| THE SUBTRACTIONS |
Marcus Marootian-vocals
Rick Reneau-guitar
Dale Stewart-guitar
Richard Wineland-bass
Wayne Garabedian-drums
his is where the Fresno punk scene started. Before the SUBTRACTIONS there were no gigging punk bands in our little burg.
There were some new wave bands like ORCHID who became the CLAMS, but no gigging hardcore punk bands or venue.
The influence of Richard Wineland on just about everybody in the first Fresno punk scene from the earliest days is immense.
A trail blazer and proselytizer he was collecting rock records from the early 70's and by the time punk hit in '76 with the SEX
PISTOLS Richard was there listening and taking it all in. Primed in the early-70's by acts like ALICE COOPER,
NEW YORK DOLLS, HAWKWIND, IGGY and ROXY MUSIC it was no great leap to understand and enjoy punk rock when it hit.
Often trips to SF and LA to punk/new wave gigs and record stores kept the fires burning. And Tower records here in Fresno
had a decent selection of punk records, too.
It was at Tower Records Fresno that Richard met Dave Propp hanging out by the punk 7-inchers. And some months later in '79
was where I met Richard, too.
A pre-SUBTRACTIONS project was THE SLAGGS. On the gig flyer for the 1980 Dead Kennedys show it says, a Slagg Production.
Richard Wineland on bass with Dave Propp on guitar and Rick Reneau on guitar and vocals. No drummer and no actual gigs.
But that was to change soon after they hooked up with drummer Wayne Garabedian and vocalist Marcus Marootian who were
jamming, too. I think the project was called SOVIET ARMENIA. Somewhere along the way I think there was also something
called THE URINATORS.
Rick Reneau-guitar
Dale Stewart-guitar
Richard Wineland-bass
Wayne Garabedian-drums
his is where the Fresno punk scene started. Before the SUBTRACTIONS there were no gigging punk bands in our little burg.
There were some new wave bands like ORCHID who became the CLAMS, but no gigging hardcore punk bands or venue.
The influence of Richard Wineland on just about everybody in the first Fresno punk scene from the earliest days is immense.
A trail blazer and proselytizer he was collecting rock records from the early 70's and by the time punk hit in '76 with the SEX
PISTOLS Richard was there listening and taking it all in. Primed in the early-70's by acts like ALICE COOPER,
NEW YORK DOLLS, HAWKWIND, IGGY and ROXY MUSIC it was no great leap to understand and enjoy punk rock when it hit.
Often trips to SF and LA to punk/new wave gigs and record stores kept the fires burning. And Tower records here in Fresno
had a decent selection of punk records, too.
It was at Tower Records Fresno that Richard met Dave Propp hanging out by the punk 7-inchers. And some months later in '79
was where I met Richard, too.
A pre-SUBTRACTIONS project was THE SLAGGS. On the gig flyer for the 1980 Dead Kennedys show it says, a Slagg Production.
Richard Wineland on bass with Dave Propp on guitar and Rick Reneau on guitar and vocals. No drummer and no actual gigs.
But that was to change soon after they hooked up with drummer Wayne Garabedian and vocalist Marcus Marootian who were
jamming, too. I think the project was called SOVIET ARMENIA. Somewhere along the way I think there was also something
called THE URINATORS.
They went on and played at Fresno City College, house parties and several other hall shows all the while refining their
leadership position in the developing punk scene. Between Rick and Richard they had the biggest punk record collections
around. They ended up putting on a really big punk show on wednesday July 9, 1980. The DEAD KENNEDYS, the SUBTRACTIONS
and the SHORT ORDER COOKS at the Belmont Ballroom. It was one the first big out-of-town punk band show put on by punks
for Fresno. 400-500 people showed up! At the time it seemed easy to get a lot of people to come out and that inspired a lot of
scenesters. They had been hearing about this punk rock stuff in the mainstream media for a couple of years by then. For a
while the SEX PISTOLS were making the front pages of major newspapers and network tv shows.
Looking back at the photos from that gig, what everyone thought was punk was obviously something different. But, it was a
funtastic gig that gave our little scene a definite shot in the arm. From then on there were more gigs and a bunch of bands
popped up. And there seemed to be a focus that we were all working together on something that could be beneficial to all in
the group. All you had to do was come and be a part of it. People who were just thinking about playing in a band started
rehearsing since there were now gigs coming up.
The SUBTRACTIONS were the spiritual fathers of the Fresno punk scene. The people who went on and continued building the
scene after them were associates of the SUBS. In fact, Richard Wineland was the one that got me into punk record collecting.
I was working at Tower Records and he introduced himself and little by little began to proselytize. Ironically he also was the
one who, a year earlier had gotten Joceylin into punk as well. They went to SF and saw the GERMS at the Deaf Club with Pam
and Rick Reneau.
Rick Reneau was a great influence as well. Another record collector. [Whenever musicians are not record collectors I can't help
but be skeptical of their talent] A great punk guitarist with a lightening-fast, all-downstrokes style of rhythm playing similar to
Johnny Ramone.
