ChicagoPunk - User contributions [en]

1980

2010-08-09T22:54:06Z

Vanillablue: /* Notable Chicago Punk Events in 1980 */

== Notable Chicago Punk Events in 1980 ==

* February 1980 - [[End Result]]'s first show at Mercy Mission Home For Boys - 1140 West Jackson - where Alan Jones resided.
* March 6, 1980 - [[The Imports]] debut at Ann Arkees in Chicago.
* April 30, 1980 - Grand Opening of [[Club 950 Lucky Number]] with headliners [[Special Affect]]
* May 1, 1980 - Public Image Limited plays at the Riviera
* May 17, 1980 - the Ramones play at UIC
* June 1980 - [[Steve Albini]] moves to Chicago from Montana to enroll at Northwestern
* June 21, 1980 - [[Negro Commando]] (soon to be [[Naked Raygun]]) play their first show at [[222 S. Morgan St.]]
* July 12, 1980 - Devo plays the [[Aragon Ballroom]]
* September 5, 1980 - [[Strike Under]] plays their first gig, at Northwestern
* September or October 1980 - [[Earl Letiecq]] meets the other members of what would become [[The Effigies]] at [[Oz]]
* October 5, 1980 - [[Naked Raygun]]'s third gig, in Detroit. Before the show, the band has to retrieve [[Bobby Strange]]'s drums from the pawn shop.
* November 9, 1980 [[The Effigies]] played at [[Oz]], their first show ever
* November 27 & 29, 1980 - [[Strike Under]] play Oz
* December 1980 - [[Oz]] on Hubbard Street closes; the club relocates to its third (and final) location at 3714 N Broadway
* December 5, 1980 - [[The Imports]] play their final gig at Seventh Street Entry in Minneapolis.
* December 9, 1980 - [[Strike Under]] plays [[Waves]]. Steve and Chris Bjorklund got in a fight onstage, culminating with Steve Bjorklund jumping off stage, trashing a pinball machine, and leaving the club mid-gig. The band never played Waves again.
* December 10, 1980 - [http://www.missionofburma.com Mission of Burma] plays [[Waves]] (the ad for the show [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/blackflag/80/live1212-13.html#cretard misidentifies] them as "Mission From Burma"). [[Da]] opens.
* December 12, 1980 - Black Flag plays [[Stages]], with the [[Effigies]]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Beefheart Captain Beefheart] plays [[Tuts]] that night also.
* December 13, 1980 - Black Flag plays [[Oz]]
* December 31, 1980 - [[Naked Raygun]] and the [[Wayouts]] play Oz. It is [[Jim Colao]]'s first gig with Raygun

== Record Releases ==

* [[Boulevard]] - ''Extended Pop 7"''
* [[The Cunts]] - ''We're Going To Crash 7"''
* [[The Drats]] - ''Double 7"''
* [[The Front Lines]] - ''Where Do We Go from Here? EP''
* [[Gary Jones]] - ''Science Fiction / What in the World 7"''
* [[Meaty Buys]] - ''Cut a Fart 7"''
* [[Poison Squirrel]] - ''Step by Step / It's All Fire 7"''

[[Category:Chicago Punk by Year]]

