D.I. is an American punk rock band formed in 1981 in Fullerton, California. It was founded by vocalist and primary songwriter Casey Royer, after previously playing drums in the bands Adolescents and Social Distortion.

D.I.
OriginFullerton, California
Genres
Years active1981–present
Labels
SpinoffsX-Pistols
Spinoff of
Members
  • Casey Royer
  • Clinton Calton
  • Eddie Tatar
  • Joey Tatar
  • Trevor Lucca
Past members
  • Tim Maag
  • Steve Roberts
  • Rikk Agnew
  • Alfie Agnew
  • John "Bosco" Calabro
  • Mark "The Kid" Cerneka
  • Sean Elliott
  • Eric Felty
  • Wade Walston
  • Greg Antista
  • Fredric Taccone
  • Hedge
  • Dan Colburn
  • Derek O'Brien
  • John Knight
  • Stevie DRT
  • Steve Guevara
  • Lisa "Lisafer" Pifer
  • Steve Lyen

Since its formation, D.I. has had many line-up changes over the years with Royer being the only constant member of the band. The band has continued to work, although they have had inactive periods, which include the band going on hiatus between albums. During their years of touring and recording albums, D.I. have never gained a huge mainstream success, but they have influenced many of the 1990s era melodic hardcore punk and punk rock revival bands, including Face to Face, Guttermouth, Jughead's Revenge,[1] The Offspring, and Pennywise.[2] Members of the band also joined up with Daddy X and the Dirtball of the Kottonmouth Kings, to create the punk rock band the X-Pistols, in 2010.

History

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Early history (1981–1986)

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D.I. was formed in 1981 after the Adolescents' first break-up. The band's name initially stood for "Drug Ideology", but now, the initials no longer have any meaning.[3] Their original line-up consisted of Casey Royer on vocals, Tim Maag on guitar, Fredric Taccone on bass guitar, and Derek O'Brien on drums. The band combined the Orange County hardcore punk sound with a decidedly surf and new wave style on their debut self-titled EP. The EP featured five songs, including "Richard Hung Himself" (originally written by Casey Royer while he played for the Adolescents, recorded with the Adolescents and later re-recorded with D.I.), "Venus De Milo", "Reagan der Führer", "Purgatory", and "Guns". This EP was later reissued as Team Goon with extra tracks including versions of Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part II", The Saint and Nuclear Funeral.[4] The album was later released as a CD which added a cover of DEVO's Uncontrollable Urge which itself was originally released by XXX Records as the B-side on the 7-inch e.p. along with Surfing Anarchy.

Live footage of a D.I. performance of "Richard Hung Himself" was integrated into scenes from the 1983 coming-of-age feature film Suburbia, directed by Penelope Spheeris.[5] A longer set was later released on a DVD called DI - The Suburbia Sessions 1983.[6]

The band's first studio album Ancient Artifacts was a more straight ahead Orange County-sounding album that included a new version of "Purgatory" from the EP. Not long after the release of Ancient Artifacts, D.I. returned to the studio to record their second album Horse Bites Dog Cries, which was not released until 1986 (although the album itself has copyright date of 1985). This is generally considered their best studio album.[7][8]

Two more albums and hiatus (1987–1992)

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Before recording sessions for their next album commenced, guitarist Rikk Agnew left D.I. in 1987 to pursue his career with the Adolescents. Agnew was replaced in D.I. by Hedge on bass guitar. Alfie Agnew played guitar, and Bosco was switched from bass to second guitar. Eventually Mark "The Kid" Cerneka from Brea Olinda High School replaced Alfie. The resulting album, What Good Is Grief to a God? (1988), was a commercial failure. After the 1988 US tour, "The Kid" left and was replaced by Sean Elliot. The 7-inch Single. "Don't Do It" b/w "Johnny's Got a Problem" was released that year on Triple X, blue vinyl in partnership with Circle A Skateboards. This was given away as a promo with a skateboard. Some released with picture sleeves. In 1989, D.I. released their next album Tragedy Again.[9] That year another 7-inch Single was released on red vinyl again on Triple X records. "Surfin' Anarchy" (Beach Boys cover) b/w "Uncontrollable Urge" (Devo cover)

