when music history/biography books draw from interviews conducted by the authors themselves, as it makes the finished product feel more credible and legitimate.

One thing that did irk me was the fact that I caught a few typos and spelling errors. They didn’t happen enough that they greatly detracted from my enjoyment of the book, but in my opinion, it does reflect poorly on the author of a published book for a wide audience when spelling and grammar mistakes are present more than once. As I write this, I realize some will roll their eyes and say “Lighten up, buddy,” but I don’t care - It’s annoying. I liken it to doing payroll for an organization: If the error count isn’t as close to zero as humanly possible, then it’s a problem. Also, there are some minor factual errors present - For instance, the book claims The Offspring’s “Smash” album has been certified Diamond by the RIAA, but in actual fact, it has been certified 6X platinum. Whoever edited and fact-checked this book could have been a little more diligent. That said, I’ve seen worse.

I haven’t become a new fan of any of the bands in this book, but I did pause my reading more than once to go on YouTube and give certain bands/songs a brief listen so I could make more of a connection with the subject matter. This is the biggest compliment I can give Tearing Down The Orange Curtain: The writing and research is so well done that it will surely serve as an entry point for many readers to the bands featured in this book.

[Coco · Rating 1 out of 5]

Right away it give me the ick with "If you were an adolescent and angry and malicious and didn’t know why, when punk rock came along you’re like ‘oh yeah that’s where I am, I’m a punk rocker.’" And a few paragraphs later it totally lost me with "But for all the political rhetoric on flyers and in songs damning “the system,” OC punks weren’t as politically charged as their counterparts in LA, New York, or the UK. “We were from Orange County, we didn’t care about politics, or agitators or whatever they were, we didn’t care, we just liked the music,” said the Vandals’ Joe Escalante. “Sure, we liked the Clash and they had some social consciousness, but we didn’t take that from them. We took as much as we needed and we were just having fun.”"

These people are just posers lmao

[Gerrod Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tearing Down the Orange Curtain is the definitive book on Orange County punk rock as authors Nate Jackson and Daniel Kohn explore the regional scene, and the global impact it would have, through following a series of artists and industry figures alike through the ’70s onward, with a detailed look at the 1980’s and 1990’s. By exploring the careers of the likes of Social Distortion, Sublime, No Doubt, and The Offspring, among many others, Jackson and Kohn expertly differentiate the musical, social, and cultural differences that operated Orange County from other punk scenes, particularly LA, and examine the impact through the rise of punk, ska, alternative rock, and pop punk as the region spawned some of the era’s defining voices. As such, Jackson and Kohn’s work is an essential narrative for understanding punk rock of the last four decades and is an incredibly nostalgic read.

[Jason Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 43 of 2025.

This may have been the easiest 5 stars I’ve given out!

I LOVED this book! It helped that 2 of my favorite bands (Social D and TSOL) are major parts of the book!

This book gives you an awesome history of music that came out of Orange County, California.

If you like SoCal music, or a music fan in general, this book is a MUST read!

[Jake Dromgoole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really, really enjoyed this one. I learned a ton about the OC scene, some of my favorite bands (especially Social Distortion and the Offspring), and even discovered some bands I wasn’t familiar with. This was one of my favorite reads/listens of 2025.

[Pete Judge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable read because of the topics covered, a lot of my favourite bands covered. Especially love the story of Social Distortion. The book was not that well written, for example a lot of repeated stories and an odd style. But still recommend it to fans of the genre

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate to just pile on but, oh my god, Tearing Down the Orange Curtain is in need of some serious editing and restructuring.
The book, written by Nate Jackson and Daniel Kohn is a recounting of the punk / music scene in Orange County, Calif., from more or less the late 1970s through to No Doubt’s 2024 reunion at Coachella. One thing I don’t want to get into is genre-defining and whether or not No Doubt needed to be mentioned as part of a punk rock scene. The story is more about the scene and the “non-mainstream” music that came from Orange County. That includes punk, pop-punk, ska, anything that wasn’t part of the evil Hollywood and LA scenes.

The history and the stories are great. I really enjoyed that part. There was a lot I didn’t know about and, while reading the book, I dusted off some old albums I haven’t heard in a long time to refresh my memory.