1981

2010-08-09T22:51:57Z

Vanillablue: /* Notable Chicago Punk Events in 1981 */

== Notable Chicago Punk Events in 1981 ==

* January 1981 - [[Exit]] opens at 1653 N Wells (it had previously been known as [[Wizards]].
* January 24, 1981 - [[Naked Raygun]], [[Strike Under]], and [[Silver Abuse]] play a party at [[John Lundin]]'s loft at 180 N Wacker. The show is discussed at this [http://chicagopunkpix.com/forum/index.php?topic=545.0 CPP thread]
* [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/stages04.html January 31, 1981] - [[Special Affect]] plays its final show at [[Stages]]; [[Strike Under]] and [[Western Front]] open
* February 19, 1981 - [[Naked Raygun]] plays the [[Club 950 Lucky Number]]
* February 20 and 22, 1981 - [[Oz]] is [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/Interviews/OZbust.html raided] by Chicago's finest, and owner [[Dem Hopkins]] is briefly jailed
* March 1981 - [[Touch and Go]] releases their first record, a 7" by [http://www.tgrec.com/bands/album.php?id=304 The Fix]
* March 7, 1981 - Bauhaus plays [[Space Place]] with [[Naked Raygun]] opening
* March 9-11, 1981 - [[Busted at Oz]] is recorded at [[Oz]]'s North Broadway location. It would be released on [[Autumn Records]] later that year.
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/blackflag/81/live0323.html March 23, 1981] - Black Flag plays [[Space Place]]; Husker Du plays the after party at [[Oz]] (the infamous [http://www.thirdav.com/hd_discog/05_live_audio.html#23Mar1981 "blue paint"] show)
* April 1981 - [[Wax Trax]] releases [[Strike Under]]'s '''''[http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/Misc01.html Immediate Action]''''' 12"
* April 1981 - during Northwestern's spring break, [[Steve Albini]] records [[Big Black]]'s first EP, '''''Lungs'''''
* April 10, 1981 - [[Effigies]] play Oz. A bootleg of this gig exists.
* April 11, 1981 - [[Strike Under]], [[Naked Raygun]] and the [[Effigies]] play [[Space Place]]
* April 15, 1981 - [[Da]] releases their first 7", '''''Dark Rooms'''''
* [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/NorthE01.html April 17, 1981] - WZRD sponsors a free show at Northeastern Illinois University with [[Strike Under]] and the [[Effigies]]
* April 18, 1981 - [[Naked Raygun]] plays [http://www.thirdav.com/hd_posters/p198104.jpg Minneapolis]. [[Marko Pezzati]]'s final gig with the band.
* [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/OZ05.html April 24, 1981] - [http://www.comnet.ca/~rina/uxa.html UXA] plays [[Oz]]
* [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/OZ02.html April 25-26, 1981] - D.O.A. plays [[Oz]] with the [[Subverts]], part of the [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/Misc04.html Hardcore '81] tour
* [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/spacep02.html May 2, 1981] - [[Strike Under]], [[Naked Raygun]], and the [[Effigies]] play [[Space Place]]
* May 9th, 1981 - [[Oz]] closed for good.
* June 24, 1981 - The [[Subverts]] play [[O'Banions]] with the Fix.
* [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/OB05.html June 29, 1981] - [[Naked Raygun]] plays [[O'Banions]]
* [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/OB13.html July 4, 1981] - [[Strike Under]] plays the 4th of July show at [[O'Banions]]
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/blackflag/81/live0715.html July 15, 1981] - Black Flag plays Tuts with the [[Effigies]] and [[DV8]]. Flag bassist Chuck Dukowski beats up a bouncer.
* July 16, 1981 - The Fall plays [[Tuts]]; [[Naked Raygun]] opens. For their encore, Raygun plays "Libido" with all the band members completely naked
* August 3, 1981 - Minor Threat plays [[O'Banions]] with Youth Brigade and the Necros
* August 4, 1981 - [[Navastrau]] plays their first show at [[Exit]]
* August 6, 1981 - Husker Du plays the [[Club 950 Lucky Number]]. The show was [http://www.thirdav.com/zinestuff/coolest16.html reviewed] in the [[Coolest Retard]]
* August 16, 1981 - [[Space Place]] sponsors an all-day free show called the "Left Bank Street Fair", featuring (among others) [[Direct Drive]], [[Epicycle]], [[The Objects]], [[Bohemia]], [[Strike Under]], [[Screamin' Rachael and Remote]], and [[DV8]]. According to owner [[Rich Harrington]], the show "was supposed to be outdoors, but got moved indoors because we didn't pay off the alderman."
* September 1981 - Minor Threat guitarist Lyle Preslar relocates to Chicago to attend Northwestern. The band temporarily broke up, but would reform less than a year later when Preslar dropped out and returned to DC.
* [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/OB09.html September 5, 1981] - [[Strike Under]]'s first anniversary show, at [[O'Banions]]
* September 17, 1981 - [[Coolest Retard]] party at the [[Artful Dodger]]
* [http://www.theworld.com/~thirdave/hd_posters/p19810917.gif September 17-18, 1981] - the Dead Kennedys play [[C.O.D.]], with Husker Du, [[Naked Raygun]], the [[Effigies]], and [[Strike Under]]
* October 9, 1981 - [[Strike Under]] and [[Naked Raygun]] play [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/Gaspar01.html Gaspar's]
* October 10, 1981 - The Birthday Party plays [[C.O.D.]] with the [[Effigies]] opening
* October 16-17, 1981 - Benefit concerts for [[O'Banions]]. The [[Effigies]] [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/effigies/int_flip30.html refused] to play, claiming the club owners cared more about making money than supporting the punk scene.
* [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/OB08.html October 31, 1981] - TSOL plays [[O'Banions]] with [[Naked Raygun]] and the [[Subverts]]. There was a costume contest.
* November 1981 - Autumn Records release [[The Effigies]] Haunted Town EP
* November 1981 - [[C.O.D.]] hosts a "punk weekend" with the [[Effigies]], TSOL, Tom Verlaine, and the Professionals. A review in the [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/effigies/int_aliveslam.html Chicago Reader] terms the Effigies "the best band in Chicago when it comes to opening the floodgates for manic release."
* November 24, 1981 - [[Six Feet Under]] and the [[Effigies]] play [[Exit]]
* December 1981 - [[Strike Under]] breaks up
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/%7Eobik/arc/effigies/flyerm019.html December 5, 1981] - [[Effigies]] play [[O'Banions]] with [[Six Feet Under]]. It is the [[Effigies]] final local show before leaving on their West Coast tour
* [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/flyers/OB04.html December 12, 1981] - [[Direct Drive]] plays [[O'Banions]]--probably one of their final shows before changing their name to [[Articles of Faith]]
* December 26, 1981 - Anti-Pasti, [[6 Feet Under]] and [[Naked Raygun]] [http://www.dementlieu.com/users/obik/arc/blackflag/81/live1229.html play] at [[C.O.D.]]
* December 31, 1981 - [[Naked Raygun]] and [[Trial by Fire]] play [[O'Banions]]. Perhaps Trial by Fire's first show.

== Records Releases ==

* [[Da]] - ''Dark Rooms 7"''
* [[DV8]] - ''Learn to Say Goodbye / Guns on the Right 7"''
* [[Stations]] - ''Against the Grain 7"''
* [[Strike Under]] - ''Immediate Action EP''

[[Category:Chicago Punk by Year]]

The Effigies

2010-08-04T00:43:20Z

Vanillablue:

'''The Effigies''' are one of Chicago's oldest and longest-running punk bands. The Effigies and [[Naked Raygun]] are the only bands out of the [[Big Four]] that are still currently active and playing. The band formed in early [[1980]] and consistently played and recorded throughout the 1980s.

In [[2004]], The Effigies returned with 3 of the 4 original members and frequently plays shows throughout Chicago and the Midwest. They continue to play regularly and release their first album in over 20 years in [[2007]].

== Current Lineup ==

* [[John Kezdy]] - Vocals, Lyrics
* [[Robert McNaughton]] - Guitar
* [[Paul Zamost]] - Bass
* [[Steve Economou]] - Drums

== Releases ==

* '''[[Haunted Town]] EP''' ([[Autumn Records]], October or November [[1981]]).
: Re-released ([[Ruthless Records]], [[1984]]), with "Security" as added track.
* '''[[Bodybag / Security]] 7"''' (Ruthless Records, [[1982]])
* '''[[We're Da Machine]] EP''' (Ruthless Records, [[1983]])
* '''[[For Ever Grounded]] LP''' (Ruthless Records, 1984)
* '''[[Fly On A Wire]] LP''' ([[Fever Records]], [[1985]])
* '''[[Ink]] LP'''(Fever Records, [[1986]])
* '''[[Reside]] CD''' (Criminal IQ Records, [[2007]])

=== Collections ===

* '''Remains Nonviewable LP''' ([[Roadkill Records]], [[1989]]) - "Collection of almost all early material up to, and including part of, ''For Ever Grounded''. It is thought that 2,000 copies were actually distributed. ''Remains Nonviewable'' was re-released on C.D. in late [[1995]] by [[Touch & Go Records]]"

=== Compilations ===

* [[Busted at Oz]] (Autumn Records, 1981) - Live versions of "Guns of Ballots" and "Quota".
* [[The Middle of America Compilation]] (HID, 1984) - A re-mixed version of "Security"
* '''The Enigma Variations''' ([[Enigma]], 1985) - "Blue Funk"

=== Live Albums ===

* '''V.M.L. Live Presents the Effigies 12/16/95''' ([[V.M.L. Records]], [[1996]]) - "Livetracks from the first reunion show of original members since 1992. Recordedlive 12/16/1995, at the Lounge Ax, Chicago, Illinois. 1,000 pressed."

