The Faction

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The Faction were a punk rock band from San Jose, California who were closely linked to the underground skateboarding culture. The band played primarily during the years 1982 to 1985, although a different lineup recorded one song and played one show in 1989, and then another lineup played numerous shows and recorded 4 new songs in the early 21st century. Steve Caballero, one of skateboarding's brightest stars (for 20+ years he's been, arguably, the best all-around skateboarder in the world) played bass, and then guitar, in the Faction. Caballero probably attracted a lot of young skateboarders' interest to the band, but the music kept them coming back for more, and he wasn't the only skater in the band. Singer Gavin O'Brien was a heavy local at Winchester Skatepark and was more than able to hold his own in any session: vert, street, banks, whatever. Adam "Bomb" Segal's trademark high top Vans in all the bright, cool colors of the day had ollie holes on both shoes-the dude was doing switch tricks before anyone. He was a damn fine guitar player, too. Keith Rendon (drummer #1), Ray Stevens, II (bass) and Craig Bosch (drummer #2) were all accomplished skaters; Craig even has a trick named after him: the Bosch (a invert to blunt on a curb, ledge, etc).

Catching onto the then-noteworthy idea of touring (remember, this was only a couple years after D.O.A. (band), Black Flag, and the Dead Kennedys essentially created (with others) the underground punk "circuit"), the band gained notereity through repeated exposure in the skateboarding world, which helped on tour, and which helped create a national fanbase. [[Thrasher Magazine]]'s MoFo compiled the first Skate Rock tape, which featured several Faction songs, as well as songs by JFA (Jodie Foster's Army) and the Big Boys, the two other most established skate punk bands. Other bands included were Riot .303, Minus One, Los Olvidados, Skoundrelz, featuring Tony Alva, Anvil Chorus, Free Beer, featuring San Francisco's Tony and Tommy Guerrero, and others.

The Faction recorded two 7" records, an LP, an EP, and a posthumous EP, and contributed songs to a 7" compilation single, From The Valley Within. Their song Skate and Destroy was also featured in the first skateboarding video, Powell-Peralta's "Bones Brigade Video Show." Except for the Thrasher Skate Rock tapes and the posthumous "Epitaph" EP, which was released on sleazy Doug Moody's Mystic Records, all the Faction's music was released on IM Records. This label was owned by guitarist Adam Segal, and financed by Arly, and successful Do-It-Yourself ethic that developed out of skateboarding and punk rock was successfully Primarily due to musical evolutional differences in the band, they broke up in 1985. In 1989 they reformed with pro skateboarder Jeff Kendall on guitar instead of Adam Bomb. They played one show, recorded "Tenebrae" (used in the "Stoked: The Gator Story") and for whatever reason it didn't go any further.

In 1994, Mark Waters, of Goldenrod Records, approached the band with the idea to compile the Faction's musical history into one complete CD package. The resulting "Collection" gathered most of the band's studio recordings along with some live and radio recordings, along with Gavin's complete list of every show the band ever played, complete lyrics, and what most of the band called their first good artwork. In 2001, the band started playing shows here and there, with original guitarist Russ Wright on guitar. One show led to more, and between 2001 and 2005 the band played a handful of shows, including gigs in Germany, a rare Southern California show with the Adolescents and Strung Out, and numerous San Jose shows. Key life changes among all the band members led to a permament breakup in 2005.