Boiling beneath the L.A. Punk scene were countless smaller bands with as much, if not more, fire and energy than the bands for whom they opened. The Controllers are one such band. Their early singles have a sharp, sneering edge that cuts through the crap and gets down to the business of blasting killer Punk. Their songs that are filled with jagged guitars and harsh vocals, also sport a silly quality, as heard in upbeat songs such as "Do the Uganda". Like many late 70s Punk bands The Controllers didn't last long and their later songs were more tame than their first recordings. Still, The Controllers left their dirty mark on Punk and enjoyed a small resurgence in popularity at the turn of the Century, thanks to Garage bands like The Rip Offs covering their songs.

The Controllers first saw The Germs in Westwood in July of 1977. I remember the summer wind was blowing the sheer curtains far into the hall in a dreamy kind of way. The Germs were playing sluggishly in and out of beat, but it sounded good. My husband, DOA Dan thought that the Germs were better than The Doors, but I thought they needed a lot more help from their rich friends. The Controllers flexed our muscles and scared off a bunch of nasty surfers who were heckling The Germs. In the Fall, The Controllers saw The Germs in the Hollywood hills, playing to a crowd of industry professionals. Pat Smear played well, and the band was faster. "They're imitating us!", I said. DOA Dan replied: "Yeah, aren't they great!" The crowd of industry types was tepid, so once again, The Controllers came to their rescue, and got the crowd moving for all three of The Germs songs. The Controllers were happy though, since we stole all the photographers (as we always did). The best party we ever went to was a Germs party on the beach in Orange County. Strange that we had to go to Orange County to find a good Hollywood Punk party! Bobby Pyn shied away from us, I guess because he was so small. DOA Dan liked Lorna Doom because he likes anyone with more acne than he has. You could always know where Lorna Doom was at a party. You could hear a voice saying: "No, not Lorna Doon, Lorna Doom!" In 78 I let Don Bolles use our room and my drum kit. He trashed it. I will always remember The Germs as ingrates. CHARLIE TRASH, DRUMMER FOR THE CONTROLLERS

The Controllers first saw The Germs in Westwood in July of 1977. I remember the summer wind was blowing the sheer curtains far into the hall in a dreamy kind of way. The Germs were playing sluggishly in and out of beat, but it sounded good. My husband, DOA Dan thought that the Germs were better than The Doors, but I thought they needed a lot more help from their rich friends. The Controllers flexed our muscles and scared off a bunch of nasty surfers who were heckling The Germs. In the Fall, The Controllers saw The Germs in the Hollywood hills, playing to a crowd of industry professionals. Pat Smear played well, and the band was faster. "They're imitating us!", I said. DOA Dan replied: "Yeah, aren't they great!" The crowd of industry types was tepid, so once again, The Controllers came to their rescue, and got the crowd moving for all three of The Germs songs. The Controllers were happy though, since we stole all the photographers (as we always did). The best party we ever went to was a Germs party on the beach in Orange County. Strange that we had to go to Orange County to find a good Hollywood Punk party! Bobby Pyn shied away from us, I guess because he was so small. DOA Dan liked Lorna Doom because he likes anyone with more acne than he has. You could always know where Lorna Doom was at a party. You could hear a voice saying: "No, not Lorna Doon, Lorna Doom!" In 78 I let Don Bolles use our room and my drum kit. He trashed it. I will always remember The Germs as ingrates. CHARLIE TRASH, DRUMMER FOR THE CONTROLLERS

Phillipe Mogaine delivers here everything you need for Punk Hollywood77. The first time I saw the Germs in the Summer of 77, Bobby Pyn was whining the best lyrics in history. Two months later, Pat Smear waws putting out the best guitar licks in history. The Controllers were the house band at Brendan Mullen's The Masque, where they would whip an audience into a frenzy. Dripping with sweat, they were the first and last band to play The Masque. The Controllers were known for their female drummers, who brought color to shows that could be fierce. Lean and mean like Steve McQueen, The Controllers played at a superfast Ramones beat, the tempo most effective in Hollywood Punk77.