L to R: John Thomas Griffith, James Singletary, Darren Hill and Patrick Butler Jones


ABOUT

Active from 1979 to 1985, Red Rockers were originally inspired by the radical political songs and styles of the Clash and the Dils. The band’s name is an homage to “Red Rockers Rule,” a song co-written by punk brothers Tony and Chip Kinman of the Dils, Rank & File, and Blackbird.   

Red Rockers stormed out of the gate in 1980 with “Guns of Revolution,” a debut 7-inch single that sent shockwaves through the American punk underground and quickly made the band a popular live draw. A debut album, Condition Red, arrived the following year and galvanized critical enthusiasm for the band. Rolling Stone dubbed them “the American Clash” and called out their “power, aggression, and highly charged political anger.” Despite the acclaim, and tour dates with the Clash, 415 Records struggled to convert the plaudits into record sales. 

The Red Rockers’ fortunes would turn around in 1983 with the arrival of “China.” The first single off the band’s second album (Good as Gold), “China” was an immediate hit at college radio and MTV, and opened the doors to tours with the Cars, the Kinks, the Go-Go’s, Joan Jett, the B-52’s, and Men at Work. A final album, Schizophrenic Circus, was greeted with controversy over the band’s commercial new sound and image, and signaled the end for Red Rockers. The band’s legacy would remain mostly dormant for several decades.

In 2023, original members John Thomas Griffith (lead vocals, guitar), James Singletary (lead guitar, vocals) and Darren Hill (bass, vocals) reconvened to help promote an expanded edition reissue of Condition Red which appeared on Liberty Spike Recordings. In November of that year, the trio were joined by drummer Bryan Barberot to perform the album in its entirety at Tipitina’s. It was that show that provides the audio action for the 2025 live album, It’s in Our Blood.

MEDIA BREAKS

The Vinyl District (It’s in Our Blood announcement)
Musoscribe (Feature interview)
My Spilt Milk (Feature interview)


VIDEOS