The Smell: A look at the bands that helped define the sound of the punk club

When the Smell opened in downtown Los Angeles in the late 1990s, there was no such thing as YouTube, and Mark Zuckerberg was still in high school. But as the punk club, which is in peril at its present location due to a potential building demolition, earned a national reputation in the mid- and late-00s, YouTube and social media were also on the ascent, and this collision of punk and tech enabled a new kind of online DIY revolution. 

The new platform allowed the Smell and other homegrown scenes to document and spread music, energy and ideals to the world with a single upload. For example, when the band Health, which recorded its first album at the venue, toured Europe at the time, fans already knew about the back-alley club despite its tiny capacity. 

The good news is that the clips that helped define the sound of the Smell remain online, offering visceral proof of the energy at work. 

Mika Miko

The searing punk band Mika Miko was among first to leap from the Smell and into the national conversation. Before the quartet broke up at the end of 2009, its members worked the door at the club as they were forging a sound. Two ex-Mika Mikos, sisters Jennifer and Jessica Clavin, now form the core of Bleached. The clip above is taken from Mika Miko’s farewell shows.  

Strange Boys

Austin, Texas, blues punk band the Strange Boys made a second home at the Smell, and in doing so offered a hint of youthful swagger to the high-octane scene. As the group issued a series of albums for Eagle Rock-based label In the Red, it exposed maximum R&B to fans hell-bent on distortion. 

Health

Long before the pound-punk band Health hit the Coachella circuit or scored a video game, it busted eardrums at the Smell. In fact, the band’s 2007 debut album was recorded amid the brick walls of the venue. According the Health’s Jake Duzcik, Smell owner Jim Smith gave them a set of keys and free reign during daytime hours. Health is now with the classy imprint Loma Vista, and the band’s sound has evolved, but the Smell’s inspiration can be heard in every measure. 

Vivian Girls

Like the Strange Boys, Brooklyn band Vivian Girls were a regular booking at the Smell, where they offered girl group inspired melodies mixed in with the riffs. Much to the Smell’s credit, its female-friendly booking policy has offered a platform to address gender politics without the fear of rock dudes hooting or harassing. Vivian Girls’ Katy Goodman now fronts La Sera.

Fidlar 

Before pop-punk brats Fidlar started soundtracking TV commercials, they stirred the Smell’s mosh pit into a frenzy on a regular basis. With a capacity of a mere 130, the club gets crowded quickly, so when Fidlar moved into its riffs, everyone in the venue could feel the jolt.

No Age

Perhaps the most notable band to come out of the Smell scene is No Age. The duo of Randy Randall and Dean Spunt have been around the club since near its inception, and they earned early fans there through their band Wives. As they morphed into No Age, their spiritual home became the Smell. The band even made use of the club’s Main Street storefront for the cover of its debut album, painting “No Age” and “Weirdo Rippers” on the facade. 

That’s only six videos, but thousands of clips over the years have captured acts at their best. If your band has gigged the Smell, or your life was changed amid the brick walls, feel free to share your links in the comments below. 

What's the best show you saw at the Smell? Share your memories in the comments section below >>

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