Editing Cheap Sex

{{Short description|American street punk band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name                = Cheap Sex
| image                 = 
| caption            = 
| image_size            = 
| alias               = 
| origin              = [[San Diego, California]]<!--DO NOT CHANGE WITHOUT A TALK PAGE DISCUSSION -->
| genre               = [[Street punk]]
| years_active        = {{hlist|2002–2007|2009|2013–present}}
| label               = [[Punk Core Records|Punk Core]]
| associated_acts     = [[The Boils]], [[Violent Society (band)|Violent Society]]
| website                 = 
| current_members     =
*Mike Virus
*Johnny O.
*Brock
*Gabe
| past_members        = 
*Derek Dolls
*Chance
*J. "Ace" Von Johnson
*Chris "Blitz" Wick
*Beau Shmoe
*Phil Robles
}}

'''Cheap Sex''' is an American [[street punk]] band formed in December 2002, based in [[San Diego, California]]. Besides releasing three albums, the band participated in some compilations, including the Pure Punk Rock DVD, released by [[Punk Core Records]], also featuring Action, [[the Casualties]], Blood or Whiskey, [[Defiance (punk band)|Defiance]], the Havoc, [[Lower Class Brats]], the Messengers, [[the Scarred]] and [[The Virus (band)|the Virus]], the last one being [[Mike Virus]]' previous band.

==History==
After Mike left [[The Virus (band)|the Virus]], he decided to form a new band, taking the name Cheap Sex because it was catchy and funny.<ref>[http://dreamers.com/peterpunk/ent-cheapsex-ing.html#CHEAP%20SEX  Interview with Mike Virus] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080801101042/http://dreamers.com/peterpunk/ent-cheapsex-ing.html#CHEAP%20SEX |date=August 1, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.neufutur.com/Interviews/cheapsex.html|title=Cheap Sex Interview with Mike Virus|website=www.neufutur.com|accessdate=9 September 2020}}</ref> The original line-up consisted of bassist Derek, guitarists John and Jordan, drummer Gabe and Mike singing, soon after they formed, a five-song [[Demo (music)|demo]] was recorded. The band signed with [[Punk Core Records]] and recorded their debut album titled ''[[Launch Off to War]]'', released in July [[2003 in music|2003]], Jordan only recorded half album before leaving to join [[Madcap (band)|Madcap]], being replaced by Chris Blitz.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rebelnoise.com/viewinterview.php?id=102|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226042101/http://www.rebelnoise.com/viewinterview.php?id=102|url-status=dead|title=Article at Rebel Noise|archivedate=26 February 2009|accessdate=9 September 2020}}</ref>

After playing several shows on the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]], the band made its [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]] debut at the 3 day [[Vive Le Punk|Vive Le Punk Festival]] at [[CBGB|CBGB OMFUG]] in [[New York City|New York]]. The festival took place on October 3, 4 and 5th, 2003, in both the Main Stage and the Lounge Stage at CBGB, on the Main Stage bands like [[Abrasive Wheels]], [[MDC (band)|MDC]], the Krays, [[the Casualties]], [[Two Man Advantage]], [[Awkward Thought]], Molotov Cocktail, [[the Boils]] among others performed, while the Lounge Stage, restricted to people with [[legal drinking age]] (21 and over),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cbgb.com/lounge.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106154422/http://www.cbgb.com/lounge.html|url-status=dead|title=CBGB's Lounge|archivedate=6 January 2009|accessdate=9 September 2020}}</ref> hosted bands like [[U.S. Chaos]], Street Brats, [[Wretched Ones]], [[Hugh Cornwell|Hugh Cornwell Band]], Broken Heroes, Capo Regime, Weekend Warriors and Spitfires United among others. Cheap Sex performed Saturday October 4, sharing the Main Stage with [[the Adicts]], [[Antidote (band)|Antidote]], New York Rel-X, [[the Turbo A.C.'s]], Midnight Creeps and Silenced Sin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://awkwardthought.com/AwkwardThoughtHistoryVivaLePunk2003.htm|title=AWKWARD THOUGHT|website=Awkwardthought.com|accessdate=9 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nypress.com/16/40/listings/musiclists.cfm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060825074250/http://www.nypress.com/16/40/listings/musiclists.cfm|url-status=dead|title=Vive Le Punk dates|archivedate=25 August 2006|accessdate=9 September 2020}}</ref>

