JFA (band)
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Went to skate my favorite local pool —"Skateboard Anarchy"
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JFA (Jodie Foster's Army), stylized JF∆, is a Hardcore Punk band from Phoenix, Arizona, that formed in 1981. The band's original line-up consists of Brian Brannon (vocals, keyboard on "Charlie Brown"), Don Redando (guitar), Michael Cornelius (bass), and Mike "Bam-Bam" Sversvold (drums). The band has had a rather large rotation of drummers (Redando once observed that they "are like coordinated homeless guys"); the first was Bam Bam, who left in 1984, and now the position is held by Carter Blitch, the fifteenth drummer the band's had. Meanwhile, Corey Stretz has replaced Cornelius as bassist in the current line-up.
JFA, along with others like The Offspring and Rancid, were pioneers and driving forces of the Skate Punk subgenre of Hardcore Punk, crafting short, fast, aggressive songs that attracted lots of attention from skateboarders. Fitting, considering that all four members of the band are major skateheads, and they typically play at skating events. Their song "Skateboard Anarchy" was featured in Tony Hawks Pro Skater 4 in 2002. To top it off, they also have their own line of skateboards from Factory 13.
The band's name is derived from John Hinckley, Jr., the, uh, misaimed fan who attempted to kill Ronald Reagan inspired by Jodie Foster (more specifically Taxi Driver).
A brief discography:
- Blatant Localism (EP)
- Valley of the Yakes
- Untitled
- Mad Gardens
- My Movie
- Nowhere Blossoms
- Only Live Once
- We Know You Suck
- To All Our Friends
JFA provides examples of:
- Cover Version: Did a cover of "Low Rider" by War, and the Peanuts theme tune.
- Epic Riff: "JFA", "BAJA", "Walk Don't Run"
- Garage Band
- Hardcore Punk
- Hilarious in Hindsight: In "Beach Blanket Bongout", Brannon sings "Surf punks we're not / Skateboard we do". And then they did "BAJA", an instrumental Surf Rock song.
- Long Runners: Started in 1981, still going as of 2011.
- Surf Rock: Subverted with "Beach Blanket Bongout" ("Surf punks we're not / Skateboard we do").
- Played straight with "BAJA".
- The Unintelligible: Brannon's signature scream-singing style verges into this.
- Worst offender is "JFA".