What made the book a very difficult and frustrating read is the lack of structure. The authors jump back and forth in the OC timeline from chapter to chapter. They go off on tangents. Example of the latter: The chapter titled “Epilogue” (pay no attention to the fact this chapter isn’t really an epilogue).
The chapter starts with Mike Ness talking about the 2024 No Values festival; it mentions Ness’ battle with tonsil cancer; it jumps to Sublime (with Rome, without Rome, and a partial history of *that*) at Coachella; it jumps to No Doubt’s reunion; on to Offspring at shows in Napa and Anaheim; then the reader is back to Social Distortion at No Values.
The one part that probably should have been included in a legitimate epilogue - an in memoriam of sorts - is relegated to a couple of paragraphs.

That sort of chapter structure is constant throughout Orange Curtain - the authors will start in one direction, then hit on a semi-related idea and run with that for a couple of pages before returning to their original thought.

My frustration while reading this book made me want to rate it a three. However, I very much liked the subject matter, just not the way it was presented. That said I’ll rate higher and round up to a four.
I’ll recommend this book to you only if you’re a serious enough music fan to trudge through it. Not really for the casual fans.

PS: I don’t think it’s likely anyone connected to this (or any) book ever reads these reviews, but one thing I think would be great is to include a select discography. Like if I want to know where I can find music by The Crowd and maybe even who played on what tracks, an appendix with that information would be swell.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a fun trip through the time and place where I grew up, recounting the stories of bands that came up in the Orange County music scene in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. You get a lot of information on who these bands were -- who played with whom at what time -- and where they played. What I'd hoped for, and where the book falls short in my opinion, was more depth about why they were playing music at all, and specifically this kind of music. You get a few mentions of bored kids in the suburbs, but there are bored kids in the suburbs everywhere. What was different about Orange County? Was there anger? Again, there is a brief touching on the impact of the Reagan administration and how politically conservative Orange County was, but no depth there about how that might have informed the direction these bands took. Finally, what was truly unique about Orange County punk versus what was happening in Los Angeles County or in the Bay Area? Lots of unexplored topics there.

Subject matter aside, the book definitely needed a good editorial pass. There are numerous examples of stories being told in one place and then retold in a slightly different form in another place. It's a bit jarring. And it jumps around a fair bit, often leaving you wondering who are we talking about here and when is this happening?

Finally, I have no idea why Sublime is covered here as part of the Orange County scene. Long Beach is Los Angeles County. The music doesn't care about boundaries, of course, but if the point of your book is to focus on Orange County, than why include a Long Beach band. And if you're going to include Long Beach bands, what about The Minutemen, who were foundational in the DIY punk scene?

[Elena B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful, thoroughly investigated account of a scrappy yet innovative subculture. From the first chapter the story of the Cuckoos Nest and its owner really drew me in and set the stage for a wild ride through the 80s and 90s with its amazing highlights of bands like Social Distortion and Mike Ness who seem to be the heart and soul of the book. Loved Mikes forward that’s really cool that the authors took the time to get that. The business side of the book detailing the rise of the Goldenvoice, the Warped Tour and punks commercial boom in the 90s really puts the evolution of the music into perspective with all that was going on at the time. Such in depth reporting on things I never knew! The book’s descriptions of all the major bands, key characters and moments in the scenes development are very vivid and give a true sense of authenticity and place to a thriving scene. As someone who has lived in OC my whole life and never thought much of punk rock it gave me a whole new respect and appreciation for this music and the struggles of suburban artists to carve their own path. Great book!

[Marc Ballon · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Tearing Down the Orange Curtain" is one of the best rock books I've ever read. And I've read a lot of them. Who knew that Orange County was so punk, having birthed not only the Offspring and No Doubt but the great Social Distortion, TSOL, the Vandals and later topflight ska punk bands like Save Ferris? This bastion of conservatism produced some of America's most eclectic and vital punk and post-punk bands, making the OC a musical and cultural epicenter in the late 80s and 90s much like Seattle was to grunge and San Francisco was to the psychedelic sounds of the 60s. Authors Nate Jackson and Daniel Kohn take readers behind scenes and into the long forgotten punk clubs of Fullerton and Huntington Beach, which injected music with a jolt of anger, rage and, this being Orange County, some melodicism. "Tearing Down The Orange Curtain" held my interest from the beginning until the end with its engaging writing, tasty anecdotes and historical breadth and depth. Do yourself a favor; Read this book!