== History ==

=== Band Formation ===

Though a few sites list The Effigies starting in [[1979]] [http://www.dementlieu.com/%7Eobik/arc/effigies/index.html] [http://www.furious.com/perfect/effigies.html], this is not the case. In [[1978]], John Kezdy dropped out of the University of Wisconsin and began to learn the guitar. He and his good friend Steve Economou decided to look into into starting a band. In a [http://www.dementlieu.com/%7Eobik/arc/effigies/int_noise6.html 1981 interview in Noise 6], Kezdy stated he met Paul Zamost at [[Neo]], and along with a mysterious singer named Norman, teamed up with Economou and started practicing. Norman was unceremoniously canned after a few practices, and John took over on vocals and guitar, although by his own admission he was an inadequate guitarist. By this point (which must have been around summer of 1980) John, Paul and Steve were regulars at the [[Oz]]. Knowing their need for a 4th member, Oz owner [[Dem Hopkins]] (though Paul said in a [[2007]] conversation that they met at a house party) introduced them to Earl Letiecq, who had recently arrived from upstate New York. Letiecq had previously played guitar in a band called [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/effigies/index.html Wreck'n'Crew]. With Letiecq on board, Kezdy was able to shift full-time to vocals. After a couple months working together they had a set list and on November 9th, 1980 they played their first gig at Oz, opening up for [[Strike Under]]. The band quickly became known as one of the best punk groups in the city, and within a month or so, scored a high profile gig [http://www.dementlieu.com/users/obik/arc/blackflag/80/live1212-13.html opening for Black Flag] at [[Stages]].

=== 1981 ===

The Effigies played regularly in Chicago, appearing frequently at [[OZ]] and [[Space Place]], including another gig opening for Black Flag on March 23. The band appeared on [[Busted at Oz]], also recorded in March, and later that year would record their first EP, [[Haunted Town]], which would be released in November. A minor controversy erupted in October, when the Effigies refused to play a benefit show for [[O'Banions]], claiming the owners cared more about money than the punk scene. Nevertheless, the band did play O'Banions in December, shortly before embarking on a West Coast tour. This tour made the Effigies the first Chicago punk band to tour nationally.

=== 1982 ===

The band went on a tour of the East Coast towards the end of the year.

== Previous Lineups ==

=== 1980-1984 ===
* Steve Economou - drums
* John Kezdy - vocals, lyrics
* [[Earl Letiecq]] - guitars
* Paul Zamost - bass

=== 1985-1986 ===
* Steve Economou - drums
* John Kezdy - vocals
* Robert O'Connor - guitars
* Paul Zamost - bass

=== 1987 - 1988 ===
* [[Chris Bjorklund]] - bass
* [[Joe Haggerty]] - drums
* John Kezdy - vocals
* Earl Letiecq - guitars

=== 1988 - 1990 ===
* Chris Bjorklund - guitars
* Joe Haggerty - drums
* John Kezdy - vocals
* Tom Woods - bass

=== 1991 - 2003 ===

* On hiatus, outside a couple reunion shows

== References ==

* [http://www.effigies.com Effigies.com], lineups discography and just about everything else. Direct sentences taken are put in double-quotes.

== External Links ==

* [http://www.effigies.com/ Official Homepage] - Very informative
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/effigies/ Dementlieu Effigies page] - Lots of detail
* [http://www.myspace.com/effigies MySpace page, run by Paul]
* [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/usa/effigies_main.html KFTH's Effigies page]
* [http://www.mp3.com/effigies/artists/19717/biography.html mp3.com Bio]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Effigies Wikipedia page]
* [http://www.furious.com/perfect/effigies.html Article in Perfect Sound Magazine] - Good reference for early dates

[[Category:Bands|Effigies, The]]
[[Category:Effigies]]
[[Category:MySpace]]

The Effigies

2010-08-04T00:37:16Z

Vanillablue: /* Band Formation */

'''The Effigies''' are one of Chicago's oldest and longest-running punk bands. The Effigies and [[Naked Raygun]] are the only bands out of the [[Big Four]] that are still currently active and playing. The band formed in early [[1980]] and consistently played and recorded throughout the 1980s.

In [[2004]], The Effigies returned with 3 of the 4 original members and frequently plays shows throughout Chicago and the Midwest. They continue to play regularly and release their first album in over 20 years in [[2007]].

== Current Lineup ==

* [[John Kezdy]] - Vocals, Lyrics
* [[Robert McNaughton]] - Guitar
* [[Paul Zamost]] - Bass
* [[Steve Economou]] - Drums

== Releases ==

* '''[[Haunted Town]] EP''' ([[Autumn Records]], October or November [[1981]]).
: Re-released ([[Ruthless Records]], [[1984]]), with "Security" as added track.
* '''[[Bodybag / Security]] 7"''' (Ruthless Records, [[1982]])
* '''[[We're Da Machine]] EP''' (Ruthless Records, [[1983]])
* '''[[For Ever Grounded]] LP''' (Ruthless Records, 1984)
* '''[[Fly On A Wire]] LP''' ([[Fever Records]], [[1985]])
* '''[[Ink]] LP'''(Fever Records, [[1986]])
* '''[[Reside]] CD''' (Criminal IQ Records, [[2007]])

=== Collections ===

* '''Remains Nonviewable LP''' ([[Roadkill Records]], [[1989]]) - "Collection of almost all early material up to, and including part of, ''For Ever Grounded''. It is thought that 2,000 copies were actually distributed. ''Remains Nonviewable'' was re-released on C.D. in late [[1995]] by [[Touch & Go Records]]"

=== Compilations ===

* [[Busted at Oz]] (Autumn Records, 1981) - Live versions of "Guns of Ballots" and "Quota".
* [[The Middle of America Compilation]] (HID, 1984) - A re-mixed version of "Security"
* '''The Enigma Variations''' ([[Enigma]], 1985) - "Blue Funk"

=== Live Albums ===

* '''V.M.L. Live Presents the Effigies 12/16/95''' ([[V.M.L. Records]], [[1996]]) - "Livetracks from the first reunion show of original members since 1992. Recordedlive 12/16/1995, at the Lounge Ax, Chicago, Illinois. 1,000 pressed."

== History ==

=== Band Formation ===

Though a few sites list The Effigies starting in [[1979]] [http://www.dementlieu.com/%7Eobik/arc/effigies/index.html] [http://www.furious.com/perfect/effigies.html], this is not the case. In [[1978]], John Kezdy dropped out of the University of Wisconsin and began to learn the guitar. He and his good friend Steve Economou decided to look into into starting a band. In a [http://www.dementlieu.com/%7Eobik/arc/effigies/int_noise6.html 1981 interview in Noise 6], Kezdy stated he met Paul Zamost at [[Neo]], and along with a mysterious singer named Norman, teamed up with Economou and started practicing. Norman was unceremoniously canned after a few practices, and John took over on vocals and guitar, although by his own admission he was an inadequate guitarist. By this point (which must have been around summer of 1980) John, Paul and Steve were regulars at the [[Oz]]. Knowing their need for a 4th member, Oz owner [[Dem Hopkins]] (though Paul said in a [[2007]] conversation that they met at a house party) introduced them to Earl Letiecq, who had recently arrived from upstate New York. Letiecq had previously played guitar in a band called [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/effigies/index.html Wreck'n'Crew]. With Letiecq on board, Kezdy was able to shift full-time to vocals. After a couple months working together they had a set list and on November 9th, 1980 they played their first gig at Oz, opening up for [[Strike Under]]. The band quickly became known as one of the best punk groups in the city, and within a month or so, scored a high profile gig [http://www.dementlieu.com/users/obik/arc/blackflag/80/live1212-13.html opening for Black Flag] at [[Stages]].

