Orange 17

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Does hellfire, damnation mean anything to you? These guys are a punk/metal tour de force who pioneered this territory long before the Fucking Champs, Tight Bros From Way Back When or similar tongue-in-cheek, metal-infused indie bands came around. Although they've never officially broken up, it seems like they only resurface for the occasional show. Fargo loves them.

Members

• John Peterson (drums)
• Karl Qualey (guitar, vocals)
• Randy Dever (bass)

Highlights

• They opened for Bad Company and Ted Nugent at the Fargodome.
• They opened for Mike Watt in the Civic Center basement (with Ugly Stick).
• Seeing JP set his cymbals on fire is a truly magical Fargo rock experience.
• Some kid broke his arm or leg or something at a show at the Bowler.
• When they opened for Zeke, Blind Marky Felchtone was apparently in awe of them.
• They played a version of "Deck The Halls" at a Rock N' Roll Xmas concert where they simply repeated "Don we now our gay apparel" over and over again.
• Played for a long-ass time in Fergus Falls one night back around 1994. Came out in ET masks and rocked downtown Fergus Falls until all the kiddies had to go to bed. Put up with letting Jim Lee of Grammahead ride around in their van.
• You know you've hit the rock'n'roll nail on the head when someone spray-paints your band name on something. I swear I saw something like this near Island Park at one point or another. -ryan
• Didn't they change their name to "Computer" for one or two shows? I thought they did this when they opened for Bakamono at the Coffee Club.
• From Carothers Brothers #5, "The Definitive Guide to Everything Punk Rock in the Moorhead/Fargo Area": Orange 17 - you know, if they didn't have short hair I could mistake these boys for Poison.

Shows

Some of the best I can remember:

• Early Spring 1994? Elks Club w/ Hammerhead and Godheadsilo - a crazy crazy show.
• Late May 1995 At some basement club in Grand Forks, first time I heard 'Juggernaut' live.
• September 1994 at the Bowler with Free Jessie and Haul and Pathos. I think that kid broke his arm at this one.
• December 1997 at Rock and Roll Christmas at the Bowler, with a ton of bands, probably the best show I saw them play.

Discography

• S/T "Rock N' Roll Tonite (We Want)" b/w "Plunder" 7-inch, Dart Records
• V/A "Top Sluggers" 2x7-inch Big Block Records
• V/A "Draggin' Tracks" Meat Records
• V/A "Bob" Meat Records
• V/A "Dragon Tracks #7" MSU
• V/A "Captain Blood Makes 10 Bands Walk The Plank" Hellfire! Damnation! Captain Blood Records

Related Bands

• Deaths, The
• Kinky Einstein
• Groundhog
• Art Seizure
• Harlan's Bottle
• Royal Rumble
• Thunder Kids, The
• So Fox

Photos