[Sheezelectric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tearing Down the Orange Curtain is a timeless retelling of punk in Orange County. It's incredibly dense with information, with countless stories thrown in to help paint pictures of the characters who helped make this scene what it was. It succeeds as an almost encyclopedic take on its subject matter, with a very detailed index, making any particular topic easy to revisit.

The authors never insert their opinion or any conjecture into this book and attempt to lead the reader through decades of history solely through the stories of individuals. By the end of the book, you're left with a great understanding of the subject matter, but are also left to wonder about the gaps that this format leaves uncovered. The book also disappointingly doesn't go into enough detail on Agent Orange and the life of Mike Palm, who many would consider a pivotal figure in the birth of this scene.

[Brenda Perlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was exceptionally well-written! The style of writing by these two authors made me forget a I was reading a book; I felt present in each scene. Not to mention, the well-researched account of several bands in Punk answered several inquiries I had for several years. What a book! Because the music from this time shaped the world outside of Orange, the nostalgia was palpable in every page, that even non-locals will reminisce. If you are not interested in Punk, no worries, this book still makes an enjoyable read. I recommend the chapter, "Right Sound, Wrong Way", accounting a time when Sublime was up and coming. Reading the chapter made me feel like I met and hung out with Sublime during the good times, including their lead singer. A must-read with high regard!

[Andrew Tollemache · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very entertaining read about the history of the punk rock scene in southern California, especially in Orange County that goes from its emergence in a few punk friendly clubs in the late 1970s through to its explosion in nation wide (and even global) popularity in the mid 1990s. The book tells the story of many of the iconic bands of that era like Social Distortion, The Offspring, The vandals & No Doubt to name a few, but it also recounts the emergence of lesser known bands who often left more of a mark relative to their record sales or popularity.

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book doesn’t offer much that’s new—it mostly rehashes surface-level, familiar stories, much of it drawn from easily available online interviews and podcast episodes. If you’re after a deeper dive into the scene, I’d recommend checking out these documentaries as well:

Clockwork Orange County – explores the scene’s origins

Another State of Mind – follows early Social Distortion on tour

Punk Rock Summer Camp – dives into the Warped Tour era

Pick It Up! – Ska in the '90s – looks at the genre’s later success

[Sal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely detailed, this book covers the Orange County music scene from the days of early punk up to the present. There is some repetition that can become somewhat burdensome, but it helps show the history of the scene had a lot happening simultaneously and not always as a direct cause and effect (though there’s certainly plenty of that, too).

A good read for music fans looking to learn more, but it’s not the most accessible, so the casual reader may find it a bit difficult to get into.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like scientists in a lab, Jackson and Kohn dissect the mischief, magic, and mayhem that make Orange County punk rock such a vital part of the SoCal scene. From the beaches to the burbs, the backyard parties to some of the biggest stages in the world, the definitive account of OC punk is here, and you’ve never seen anything like it before.

[Scott Delgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up listening to a lot of these bands, and now that I live in Orange County, I find the history of it all the more interesting. If you love bands like Social Distortion, The Vandals, Agent Orange, The Adolescents, The Offspring, No Doubt, Sublime, and others, this book will be a good read for you.

[kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up with these bands as my soundtrack made this a great read. Lots of good stories (some new, some not), although I found the organization of them a little frustrating at times. It didn't feel like we had a consistent flow or natural break patterns. This one was also an audiobook for me and it took a minute for me to get used to the deadpan delivery of our narrator.

All told, I still devoured this one. If you're a fan of the whole scene or just a couple of the bands going into the read, you'll enjoy the lore.

[Rolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, comprehensive history that’ll be of interest to anyone who listened to OC punk from the 70s through the 90s. I connected most with the later 90s chapters because that was my adolescence, but the whole thing is well done.

[Ellen R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best punk rock history books of all time. If you’re interested in Orange County punk rock, it’s a must-read. Even if you’re not, it’s still a very engaging telling of a fascinating history.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. It was a lot of legwork and interviews, but just failed at the “written word” part of being a book. It needed a more engaging writing style and better editing. I never thought I’d say this but… it should have been a podcast.

[Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, lived it!