You could say that the early-'80s California punk scene was on par with the similar punk movements in London and New York City a few years prior. It was on the West Coast during this era that bands such as
Black Flag,
the Dead Kennedys, and
X rocketed out of the underground, and inspired countless bands. Also, it was these West Coast bands that arguably helped create the violent slam-dancing/moshing style that everyone nowadays knows and loves. And while they're not as often name-checked as
Black Flag, one listen to the tracks included on the 2005 compilation,
Who's Screwin' Who? 18 T.S.O.L. Greatest Non-Hits,
T.S.O.L. was smack-dab in the middle of the scene at the time, fighting in the trenches. Included here are all of the expected
T.S.O.L. classics, including "Dance with Me," "Fuck You Tough Guy," and "Code Blue," among others. Although
T.S.O.L. didn't receive the same amount of attention as the aforementioned bands from the era, you can certainly hear the group's influence on latter-day punk here (especially on such future chart-toppers as
the Offspring). ~ Greg Prato