=== 1982 ===

The band went on a tour of the East Coast towards the end of the year.

== Previous Lineups ==

=== 1980-1984 ===
* Steve Economou - drums
* John Kezdy - vocals, lyrics
* [[Earl Letiecq]] - guitars
* Paul Zamost - bass

=== 1985-1986 ===
* Steve Economou - drums
* John Kezdy - vocals
* Robert O'Connor - guitars
* Paul Zamost - bass

=== 1987 - 1988 ===
* [[Chris Bjorklund]] - bass
* [[Joe Haggerty]] - drums
* John Kezdy - vocals
* Earl Letiecq - guitars

=== 1988 - 1990 ===
* Chris Bjorklund - guitars
* Joe Haggerty - drums
* John Kezdy - vocals
* Tom Woods - bass

=== 1991 - 2003 ===

* On hiatus, outside a couple reunion shows

== References ==

* [http://www.effigies.com Effigies.com], lineups discography and just about everything else. Direct sentences taken are put in double-quotes.

== External Links ==

* [http://www.effigies.com/ Official Homepage] - Very informative
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/effigies/ Dementlieu Effigies page] - Lots of detail
* [http://www.myspace.com/effigies MySpace page, run by Paul]
* [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/usa/effigies_main.html KFTH's Effigies page]
* [http://www.mp3.com/effigies/artists/19717/biography.html mp3.com Bio]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Effigies Wikipedia page]
* [http://www.furious.com/perfect/effigies.html Article in Perfect Sound Magazine] - Good reference for early dates

[[Category:Bands|Effigies, The]]
[[Category:Effigies]]
[[Category:MySpace]]

Trial By Fire

2010-02-15T19:29:30Z

Vanillablue: /* Shows Played */

[[Image:TrialByFire-MRR3.jpg|right|125px]]

'''Trial by Fire''' was a Chicago punk band that performed from Autumn [[1981]] to Autumn [[1982]], after the demise of [[Strike Under]]. All of the members, [[Pierre Kezdy]], [[Chris Bjorklund]] and [[Bob Furem]] had been in Strike Under. In a now defunct post on her message boards, [[Marie Kanger]] said that Trial By Fire did not offically release any records though they did record an album's worth of material. Note that this Trial By Fire has absolutely nothing to do with the current band of the same name on Jade Tree Records.

Just about anyone who saw Trial By Fire live or heard their ultra rare recordings said that they were a special band. Even today people who were part of the scene in 1982/1983 say that Trial By Fire was one of the best bands of the Chicago Punk era.

== Members ==

* [[Chris Bjorklund]] - Guitar
* [[Pierre Kezdy]] - Bass
* [[Bob Furem]] - Drums

== Available Recordings ==

* A [http://www.tcpunk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6521&highlight=trial+fire inquiry on the TCP Punk messageboard] reveals that there is a three song demo and some live casettes, but they are not readily available.
* It is rumored (old message board post) that they recorded an album but it was never released. Not sure if that is different then the demo cassette, but I assume so. This was confirmed in issue #1 of [[Last Rites]]
* In Naked Raygun's [[Quartersick]] CD re-release of [[All Rise]], they include a cover of Trial By Fire's ''Rocks of Sweden''.
* Naked Raygun's [[Last of the Demohicans]] includes a cover of TBF's ''Giveaway'', written by Pierre Kezdy. The cover was recorded during the [[Jettison]] sessions on April 21, [[1987]]
* [[Arsenal]], a later band with Pierre Kezdy and [[Santiago Durango]] does a cover of Trial By Fire song(s) on their ''Factory Smog Is A Sign of Progress'' EP.

== Shows Played ==

* December 31, 1981 - at [[O'Banion's]] with [[Naked Raygun]]. Perhaps their first show.
* February 26, 1982 - at [[C.O.D.]] with [[The Effigies]]
* March 25, [[1982]] - at [[950 Lucky Number]]
* April 23, 1982 - at the [[Cubby Bear]], opening for Naked Raygun
* August 26, 1982 - at [[C.O.D.]] with [[Rights of the Accused]]
* September 11, 1982 - Lincoln Arcade, Milwaukee

[[Category:Bands]]

Smart Bar

2009-11-30T18:32:19Z

Vanillablue:

'''Smart Bar''' was a venue that opened in July of [[1982]], originally on the fourth floor of the [[Stages]] space. It eventually moved into the basement area of the spot formally occupied by [[Waves]] and the same owners opened [[The Metro]] upstairs.

== Notable Shows ==

* April 27, [[1983]] - [[Silver Abuse]]

[[Category:Venues]]

Stages

2009-11-30T18:31:16Z

Vanillablue:

'''Stages''' was a large club that played a punk shows in the early 80s. The space still exists, now known as [[The Metro]], and is one of the most famed music clubs in the country. Located at 3730 N. Clark, just north of Addison, at one point the building had three performance spaces. Stages (the upstairs area) played larger national acts, while the basement (called '''Waves''') played more local stuff. [[Smart Bar]] was originally established on the fourth floor of the building in the late summer of 1982, as a performance space for visual arts and live music.

Waves closed at some point in late 1981 or early 1982--[[Coolest Retard]] #14 said in their June 1981 issue that Waves just closed down, yet there are a bunch of shows past that. Waves became a reggae club called Cool Runnings for a while, but [[Smart Bar]] was moved there by late 1982. In July 1982 Stages morphed into [[The Metro]].

== Address ==

* 3730 N. Clark

== Notable Shows ==

* March 29-30, [[1981]] - Joan Jett (Waves)
* May 9, 1981 - Subhumans
* December 7, 1981 - Oingo Boingo
* December 9, 1981 - [[Strike Under]] (Waves)
* December 10, 1981 - Mission From Burma (Waves)
* December 11, 1981 - U.S., [[Da]] (Waves)
* December 12, 1981 - Black Flag, [[The Effigies]]
* March 19, [[1982]] - UK Subs, Anti-Nowhere League, Effigies
* June 4, 1982 - Circle Jerks
* June 5, 1982 - Angelic Upstarts
* June 22, 1982 - The Cramps

[[Category:Venues]]

== External links ==
* Interview with [http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/family/chi-1129-shanahannov29,0,5630709,full.story Joe Shanahan], founder of [[The Metro]]

Naked Raygun

2009-10-27T00:34:15Z

Vanillablue: /* Fan sites and discographies */

[[Image:NR-Group.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Final Naked Raygun lineup]]

'''Naked Raygun''' was one of the first, one of the longest running and one of the best Chicago punk bands. They are considered by a large majority to be the most important band in the history of Chicago punk. Raygun was active (in various lineups) from [[1980]] to [[1992]], along with reunion shows in [[1997]] and [[2006]]. They were one of the few bands to span the entire decade of the 80s and played with or helped bring along most of the acts during that time.

