ORANGE COUNTY'S REBELLION GETS ITS STORY IN NEW BOOK

“Tearing Down the Orange Curtain” Chronicles OC Punk’s Rise from Suburbia to Global Stages

Tearing Down the Orange Curtain: How Punk Rock Brought Orange County to the World by Nate Jackson & Dabiel Kohn

Punk rock’s explosive journey from Orange County garages to global stages finally gets its definitive chronicle in Tearing Down the Orange Curtain: How Punk Rock Brought Orange County to the World, a new book from veteran music journalists Nate Jackson and Daniel Kohn, set for release on May 20, 2025 via Da Capo Press.

Tearing Down the Orange Curtain: How Punk Rock Brought Orange County to the World

By Nate Jackson & Daniel Kohn
Published by Da Capo | 400 pages | $30 US | ISBN: 9780306832963
On sale May 20, 2025

BOOK EVENTS

5/20 Fullerton, CA – Fullerton Museum Center

w/Noodles of the Offspring, Georgette Collard and Jim Washburn

5/21 Long Beach, CA – Fingerprints Records

w/Jim Ruland

5/25 Las Vegas, NV – Punk Rock Museum

w/Jonny 2 Bags (Social Distortion, Cadillac Tramps)

5/28 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

5/30 Reno, NV – Shea’s Tavern

w/Bud Gaugh of Sublime

The 400-page oral history and cultural deep dive captures the raw energy, suburban angst, and unexpected commercial triumphs of a scene that gave the world acts like Social Distortion, The Offspring, No Doubt, Sublime, The Adolescents, and more. Drawing on exclusive interviews and never-before-told stories, Tearing Down the Orange Curtain charts the evolution of OC punk and third-wave ska from 1978 to 2000—a time when rebellion roared out of bedroom communities and into the mainstream.

The book has already garnered early praise, with Publishers Weekly calling it “a spirited portrait of an influential subculture.”

“We wanted to tell the real, human stories behind the bands,” says co-author Nate Jackson, Deputy Editor of Entertainment at the Los Angeles Times and a former OC Weekly music editor. “This isn’t just about spiked hair and stage dives—it’s about addiction, identity, and surviving suburban alienation through music.” Fellow author Daniel Kohn—whose bylines span Rolling Stone, Billboard, and VICE—adds, “What happened in Orange County wasn’t just a music scene. It was a cultural explosion that inspired countless kids around the world to pick up guitars, start bands, and question the status quo.”

To celebrate the release, Jackson and Kohn will embark on a multi-city book tour that includes in-store events, museum panels, and appearances from punk legends themselves. A major highlight: May 28 at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles, featuring a star-studded panel with Adrian Young (No Doubt), Joe Escalante (The Vandals), and Jim Guerinot, the powerhouse manager behind The Offspring, Social Distortion, and Gwen Stefani. Longtime radio host Kat Corbett will moderate the discussion.

Other events include:

Fullerton Museum Center (with Noodles of The Offspring)
Fingerprints Records, Long Beach (with author Jim Ruland)
Punk Rock Museum, Las Vegas (with Jonny 2 Bags of Social Distortion)
Shea’s Tavern, Reno (with Bud Gaugh of Sublime)

The book not only revisits the success of chart-toppers but also elevates the unsung heroes of the scene—from gritty early pioneers like T.S.O.L. and Agent Orange to ska innovators like Reel Big Fish and Save Ferris.

Packed with vivid storytelling and a journalist’s eye for detail, Tearing Down the Orange Curtain peels back the layers of an often-overlooked movement that shaped everything from fashion and festivals to politics and pop culture. It’s both a time capsule and a testament to punk’s staying power in the face of conformity.

For punk fans, music historians, or anyone who ever felt like an outsider in the suburbs, this book offers a seat in the van—and a front-row view of the chaos, charisma, and creative fire that turned Orange County into a punk rock powerhouse.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Nate Jackson

Born in Orange County and came up in the local punk scene, playing in bands and rumbling through the mosh pit in warehouses, DIY venues, and clubs across SoCal. He is currently the Deputy Editor of entertainment at the Los Angeles Times. He was previously the Music Editor for OC Weekly and also worked as a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times. His work has also been featured in the Village Voice, LA Weekly, VICE/Noisey, Dope Magazine and others. He currently lives in Long Beach with his wife.

Daniel Kohn

A New York native and grew up in Long Island but has long been mesmerized by Orange County punk rock. He lived in Southern California for nearly two decades, covering many of the artists featured in this book. Kohn’s work has been featured in SPIN, OC Weekly, Rolling Stone, Billboard, VICE, Noisey, SF Weekly, MLB, LA Weekly, and Village Voice. He currently lives in Nashville with his wife and son.

About Da Capo:
Da Capo is a leading publisher of music biographies, memoirs, and cultural narratives, spotlighting the stories behind the sounds that define generations.