Los Reactors

Biography

Los Reactors, based in Tulsa, OK, had its genesis in several configurations in 1978 before solidifying as The Reactors in 1979. The original line-up included Roger Scott on guitar, Dale Lawton on guitar, Tommy Gunn Waggoner on bass and Darrell Smith on drums. In early 1980, Dale quit and the group continued as a 3 piece. Soon thereafter, keyboardist Joe Danger (Christ) joined the group, and the name was changed to Los Reactors. As the Punk Rock movement exploded nationally in the late 70's and...

Los Reactors, based in Tulsa, OK, had its genesis in several configurations in 1978 before solidifying as The Reactors in 1979. The original line-up included Roger Scott on guitar, Dale Lawton on guitar, Tommy Gunn Waggoner on bass and Darrell Smith on drums. In early 1980, Dale quit and the group continued as a 3 piece. Soon thereafter, keyboardist Joe Danger (Christ) joined the group, and the name was changed to Los Reactors. As the Punk Rock movement exploded nationally in the late 70's and early 80's, Tulsa's Los Reactors were thrilling thousands of fans, and spawning dozens of imitators with their hypnotic brand of quirky, iconoclastic, high energy rock. Playing hundreds of shows throughout the midsouthwestern United States, they attracted a huge cult following. In 1980 Los Reactors released Dead in the Suburbs, the first of two popular singles. The second, Be a Zombie, was released the following year. Both singles received extensive college and independent radio air-play. The group disbanded in 1983, with the members going on to pursue other projects.

Unfortunately, the two 45's were the only official documentation that existed of the many great original songs by Los Reactors...Until Righteous Death Records compiled a collection of tracks culled from rare live performance and rehearsal tapes, which was released as a Best of cassette in 1995. The collection served as valuable historical documentation of one of the most prolific and dynamic bands of the '80s. Throughout the '80s and '90s numerous compilations and bootlegs of Los Reactors' material were released. During the late 1990s, various Los Reactors songs were included in compilations, notably the Killed By Death series.Then in 2000, Italian label Rave Up Records released a selection of cuts from the Best of collection, along with the extant studio recordings as a vinyl LP titled, Dead in the Suburbs. The initial pressing sold out quickly, primarily through internet sales. Then in 2004, California based label Rip-Off Records reissued the album on an enhanced CD, with redesigned cover art and rare video footage of the band.
In 2005, Los Reactors re-grouped to play a couple of reunion shows in New York City and Tulsa, with more shows planned for the future.
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The continuing interest in a group that disbanded more than 20 years ago is a testament to the inspired creativity that drove Los Reactors to write four albums worth of material, despite receiving no breaks from the establishment music industry. If the major labels hadn't been too busy looking for the next Journey or Foreigner clone to recognize the talent of Los Reactors, who knows what they might have accomplished.

The world has lost one of its brightest creative lights with the passing of Los Reactors keyboardist/vocalist, Joe Christ. At the age of 52, Joe died peacefully in his sleep of a heart attack on Father's Day, June 21st, 2009.

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