the Avengers

Visit Punkcast.com for a look at 2 songs performed at their storming CBGB set a few weeks before it closed - We Are the one, and White Nigger.

Avengers, from San Francisco, had a brief but stellar career from 1977-1979, playing over 100 shows, including opening for the original Sex Pistols last show. They never, however, made it out of California. Since then the anthemic nature of their songs and the strong personality of singer Penelope Houston have made them enduring punk heroes, particularly to New York's own NY Rel-x, who cover more than one of their tunes (See Punkcast#25) - played regularly at CBGB's. So, when in 2006, a reformed Avengers with Ms Houston and original guitarist Greg Ingraham did finally make the trek across the country to play the hallowed shithole themselves, 27 years later, punks were coming out of the woodwork. They weren't disappointed, Avengers played a blinder - thrashing out 19 songs one after the other, including their hits, and a couple of great covers - the Stones' 'Paint It Black', and Beatles 'Money'. Penelope complained about New York magazine - they'd described her as 'spry', she would have preferred an adjective like 'ferocious'. With reason, as I think you'll see in the clips. I've picked two songs - the show's opener - "We Are The One" and the very popular "White Nigger".