If they just could've stayed together a little longer they would have made it. But, somewhere in '81 they broke up. Rick went
on to form NBJ and Richard became obsessed with computers,
long before anyone else I knew, [the cutting-edge personality again]. Marcus sold crop insurance and Wayne
played drums for several different bands. He still plays in a local jazz band.
The SUBS did make a studio recording which to my knowledge has never seen the light of day.
Which is a shame because there's some good songs on there. Marcus wrote some great punk lyrics. Some of the songs were
"Fresno's Dead", "Young Girl", "Modern Kids", "I'm the Slime" and a great cover of The Stooges'
"I wanna be your Dog".
There is something that's so good when these types of movements are in the beginning stages because it's so pure. As soon as
the beginning is over and the next part of the growth starts certain people feel compelled to leave. And the feel of
everything changes because those types of risk-takers and trailblazers are gone. As the years went by the average age of the
people in the scene got younger. It was difficult for a young teenager to be deeply involved in the punk scene early on
because it took a car and money and there was danger hanging out in these seedy, over-21 bars. There were a few younger
teenagers here and there. But, it was mostly an older crowd of progressive, arty types. But, it got younger and more macho as
punk expanded into the early 80s.
Dale Stewart punksnax at haught mail dot com
leadership position in the developing punk scene. Between Rick and Richard they had the biggest punk record collections
around. They ended up putting on a really big punk show on wednesday July 9, 1980. The DEAD KENNEDYS, the SUBTRACTIONS
and the SHORT ORDER COOKS at the Belmont Ballroom. It was one the first big out-of-town punk band show put on by punks
for Fresno. 400-500 people showed up! At the time it seemed easy to get a lot of people to come out and that inspired a lot of
scenesters. They had been hearing about this punk rock stuff in the mainstream media for a couple of years by then. For a
while the SEX PISTOLS were making the front pages of major newspapers and network tv shows.
Looking back at the photos from that gig, what everyone thought was punk was obviously something different. But, it was a
funtastic gig that gave our little scene a definite shot in the arm. From then on there were more gigs and a bunch of bands
popped up. And there seemed to be a focus that we were all working together on something that could be beneficial to all in
the group. All you had to do was come and be a part of it. People who were just thinking about playing in a band started
rehearsing since there were now gigs coming up.
The SUBTRACTIONS were the spiritual fathers of the Fresno punk scene. The people who went on and continued building the
scene after them were associates of the SUBS. In fact, Richard Wineland was the one that got me into punk record collecting.
I was working at Tower Records and he introduced himself and little by little began to proselytize. Ironically he also was the
one who, a year earlier had gotten Joceylin into punk as well. They went to SF and saw the GERMS at the Deaf Club with Pam
and Rick Reneau.
Rick Reneau was a great influence as well. Another record collector. [Whenever musicians are not record collectors I can't help
but be skeptical of their talent] A great punk guitarist with a lightening-fast, all-downstrokes style of rhythm playing similar to
Johnny Ramone.
If they just could've stayed together a little longer they would have made it. But, somewhere in '81 they broke up. Rick went
on to form NBJ and Richard became obsessed with computers,
long before anyone else I knew, [the cutting-edge personality again]. Marcus sold crop insurance and Wayne
played drums for several different bands. He still plays in a local jazz band.
The SUBS did make a studio recording which to my knowledge has never seen the light of day.
Which is a shame because there's some good songs on there. Marcus wrote some great punk lyrics. Some of the songs were
"Fresno's Dead", "Young Girl", "Modern Kids", "I'm the Slime" and a great cover of The Stooges'
"I wanna be your Dog".
There is something that's so good when these types of movements are in the beginning stages because it's so pure. As soon as
the beginning is over and the next part of the growth starts certain people feel compelled to leave. And the feel of
everything changes because those types of risk-takers and trailblazers are gone. As the years went by the average age of the
people in the scene got younger. It was difficult for a young teenager to be deeply involved in the punk scene early on
because it took a car and money and there was danger hanging out in these seedy, over-21 bars. There were a few younger
teenagers here and there. But, it was mostly an older crowd of progressive, arty types. But, it got younger and more macho as
punk expanded into the early 80s.
Dale Stewart punksnax at haught mail dot com
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Here's a recent video of Subs' guitarist, Rick Reneau playing an electric Dulcimer with Zo:
| Practicing in an auto body shop THE SUBTRACTIONS formed in 1979. A few months later I was added on as second guitarist and the band became a 5 piece. I played the first few gigs. One, a Fresno State frat party at a rented hall put on by scenester Pat Farley, which I believe was one of thee first, actual hardcore punk gigs in Fresno that featured a local punk band and another at the Wild Blue Yonder with a band called AYNUL SPEW. But then my drinking and bad attitude at practice got me kicked out of the band. They went on as a 4 piece just fine without me after that. But, that was the first real 'modern' punk band I played in and I learned a lot from those guys. |