THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “More than 20 years after it was recorded, the long-lost 1998 album American Nightmare by punk legends Fang has finally been released digitally for the first time. This record has been very hard to find and this digital release is a long time coming. American Nightmare is a must for all Fang and hardcore punk fans!
Frontman Sam McBride (aka Sammytown) explains: “In 1996, after spending seven years in some of the worst prisons in the USA for a horrible crime, I was released onto the streets a changed man. I had not planned on ever getting Fang back together but with the urging of many and a longing to make music again, I rebuilt Fang in 1997 with Josh Levine (bass), Greg Langston (drums) and Bill Burnett (guitar). American Nightmare is the culmination of that rebirth.
“Most of the lyrics on the record were written while I was still incarcerated. It is a window into the past, a window into the California penal system and the violence and brutality of the CDC with songs like Electric Chair and City of Pain. It is also a Fang record in that there are moments of pure sarcasm, ie; Eat a Vegan and Motor City Drag Queen. As well as a hard look at the punk rock scene in the city of Sacramento and the war that was raging there at the time.
“American Nightmare was slated to be released in 1998 but Wingnut Records closed their doors forever and all the records, CDs and cassettes were locked away in storage for many years. With mind-blowing cover art by Joe Coleman and incredible production and engineering by Jason Carmer it was sad that the record never really saw the light of day … Until now.’’
For those who need more info: Fang are an influential San Francisco Bay Area / Long Beach-based band who began in 1980 in the hardcore scene of Berkeley, CA. The current lineup features original frontman Sammytown, along with Obadiah Bowling and Tommy Knox on guitar, bass player Brandon Brown and drummer Mike 86.
Among the leaders in the West Coast’s hardcore scene, Fang influenced countless high-profile bands — many of whom have covered their material. Mudhoney, Butthole Surfers, Metallica and Nirvana all covered The Money Will Roll Right In, and I Wanna Be On TV has been covered by Green Day. Founding guitarist Tom Flynn’s distinctive guitar playing also influenced many followers, including those in the grunge genre.
Sammytown and Fang were recently profiled in the documentary Turn It Around: The Story of East Bay Punk, which has received national and international exposure. Their song We Die Alone was featured in the movie The Ranger and appears on the soundtrack.”
