Steven Ronald Jensen

Steven Ronald "Stevo" Jensen
Steven Ronald "Stevo" Jensen
Background information
Birth name Steven Ronald Jensen
Also known as Stevo
Born (1959-04-29)April 29, 1959
Los Angeles County, California, United States
Died August 20, 2005(2005-08-20) (aged 46)
Maui, Hawaii
Genres Punk rock
Occupation(s) Singer, Composer, Actor
Instruments Vocals, scratch box, flute.
Years active 1980–1986, 1989.
Labels Epitaph, National Trust, Restless Records, Posh Boy Records.
Associated acts The Vandals, S.N.I.V. (Stevo's New Improved Vandals)

Steven Ronald Jensen A.K.A.:"Stevo" (April 29, 1959—August 21, 2005) was an original founding member (along with Jan Nils Ackermann) of the Huntington Beach, California Punk Rock Band The Vandals. After Performing for some time in different bands in Southern California, Jan Nils Ackermann decided to form The Vandals, enlisting Steven Ronald "Stevo" Jensen as vocalist, and the band's comical character took shape. A love for surfing had prompted Jensen to move from Buena Park to Huntington Beach. He became a protege of T.S.O.L. founders Mike Roche and Ron Emory, a couple of surfers who had veered into punk.

"I admired the way Mike Roche and Ron and Bob Emory (Ron's older brother) dressed and acted, and I followed in their footsteps," Jensen recalled. But before long, he developed his own outrageous take on punk that was far from T.S.O.L.'s glowering style.

"I said, 'We're going to have a good time with it. We're going to make fun of everybody and we're going to have fun doing it,' " Jensen said. "That's what I wanted--fun."[1] After performing with Steve Gonzalez and Vince Mesa, The Original Line-up of The Vandals performed at the now World-Famous Costa Mesa Club the Cuckoo's Nest owned by early Punk Rock club owner Jerry Roach.[2] Stevo and the Vandals performed that night with China White and Shattered Faith before Gonzalez and Mesa left the initial group. Steve Soto from Adolescents and Agent Orange fame rehearsed with Jan Nils Ackermann on Bass Guitar previous to the Peace Thru' Vandalism line-up of The Vandals recording, constructing bass parts for many future songs along with early notables on bass who helped write songs such as Bob Emory, Steve Gonzalez and Steve "Human" Pfauter. Stevo died in 2005 in Maui, Hawaii.[3]

Stevo and Jan Nils Ackermann at Cuckoo's Nest

Peace Thru Vandalism

In mid-1981, Steven Ronald "Stevo" Jensen and Jan Nils Ackermann sought a lineup for their band that could consistently both record and perform live shows for possible touring purposes. After many bassists came and went, The Vandals eventually recruited Steve "Human" Pfauter as their full-time permanent bassist before adding Joe Escalante (a former bandmate of Human's) on the drums. Escalante's presence completed the original Peace Thru' Vandalism era lineup of the band, which went on to perform and record for the remainder of 1981 throughout Southern California. Stevo then entered the studio with this Vandals' lineup in 1982 and recorded the Peace Thru Vandalism E.P. with Thom Wilson as producer. Released later that year on Epitaph Records, Peace Thru Vandalism is the only E.P. that The Vandals have recorded as of 2017.[4]


Year Album details
1982 Peace thru Vandalism[I]





Personnel
  • Steven Ronald "Stevo" Jensen: vocals
  • Jan Nils Ackermann: guitar
  • Steve "Human" Pfauter: bass
  • Joe Escalante: drums

Backing Vocals on "Anarchy Burger (Hold The Government): Brett Gurewitz

Produced by: Thom Wilson

Suburbia

In 1983, Stevo and The Vandals were approached to appear in Suburbia a film written and directed by Penelope Spheeris and produced by Roger Corman. It is a disturbing and prophetic story of rebellious, homeless kids squatting in abandoned houses, trying to make new families, and protecting one another. "Suburbia" won first place at the Chicago Film Festival.[5] Stevo performs live singing in the band for the movie and subsequent soundtrack.[6]

Human and stevo

When in Rome, Do as the Vandals

After performing extensively in Southern California and playing out of town concerts in Arizona, Stevo recorded The Vandals' first full-length album, "When in Rome Do as The Vandals". The album was released on National Trust Records in 1984 after disagreements with The Vandals' previous label, Epitaph, resulted in withheld royalties for sales of the band's 1982 Peace Thru Vandalism E.P. By the time When in Rome was recorded in studio, bassist Steve Human had left the band and was replaced by Chalmer Lumary from the Huntington Beach punk rock band The Hated.[7] However, Lumary soon broke his arm, preventing him from playing bass, Eric VonArab filled in briefly on bass before Brent Turner was brought in to record the album's bass tracks using previously captured audio from live performances and rehearsals for guidance. Lumary was able to sing backup vocals on the album and later joined Stevo and the Vandals as the band's fulltime bassist following the album's release.[8]


Personnel
  • Steven Ronald "Stevo" Jensen - vocals, scratch box on "Ladykiller"
  • Jan Nils Ackermann - guitar, acoustic guitars on "Mohawk Town" and "Rico"
  • Brent Turner - bass
  • Joe Escalante - Drums, trumpet on "Rico"
  • Chalmer Lumary - backing vocals
  • Record label:
  • Produced by Thom Wilson
  • Art & design by Mike Doud
  • Cover photos by Alan Newberg
  • Sleeve photos by Mike Leczkowski
Stevo at "Madison Square Gardens" Phoenix, AZ 1983

Leaving the Vandals

After providing lead vocals for The Vandals during the band's early years performing throughout Southern California and Arizona, Stevo left the Vandals in 1986. His departure followed a period of inactivity for the band caused by friction and personality conflicts regarding performance during live shows.

Compilations

  • "Rodney on the ROQ volume 3" ℗1982 (V/A) Posh Boy Records. Vocalist on "Urban Struggle"[9]
  • "When Men Were Men... And Sheep Were Scared" ℗1985 Bemisbrain Records. Vocalist on "Dachau Cabana" and "Frog Stomp"[10]
  • "Stage Diving to the Oldies" ℗1995 (V/A) Restless Records. Vocalist on "Lady Killer" and "Mohawk Town"[11]

References

  1. ↑ L.A. Times Article: July 30, 1989|MIKE BOEHM
  2. ↑ O.C. Weekly
  3. ↑ Carreon, Mary (6 April 2016). "The Vandals, OC Punk's Merry Pranksters, Claim a Place In the Coachella Sun".
  4. ↑ "Vandals - Peace Through Vandalism EP". 1 January 1984.
  5. ↑ World Cat.org page for Suburbia Soundtrack
  6. ↑ IMDB Page for Suburbia
  7. ↑ The Hated myspace https://myspace.com/originalhated
  8. ↑ Discogs.com "When In Rome Do as The Vandals" album info
  9. ↑ Various – Rodney On The ROQ Vol. III
  10. ↑ When Men Were Men... And Sheep Were Scared
  11. ↑ Stage Diving To Oldies
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