About Agression

Emerging out of Oxnard, CA (which was such a hotbed of punk and skate bands that their sound became known as "Nardcore"), Agression consisted of vocalist Mark Hickey, guitarist Henry Knowles, bassist Bob Clark, and various drummers, mostly Larry White. The unit was one of the first groups to be involved with the Better Youth Organization (BYO) Agression was part of the first wave of skatepunk bands to emerge from southern California in the early '80s. The album "Don't Be Mistaken" followed in 1983, chock-full of rapid-fire skatepunk rhythms. Contributions to various Mystic Records compilations followed, with Agression's sound wavering between skatepunk and more generic heavy metal; a self-titled LP on that label appeared in 1985, as did the "official" bootleg of an Agression show at the New York club CBGB. Agression was able to get as far as CBGB with the aid of their manager, Scott Hatch, who also managed the more established hardcore outfit Fear. Drugs and alcohol ravaged the band, and in 1985 Big Bob, Mark, and Henry moved to Colorado. Despite a series of low-quality live recordings for Mystic, the band couldn't re-capture the sneering rage of its original material, and eventually ground to a halt. However, in 2000, Knowles was inspired to get the band back together. Hickey came on board, but before anything could be recorded, Hickey died of liver failure. Knowles went on, putting together a new version of Agression with old friends of the band. But in August 2002, he too passed away after a bout with leukemia. In Spring 2003, Cleopatra issued the Agression retrospective Full Circle; the collection included bonus live material. Once again Agression is trying to make a comeback with no original members. It will never be the same as the original nardcore skatepunk band Agression