Godzilla's was a former bowling alley turned into a cavernous punk club located in a stark and gritty corner of the San Fernando Valley in the community of Sun Valley.
Beginning in 1981 and early 1982, BYO (Better Youth Organization) booked and promoted a number of punk gigs at Godzilla's. Godzilla's proprietor was Frank Reed, who had previously booked gigs at Devonshire Downs.
Godzilla's could be considered to be one of the most valiant large scale DIY efforts to come out of the early 80's Los Angeles punk scene. It had a fairly good run, especially considering the prevailing attitude by the powers that be regarding punk rock and moreover, that it was pretty much run by a bunch of 20 something (or younger) kids.
This punk rock utopia's undoing began when BYO pulled out due to "a falling out with the management". Like many venues of the day, Godzilla's finally succumbed to the relentless pressure of the LAPD, the Fire Department and even the local city council.
*some of this is culled from personal experience with the majority coming from The Dementlieu Punk Archive
Captain Sensible, Godzilla's 1982
*photo Glen E. Friedman
