Although fictional, the Sons of Anarchy may very well be the first thing that pops into your head when asked to name a motorcycle club. Sure, the Hells Angels are probably the most recognizable, but the Sons of Anarchy are about to embark on their 4th season of their own show tonight on FX.
SOA are based in California but they also have chapters all over the U.S and around the world. Members of this outlaw motorcycle gang are recognized by the logo on their vest. The logo is white on black and depicts a grim reaper holding a scythe with an M16 handle and crystal ball showing the anarchy symbol. The various regional chapters are cited under the logo and this one is from the New Jersey chapter of the SOA.
The existence of a New Jersey chapter may be the idea of the show’s creator, executive producer, and full blooded Jersey guy, Kurt Sutter. A graduate of Rutgers University, Sutter was also a writer on FX’s “The Shield.” Sutter has proven his versatility by serving as writer, actor, director, and producer on both The Shield and his own creation, Sons of Anarchy. In real life, Sutter is married to Katey Sagal (Peggy Bundy) who also plays Gemma on the show. According to his IMDB profile, he’s got pediophobia, which means he’s scared of dolls.
Sutter grew up in Clark NJ watching a lot of cartoons and told reporter Linda Moss in an interview on New Jersey News Room, that he learned “the essentials of storytelling from Hanna Barbera.” You can watch the premiere of Sons of Anarchy tonight at 10pm on FX!
Follow Kurt Sutter on Twitter and check out his blog!