Rikk Agnew

Rikk Agnew
Agnew at SubMission, with the Gitane Demone quartet, in 2015
Born	Richard Francis Agnew, Jr. (1958-12-09) December 9, 1958 (age 58) Newport Beach, California, U.S.
Residence	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter composer multi-instrumentalist record producer visual artist
Years active	1978–present
Children	Polina Mt Agnew
Parent(s)	Richard Agnew, Sr. Lia Agnew
Relatives	Frank Agnew (brother) Alfie Agnew (brother)
Musical career
Genres	Punk rock hardcore punk skate punk gothic rock deathrock hard rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar drums bass guitar keyboards
Labels	Frontier Triple X
Associated acts	Social Distortion Adolescents Christian Death D.I. 45 Grave

Richard Francis "Rikk" Agnew, Jr. (born December 9, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and visual artist.

Agnew's music career spans more than 30 years. He has previously been a member of some of the most influential bands of the Orange County hardcore punk genre, as well as the highly influential deathrock band Christian Death. During his years with the Adolescents, Agnew became known as one of the best guitarists in the Southern California hardcore punk scene.

Agnew has also pursued a solo career and released his debut album, All by Myself, in 1982. He later released Emotional Vomit in 1990 and Turtle in 1992.

Richard Francis Agnew, Jr. was born on December 9, 1958, in Newport Beach, California. He is half Irish and half Mexican-American and was raised in a blue-collar neighborhood in Fullerton, California. He attended La Vista High School. Because he was shy, Agnew gravitated toward music, and along with his younger brothers Frank and Alfie played various instruments that they found around the house.

With Casey Royer, Agnew played in Social Distortion and the Detours in 1979. He joined the Adolescents in 1980. His guitar style and writing dominated the Adolescents' Blue Album, released in May 1981 on Frontier Records. Agnew left the band soon after the album's release due to personal and creative differences.

In 1981, Agnew attended a performance by Christian Death in Pomona, California. Attracted by their style and sound, he approached them after the show and asked if they needed another guitarist. Agnew joined Christian Death soon after leaving the Adolescents, writing and playing guitar on the seminal Only Theatre of Pain album, issued by Frontier in March 1982. He also performed on the band's Deathwish EP, recorded before the album during the sessions for the compilation Hell Comes to Your House but not released until 1984.