Name: Greg Hetson
What he does: Play second guitar
Useful info (Michele A. Ceazan) :
Greg Hetson can claim to have played
on several touchstone records in U.S. punk annals. He began in 1979 as the
founding guitarist of the still-going psychedelic punk stalwarts Redd Kross-
first known as Red Cross before being forced by the international relief
agency to change their name.
Hetson recorded that band's debut EP with future Rlack Flag singer
Ron Reyes and brothers Jeff and Steven McDonald, before teaming up with
original Black Flag singer Keith Morris to form one of the most heralded
powerhouses in LA/California punk histoiy, The Circle Jerks. The band's
first IP, 1980's Grup Sex, remains one of the acknowledged classics of punk,
and is often thought of as the birth of what became known thereafter as
"hardcore." The band went on to release a string of fine IPs, such as 1982's
Wild in the Streeets and 1983's Golden Shower ofHits, right up to the '90s,
where they remained a respected touring and recording entity before calling
it quits recendy.
In Bad Religion circles Hetson is also lauded as the band's first major
benefactor, a crucial help in Its infancy. On hearing the band's first demo in
1980, Hetson used his Circle Jerks standing to bring it to the attention of
famous LA radio DJ Rodney Bingenheimer, whose airing of the demo
launched Bad Religion's public career. Hetson then sat in with the fledgling
quartet for a song on their hot 1982 debut How Can Hell Be Any Worse, and
became a frequent second guitarist at the band's LA shows. So it was
inevitable that Hetson would become a permanent member, as he did in
1985, playing on the whole of the band's comeback EP, Back to Uie Known,
and on all eight studio lys and tours since. He still lives in Los Angeles, is
married, and is the father of one.
E-mail: gregh@badreligion.com - think before mailing.