Return and more line-up changes (1993–2010)

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A live album, Live at a Dive, was released in 1993. After Stevie DRT left the band, original drummer John Knight rejoined, and their fifth album State of Shock was released the following year.[10] Chris Roboson and Steve Lyen joined and continued playing from 1995 to 1997. The band lost their record label soon afterwards. After two years of strictly playing live shows, and original guitarist Tim Maag replacing Roboson, D.I. headed back into the studio around 1997 to record what would be their follow-up to State of Shock and shopped the tracks around to labels without finding a taker.

Numerous line-up changes went on before they solidified their line-up, consisting of Royer, Chckn (guitars), Clinton Calton (guitars), Eddie Tatar (bass) and Joey Tatar (drums). Royer remained the only constant member of the band. D.I. continued touring for years and released their first original album in eight years, titled Caseyology, in 2002. Caseyology was followed up five years later by On the Western Front (2007) released on the Suburban Noize label,[11] with all music and lyrics written by Royer and Tatar. In 2009, the band released the tracks "Potbelly", "D.I.", "The Dehumanizers", and "Embrace The Kill – Shut the Fuck Up and Listen!!!" through PB Records.[12]

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In March 2011, Casey Royer was arrested for child abuse, child endangerment and overdosing on heroin in the presence of his 12-year-old son.[13] The child abuse and child endangerment charges were dropped, but he was sentenced to a 90-day jail term and placed on probation for three years for the substance abuse misdemeanor.[14] After this, Royer got clean and sober, and D.I. returned to touring and playing live shows.

In 2012, the band released a new 7-inch EP, United We Slam through Hand Grenade Records.[12]

Line-ups

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Dates Members & prominent instruments Releases
(1981–1983)
  • "Guns", "Venus De Milo" and "Purgatory from D.I. (1983)
(1983)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Steve Roberts – guitars
  • Fredric Taccone – bass
  • Rikk Agnew – drums, keyboards
  • "Richard Hung Himself", "Reagan der Führer" from D.I. (1983)
(1983–1984)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Rikk Agnew – guitars, keyboards
  • Alfie Agnew – guitars
  • Tim Maag – guitars
  • Derek O'Brien – drums
  • Wade Walston – bass
(1984–1986)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Rikk Agnew – guitars
  • Alfie Agnew – guitars
  • John "Bosco" Calabro – bass
  • John Knight – drums
(1986–1987)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Rikk Agnew – guitars
  • Alfie Agnew – guitars
  • John "Bosco" Calabro – bass
  • Stevie DRT – drums
(1987–1988)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • John "Bosco" Calabro – guitars
  • Mark "The Kid" Cerneka – guitars
  • Hedge – bass
  • Stevie DRT – drums
(1988–1990)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Sean Elliott – guitars, vocals
  • John "Bosco" Calabro – guitars, vocals
  • Hedge – Bass
  • Stevie DRT – Drums
(1990–1992)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Sean Elliott – guitars, vocals
  • Alfie Agnew – guitars, vocals
  • Dan Colburn – bass
  • Stevie DRT – drums
  • Live at a Dive (1993)
(1992–1995)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Michael Calabro – guitars
  • Fredric Taccone – bass
  • John Knight – drums
(1995–1997)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Chris Roboson – guitars
  • Tim Maag – guitars
  • Fredric Taccone – bass
  • Steve Lyen – drums
(1997–1998)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Tim Maag– guitars
  • Fredric Taccone – bass
  • Derek O'Brien – drums
(1998–1999)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Chckn – guitars, vocals
  • Fredric Taccone – bass
  • Derek O'Brien– drums
(2000–2001)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Chckn – guitars
  • Sean Elliott – guitars
  • Lisa "Lisafer" Pifer – bass
  • Steve Guevara aka: "Steve Gee" – drums
(2001–2003)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Chckn – guitars
  • Clinton Calton
  • Eddie Tater – bass
  • Steve Gee – drums
(2003–2008)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Chckn – guitars – vocals
  • Clinton Calton – guitars
  • Eddie Tater – bass
  • Joey Tater – drums
(2008–April 2018)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Clinton Calton – guitars
  • Eddie Tatar – bass
  • Joey Tatar – drums
  • United We Slam (2012)
(April 2018 – present)
  • Casey Royer – vocals
  • Clinton Calton – guitars
  • Trevor Lucca – guitars
  • Eddie Tatar – bass
  • Joey Tatar – drums

