Created out of the desperate need to save the then-dying punk rock genre, the madness began eighteen years ago in Pomona Valley, CA. Around the same time that the Casualties began flying the flag in the streets of NYC, TOTAL CHAOS reared it’s ugly head for the first time in October 1989, determined to revitalize the Southern California punk scene and destined to bring their message to the world.
From their beginnings, the band realized that to them punk rock was more than just music but also a forum with which they could convey their socio-political views. TOTAL CHAOS, along with local community organizations that they helped to form, began holding social events like “Food Not Bombs”- giving support to the “Big Mountain Indian Reservation” and helping to open the “Los Angeles Anarchist Center”. The idea of social responsibility was immediately significant to the band and enabled their voice to extend beyond the stage, from words... to action.
In 1992 TOTAL CHAOS put themselves on the map with the self-release of their debut 7”, followed shortly thereafter by their self-released, promoted and distributed album “We’re the Punks” in March of 1993. The combination of their aggressive, grassroots self-promotion and non-stop regional and national touring caught the attention of Epitaph Records founder Brett Gurewitz that same year. Gurewitz immediately signed the band, leading to a three album recording deal that would propel TOTAL CHAOS to the forefront of the bourgeoning American street punk revival.
By 1997, internal problems within the label led to the band’s departure. Wasting no time, TOTAL CHAOS partnered with Cleopatra records for their 1999 album, “In God we Kill”, followed by a CD collection of greatest hits from their previous releases. Opting once again to set out on their own, the band self-released their 2000 album “Punk Invasion” on their newly formed “Reject Records” label. In 2003, the band partnered with L.A. venue owner Ezzat Soliman to fund the expansion of the label, re-naming it S.O.S. records. This collaboration resulted in the reissue of many 1980’s British punk albums as well as the release of “Freedom Kills”, the band’s sixth studio album. This partnership was not to last and with Soliman’s increasing control of the label, the band grew dissatisfied and once again set out to find greener pastures.
Flash forward to 2007. After a brief repose, the band once again determined to make their mark have teamed up with New York’s Punk Core Records, a union thought by many to be long in coming. TOTAL CHAOS once again returns to the roots of raw punk rock sown by bands such as GBH and Discharge for their return album “Avoid All Sides”, scheduled for release in March 2008. World domination on their mind, TOTAL CHAOS will be appearing at the VANS WARPED TOUR in 2008, followed by their headlining world tour beginning in the fall.
