Download link:http://rapidshare.com/files/232568289/Agent_51_Red_Alert.zip
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In my teen years, growing up in the isolated valley of Poway, California, USA, Earth, there was a tiny window of time in between the end of grunge and the invention of the Playstation and/or Guitar Hero/Rockband. This was a time when kids seemed to play more outside, and built things with their hands to entertain themselves.
I remember growing up as one of those kids. When I hit high school, my skater friend, Tom walked into Film class one day with an arm full of cassette taps and a zip lock baggy full of dollar bills 'n change asking me if I wanted to check out a demo tape of his new punk band, Blink 182. I sincerely obliged, and stuffed a 5 dollar bill into the small baggy, unaware that that small baggy would soon grow much larger for him. By the time I reached my senior year, I'd had enough adolescent confusion, angst, drive, and hope of my own to start my own punk rock band called Agent 51.
We made a strong 8 year run setting out to change the world, playing local shows to sweaty raving punk rockers, with spiked fists pumping hopefully to toward the stars, and screaming at the top of their lungs: "RED ALERT! RED ALERT!" There was a buzz in the air, a feeling that we really 'could' change the system. We rocked w. bands big and small. We raced across the desert like a rocket of young determination into open wide U.S. landscape, leaving only a trail of toxic exhaust behind us.
Blazing hard and fast in a weathered Ford van, we slept on floors in every city, played huge shows to massive crowds, shitty empty shows in smelly old town bars that time forgot, and some places in between. We lashed out against Government Cover-ups. We broke down, dirty and stinky in the middle of nowhere at 5am. We fought, we made up. We partied backstage with our musical idols, partied with the ladies, and all the while extolled the virtues of heartbreak. We loved every minute of it.
As you may expect, the wildness of it all eventually took its toll when I hit 27, and decided to leave the band to find my own sense of self and direction. You could say I had sort of 'mid-life' crisis, much like the main character in the movie SLC Punk. The hangover had finally come to pass, and the party was over. It was time to create something fresh and start a new chapter in my life.
I really can't remember if we made any money because the memories are blurry and dramatic. Now and then I have a quick flashback of something really rad that happened, but I'll save that for the book. Now in my 30's, I still can't think of a better way I could have misspent my youth.
Although we released 2 more records, this album, Red Alert, is where my musical journey began for me. I hope you enjoy it. I decided to provide it here for free since it's no longer in print, and no one seems to have a copy (or a copy that isn't scratched to hell) anymore. I've also included the hidden secret Red Alert Instrumental Track, Area 51 Call, and a rare radio ad from friend Rick Savage of KROQ. Enjoy!
Download link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/232568289/Agent_51_Red_Alert.zip
Select "Free account"
Full Artwork link: (coming soon)
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Track Listing:
1. Red Alert
2. Work All Day
3. Boot to the Brain
4. Designed
5. Left Me With Nothing
6. 5 Miles to Bellevue
7. Homecoming Queen
8. The War
9. Boomerang
10. No Way
11. Hitman
12. Swinging Doors
13. Surprise, Surprise
14. Gather Round
15. Chuck
16. Deadlines and Commitments
17. I'm Not Going Anywhere
18. Conditioned
19. San Diego's Burning
20. Red Alert (Secret Instrumental Track) + Art Bell Area 51 caller
21. Agent 51 Radio Ad by Rick Savage of KROQ
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Let me know if there's any technical issues downloading and I'll do my best to fix'm.
...in the meantime....
Found some other rare Agent 51 items I've been asked about over the years. I compiled 'em all into one zip file. Enjoy!
Track listing:
1) Automatic Addicts
2) Fight For Your Right (Beastie Boys cover)
3) Straight Outta Hell (Featuring Shawn Stern of Youth Brigade)
4) All Stressed Out (demo)
5) Radiation Nation (promo theme for Flax Glor's "Radiation Nation" TV Show)
6) Sandra Dee (Unreleased Track from album 'The Red and the Black')
7) All Stressed Out (demo v. 2)
Download link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/232575536/Agent_Gems.zip
Agent 51 is/was such an awesome band (one of my favourites), thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris! Agent 51 was a big part of my college years. I remember shows at 'Canes, the Epicentre, Street Scene, etc. Sad that I missed the final show, but fortunately I caught last year's reunion show & had a great time. I still have all the albums & my old Red Alert-era t-shirt!
ReplyDelete-Pete