Knockout Punches In

Once Green Day and the Offspring took punk rock to the masses with their multimillion-selling albums, punk gave up its status as the music of the fringe.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of punk musicians still plugging away night after night, while holding down day jobs to pay the bills, as they all used to back when punk was truly outside the mainstream.

O.C. punk quartet Knockout is among those keeping the old tradition alive.

“We played last night in Phoenix, and right after our set, we drove all the way back home,” said Ken Etiquette, one of the group’s two singer-songwriter-guitarists.

An X-ray technician during the day for Remote Imaging Systems in Long Beach, Etiquette looked bleary-eyed but wired as he chatted during a recent interview with the band at a cafe here. “I had to work today, so I only got one hour of sleep. But you know what? It’s worth it, because we want to do this.”

Tina Colson of Orange, Etiquette’s girlfriend and the band’s bassist, added wearily: “It’s easy to get frustrated because it’s hard to keep the energy level up.

“I have to work 40 hours a week [for the retailer Versatile Fashions],” she said, “so sometimes it feels like I have two full-time jobs. Right now, it’s like the band’s in between being a hobby and a career.”

Helping to keep the band’s spirits from flagging is the release of its debut album, “Think It’s Time,” on Orange-based Dr. Dream Records. They’ve also got the support of Frank Agnew, the former Adolescents guitarist who produced the record.

Agnew, who also has played in T.S.O.L., Tender Fury and Burnin’ Groove and recently has been working as a duet with singer Colleen Rider, was attracted to Knockout last year while sharing a rehearsal warehouse in Orange.

“They sounded very inspired, very into what they’re doing . . . and you really don’t see that much these days,” Agnew said in a separate interview. “Their raw material was very good. My role was to add a vocal harmony here, a guitar lick there and some overall encouragement. I tried to enhance their sound, rather than change it.

“I think what’s lacking in today’s punk is the kind of melodies and harmonies that bands like Agent Orange and the Adolescents were known for. That’s something that Knockout delivers,” added Agnew, who has also produced albums for local bands Rule 62 and Mr. Mirainga.

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In addition to showcasing the group’s catchy melodies and tight harmonies, “Think It’s Time” displays an explosive guitar assault demonstrating the influence of such O.C. punk standard-bearers as Social Distortion and the Adolescents to the more widely known groups including Black Flag, the Damned and Circle Jerks.

“We play a familiar punk-rock sound built around three-chord guitar riffs,” said Etiquette, a tall, affable man sporting two arms’ worth of tattoos. “There’s a basic simplicity to it, but that doesn’t mean you necessarily have to sound simple. It’s all in the delivery.”

Knockout avoids the ego-centered battles that can destroy bands with a collaborative creative approach.

“When we’re working on new songs, everyone has a say. . . . We rely on everybody for input, not just [singer-songwriter-guitarist] Todd [Harper] and I,” said Etiquette. “One time, we were just relaxing and goofing around, and I played this silly riff just for fun. But Tina and Frank liked it so much that we decided to add a few touches, called it “All Choked Up,” and put it on the album.”

Knockout’s members--who are in their 20s, including drummer Dan Rickard--plan to stick with their day jobs, gig as much as possible and refine their musical chops.

Said Harper, who works by day as an auto detailer in Costa Mesa: “I remember going to see punk bands at Night Moves [in Huntington Beach] and Fender’s [Ballroom in Long Beach]. . . . Hell, when I was in the Ballistics, we opened for the Offspring at the Doll Hut [in Anaheim] once. Being a part of that scene--as both a fan and musician--is what it’s all about.”

Added Colson: “Our goal right now is to inspire fans to walk away saying, ‘That was a good show, and that’s a band I’d see again.’ Let’s face it--bands are a dime a dozen. I hope we can stand apart by giving them a piece of ourselves each time we step on a stage.”

* Knockout, the Bleeders and Vooduo perform Monday at the Blue Cafe, 210 Promenade, Long Beach. 9 p.m. $5. (310) 983-7111. Knockout opens for Agent Orange on Jan. 17 at the Lava Room, 1945 Placentia Ave, Costa Mesa. 9 p.m. $5. (714) 631-0526.