Smut Peddlers....

Photo: Riky Barnes

The story so far... SMUT PEDDLERS started in the summer of 1993. Originally it was Gish and a guitar player just jamming out in an apartment at 220 Avenue H apt. B, Redondo Beach, CA. Julia was in apartment A. Gish did some recruiting and she and John Ransom joined up shortly thereafter. There were a couple other people involved in the beginning, but no one that ever stuck around more than a few weeks. SMUT PEDDLERS, the early years... So they played their first show at Toe's Tavern in Redondo Beach. Toe's is gone now; I think they sell rattan and wicker there. They played shows at Frog's in Lawndale, the Wolves Den in Manhattan Bch., the Crest Bar in Torrance, Hermosa Saloon in Hermosa Bch., the Pitcherhouse in Hermosa Bch., Sacred Grounds in San Pedro, various VFW halls & YMCA's, backyard parties, etc... They played those places until they closed down or until the establishment decided they couldn't handle "punk rock" bands anymore. Gish moved south, to Orange County and Julia followed suit a few years later. John Ransom still resides in the South Bay. So it remains, the original triad of John, Gish and Julia. The list of guitarists: ...who really cares about the past, what matters now is the present, and presently we have Cleveland to So. Bay to Orange County back to the So. Bay and now Los Angeles transplant, Scott O'Brien on guitar. SMUT PEDDLERS made their first trip to Europe in August 2002, playing 16 cities throughout Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium, headlining all shows except three. They were very well received! In 2003, Smut Peddlers toured Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Vermont. After a dissapointing second European Tour cancellation, SMUT PEDDLERS took the U.S. by storm in May/June of 2005, making it to the East Coast and back in 3 weeks! Some bands they have played with: X, Pennywise, T.S.O.L., Hot Water Music, Swingin Utters, Flogging Molly, Youth Brigade, the Dwarves, the Distillers, Agent Orange, Voodoo Glow Skulls, the Vibrators, U.K. Subs, the Adicts, the Skulls, Channel 3, the Dwarves, D.I., the Controllers, Dr. Know, Ill Repute, Decry, ANTI, the Crowd, Angry Samoans, the ADZ, Mau Maus, the Humpers, U.S. Bombs, One Man Army, Duane Peters & the Hunns, Cadillac Tramps, Throw Rag, the Stitches, Smogtown, Bonecrusher, the Exploding Hearts, the Frogs, the Virus, etc... etc...

So, now its 2008!!... To date SMUT PEDDLERS have 5 full length cds and two seven inch records out on their own label, Ransom Records. For the 2nd 45rpm, the band went into the studio with the one and only Billy Zoom (X); Nice Guy and Punk Legend, and recorded 3 songs which were released on a limited edition 7" titled "eXit plan" on Ransom Records. In 2004 the band joined the TKO Records family. A fifth full length on TKO titled, "Coming Out", was released in Summer of 2004 and received rave reviews (see the press page) . Orange Countys Hostage Records has put out two seven inches, Silicone & STP and Bipolar Girl, as well as having two exclusive songs on the Hostage Situation cd compilation, one exclusive song on their Cuts Vol.1 cd series compilation and a new song on the vinyl only compilation, "Tower 13". SMUT PEDDLERS have been on a ton of misc. projects (check out the discography page). Smut Peddlers have a song in MTV's "jackass: the movie". The song, "Let's Get F***ed Up" is in the movie and available on the soundtrack. The director of jackass, Jeff Tremaine, and the director of photography, Rick Kosick, also shot a video of the the song. The newest MTV show WILDBOYZ also has featured several of the newest SMUT PEDDLERS songs. Green Hell/ Stereodrive Records in Germany released ISM, out on limited edition vinyl in Europe which promptly sold out. Other releases include a ten inch vinyl only release on Deadbeat Records titled "Ten Inch" with 8 songs (all exclusive recordings, 4 songs exclusive to this record only). In Summer of 2005 TKO filmed a live set at DiPiazza's Lounge in Long Beach which was released April 2006 and a 22-SONG, LIVE CD is included with the DVD to make it a 2 disc set!! It's now available for purchase. OTHER STUFF!... "jackass: number two" the movie and the soundtrack, featuring a new SMUT PEDDLERS song (which is actually a cover of a Roger Alan Wade song) AND "1993-1994: THE DEMOS" 15 song cd featuring the original 2 cassette only demos from '93 & '94!!!! Your favorite songs the way they were originally recorded!! What else can be said, other than the fact that SMUT PEDDLERS are here to stay. You can run and hide, but you can't hide forever. Just when you think it's safe SMUT PEDDLERS will be there waiting for you............................