== Members ==

* [[Santiago Durango]] - Guitar (1980-1983)
* [[Marko Pezzati]] - Bass (1980-1981)
* [[Jeff Pezzati]] - Vocals (1980-1992, 2006- )
* [[Bobby Strange]] - Drums (1980)
* [[Jim Colao]] - Drums (1980-1984)
* [[John Lundin]] - Drums, Keyboards (1980-1981)
* [[Camilo Gonzalez]] - Bass (1981-1985)
* [[John Haggerty]] - Guitar (1983-1989)
* [[Eric Spicer]] - Drums (1984-1992, 2006- )
* [[Pierre Kezdy]] - Bass (1985-1992, 2006- )
* [[Bill Stephens]] - Guitar (1989-1992, 2006- )

== Records ==

* [[Basement Screams]] EP ([[1983]], [[Ruthless Records]])
* [[Flammable Solid]] 7" (1983, Ruthless Records)
* [[Throb Throb]] LP ([[1985]], [[Homestead Records]])
* [[All Rise]] LP ([[1986]], Homestead Records)
* [[Vanilla Blue]] 7" ([[1987]], [[Sandpounder Records]])
* [[Jettison]] LP ([[1988]], [[Caroline Records]])
* [[Treason]] 12" (1989, Caroline Records)
* [[Understand?]] LP (1989, Caroline Records)
* [[Naked Raygun - Home (Song)|Home 7"]] ([[1990]], Caroline Records)
* [[Raygun...Naked Raygun]] LP (1990, Caroline Records)
* [[Last of the Demohicans]] CD ([[1997]], [[Dyslexic Records]])
* [[Free Shit]] (Live) CD/LP ([[2001]], [[Haunted Town Records]])

=== Compilations (incomplete) ===

* [[Busted at Oz]] ([[Autumn Records]], March 1981) - ''Bomb Shelter, When the Screaming Stops, Paranoia, Libido''
* [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/comps/codeblue.html Code Blue cassette] (Last Rites, 1984) - ''No Sex'', ''Only In America''
* [[The Middle of America Compilation]] ([[H.I.D.]], 1984) - ''I Don't Know, Stupid''
* [[Sub Pop 100]] (Sub Pop, 1986) - ''Bananacuda''
* [[The Wailing Ultimate]] (Homestead, 1987) - ''I Remember''
* Rat Music For Rat People Vol. III (1987) - ''Rocks of Sweden''
* Beautiful Happiness (Happy, 1988) - ''Vanilla Blue''
* Something's Gone Wrong Again, The Buzzcocks Covers Compilation (Caroline, 1992) - ''Love Battery'', ''Running Free''
* Faster & Louder: Hardcore Punk, vol. 2 (Rhino, 1993) - ''Rat Patrol''

=== Unreleased or Obscure ===

* ''Promo Tape'' (Around March/April 1982)
** Sent out to potential bookings, Reviewed in [[CR]] #20
** Tracks include Mofo, Bombshelter, Emperor Tojo, Party Dolls and Coitus Interruptus

* ''Roger Moore''
** Popular early track (1981 timeframe), never recorded

* [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/usa/albums/nakedraygun_artof.html The Art of Throb Throb]
** Bootleg LP recorded 6/22/1985, Hoboken, NJ

* [[Chicago Sound]]
** Presumably a bootleg, as the sound quality is mediocre, although the disc is labeled as "[[Sandpounder Records]] 002".
** CD released around 2000. Contains two live shows:
:: Eagles Club, Milwaukee 10/29/1989 - complete show with [[Bill Stephens]] on guitar
:: WUST Radio Hall, Washington DC 6/20/1985 - partial show with Haggerty

== History ==

=== 1980 ===

[[Image:Naked raygun-wide.jpg|right|400px]]

Naked Raygun began in February of 1980 when Marko Pezzati and Santiago Durango, who were both students at the University of Illinois at Chicago, met at [[O'Banions]]. Distressed about the lack of punk bands in Chicago, they decided to form a group. Jim Colao--a friend of Camilo from UIC--joined the band briefly, but left almost immediately after joining. Many singers were tried, including Jim Colao's girlfriend until Marko enlisted his younger brother Jeff, who at the time was singing in a cover band, Condor, and had "an afro three miles wide". After obtaining a more punk-rock hairdo, Jeff Pezzati started practicing with Marko and Santiago at [[222 S. Morgan St.]], playing their first gig shortly thereafter in June. At this point they used the name [[Negro Commando]]. Shortly thereafter Bobby Strange signed up on drums and they recorded a demo, which would eventually be included on the [[Basement Screams]] CD reissue. The band's first gig as Naked Raygun was in August at the original [[Oz]]. Their third gig was on October 5 in Detroit, at a club called Nunnzio's; when the rest of the band went to pick up Strange, they found he had pawned his drum kit to buy drugs. They retrieved his drums and made the gig, but the audience walked out on them. Strange left in December, and the band tried out various replacements. One short-term replacement was John Lundin, who quickly switched over to keyboards. For their New Years Eve gig at [[Oz]], Jim Colao rejoined as the full-time drummer.

The origin of the band's name remains somewhat unclear. According to a 2006 interview in Alternative Press, Marko Pezzati claimed it was chosen more or less at random, although he had insisted the name include "nude" or "naked". However, in the same interview, Durango stated he came up with the name as a tribute to the Sex Pistols. Although many believed the band's name was a play on "Ronald Reagan", this is apparently not the case.

=== 1981-1982 ===
[[Image:NakedPezzati.jpg|right|thumb|Naked Pezzati @ Tuts, 1981]]

With a stable lineup in place, Naked Raygun began to play regularly in Chicago. Initially the band played primarily loft parties around UIC, but soon began regular gigs at [[Oz]]. In March of 1981, Raygun recorded live tracks for the [[Busted at Oz]] comp - the first time Raygun appeared on vinyl. Marko Pezzati left the band in 1981 (likely April/May, from [[Coolest Retard|CR]] 13&14) and was replaced by original Silver Abuse member Camilo Gonzalez. John Lundin left April/May 1981. Because he was not replaced, Naked Raygun ditched the keyboards and became a four piece. The band closed out 1981 by playing a New Year's Eve gig at [[O'Banions]] with [[Trial by Fire]] (according to [[CR]] #18). By mid-1982, [[John Haggerty]] began joining the band onstage to play saxophone and occasional 2nd guitar. A [http://www.dementlieu.com/users/obik/arc/effigies/int_dc2.html review] of their July 4th show at [[Exit]] actually calls Haggerty Raygun's "new guitarist/saxophonist".