Timeline

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Discography

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Studio releases

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Year Title Notes
1985 Ancient Artifacts Debut album.
1986 Horse Bites Dog Cries Contains material from Ancient Artifacts.
1988 What Good Is Grief to a God? Contains a re-recording of "Johnny's Got a Problem".
1989 Tragedy Again First D.I. album not featuring re-recordings of any song from their previous albums.
1994 State of Shock Also re-released with Demo EP Bonus Tracks recorded 1996–97.
2002 Caseyology First studio album since 1994; also features re-recordings of original songs and features live tracks on some versions.
2007 On the Western Front Second D.I. album featuring only one re-recording of a song from their previous albums.
2020 Flashback Favorites Covers album

EP, compilation and live albums

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Year Title Notes
1983 D.I. EP; re-released in 1987 as Team Goon with four bonus tracks.
1987 Rat Music for Rat People, Vol. 3 Compilation (CD Presents, 1987)
1988 "Don't Do It" 7-inch Promotional release given out with skateboard. Not all had sleeves.
1989 "Surfin' Anarchy" 7-inch Single
1991 Gabba Gabba Hey: A Tribute to the Ramones Covered "she's a sensation" on Triple X Records tribute album.
1993 Live at a Dive Live
1996 "Zwei Frau Und Eins Stein" 7-inch Single
1999 Short Music for Short People Compilation including various other bands.
2003 Best of D.I. Compilation
2004 Redefining Scenes 2 Compilation including various other bands.
2012 United We Slam EP containing 4 new original songs, the first to be released on the band's own label Hand Grenade Records.
2021 Greatest Hits A-Z Re-recordings of the band's "biggest and best hits"[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Jughead's Revenge at Myspace". MySpace.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  2. ^ "Pennywise's Profile at Punkrockers.com". Punkrockers.com. Archived from the original on April 10, 2008. Retrieved March 18, 2008.
  3. ^ "Royer Evolves With Long-Lived D.I." Los Angeles Times. September 15, 1999. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  4. ^ "Team Goon aka D.I. The album". Punk-lyrics.com. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  5. ^ MacInnis, Alan (2018-03-07). "Penelope Spheeris on Suburbia, Flea, Roger Corman, and a civilization in Decline". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  6. ^ D.I. - The Suburbia Sessions 1983, 2022-11-11, retrieved 2023-08-22
  7. ^ "D.I.: Horse Bites Dog Cries (1987)". Punknews.com. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Biography". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  9. ^ "DI: Tragedy Again". Discogs.com. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  10. ^ O'Neill, Brian. "D.I.: State of Shock". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  11. ^ "Interviews: D.I." Punknews.org. 10 August 2007. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  12. ^ a b "D.I." Discogs.com. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  13. ^ "Rock Legend Arrested for almpst OD'ing". TMZ.
  14. ^ "Royer (D.I., Adolescents, Social Distortion) sentenced to 90 days April 12, 2011". Punknews.org.
  15. ^ "D.I. Greatest Hits A-Z (Limited Edition Colored Vinyl)". Cleopatra Records. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
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