Band Review: The Brat

The Brat was a classic punk band from East L.A. at a time when which side of L.A. you were on made a difference. They embraced their Chicano identity. I checked them out after they were referenced in The First Rule of Punk.

I do not have a single link for you. The band has not been active for over thirty years, and I do not see any signs that any of the former members are active. However, it is never wrong to check out a classic punk band.

I will say that the music is perhaps less obviously punk. It is pretty fast, but it also has a smoothness and sophistication that you might not hear in the "Oi" neighborhood of punk.Those guitars on "We Are the One" are pretty admirable.

Even if you were to quibble about the strict definition of punk and count chords, it is clear that The Brat belongs based on their embrace of DIY. (It is perfect that singer Teresa Covarrubias was first drawn into punk via zines that her sister brought back from Germany.)

Favorite tunes for me are probably "Tombstone Blues" and "Open Scary", but I love that a band from the early '80s has a song called "Misogyny". 

Clearly The Brat is still relevant today.