Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards are the side project band of Lars Frederiksen from Rancid. They are a hardcore, partying, nihilist punk rock outfit.
The band members are Lars Frederiksen (vocals and lead guitar), Gordy (also credited as "Unknown Bastard") (vocals), Big Jay Bastard (bass), Craig Leg (rhythm guitar) and Scott Abels (also credited as "Skatty Punk Rock") (drums). Whilst Craig did not appear on the first album, he has always been a touring member of the band.
The band was formed after Lars' friend and bandmate in Rancid, Tim Armstrong suggested writing songs of stories about Lars and his friend Ben growing up in Campbell, California. The band was then put together as an outlet to release these songs, aswell as covers of Billy Bragg's To Have And To Have Not and Motörhead's Leaving Here as the album Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards.
Lars and Tim then got together to write the second Bastards album, Viking, this time the focus being more on Lars' recent life (with the exception of the songs 1%, The Kids Are Quiet On Sharmon Palms and The Viking.) after having "got outta Campbell". The album also included cover versions of The Blasters' Marie, Marie and The Anti-Nowhere League's For You. The song Little Rude Girl was originally intended to be used as a Rancid song.