Twisted Roots

Twisted Roots ranked among the numerous early Los Angeles punk-new wave acts whose scant recordings kept their reach almost entirely local. The band debuted at the Whisky a Go Go in August 1981 and disbanded the following January, although keyboardist Paul Roessler continued recruiting different players in an attempt to sustain the project. Their sole contemporary releases consisted of a three-song 7" and one track on the Posh Boy compilation Rodney on the ROQ, Vol. 2. Later curiosity arose largely from the presence of several musicians who later joined better-known groups, notably guitarist Pat Smear (formerly of the Germs, and much later on, in Nirvana and the Foo Fighters), bassist Kira Roessler (later in Black Flag), and Kira’s brother Paul (formerly in the Screamers). The songs themselves blended a zany, haphazard fusion of hardcore punk, moderately catchy new wave-pop, and a snide, satirical sense of humor. The four tracks issued during the band’s existence, together with eight previously unreleased numbers, were gathered on the archival album Twisted Roots.