The group began performing as the Adolescents, a name taken from an all-female band from Petaluma who had discarded it. Their first show was in early 1980 at a Boys Club in Yorba Linda, playing with Social Distortion and Agent Orange. "We played six songs, all originals", said Brandenburg; "This is the irony of punk in Orange County: The only bands that played their own material were beginning punk bands. All the rock bands played cover songs". The Adolescents also played at Soto's high school (El Dorado High School in Placentia) and O'Donavan's (Servite High School in Anaheim), the latter ending chaotically. Brandenburg recalled: "John set up the gig. We played at lunch. We were pelted with garbage and the set ended with me insulting them through the P.A. I kept asking 'Where are your girlfriends?' and calling them fags. John was suspended and Servite swore there would never be another rock and roll band allowed there". The band recorded their first demo tape that March in Brandenburg's mother's garage in Anaheim, and played their first show with Los Angeles bands the following month, opening for the Germs at the Fleetwood in Redondo Beach. They recorded a second demo that May at a studio in Midway City, including the songs "I Hate Children", "No Friends", "Who Is Who", and "Wrecking Crew". The recordings of "Who Is Who" and "Wrecking Crew" from this tape were released two years later on BYO Records' inaugural release, the compilation album Someone Got Their Head Kicked In!; these were the only recordings released by the Adolescents' original lineup until 2005's The Complete Demos 1980–1986.
