Frontier Records: 30 Years of Los Angeles Punk Cred

Lisa Fancher loves rock and roll, especially punk rock. She started out as a journalist, but then realized that by starting a record label she could do far more to support local bands than spilling ink about them. In 1980 she founded Frontier Records and signed The Flyboys, followed by seminal Los Angeles and Orange County bands like the Adolescents, the Circle Jerks, the Weirdos, Suicidal Tendencies,Thin White Rope, China White and Christian Death. Frontier was by all accounts the first punk label founded by a woman.

As more and more indie labels got absorbed by corporations, Frontier remained fiercely independent. Fancher stayed true to the punk rock DIY ethos, eschewing major label deals and continually releasing new material, compilations and special editions. She didn't get rich, but her ethics stayed true, earning her the respect of A&R guys she told to fuck off and bands she championed.

This Sunday November 7, Frontier Records celebrates their three decades of Los Angeles angst and anarchy at the EchoPlex with a roster-packed bill including the Adolescents,T.S.O.L., Rikk Agnew, the Pontiac Bros, the Avengers, the Deadbeats and secret special guests. Doors open at 4pm and tickets are available through the link below. The show is all ages, so it promises to be a great night of family entertainment-- if your family is the kind that can put the fun in dysfunctional...

The EchoPlex, 1154 Glendale Bvd, Los Angeles