The Dead Boys

After a quick survey, it appears that I am turning into a pussy with this blog. Paul McCartney? Father's Day? What's next.. a tribute to estrogen?
Enough of that crap... here's the DEAD BOYS.

There's nothing nice or (shudder) p.c. about the Dead Boys. They formed in Cleveland in the mid-70's out of the ashes of Rocket From The Tombs (who's members went on to form Pere Ubu).

All lead singer/spectacle Stiv Bators ever wanted was to be the second coming of Iggy Pop. Legend has it that Stiv was the one who passed Iggy the Peanut Butter at the Cincinnati Pop Fest in 1970 that the Igster famously smeared on himself.

"Hey, we're the Dead Boys
Who wants to give me head"
... Stiv Bators

The Dead Boys were well known in the 70's Punk scene as being the most violent of the American Punk bands. Stiv would hang himself, slash his body with the mic stand and solicit sex from the stage while the twin guitars of Cheetah Chrome and Jimmy Zero would be blasting.


The Dead Boys couldn't even record a record with-out trouble. They showed up to the studio wearing German Army and Nazi regalia and were told to remove it by the album's producer. The Dead Boys were so far out of it that they didn't even realize that some people might have a problem with that sort of attire.

"Sonic Reducer", from their first album Young Loud & Snotty is one of the greatest Punk songs ever. Other fantastic songs that give a good idea of the Dead Boys mind-set are "Caught With The Meat In Your Mouth", "I Need Lunch" (featuring the touching lines, "I don't wanna dance/I just wanna get in your pants") and my favorite, "All This And More" (which opens with "Can you describe what's it's like to have sex with the lights on").
Subtle, they weren't.

Their next album, We Have Come For Your Children, was a bit slicker, but still nasty. Joey Ramone shows up for backing vocals on "(I don't wanna be no) Catholic Boy". Other cool tunes on the record are "Third Generation Nation", "Son Of Sam" and an old Rockets' tune "Ain't It Fun".



The Night Of The Living Dead Boys album, recorded at CBGB's in the late 70's; is a great example of how twisted and rockin' they were. There are rumors however, that Stiv overdubbed the vocals in a studio because he was too wasted to sing into the mic.


After that, the band ceased to exist due to drugs, craziness and no record label support. Stiv went on to front The Lords Of The New Church for a while and also released a really good solo album called Disconnected that was very garage rock oriented. He also appeared in John Waters' film Polyester.

Stiv died in 1990 after being hit by a truck in France.

Links:
Buy Dead Boys music here
The Dead Boys "shrine" at CBGB's



Toonage:


Sonic Reducer (original non lp "rough mix")
All This And More
Detention Home (live)
I Need Lunch
Caught With The Meat In Your Mouth