In this period, Raygun's music was very experimental and quite different from the more straight-ahead Buzzcocks-influenced punk sound that would later bring them fame. Durango, in particular, would frequently experiment with his guitar sound, changing nearly from gig to gig. In a [[1992]] [http://petdance.com/actionpark/bigblack/press/mrr112.php interview], [[Steve Albini]] raved "I mean, they were so weird back then. Totally left field. Going to see them live at that time was totally invigorating because they were so damn weird. It was like a space age rockabilly band. With this bizarre jungle drumming going on. And periodically they would take too much drugs or whatever, and Santiago would come out with this completely underwater guitar sound. It would just flatten everybody." Albini later wrote an extended paean to the early Raygun incarnation in the liner notes for [[Basement Screams]]. Frustratingly, very little recorded output exists from this period, save for the [[222 S. Morgan St.]] demo, four songs on [[Busted at Oz]], a few poor-quality demo tracks on the posthumous [[Last of the Demohicans]] CD, and [[Basement Screams]].

=== 1983 ===

[[Image:LR1-Raygun.jpg|left|250px|thumb|The ultra-rare Durango and Haggerty lineup]]

In January 1983, [[John Haggerty]] joined Raygun on guitar. He had played sax on ''Swingo'' for [[Basement Screams]], and occasionally joined Raygun onstage. This two-guitar lineup would exist only for a few months, but apparently put on some legendary shows (including a show on January 21, 1983 at the [[Metro]], reviewed in [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/LastRites/LR1.pdf Last Rites #1].) According to Haggerty, the band briefly discussed adding his guitar parts to the already-recorded [[Basement Screams]], but in the end decided to release it as originally recorded. [[Santiago Durango]] later said that he had already decided to leave the band, and asked Haggerty to join as his eventual replacement. In March 1983, the band embarked on their first [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_mrr19.html tour], a 10-day East Coast swing in March including a show opening for [http://www.missionofburma.com/home.html Mission of Burma] in Washington DC. This tour took place before [[Basement Screams]] had been released; it's not clear if Durango was still in the band for the tour, as he left Raygun to join [[Big Black]] sometime in 1983 ([[Matter]] #4 from July said he was "ex-Naked Raygun"). Ironically, [[Jeff Pezzatti]] was playing bass in [[Big Black]] at the time. The [[Basement Screams]] EP was finally released in July or August.

During this time, Durango and both Pezzati brothers lived in a coach house at [http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=1129+West+Drummond,+Chicago,+IL 1129 West Drummond] in the Lincoln Park neighborhood (according to the liner notes of [[Last of the Demohicans]]). [[Steve Albini]] described the "Naked Raygun house" as a central part of the Chicago punk scene during this time. It was at this house where Big Black's lineup formed, when Durango was distracted from watching a football game by the sounds of Pezzati and Albini practicing in the basement, and asked if he could play along with them.

With Haggerty on lead guitar, the band recorded [[Throb Throb]] in the summer of 1983, which because of funding would not get released until [[1985]]. The [[Flammable Solid]] 7-inch, containing two songs from the album and an alternative mix of "Libido", was released in late 1983.

===1984===

[[Image:NR-FirstSpicerShow.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Flyer for Eric Spicer's first show]]

Though Colao played on Throb Throb, he left the band in the summer of 1984 before the record was released. He left under less than amicable circumstances, as he disagreed with the rest of the band about going on an West Coast tour before releasing Throb Throb to raise funds. Colao felt that going on a cross-country tour with no record to sell was a financial mistake, and wanted to play only larger local gigs until they had the cash to release Throb Throb. Colao was replaced by former [[DV8]] drummer [[Eric Spicer]]. In a posting on his [http://www.myspace.com/sonofaraygun MySpace page], Spicer joked that he wound up joining the band solely because "I just made sure I never missed a practice." Spicer's first show was on July 14 at [[Tuts]]. Despite changing drummers and encountering delays in releasing [[Throb Throb]], Raygun steadily gained popularity and toured the Midwest (in the summer) and the West Coast (in September/October), and opened for the Ramones at the 5000-seat [[Aragon Ballroom]] in Chicago. Though still not having released a full-length album at this point, Raygun did release songs on the "Code Blue" cassette compilation and [[WNUR]]'s [[The Middle of America Compilation]]. Many of the songs that would make up their next LP [[All Rise]] had already been written by this point, as evidenced on Jason Willis's audience recording of the [http://scarstuff.blogspot.com/2006/02/naked-raygun-live-at-vfw18-in-kc-mo.html August 11, 1984 show at the VFW#18 in Kansas City]. As the band gained wider acclaim, [[Jeff Pezzati]] eventually decided to leave [[Big Black]] in late 1984 to focus solely on Raygun.

=== 1985 ===

[[Throb Throb]] was finally released in early 1985, followed by East Coast gigs in April and June. The album was very well received and established the band as one of the top American post-punk bands; a review in [http://www.operationphoenixrecords.com/mrrissue23.html Maximumrocknroll] pegged them as "one of the most important bands in the country". By this point, Raygun was becoming a huge draw in Chicago, graduating from clubs like the [[Cubby Bear]] and [[Tuts]] to regularly playing the [[Cabaret Metro]]. Raygun also began what would become a hometown tradition by playing a Thanksgiving show at Metro--infamously, Pezzati took a chainsaw to a turkey onstage and threw the remains into the audience.

[[Camilo Gonzalez]] played on the tours after [[Throb Throb]] was released, but subsequently left the band and was replaced by [[Pierre Kezdy]]. Kezdy joined shortly before [[All Rise]] was recorded, but did not contribute any songs to the record, which was mostly written by Pezzati and Haggerty. Although according to a fanzine interview the band was targeting a Christmas release, [[All Rise]] did not hit the stores until [[1986]].

===1986===

[[All Rise]] was released in the spring of [[1986]] to nearly unanimous praise, garnering rave reviews from everyone from alternative media stalwarts like Trouser Press to the New York Times. The first to feature the Pezzati/Haggerty/Kezdy/Spicer lineup, this album is still generally considered the definitive Raygun album. Although by this point the Chicago punk scene had splintered somewhat, Raygun continued to be immensely popular, the only band that could bridge the gap between older scenesters and hardcore punk kids. The band played several high profile all-ages gigs at the [[Metro]], one of which (9/14/1986) was vividly memorialized by [[Greg Dunlap]] in the liner notes to the 1999 reissue of [[All Rise]].

