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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDEAD BOYSPunk act formed in Cleveland OH '76 by Stiv (Steve) Bators, vocals; Cheetah Chrome (Gene Connor) and Jimmy Zero, guitars; Jeff Magnum, bass, Johnny Blitz, drums. (Bators d 4 June '90 in Paris aged 40, after being hit by a car.) Emerged from local bands to play CBGB's club NYC with more infl. bands (Talking Heads, Television), profiting from media spotlight and from being managed by venue owner Hilly Kristal. Debut LP Young, Loud And Snotty '77 on Sire summed them up. Cream prod. Felix Pappalardi recruited for We Have Come For Your Children '78, reinforcing suspicion that they were not far removed from incompetent heavy metal; Joey and Dee Dee Ramone added backing vocals. Band remembered best for 'Sonic Reducer' single, often anthologized. Bators recorded solo on Bomp label, which issued posthumous Night Of The Living Dead Boys '81, recorded live at CBGB's, but with re-recorded vocals (Bators may have been embarrassed by originals). Relocated to England, sang with the Wanderers, short-lived punk 'supergroup' with Dave Parsons, guitar; Dave Tregunna, bass; Rick Rock (Rick Goldstein), drums; LP Only Lovers Left Alive '81. Joined ex- Damned guitarist Brian James in Lords of the New Church, with Tregunna and Micky Turner (drums): peddling punk mid-'80s on Miles Copeland's IRS label with limited success. |