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This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

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Surf Punks @ The Whisky, 1980

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Last month the American Cinematheque screened the ultra-rare early '80s classic "Urgh! A Music War", a collection of new wave and punk groups (Devo, The Cramps, X, Dead Kennedys, The Police, etc.) that were bubbling under and destined to make it big.

Because of legal wranglings involving missing contracts, the film cannot be re-released or turned into a dvd because without the contracts one cannot amend it to provide for what could be a 6-hour dvd of historical magnitude.

So what we are left with is Amoeba selling its only used VHS copy for over $100, old people's memories (like mine) ... and clips on YouTube. Tonight we present to you The Surf Punks doing their classic "My Beach" at The Whisky, circa 1980.

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