Chris Desjardins (The Flesh Eaters) | Part 1

In this episode:

“The punk stuff that was coming out of England really excited me.”

In Part 1 of this conversation, Chris Desjardins (Chris D.) traces the evolution of the Flesh Eaters from the earliest days of Los Angeles punk through the band’s many incarnations. Moving through his encounters with the Stooges, MC5, British punk, blues and R&B, poetry, surrealism, genre film, and other musical and cultural influences, Chris reflects on the eclectic materials and relationships that shaped his creative practice.

Along the way, Chris discusses writing for Slash, friendships and collaborations with John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Dave Alvin, Keith Morris, and others, and the changing lineups and musical approaches behind A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die, Forever Came Today, and A Hard Road to Follow. His recollections offer a window into the shifting sounds and social worlds of early Los Angeles punk and the rise of hardcore, as well as the blues, roots music, and other traditions that continued to inform his work.

Chris also speaks candidly about addiction, recovery, relationships, and the ways these experiences intersected with his musical life. Looking back across different iterations of the Flesh Eaters and Divine Horsemen, he reflects on returning to music, writing with greater discipline after getting sober, and the long, complicated path that eventually brought earlier collaborators together again decades later.

Chris Desjardins, also known as Chris D., is a writer, musician, poet, critic, and filmmaker best known as the founder, vocalist, songwriter, and driving creative force behind the influential Los Angeles punk band the Flesh Eaters. Deeply connected to the first wave of the L.A. punk scene, he contributed to Slash magazine and has worked across music, poetry, prose, film criticism, and programming. His musical work has moved among punk, blues, roots music, and darker strains of American music, and he has also led and recorded with Divine Horsemen.

Recorded October 2020.

Links + References:

Perfect Sound Forever: Chris D, Flesh Eaters, Divine Horsemen

The Flesh Eaters - Superior Viaduct

https://grokipedia.com/page/The_Flesh_Eaters

Slash Magazine (Download via Brooklyn Vegan)

Credits:

Punkast is hosted and produced by Jessica Schwartz.

Co-hosted and guest produced by Tequila Mockingbird

Editorial support: Arrow Menendez– audio editing, episode notes, and audio-synced transcript.

Transcript:

Audio-synced transcript

Theme Music:

Lady Bits, "Bitch-a-thon," Lady Bits.

Related:

Jessica Schwartz co-hosts the Punk Scholars Podcast.

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