Yesterday Is Gone (Remastered 2009)

Following a 1982 demo tape distributed only to friends and fans, the San Jose, Calif., quintet garnered a lot of buzz—not only for helping spark the skate-punk movement but also due to the popularity surrounding bassist (and professional skateboarder) Steve Caballero. Yesterday Is Gone was released shortly after on seven-inch vinyl, limited to a run of 1,000 copies. The opening title track reveals an immediate chemistry; The Faction boasted musicianship that was head and shoulders above most bands of this ilk. The standout song “A-U.K.” remains highly influential as proto punk-pop: singer Gavin O’Brien rails against punks who wore both anarchy patches and Union Jack patches, pointing out the contradiction of the circle-A’s anti-government stance and the Union Jack’s parliamentary representation. The song was featured in Thrasher Magazine’s Skate Rock Vol. 1. “Boredom Awaits” is another gem, with chugging guitars and punchy rhythms. In his California drawl, O’Brien warns his listeners about the dangers of apathy.