Twinkie Force 101: Influences – Part 2

We may have been living in the Long Island suburbs but- in the early days of the band- Twinkie Force experienced our share of danger. At night roving teenage gangs from rival towns would drive through our town looking for unsuspecting kids to jump and beat up. Walking the streets of our hometown became terrifying- especially late at night when we were trying to hurry home to make curfew. One of our friends even got shot. It all became TF song material (“Shitheads Prohibited”).

Bad Brains

Not only was there violence in our streets but there was also increasing violence at hardcore and punk shows (and growing schisms within the underground music scene) which was just one more reason for Twinkie Force to embrace fun and peace in our music and support bands who sang for peace and unity and against violence and racism. Cops were also a problem for us back then as they often broke up our beer drinking parties (with girls) and we’d have to hightail it through the woods and climb fences. We did a lot of running back then- from cops, from gangs- and usually with girls. It all became TF song material (“TF Groupies", “Lotus Lake”, “Stay Away Lover”, “Geraldo”).

Circle Jerks

Even in our small town there were at least a dozen or so other guys interested in punk and hardcore music (even one or two girls) and eventually we all found each other. There were even a couple of other  “punk” bands in town. After Rosen left Twinkie Force, our friend Mike- an incoming freshman who played bass for Social Tea Biscuits- agreed to be our drummer. Twinkie Force was once again complete and 1991-1992 (senior year for Joe, Toast, and me) was to be our most creative and productive period. Here are some (more) of the bands and songs that influenced Twinkie Force. Enjoy!

The Clash

01. Buzzcocks – “Boredom” (1977)
02. Operation Ivy – “Unity” (1989)
03. The Replacements – “If Only You Were Lonely” (1981)
04. Ramones – “I Wanna Be Sedated” (1978)
05. Screeching Weasel – “I Can See Clearly” (1991)
06. Lou Reed – “Walk on the Wild Side” (1972)
07. The Dead Milkmen – “Instant Club Hit (You’ll Dance to Anything)” (1987)
08. Screeching Weasel – “Making You Cry” (1991)
09. The Damned – “Love Song” (1979)
10. Beastie Boys – “Shake your Rump” (1989)
11. Fifteen – “The End” (1991)
12. Circle Jerks – “Deny Everything” (1980)
13. Fifteen – “Liberation” (1991)
14. Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Fortunate Son” (1969)
15. Circle Jerks – “Wonderful” (1985)
16. Circle Jerks – “When the Shit Hits the Fan” (1983)
17. Bad Brains – “Sailin’ On” (1983)
18. Fugazi – “Bad Mouth” (1988)
19. Bad Brains – “How Low Can a Punk Get” (1983)
20. The Clash – “I Fought the Law” (1979)
21. Bad Religion – “No Control” (1989)
22. Dead Kennedys – “Holiday in Cambodia” (1980)
23. Circle Jerks – “Coup d’Etat” (1983)
24. The 101ers – “Keys to Your Heart” (1976)
25. Bad Religion – “Modern Man” (1990)

Twinkie Force (Mike, the Jean, Joe, and Toast)

Mike

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