RF7 was formed in 1979, in Simi Valley California. They first appeared on vinyl on the much-acclaimed compilation "Public Service." "Public Service" also included the first recordings from Bad Religion and Circle One, as well as songs from pre-teen veterans Redd Kross. Over twenty thousand copies of "Public Service" were sold, and this gave RF7 much exposure and credibility through association. A following friendship with Redd Kross helped RF7 obtain key bookings with The Circle Jerks, The Chiefs, Fear, The Dead Kennedy's and more. They were also able to record their own first album, "Weight of the World," which lead to touring outside of the LA area.
RF7 continued to play shows with The Angry Samoans, Legal Weapon, Christian Death, Middle Class, 45 Grave, Bad Religion and numerous others. In 1983, a 7" EP called "Submit to them Freely" was recorded. With that, a year of touring followed. Then the band took a break from there schedule, and worked on other various projects.
They reunited briefly in 1986, when they returned to the studio and recorded songs primarily written by Felix. The results were hot and cold. The chemistry between the band members was still present, but Nick had just formed the TVTV's, and was concentrating his efforts on his new band. RF7 went on hiatus until 1993, when Nick and Felix reunited. "Traditional Values" followed and this release was considered to be the band's crowning achievement. Byron Coley, from Spin magazine, called "Traditional Values" "the best US hardcore in a decade." RF7 was ready to explode, however one crucial mistake was made. Felix turned down offers from Triple X records and Epitaph to release "Traditional Values", because both said it would take 6 to 8 months to get into their release cycles. Impatient, Felix chose Screaming Skull records, which "promised the moon" and subsequently went out of business three months later. This development was devastating to the band as their best work was going unheard. Then in 1994, Fearless records heard the CD and purchased the rights from the Screaming Skull owner. Nevertheless, the damage had been done. Most distributors knew that "Traditional Values" was an "old" product. Fearless was unable to penetrate the market with the release although RF7 played shows with overwhelmingly positive results.
Then, in 1995, a start up "re-issue" label, Grand Theft Audio, was looking for a debut release and it's owner Brian sought Felix out and asked if RF7 would do the honor. The result was a 33 song anthology called RF7 - All You Can Eat. The CD includes virtually every recording from 1980 to 1983. (Editors note: In summer of 2002, RF7 became GTA's 50th offering with the release of RF7 - All You Can Eat vol II, spanning two decades of recording including all of Traditional Values!).
RF7 continued writing and recording and in 1996 released, "Satan vs. The Workingman" on Bomp! Records subsidiary Alive records. By this time and Kiley Asato took over for original bassist Robert Armstrong and Kiley's brother Tony Calderone joined Nick on guitar. Still available today this CD includes several live favorites "The Last Days", "Wasted is The World I Live In" and an RF7 version of Alice Cooper's "Long Way To Go."
Music kept coming out on compilations throughout the rest of the 90's (see complete discography below) but the band did very little live performing until late 1999 when the band began to hit the clubs. By 2001 one RF7 was playing about 20 to 30 dates a year up and down the coast and enjoying their greatest popularity ever. Playing with The Dickies, Peter and The Test Tube Babies, The UK Subs, The Vibrators, The Day Glow Abortions, Decry and The Angry Samoans to name a few, it has been like 1982 all over again…!!
By 2003 the boys were getting worn out. Nick had moved back to San Francisco around 2002, so it was Felix, Tony, Walt and Kiley that kept the whole thing going. In fact, without Nick the boys had recorded an entire albums' worth of music, titled, Unlikely Heroes. Just as Felix was beginning to shop it around, Nick shows back up. With Nick comes chaos and Nick was not happy with the sound of the new RF7. Being the strong willed guy that he is he began changing the sound back to it's roots. For Walt and Kiley it was too much stress. Walt had wanted to work on another project and he and Kiley spun off to do this.
…somewhere along the way, around 2002, after a show at Mr. T's Bowl in LA, Felix met a kid named Big Mike. Mike said he was a huge RF7 fan and booked shows. A few weeks later he started calling and putting RF7 on more and more cool shows. He eventually traveled with the band on a couple of out of town trips…Mike was also the drummer for a local punk band Thretning Verse.
Big Mike had also introduced Felix to a guy named Gnat. Gnat ran a t-shirt business and also had a label he was getting going called Puke n' Vomit records. Gnat was a big old school fan and he made a deal with Felix to re-release the Public Service compilation on CD. As part of the release Gnat was doing a show at The Showcase Theatre in Corona. RF7 was on the bill, as the only survivor from the Comp, well, except, of course, Bad Religion, but they weren't available…
The timing of this was right around the time Felix found out about Walter's "side" project. Felix wasn't cool with the way this came down and he told Walter and Kiley they were suspended for the Public Service show. In comes Big Mike and Gnat to fill in for the show, Nick was there as well.
This line up was a shot of adrenalin for the band. The one show turned into several and the several resulted in this line up going into the studio and in about 10 months a complete new RF7 record was in the can: Addictions & Heartache is raw old school punk rock and every bit as good as anything RF7 has recorded. Released on Gnat's, Puke n' Vomit records July 2004, RF7 is poised to add a new chapter to its 25 year legacy…
