Worthy crossover act ADOLESCENTS debuted in 1980, being founded in from Fullerton, Orange County, California, by AGENT ORANGE bassist Steve 'Soto' Rodgers in union with formative members singer Tony Reflex, guitarists Frank Agnew, a SOCIAL DISTORTION veteran, and John O'Donovan and drummer "Peter Pan". Posh Boy Records would be responsible for the first vinyl product, a 7" single named 'Amoeba' being restricted to a reputed miserly 15 copies.

The band's April 1981 album debut for Frontier Records, self-titled but generally given the title 'The Blue Album', saw Soto working alongside Tony Cadena on vocals, Frank Agnew on guitar, Rikk Agnew on guitar with Casey Royer on the drums, the latter two also citing a SOCIAL DISTORTION tradition. In late 1981 the band folded and Rikk Agnew subsequently issued solo effort 'All By Myself', later going on to work with both CHRISTIAN DEATH and T.S.O.L. Casey Royer busied himself fronting D.R.I. Both Soto and Frank Agnew also appeared on the 1982 LEGAL WEAPON album 'Death Of Innocence'.

ADOLESCENTS reformed for the 1987 album 'Brats In Battalions'. Line-up for this effort was vocalist Tony 'Montana' Brandenburg, guitarists Rikk Agnew, Alfie Agnew and Dan Colburn, bassist Steve Soto and drummer Sandy Hanson. Guest guitar came courtesy of Mick McKnight. By 1988's 'Balboa Fun Zone' album Colburn had departed and Montana was supplanted by Frank Agnew. The album also featured guest guitarist Mark Mahoney. Triple X capitalised on this activity with the issue of an archive live album. The ADOLESCENTS folded once again, with Rikk Agnew going on to JOYRIDE.

A further ADOLESCENTS reformation saw Derek O'Brien manning the drums. Johnny Two Bags filled in as live guitarist. Further archive tapes, billed 'Return To The Black Hole', arrived in 1997.