The Generators

This article is about the punk rock band. For other uses, see Generator.

The Generators were an American punk rock band that emerged in 1997 in Los Angeles. Formed in response to the breakup of the 1990s punk rock group Schleprock, the band featured an original lineup consisting of Doug Kane on vocals, Mike Snow and Sir Doosky (real name Eric Ortega) on guitars, Dirty Ernie Berru on drums, and Rich "Richards" Santia on bass.

The Generators
The Generators performing in Ludwigsburg, Germany in 2023
Background information
Genres	Punk rock
Years active	1997–2024
Labels	Triple X Records, DC Jam, People Like You, Concrete Jungle, Randale Records, TKO Records
Past members	Doug Kane Sir Doosky Mike Snow Ted Hahn Marco Duarte Steven Reese Chris Loya Barry Monroe Teddy Shrader Lou Guzman Johnny Slash Dirty Ernie Berru Don Osterberg Bryant Ortega Brandon Lutz Armando Del Rio Manny Murders Ace Von Johnson Rich Santia Danny Damned Sean Romin Greg Millan
Website	https://www.the-generators.com/

History

The Generators entered the punk rock scene with the release of their debut album, Welcome to the End, under Los Angeles-based Triple X Records in 1997. The album received favorable reviews, prompting the band to follow up with a seven-song EP titled Ninety Nine and subsequently release two additional albums by 2001: Burning Ambition on Urgent Music Ltd. and Tyranny on TKO Records.

During the European leg of the Tyranny tour, the band experienced lineup changes as members Dirty Ernie Berru and Sir Doosky temporarily departed. Remaining members Mike Snow and Doug Kane recruited drummer Mike Clark and began work on a new EP. Doug Kane's outreach to Sir Doosky resulted in the original guitarist's return to the band just before the recording session for the EP titled State of the Nation, released on TKO Records.

In 2002, guitarist Mike Snow departed from the band, coinciding with Dirty Ernie's return to the drums. This period marked a significant transition for the Generators as they began to evolve their musical style, moving away from their original street punk sound.

With Kane and Doosky as primary songwriters, 2003 saw the release of the album Excess, Betrayal...And Our Dearly Departed, which featured darker tones and more emotionally charged lyrical themes. This artistic direction continued with the subsequent release of The Winter Of Discontent in 2005.

Throughout these changes, the Generators experienced fluctuations in their lineup, with Kane, Sir Doosky, and Dirty Ernie remaining as core members. The band welcomed bassist Teddy Hahn and guitarist Ace Von Johnson, leading to the release of The Great Divide in 2006, followed by extensive touring until 2008.

In 2009, original drummer Dirty Ernie and bassist Teddy Hahn departed from the band, leading Derek O’Brien of Social Distortion to handle recording duties on the album. Brandon Lutz took over the bass role during this transitional period. The resulting album, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, was recorded and released via People Like You Records. The band supported the album with a summer European tour alongside with the Damned. Ace Von Johnson's tenure with the band ended after a disagreement with Kane during the tour.

As the band entered 2010, the departure of original guitarist and songwriter Sir Doosky for personal reasons prompted a restructuring of the lineup, as well as contributing to a change in their musical direction.

In 2011, the Generators reconvened with a new lineup that included the return of original guitarist Mike Snow, former Schleprock guitarist Sean Romin, and new drummer Lou Guzman, who had previously played with Mike Snow in his former band, the Choice. The band recorded and released their eighth studio album, Last of the Pariahs, under DC-Jam Records.

Subsequent years saw further lineup changes and releases, including the six-song EP The Deconstruction of Dreams in 2013 under Concrete Jungle Records and the album Life Gives-Life Takes in 2014 under Randale Records.

During a brief hiatus in 2014, Doug Kane and Mike Snow initiated a side project called the Bedlam Knives, which released a 7-inch record under Dr. Strange Records. Simultaneously, Sir Doosky, alongside Dirty Ernie and former Generators bassist Brandon Lutz, formed a short-lived project known as NeuAllies, culminating in the release of an EP within the same year. Both Bedlam Knives and NeuAllies disbanded in 2015.

The band returned in 2016 with the retrospective album Earn Your Stripes on Randale Records, followed by a split EP with British band Crashed Out titled Blood, Sweat, & Glory and extensive touring.

In 2017, the Generators released the single Street Justice and announced a forthcoming album, culminating in the release of Broken Stars & Crooked Stripes in 2018.

After over two decades marked by constant touring and numerous releases, the Generators entered a hiatus in 2019, with Doug Kane reuniting with his 1980s Oi! band Doug & the Slugz during this period.

Sir Doosky

2022 reunion

On September 20, 2022, the band announced via their social media platforms the reunion of the original 1997 founding member lineup. The band played a handful of shows throughout the end of 2022, celebrating and playing material off the first three releases.

2023 onward

After receiving positive reactions and reviews from the Generators' reunion shows, Kane, Doosky, and Snow reunited, bolstering their lineup with former Generators member Ted Hahn on bass and Marco Duarte on drums. Duarte, having previously filled in on tours, brought a wealth of experience to the ensemble. The band's resurgence was marked by a sold-out performance at the '23 Punk Rock Bowling Festival in Las Vegas, setting the stage for a successful European tour the following summer.

Death of Doug Kane

Doug Kane died on May 30, 2024, following a brief struggle with an aggressive form of cancer. Prior to his death, the band reached a unanimous decision that they would not proceed with the Generators in his absence.

Discography

• Welcome to the End (1997), Triple X Records, US
• Ninety-Nine (1999), Outcast Records/ Triple X Records, Europe
• Burning Ambition 2000), Urgent Music Ltd. US / People Like You, Europe & Japan
• Dead at 16 7-inch, TKO Records
• Tyranny (2001), TKO Records US / People Like You, Europe & Japan
• State of the Nation (2002), TKO Records/ Dead Beat, US
• Sounds of the Street Vol. 2: Split CD w/ Vicious Rumors"
• From Rust to Ruin, TKO Records (compilation: greatest hits album)
• Riverboat Gamblers split 7-inch"
• Excess, Betrayal...And Our Dearly Departed (2003), People Like You, Europe & Japan, Fiend Music, US
• The Winter of Discontent (2006), People Like You, Europe & Japan, Sailor's Grave, US
• The Great Divide (2007), People Like You, Europe & Japan
• Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (2009), People Like You, Europe & Japan
• You Against You 7-inch
• Last of the Pariahs (2011), IHP Records, Europe & Japan, DC Jam, US
• 3 of a Kind (2012), Split with Sledgeback and C.A.F.B.
• The Deconstruction of Dreams (Concrete Jungle Records, 2013)
• Life Gives-Life Takes (Randale Records, 2014)
• Earn Your Stripes (Randale Records, 2016)
• Blood, Sweat & Glory spit EP w/ Crashed Out (Randale Records/Longshot Music, 2016)
• Broken Stars & Crooked Stripes (Randale Records, 2018)

Filmography

• Where the Bad Boys Rock 2004 (Live DVD) (2004), People Like You Records
• Where the Bad Boys Rock 2005 (Live DVD) (2005), People Like You Records

External links

• Official website
• Sailor's Grave Records site
• People Like You Records site
• TKO Records Records site
• The Generators discography at Discogs
• Allmusic biography
• Interview /Totalrock.hu/ Gabor Hun of Sledgeback interviewed Doug Dagger singer