===1987===

The band had completed their contract with [[Homestead Records]] by releasing [[All Rise]], and early in 1987 released Pierre Kezdy's [[Vanilla Blue]] as a single on their own [[Sandpounder Records]]. Subsequently, ex-Minor Threat guitarist Lyle Preslar signed the band to a three-album contract with Caroline Records. Raygun recorded [[Jettison]], which would be their first Caroline release, in Chicago with producers [[Iain Burgess]] and Larry Sturm. [[Pierre Kezdy]] and [[Eric Spicer]] also contributed songwriting to the album; as they had both joined shortly before [[All Rise]] was recorded, they had not written songs previously for Raygun.

The band had become such a huge local draw that they could no longer play the 1100-capacity [[Metro]], and moved up to the 2500-person [[Riviera]] during this year. The November 20, 1987 Riviera gig was professionally recorded by [[Tim Powell]] of Metro Mobile recording, and several songs (including their cover of Stiff Little Fingers' "Suspect Device") would be released on [[Jettison]] and as bonus tracks on the 1999 album reissues. (Powell had previously recorded the band for [[Busted at Oz]] with a completely different lineup and, according to [[Jeff Pezzati]], only 30 people in the audience.)

Despite receiving critical acclaim and drawing big crowds in Chicago, Raygun's members still held down day jobs (Pezzati worked at a design engineering firm, Spicer at Kinko's, and Haggerty tended bar), which perhaps contributed to the relatively small amount of touring they did. The band regularly played New York City and Washington DC, and would play weekend gigs around the Midwest, but as John Haggerty would later note, "we didn't get out of town very much, probably less than what most people think" (Alternative Press interview, 2006). Certainly Raygun toured much less than contemporaries such as [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/blackflag/1984.html Black Flag] and [http://www.thirdav.com/hd_discog/dates.html Husker Du]. The inability (or reluctance) to tour more would later become a bone of contention for Haggerty in particular.

===1988===

After the release of [[Jettison]] in May, Raygun did an extensive East Coast tour, playing 25 gigs in 30 days (according to an interview in [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_id14.html Ink Disease fanzine]). A shorter West Coast tour followed, including a gig at the famed [http://www.924gilman.org/index.html 924 Gilman Street] club in Berkeley. (How the band members coped with the no-alcohol policy at Gilman Street remains unclear.) [[Jettison]] was also well-received, with many reviews noting that the band had evolved toward a more varied sound, thanks to all four members contributing songs. Later that year, Raygun would record their second album for Caroline, [[Understand]].

===1989===

Raygun returned to [[Metro]] for the record release show for [[Understand]] on April 22. Following the release, the band finally made it to Europe for the first time in their career, playing a 5 week series of gigs across the continent. A highlight of the tour came at their gig in London (5/19/1989), when Steve Diggle of the Buzzcocks joined them onstage for the encore. Several songs from the June 4, 1989 gig at AJZ in Verden, Germany would eventually be released on [[Last of the Demohicans]].

Though it was not well known at the time, tensions within the band had been building over the past year. [[John Haggerty]], in particular, had become increasingly dissatisfied for a number of reasons. Haggerty wanted to quit his day job, tour more, and generally make the band a full-time pursuit, and felt frustrated by the other members' reluctance to do so. In interviews after Raygun broke up, Haggerty also spoke of feeling that the band had stagnated musically. In a 1999 interview, [[Jeff Pezzati]] tacitly agreed, saying that he had fallen into the trap of writing too many songs around Haggerty's big-guitar sound.

A major source of conflict involved business matters. [[Karen Bemis]], [[Jeff Pezzati]]'s longtime girlfriend who he married in 1988, had been acting as the band's manager for several years, and Haggerty, Spicer, and Kezdy were apparently not very involved in the financial side of the band. Although the details are unclear (and, in fairness, Bemis has never told her side of the story), Haggerty felt that "Jeff and Karen pretty much called all the shots" regarding band matters, and Kezdy agreed that "(Bemis) was getting paid for things she had nothing to do with" (Alternative Press interview, 2006).

Haggerty attempted to voice his concerns to the other band members, but felt ignored; he would later say that "Jeff started to think of the band as 'his' band, and I wanted to think of the band as 'our' band, and ultimately, that's a deal-breaker". He quit in August 1989. Spicer, who was also angry at Pezzati for failing to keep them informed about money issues, also wanted to quit but was talked into staying on by Kezdy.

The remaining band members quickly recruited a new guitarist, [[Bill Stephens]], who had previously played in [[Product 19]] opening for Raygun at Metro. With an East Coast tour already booked, Stephens only had a week to learn the material, but stepped in without difficulty. The [[Chicago Sound]] bootleg CD documents one of Stephens' early gigs with the band.

===1990===

Having decided to carry on without Haggerty, the band remained active throughout 1990, and toured Europe again in May of 1990. [[Raygun...Naked Raygun]] was recorded during 1990 with producer Keith Auerbach. [[Pierre Kezdy]] described the recording sessions as "sort of semi-catastrophic" (Ink Disease interview 1990), perhaps portending the chilly reception that was to come. When the album was released in October 1990, it received generally mediocre reviews, mostly centering around the muddy sound and relatively uninspiring songwriting. [[Bill Stephens]] also was widely criticized simply for not being [[John Haggerty]]. [[Eric Spicer]] concedes now that "it wasn't great--the sound was all wrong", and [[Raygun...Naked Raygun]] certainly pales in comparison with the standard set by [[All Rise]] and [[Jettison]].

===1991-1992===

With [[Raygun...Naked Raygun]], the band had completed their contract with Caroline Records. Raygun continued to play local shows and do short tours during 1991, and played at [[Metro]] in July as part of the club's 9th anniversary celebration. However, by this point the band members' enthusiasm was clearly waning. Spicer would later say, "(the band) was becoming like a second job", and Stephens added "it just became this side thing". Somewhat ironically, by the end of 1991, the music that Raygun had pioneered and kept vital throughout the 1980's was becoming wildly popular, and other Chicago bands were starting to gain national recognition.

In early 1992, the band entered the studio to record four new songs, which would become known as "the last demo". By this point, both Spicer and Stephens had decided to leave the band, and Kezdy and Pezzati did not attempt to dissuade them. After one final show at the Riviera, Raygun called it quits. The band never issued an official announcement--they simply stopped playing shows.

For the next few years, most of the band members remained completely inactive musically. [[Pierre Kezdy]] joined John Haggerty in [[Pegboy]] in 1994, but Pezzati, Spicer, and Stephens essentially retired.