In 2003, in a tour with [[Lower Class Brats]], driving a van to New York the band suffered an accident, when a trailer sideswiped the van, a truck loaded with [[Concrete masonry unit|cinder blocks]] was on the road, the truck took the doors off the van and some bricks flew in, one of the bricks severely injured Johnny O., tearing his [[aorta]], this caused the cancellation of the rest of the tour. Despite the life-threatening accident, Johnn survived, but left the band to recover from the injury, due to the John's departure Phil joined the band.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sandiegopunk.com/interviews/cheapsexinterview.php|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090309235308/http://www.sandiegopunk.com/interviews/cheapsexinterview.php|url-status=dead|title=Interview with Mike Virus|archivedate=9 March 2009|accessdate=9 September 2020}}</ref>

In April 2004, the band recorded their second album for Punk Core Records, entitled ''[[Headed for a Breakdown]]'', released October 5, 2004. They toured extensively during that summer, playing along the east coast with label mates [[Lower Class Brats]].

The band performed in July at the [[Wasted (festival)|Wasted]] 2004 festival in the [[United Kingdom|U.K.]] (formerly known as Holidays in the Sun) with bands such as [[Discharge (band)|Discharge]] and [[Broken Bones (band)|Broken Bones]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ablazegraphics.co.uk/punkdesign/pages/wastedads.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311032020/http://www.ablazegraphics.co.uk/punkdesign/pages/wastedads.html|url-status=dead|title=Posters with Cheap Sex at the fourth line of the small text|archivedate=11 March 2008|accessdate=9 September 2020}}</ref> In the same year, Cheap Sex participated in the British Invasion 2k4 Festival, organized by [[SOS Records]], the festival took place November 20, in [[San Bernardino, California|San Bernardino]], with [[the Adicts]], [[the Exploited]], [[Discharge (band)|Discharge]], [[U.K. Subs]], [[Cockney Rejects]], [[the Restarts]] and local [[United States|U.S.]] bands like [[Total Chaos (band)|Total Chaos]], [[Channel 3 (band)|CH3]] and [[Resilience (band)|Resilience]] among others,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://britishinvasion.homestead.com/archive.html|title=Website Disabled|website=Britishinvasion.homestead.com|accessdate=9 September 2020}}</ref> the show was recorded for a DVD release.

In 2005, the band returned to [[Morecambe]] for another edition of the Wasted Festival, between May 18 and 22, this time with bands like [[Charged GBH|G.B.H.]], [[The Business (band)|the Business]], [[Funeral Dress]], [[the Exploited]], [[Anti Nowhere League]], [[T.S.OL.]] and a lot more.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/11072/wasted-morecambe-2005|title=Wasted Morecambe 2005|website=Punknews.org|accessdate=9 September 2020}}</ref>

The last record by Cheap Sex, ''[[Written in Blood (Cheap Sex album)|Written in Blood]]'', was released on June 6, 2006, followed up with what would be their last U.S. tour with label mates [[the Scarred]], called the "[[Bloody Solution U.S. Tour]]", which began on August 11, 2006, in [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]] and ended on September 16, 2006, in [[Ventura, California|Ventura]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/18524/tours-cheap-sex|title=Tours: Cheap Sex|website=Punknews.org|accessdate=9 September 2020}}</ref>

On March 1, 2007, Cheap Sex's former guitarist, Chris Wick, committed suicide after struggling with [[heroin]] addiction and depression after the death of his mother in 2004, leading to the band's break-up.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://altpress.com/news/1868.htm |title=Cheap Sex's break up at altpress.com |website=[[Alternative Press (magazine)|Alternative Press]] |access-date=2008-06-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323012314/http://www.altpress.com/news/1868.htm |archive-date=2012-03-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/22747/breakups-cheap-sex-2002-2007|title=Break-ups: Cheap Sex: (2002-2007)|website=Punknews.org|accessdate=9 September 2020}}</ref> On March 15, 2007, Cheap Sex sent out a bulletin via [[MySpace]] stating that they would be breaking up and a final show was in the works, the final show was played June 24, 2007, with [[Career Soldiers (band)|Career Soldiers]] and 46 Short in [[Fullerton, California]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/23455/final-cheap-sex-show-in-june|title=Final Cheap Sex show in June|website=Punknews.org|accessdate=9 September 2020}}</ref>

