Sea Hags – Dead & Gone in 1987

Interview with Greg Langston

1. Greg, Dead & Gone captures a fiery 1987 live set from the Sea Hags. Listening back after all these years, what emotions or memories came flooding back for you?

I guess it was 40 years ago now. 1985… wow. We had so much fun in those early days. I remember the quick rise in popularity being just a whirlwind of excitement.

2. You mentioned the early Sea Hags sound as “proto-grunge” and riff-heavy. How did your punk background influence the band’s evolution toward that sleaze rock energy we hear on Dead & Gone?

I had played with several groups of varying styles by this time. The Sea Hags were just a natural progression in a long line of bands. Playing this type of “riff rock” was very comfortable for me and my roots in earlier punk bands only helped with my drumming style. 

3. This recording at CD Studios was raw, fast, and full of attitude. What do you remember about that particular night playing in front of just 60 fans?

The friends and fans were all part of the process. They gave us the energy for us to give back to them. We re-recorded a couple of songs twice, to get it right, but as I recall, the first takes were better, more spontaneous.

4. “Doghouse” is the first single from Dead & Gone. That song later appeared on the Chrysalis debut. How do you compare this raw early version to the major-label re-recording?

“Doghouse” was a staple of the set, We probably played it every show. I prefer all the demo recordings to the eventual LP because the major label production is too clean and crisp for my taste.

5. You were replaced before the Sea Hags recorded their major-label debut. Was it bittersweet seeing the band go forward without you, especially after doing 300 shows and helping shape their early identity?

I was crushed. I didn’t want to go out and answer everyone’s questions. It was during pre-production that I was replaced. I never saw the Sea Hags perform without me. Hearing second hand about what was going on with the group, I now think it was much better for me not to be involved with the Sea Hags during that period. 

6. The Sea Hags shared stages with Motörhead, Dead Kennedys, Suicidal Tendencies, a wild mix of punk, metal, and hardcore. How did those cross-genre bills shape your drumming and the band’s chemistry?

It was very natural for us to perform alongside so many types of bands. It was very exciting! However, our influences came from within, thus no influence at all on my drumming style. As far as band chemistry, the diversity kept it exciting and fun.

7. You’ve worked with everyone from Tuxedomoon to Fang to Bryan Gregory’s band Beast. What made the Sea Hags unique among all the groups you’ve played with?

Sea Hags were unique in that we were performing a style of music to punk crowds that had been put aside for several years. I had not played music like this since my high school days up in my room with the headphones on!
 
8. You’ve stayed active in the Bay Area music scene for decades. How would you compare the underground rock circuit of the ’80s to the scene now in 2025?

I think it comes down in part to enthusiasm. The shows I attend and perform these days tend to be for a much older audience than the folks who were mostly in their twenties back then. People show their appreciation differently now. 

9. You’re currently working on new music with Sleepers A.D., a band that originally formed in 1978. What’s it like returning to that legacy and recording fresh material today?

It is great. The original Sleepers songs are so much fun to play, and the new material actually does have past connections to Michael Belfer from the original group. 

10. You’re also drumming for No Alternative and Microwave Buddha. Do these projects scratch the same musical itch as Sea Hags once did, or are they something entirely different?

It really is entirely different. No Alternative has a full set of new songs, and Microwave Buddha is now doing a few shows as Los Microwaves reviving the synth punk sound, although very different from Tuxedomoon and Touch Tones.

11. If you had the chance to do one final show with the original Sea Hags lineup,  just one night,  what song would have to be on the setlist? 

“Back to the Grind,” of course!

12. Looking back at your career, what’s one piece of advice you’d give to a drummer stepping into their first underground rock band today?

If it is not fun, don’t do it! Look for another band.

Information:Dead & Gone by Sea Hags is released Sept. 12 on CD and digital by Liberation Hall.
Pre-order Dead & Gone at Bandcamp. First digital single “Doghouse” is out today. 

Old flyers of the band: