Music journalists Nate Jackson and Daniel Kohn have announced a new 400-page book titled Tearing Down the Orange Curtain: How Punk Rock Brought Orange County to the World, a 400-page exploration of the rise of punk and ska throughout the Californian county once known as Beanville, to be released May 20 via Da Capo Press.

Jackson, a deputy editor at the Los Angeles Times, published an excerpt from the Tearing Down the Orange Curtain's third chapter, which features interviews with members of Social Distortion, The Vandals, The Agnews, NOFX, and others.

From the PR wire:

"When it comes to punk communities across the world, the Orange County punk scene stands out as an undeniable trendsetter that helped define the sound and style of the rapidly evolving genre. From hard luck storytellers Social Distortion and multi-platinum sellers like The Offspring to cult heroes like The Adolescents and T.S.O.L., there’s so much insight to gain from the story of this widely-popular-though-often-misunderstood music scene. 

"Tearing Down the Orange Curtain delves deep into the personal and professional lives of bands like Social Distortion, The Adolescents, The Offspring, and their ska counterparts No Doubt, Sublime, Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris, and more, and gives readers a deeper look into the very human stories of these musicians, many of whom struggled with acceptance, addiction, and brutal teenage years in suburbia.

"Through many exclusive and first-hand interviews with the principal personalities, Tearing Down the Orange Curtain brings the 20-year period of OC punk and third-wave of ska (1978-2000) to life, focusing specifically on the historical and musical roots of this creative explosion. Thought-provoking, meticulously researched, and refreshingly candid, this book presents a compelling narrative of how a suburban wasteland turned into a hub for rock-n roll culture, just over 30 miles away from the bright lights of L.A." 

Coinciding with the book's release, Jackson and John are scheduled to participate in a West Coast book tour, which will include Q&As with several artists featured in Tearing Down the Orange Curtain. On May 28 at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, the authors plan to sit down with No Doubt's Adrian Young, The Vandals's Joe Escalante, music manager Jim Guerinot, and moderator Kat Corbett.

Tour Dates:

05/20 Fullerton, CA @ Fullerton Museum Center w/Noodles of the Offspring, Georgette Collard and Jim Washburn
05/21 Long Beach, CA @ Fingerprints Records w/Jim Ruland
05/25 Las Vegas, NV @ Punk Rock Museum w/Jonny 2 Bags (Social Distortion, Cadillac Tramps)
05/28 Los Angeles, CA @ Grammy Museum w/Adrian Young (No Doubt), Joe Escalante (The Vandals), Jim Guerinot (former manager of Social Distortion, No Doubt, the Offspring, Gwen Stefani, more) and moderator Kat Corbett
05/30 Reno, NV @ Shea’s Tavern w/Bud Gaugh of Sublime

Pre-order the book here.