Coming soon to a record or book store near you ! !
History
I opened the first Toxic Shock record store in Pomona, CA in 1980. We had five locations in Pomona before moving to Tucson AZ in 1988. We specialized in punk records from independent labels. It was one of very few record stores that carried independent punk exclusively. We expanded to mail-order soon after by advertising in music magazines. In 1983, my wife Julianna Towns and I released Noise from Nowhere, a 7-inch, 33rpm EP featuring four local underground punk bands: Kent State, Modern Industry, Manson Youth and their own band Moslem Birth (whose name was a parody of Christian Death).Noise from Nowhere featured cover art by Pushead. With this release, Toxic Shock Records was born.
Coming early 2024, my biography book that covers the history of Toxic Shock. A tribute to my late wife and partner, that digs deep into how the record shop started in 1980 in Pomona California and ended with Toxic Ranch in Arizona in 2014. It includes many rare photos and gig flyers that document the punk scene from our origins, how the Toxic Shock record label began and covers our branching out to New Orleans and the move to Tucson. It also features several illustrations from graphic artist Brian Walsby, rare photographs from Ed Colver and an in-depth oral history from former employees, and musicians from the Toxic Shock roster. such as Decry, Modern Industry, Manson Youth, Massacre Guys, Human Therapy, Raw Power, Hickoids, Peace Corpse, Pillsbury Hardcore, Sloppy Seconds, Hullabaloo and House of Large Sizes and more!
