One of the original bands to explode from the early L.A. punk scene, Fear represented possibly all the worst (and best) tendencies of the potential of punk rock to offend and harrangue listeners. Formed by guitarist/vocalist/actor Lee Ving, Fear's early years were a carefully calculated effort to shock, anger and rile audiences with homophobic, redneck and deliberately offensive lyrics. Their stage show was outrageous as Ving and Co. took great pride in their ability to stir up such rage and hatred in their audience that the audience would try to attack the band onstage. This hilarious act was best documented in The Decline of Western Civilization in easily the best segment of that movie.

In the years since, Fear has appeared ever so sporadically with usually a different bassist on each tour. 1985 saw the band release More Beer, which saw the band moving away from the blatant special interest group baiting to anthems that more represented the working class, blue collar types. A live record appeared a few years later, but Ving mostly kept himself busy as a character actor, appearing in Flashdance and television's Who's the Boss. The mere fact that Ving is an actor should clue you immediately to how seriously you should take Fear's lyrics and music. The band did finally resurface with an entirely new lineup for this, Have a Beer with Fear, a rehash of More Beer's themes.

While the band still retains the classic Fear sound, much of the material is devoid of the same spirit that personified the band's earlier years. Certainly the lyrics represent a "Texas-styled" viewpoint on life, with more anthems about drinking beer (four in all), rodeo, pro United States sentiments and the "proper" place for women to be in society ("Honor and Obey"). This incarnation of Fear, which absolutely tore it up on stage when I saw their tour in 1995, was solid and talented, but many of the songs seem like an excuse to make a record so they could tour. That said, "Ugly as You", written by former Fear member Philo Cramer, is one of the band's best songs ever. Unfortunately, that song is heads and shoulders above the rest of the record. For the most part, Have a Beer with Fear is a band running through the motions and on cruise control. It has a certain degree of silly, hedonistic fun going for it, but not enough to justify high praise.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 03/2001

Back to top