The Agentz circa 1981. From left to right: Lorin Nelson (keyboard), Jeff Bethell (bass), Vinny Villani (drums), Matt Hogan (guitar). Photo courtesy Melinda Mohnike

The Agentz was Chico's first punk/new wave band to gain a popular following. Started by local music icon Matt Hogan in the late 70s, they quickly climbed to regional fame in northern California and regularly played to sold-out crowds. They performed from 1978 to 1982.

Fab Mab flyer listing The Agents (sic) playing a Sunday night in March 1981 The band was a staple act at Nellies Restaurant on 2nd St., playing there several times a month to sold out crowds. The Agentz were frequently booked at clubs in Sacramento, Davis, and San Francisco, where they were a steady opening act at the Mabuhay Gardens, commonly known as the Fab Mab" on Broadway. It's remotely possible that video exists of the Fab Mab shows, as Bay Area videographer Joe Rees shot many hours of bands at the Mab for his Target Video company. Much of Rees' video remains uncataloged as of this writing. The Agentz played their first show at the Fab Mab on Sunday, March 29, 1981 with the Davis band X-Men, featuring drummer Gavin Blair (later of True West) and singer/songwriter Donnette Thayer. That same night, an up-and-coming soul singer named Prince played at The Stone across the street.

In the 70s, Chico was still a regular stop for popular bands touring the college circuit, and The Agentz regularly opened these shows. They opened for the Greg Kihn Band, The Tubes, and Tommy Tutone, among others.

The band was noted for it's innovative updating of rock classics, such as The Who's Baba O'Reilly, and the The Cadets Stranded in the Jungle. Besides giving classic songs a new twist, the band's originals were heavily laced with the unique sound of a vintage Hammond M-3 organ mastered by Lorin Nelson, a classically trained organist with a psychedelic bent. (Yes, they took that organ to all their gigs. The other band members had a very love/hate relationship with Nelson's ivory keyed beast).

The Hammond M-3 gave the band a somewhat unique sound, but it got a lot of abuse.  On one occasion Lorin had been borrowing a percussionist's kalimba, which accidentally got broken.  The percussionist shot the M-3 with a .22 pistol in response.  It kept on ticking.

The band's line up was steady from the start, though Mike Erpino (Edit from Lorin:  Mike kicks ass on drums) took over on drums after Vinny Villani mysteriously disappeared in 1981. Rumors attributed the vanishing act to the federal witness protection program, though exactly who or what he may have been cooperating with is unknown.  (Edit from Lorin:  I know nuthink.)

Band members:

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