Double Cross

DOUBLE CROSS "XX" Biography by: Erik Hinke Yes, I know, there have been several bands called Double Cross over the years. This is the punk rock band Double Cross from northern California circa 1981-1983. So I don't want to hear anyone complaining that their band is called Double Cross and that I'm infringing upon their intellectual property rights. This website is not selling anything or promoting anything. This information is posted merely for historical purposes. By 1983 the first wave of the California Hardcore Punk Rock scene had reached its height. During 1982 and 1983 the number of independently promoted concerts grew and the number of attendees also grew. There was always a "gig" to go to and they were usually packed. In San Francisco there was the Tool and Die, The Fabulous Mabuhay Gardens, The On Broadway, The Elite Club (The Fillmore), plus many temporary venues.Unemployment hit its highest point since the depression and over 10 million Americans were jobless. Ronald Reagan was in office and there was an air of hopelessness, the future looked less than promising. The Who played their farewell tour, and Brezhnev passed away. Mainstream music had become boring and predictable while the late 1970's punk rock had grown old and cartoonish. The new wave bands didn't seem to delve deep enough into the psyche of teen angst and address the social issues at hand.These were prolific years of new ideas that were to trickle down and influence generations to come. These were the days before everyone had a video camera, MTV was in its infancy and bands didn't think about making videos. "Punk Rock" temporarily became an antiquated term, Black Flag were our Beatles and there was a feeling that the ideology of peace and love was unrealistic. Skateboarding grew into an art form and the advent of "thrashing" and "the pit" came to be. By 1984 it was evident the scene had become too big for its own good. A movement that had grown from people who were looking for something different had turned into a social group to belong to. The original crowd stopped going to shows instead looking for new ideas, the California Hardcore Punk Rock scene had reached the national news level. Psychologists appeared on daytime TV shows discussing topics such as 'what to do if your child is a punk rocker.' But worst of all Punk Rock had become fashionable.