Adrenalin O.D.
| Company type | Independent record label and band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Headquarters | New Jersey , United States |
| Products | Punk music, records |
Adrenalin O.D. was a hardcore punk group originating from New Jersey, active mainly between 1981 and 1990. They gained recognition for their rapid tempos combined with witty and humorous songwriting.
History
Adrenalin O.D. emerged in October 1981 following the dissolution of the late 1970s punk outfit The East Paterson Boys Choir. Their initial recordings were featured on the widely circulated New York Thrash cassette compilation released by ROIR in 1982, sharing space with early material from the Beastie Boys and influential punk bands such as Kraut and Bad Brains. The fast-paced, comedic track "Paul's Not Home" became popular on college radio stations.
Their first vinyl release was a six-song EP titled Let's Barbeque, issued through their own label, Buy Our Records. Limited financial resources meant all songs were captured live in a single take without any overdubs. Buy Our Records eventually developed into one of New Jersey’s most prominent independent punk labels, helping to launch acts like Flag of Democracy, Raging Slab, and Pussy Galore.
The debut album, The Wacky Hijinks of Adrenalin O.D., highlighted blistering speed-punk paired with sarcastic commentary on suburban life, featuring tracks such as "Middle Aged Whore", "Trans Am" (which inspired the Dead Milkmen's "Bitchin' Camaro"), and the fan-favorite "Rock n' Roll Gas Station". The album also contained a backmasked message that revealed a humorous phrase when played in reverse. Although their sound had some metallic influences, the band declined offers from major metal labels to preserve their punk ethos. Certain songs on HumungousFungusAmongus are regarded among the fastest hardcore recordings ever made.
Adrenalin O.D. cultivated a nationwide fan base through dynamic live performances that combined rapid punk music with improvisational comedy, leading audiences to coin the term "funny-punk" to describe their approach. Their offbeat humor extended to covers like Henry Mancini's "Baby Elephant Walk," a surf-style rendition of "Hava Nagila" titled "Surfin' Jew," and a punk arrangement of Jean-Joseph Mouret’s Fanfare-Rondeau called "Masterpiece." In a 1984 interview, band members humorously identified their favorite monsters, reflecting their quirky character.
By the time of their third album, Cruising With Elvis in Bigfoot's UFO, producer Daniel Rey assisted in shifting the band's sound from extreme speed to more mid-tempo melodic punk. Tracks such as "Bulimic Food Fight" and "My Mother Can't Drive" received acclaim from publications like Stereo Review and Decibel as some of the most amusing records ever produced. Their final studio effort, Ishtar, produced by Andy Shernoff of Dictators for Restless/Enigma Records, faced budget challenges and limited distribution before the label folded, marking a decline in the band's momentum.
Adrenalin O.D.'s influence extended to numerous bands including NOFX, Anthrax, Screeching Weasel, Bouncing Souls, Night Birds, Municipal Waste, Darkthrone, and S.O.D..
Post-breakup
After departing Adrenalin O.D. in 1986, Jack Steeples joined Mental Decay as guitarist. Mental Decay issued three 7" records ("Mental Decay," "Elvis Demilo," and "Walking Stick") and contributed to a Headache Records compilation featuring Steeples on guitar. He exited in 1995 but briefly returned in 1996 for recordings and live shows. In December 1995, he switched to bass to join Kowalskis alongside Adrenalin O.D.’s frontman Paul Richard. Kowalskis, led by Kitty Kowalski, released both a single and an album on Blackout Records and made their debut opening for Iggy Pop.
Bruce Wingate and Wayne Garcia formed the trio Bruce Wayne, a name inspired by their first names and Batman’s alter ego. Wingate acted as musical director for two tours with cult performer Harvey Sid Fisher during the mid-1990s and fronted several groups including The International Brunch Mummies, Shyster Shyster & Flywheel, New Reagans, The Earls Of Sandwich, and TXT PSTLZ (text pistols). He also created the satirical techno project Total Dick, later renamed District Allstarz.
Original guitarist Jim Foster co-founded Electric Frankenstein in 1991. Drummer Dave Scott played with New Jersey’s supergroup Scrooge (later Grimelord), which included members from Genocide and Niblick Henbane before joining Atlantic artists Lucy’s Trance. Later relocating to Florida, he performed with The Hybrids, November Charlie, The F-Pipes, and The Rondos while managing Nutrajet featuring Greg Reinel.
Adrenalin O.D. has reunited multiple times over the years, including a 2005 benefit concert for CBGB's alongside acts such as The Dead Boys, Peter and the Test Tube Babies, and Flipper. In 1999, they contributed a brief 31-second track titled "Your Kung Fu Is Old...and Now You Must Die!!!" to the compilation Short Music For Short People. In February 2013, musicians Jack White and Gibby Haynes recorded a cover of Adrenalin O.D.’s "Paul's Not Home" for White’s label Third Man Records.
The band is also mentioned in the music video for "Milwaukee" by The Both, where Ted Leo portrays himself alongside his fictional uncle Ed Leo, who is said to have played drums for Adrenalin O.D.
In 2022, DiWulf Publishing released David Scott Schwartzman’s book If It's Tuesday This Must Be Walla Walla: The Wacky History of Adrenalin O.D., documenting the band’s formative years. To celebrate this publication, Adrenalin O.D. reunited for two shows in November 2022.
The group performed three concerts across the U.S. in late 2024 and has plans for a United Kingdom tour scheduled for summer 2025.
Members
The founding roster consisted of:
- Paul Richard – guitar and vocals (1981–1990, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2022–present)
- Jim Foster – guitar (1981–1983, 2022–present)
- Jack Steeples – bass guitar (1981–1986, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2022–present)
- Dave Scott (Schwartzman) – drums (1981–1990, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2022–present)
Subsequent members included:
- Bruce Wingate – guitar (1984–1990, 1999, 2005, 2007)
- Keith Hartel – bass guitar (1987–1989)
- Ed Leo – drums (dates not specified)
- Wayne Garcia – bass guitar (1989–1990)
Albums
- The Wacky Hi-Jinks of Adrenalin O.D. (1984)
- HumungousFungusAmongus (1986)
- Cruising With Elvis in Bigfoot's UFO (1988)
- Ishtar (1990)
- Phat and Old Live On WFMU (1996)
Singles/EPs
- Let's Barbeque EP (Buy Our Records, 1983)
- Caught in the Act split 7" with Bedlam (1984)
- Nice Song in the Key of D 7" (Buy Our Records 005, 1986)
- Theme From an Imaginary Midget Western (1988)
- Sentimental Abuse (Headache Records, 1996)
Compilation albums
- Sittin' Pretty (1995)
- A.O.D. Themes – collection of rare and unreleased demos from 1981 to 1982 (2001)
Compilation appearances
- New York Thrash cassette (ROIR, 1981)
- New Jersey's Got It? (Buy Our Records, 1985)
- Rat Music for Rat People, Vol. 3 (CD Presents, 1987)
- Short Music For Short People (Fat Wreck Chords, 1999)