Ill Repute

Ill Repute
Left to right: Cortez, Shultz, Phaneuf, and Callahan in 2011
Left to right: Cortez, Shultz, Phaneuf, and Callahan in 2011
Background information
OriginOxnard, California, United States
GenresHardcore punk, nardcore, skate punk
Years active1981–present
LabelsMystic Records,[1] Dr. Strange Records, Mankind Records
MembersJohn Phaneuf
Tony Cortez
Jim Callahan
Chuck Shultz
Past membersCarl Valdez
Chris McKee
Joe Rivas
Forrest Lorenzana
Nashia
Joe Libke

Ill Repute is an American hardcore punk band from Oxnard, California, United States, formed in 1981.[2] They are noted for popularizing the "Nardcore" sound in the mid-1980s hardcore punk scene, and recorded for Mystic Records.[3]

They first broke into the scene with their recording "Clean Cut American Kid" on Poshboy Records for Rodney on the ROQ, Volume III. ROTR III also featured the Vandals, Channel 3, and the Bangles. "Clean Cut American Kid" would be played on radio stations around the world and is now featured on the Netflix streaming show "Stranger Things".

Their record What Happens Next? (What Happened Then? on CD) holds high status in hardcore circles.[4] It is notable for its cover of the 1970s pop music hit "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" (aka "The Pale Faced Indian", aka ""Indian Reservation", aka "Cherokee Nation"). On the Ill Repute record, the cover song version uses the "Cherokee Nation" version of the song title.

The band broke up in July 2004[5] after a short tour of Hawaii with the Oahu band 8mm Overdose. Ill Repute briefly reformed again (minus founding guitarist Tony Cortez) to tour Hawaii in 2006 again with 8mm Overdose. The lead guitarist, Tony Cortez (original band member) is considered the "Mayor of Nardcore."[citation needed]

Ill Repute has reformed with original members, (except Carl Valdez replaced by Chuck Shultz) they played one show in Ventura, CA on December 16 which they claimed was to be their last show but have since reformed.

Before a standing-room-only crowd in the City Council Chambers of Port Hueneme, Ill Repute was presented a Proclamation from then-Mayor Jonathan Sharkey on April 7, 2014, for "their revolutionary musical talent". Later in 2014, they were inducted into the Ventura County Music Awards Hall of Fame.

The documentary DVD/book, Clean Cut American Kids - the Story of Ill Repute, was also released in 2014 by True Underground Network Publishing in association with Firehook Entertainment and Canadian Bacon Films.

  1. ^ KFTH - Ill Repute Page
  2. ^ "Ill Repute - What Happens Next?". Punknews.org. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  3. ^ Locey, Bill (March 05, 1992) "Gentler Hard Core : 'We rock against racism' says the drummer, and they've always been against violence. So don't elbow in the slam pit." Los Angeles Times
  4. ^ [1] [dead link]
  5. ^ "Irmain". Archived from the original on 2008-09-07. Retrieved 2008-06-29.