Words and Photos By LUIS MORENO
It was the night after Christmas, but for this crowd the best gift was worth the wait as The Untouchables delivered a dose of holiday cheer at Saint Rocke.
The Untouchables are a local band that started in 1981 in Silver Lake, Calif., northeast of Hermosa Beach, where Saint Rocke is located.
The Untouchables are credited with being the first American ska band. Their music is likened to renowned bands in the same genre, like The English Beat, The Jam, The Specials, and many others.
I was raised in Pasadena, which is about 15 minutes east of Silver Lake, and I remember hearing about this band, The Untouchables, that was incredible to see live at the house parties.
Eventually they played at clubs like Oscars Cornhuskers in Azusa and The Golden Bear in Huntington Beach. They became only the second “house band” ever at the Whisky-A-Go-Go and became known for their fun, high-energy shows.
This band that once produced crazy, sweaty immature mosh pits around the world with hits like “Agent Double O Soul,” “Wild Child,” “The General,” “I Spy for the FBI,” “Lebanon,” and “Free Yourself” reactivated the mosh pit at Saint Rocke as people danced, bounced and skanked around. They performed 17 songs during the set and revved up the all ages crowd.
There have been many players who have come and gone in the beloved band. Jerry is still sporting his famous short-brim fedora hat and doesn’t quite move around the stage as he once did. But he surrounds himself with younger musicians who interpret the music and deliver with feeling to an audience of young and veteran music lovers.
