Smog Marines

In 1979, the Silver Lake punk band Opus released a two-song 7” that has since become one of the most hunted and coveted records among west coast punk collectors. After only a handful of live shows, the band quietly changed their name to Smog Marines, effectively severing them to Opus.

The new name reflected a sharper alignment with late 70s Los Angeles punk, militant in tone and rooted in the city’s literal toxicity. The change was made the final evening of 1979 at a new year’s eve house party in the so-called “Opus Mansion”, bassist Alfred Trerotola’s home where the band rehearsed and partied.

With the arrival of 1980, Opus was now Smog Marines. Driven by singer Raoul Endara, the band entered Mystic Studio in Hollywood for a series of recording sessions that yielded material for demos and a full-length LP. A demo recorded in the spring of 1980 was given to Rodney Bingenheimer and was soon in rotation on KROQ that summer.

Smog Marines performed throughout Southern California for the remainder of the year. Discussions with Doug Moody about including tracks on a Mystic compilation ultimately never materialized. By the end of 1980, the band had dissolved and the Smog Marines (formerly Opus) studio recordings were shelved, until now.

Smog Marines “Opus” will be released for the first time this summer and on vinyl August 2026.