In 2009, Cheap Sex released a DVD entitled ''Dead Today: V Years of Cheap Sex'' featuring a documentary about the band and live footage from the final two shows. The DVD was directed by their long-time merchandise creator and filmmaker [[Lewis Smithingham]].

==After Cheap Sex==
Mike was in a new band called [[Evacuate (band)|Evacuate]] with members from Lab Rats and 2nd Hand Justice, following the [[hardcore punk|hardcore]] / [[street punk]] sound that Cheap Sex and the Virus had, the band released a demo in 2007, plus a single and two albums. The band ended in 2017. Mike started a punk record label under the Evacuate name.

Phil and Brock, although rumored to initially be in Mike's band, Evacuate, have gone on to create a different band, A Bande Apart, a female fronted band.  The band recorded a demo and then split up.

In addition to A Bande Apart, Brock was the bassist for Smash 77 with Shawn Smash from [[Total Chaos (band)|Total Chaos]] and Danny, ex-drummer of the same band. He plays bass in the rock band Plissken.

Phil briefly played with the Los Angeles band the Lieutenants, as well as the Long Beach based band Three Two Ones, with former members of the US Bombs and Duane Peters Gunfight, and the Hunns. He now sings and plays guitar for the band Drosscapes.

Johnny O. Negative has played with [[Lower Class Brats]] and [[Total Chaos (band)|Total Chaos]] to fill in for open spots on their tours, he has also lived in [[Raleigh, North Carolina]], working with No Revolution.  Johnny joined the [[Lower Class Brats]] as a full-time member but after several years left the band.  Currently, Johnny lives in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]].

Gabe ([[List of acronyms and initialisms: A#AK|a.k.a.]] Gabe Cross, Gabe Sex, Gabe Skunt) has played drums for the San Diego garage rock band the Muslims for a short period of time, the Holy Boys (with former Cheap Sex guitarist Chris), and punk/Oi! band Northern Towns. Gabe sings for NYC-based band Lowlands.

Chance (Hurteau) (a.k.a. Chance Christ) had returned to being tattoo artist in 2005 under the name Chance Christ Superstar, and was tattooing in San Diego, California. He also did artwork using the name "EyesoreArt" for bands (most recently for the [[Lower Class Brats]]), zines, and music releases. He continued to write music and play bass, and from time to time he appeared in small music projects; but never returned to music full-time. Chance died in 2015 after a long battle with cancer.

Cheap Sex played a one-off reunion show on January 11, 2013, at The Observatory Theatre in Santa Ana, California, with Lower Class Brats, the Scarred, and Media Blitz.  The show was to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the first album, ''Launch Off to War'', being released.  All the band members currently live scattered around the US, so the band cannot be as active as it used to be. That one show led to the band re-grouping to play approximately once a year at various festivals.

==Members==
*Mike Virus ([[Singing|Vocals]])
*Johnny O. Negative ([[Guitar]])
*Brock Anderson ([[Bass guitar|Bass]])
*Gabe Sex ([[Drum kit|Drums]])

==Discography==
*''[[Launch Off to War]]'' (2003, [[Punk Core Records|Punk Core]])
*''[[Headed for a Breakdown]]'' (2004, Punk Core)
*''[[Written in Blood (Cheap Sex album)|Written in Blood]]'' (2006, Punk Core)
*''Dead Today: V Years of Cheap Sex DVD'' (2009, [[Taang! Records|Taang!]])

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174147/http://www.purevolume.com/cheapsex Cheap Sex] at Pure Volume
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080502141324/http://trig.com/cheapsex Cheap Sex] at Trig.com

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:2002 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 2002]]
[[Category:Hardcore punk groups from California]]
[[Category:Street punk groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups from San Diego]]