===1997 Reunion===

In March 1997, the final band lineup decided to re-record the "last demo", since the original tapes had been lost. The four songs were recorded with [[Steve Albini]] and subsequently released on the collection [[Last of the Demohicans]] in mid-1997. The band then re-formed and played three sold-out reunion shows at [[Metro]] on November 29-30 and December 1. Two shows were initially announced, but they sold out so quickly that a third had to be added. These shows, the first Raygun gigs in Chicago in five years, would eventually be documented on the [[Free Shit]] album.

At the time, rumors circulated that the band was writing new songs and preparing to record another album. However, these proved untrue, as after the reunion shows the band disappeared again. [[Jeff Pezzati]] formed [[The Bomb]] in 1999, Stephens continued playing in [[The Tarts]], and Kezdy held down the bass spot in [[Pegboy]]; Spicer did not play in any other bands after Raygun.

=== 1999 ===

In 1999, [[Quarterstick Records]] re-released all of the NR albums, including the long out-of-print [[Basement Screams]]. All the albums, except [[Raygun...Naked Raygun]] came with bonus tracks and extensive liner notes and photographs. Despite the fact that most people never heard Basement Screams until 7+ years after their breakup, the opening track ''I Lie'' became one of the most well-known Raygun anthems. More reunion shows were rumored, but never took place for unclear reasons.

=== 2006 Reunion Show ===

[[Image:NR-JBTV2006.jpg|left|200px]]

On November 5th, [[2006]] Raygun played their first show in over 9 years at [http://myspace.com/riotfest2005 Riot Fest 2006]. The lineup was the final one - Pezzati, Kezdy, Stephens and Spicer. It created quite a buzz and folks from all over the US (and Europe!) traveled to Chicago to see Raygun.

To promote their show, Raygun made their first televsion appearance in 10 years on October 19th, 2006 on local Chicago music show [http://www.jbtvonline.com/ JBTV]. It featured a continuous interview with Jeff, Bill and Pierre along with the video to [[Home]] and a few live concert videos (Managua, The Sniper Song). The show also had a bunch of videos from fellow Riot Fest acts. Part two of the Raygun interview appeared on on the October 25th show of JBTV.

Raygun also played a secret, invite-only show at the Cobra Lounge in Chicago on October 19 as a warmup for the Riot Fest show--their first gig since the 1997 reunion shows at the Metro. Video of three songs ([[Vanilla Blue]], Knock Me Down, and the set closer Managua) are up on [http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=naked%2Braygun&search=Search YouTube].

On November 3rd, Raygun did an short interview and played live on Q101's ''Morning Fix''. The interview was at 8am and they played [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK_--ieAfzQ Vanilla Blue] towards the end of the hour. On November 4th, they played another warmup show at Subterranean (with 4 Star Alarm, [[The Bomb]] and The Briefs) under the pseudonym Holyy Lazarski Nahane.

=== 2007 Shows and DVD ===
[[Image:Rf2007.jpg|right|85px]]

In January 2007, Raygun announced that they are officially back together and began shows again. They played April 27th at the House of Blues in Chicago (with [[The Effigies]], Bollweevils and Shot Baker) and May 4th/5th at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. They were joined in Minneapolis by [[The Methadones]], Shot Baker and Dillinger Four.

For the late Chicago show, Jake Burns of Stiff Little Fingers joined Raygun on stage to perform two songs - ''Suspect Device'' and ''Alternative Ulster''. For the late show in Chicago and both shows in Minneapolis, Raygun was joined onstage by [[Dan Schafer]] to perform [[Sludgeworth]]'s ''Someday''.

They also announced that a CD/DVD of their Riot Fest weekend will be released on November 6th, 2007. It includes footage of their main show as well as the warmup shows.

On October 26th, 2007 Naked Raygun played at [http://www.thefestfl.com/ The Fest 6 in Florida]. Raygun also headlined the first night of Riot Fest 2007 on Saturday, November 17. At the end of November, Raygun embarked on a West Coast tour, playing 10 shows in 10 days. They were joined by Swinging Utters and Shot Baker, playing gigs in Washington, Oregon and California. On December 22, 2007 Naked Raygun played a special XMas show at Reggie's Rock Club which was was preceded by a playing of their DVD.

=== 2008 ===

On January 12, 2008 Raygun played their first show in Detroit in over 15 years at Small's Bar. In March, Raygun played at the South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. On March 15 Raygun played a set at Cobra Lounge to celebrate its 2nd anniversary. [[Haunted Town Records]] released remastered versions of [[Throb Throb]] and [[All Rise]] on vinyl.

=== 2009 ===

Raygun plays two shows at the House of Blues on January 2nd and 3rd.

== Interviews ==

* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_cr13.html Coolest Retard #13, 1981]
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_mrr19.html MRR #19, 1984]
* [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/usa/info/nakedraygun_FSinter.html Flipside #46, 1985]
* [http://www.operationphoenixrecords.com/suburbanvoicenakedraygun.html Suburban Voice, 1985]
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_bl.html Bum Leg #2, 1985]
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_id14.html Ink Disease #14, 1988]
* [http://www.petdance.com/nr/interviews/this.html THIS fanzine, 1989]
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_id17.html Ink Disease #17, 1990]
* [http://www.petdance.com/nr/interviews/hell-on-wheels.html Tour story about a broken van]

== References ==

* [[Going Underground]] by George Hurchalla - Throb Throb release/recording dates and Colao's take on leaving.

== External Links ==

===Official and affiliated sites===
* [http://www.nakedraygun.org Naked Raygun official site]
* [http://www.tgrec.com/bands/band.php?id=55 NR page on Touch and Go]
* [http://www.myspace.com/sonofaraygun Eric Spicer's MySpace page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/nakedraygun Unofficial MySpace page]
* [http://www.coldwarskateboards.com/nakedraygun/ Naked Raygun skateboards]
* [http://www.hauntedtownrecords.com/ Haunted Town Records] - Buy re-released Raygun albums

===Fan sites and discographies===
* [http://www.petdance.com/nr/ Petdance NR pages, top notch]
* [http://www.petdance.com/nr/discography/ Petdance Discography] - main reference for this page
* [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/usa/nakedraygun_main.html Kill From The Heart Raygun page] - band history and discography
* [http://throbthrob.wordpress.com/ Throb Throb] - fan site

===Reviews===
* [https://securesite.chireader.com/cgi-bin/Archive/abridged2.bat?path=1999/991001/NAKED&search=%22naked%20raygun%22 Career retrospective in the Chicago Reader (1999)]
* [http://www.trouserpress.com/bandpages/NAKED_RAYGUN.html TrouserPress reviews the NR albums]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:51ua6j5h7180 Naked Raygun allmusic page]
* [http://petdance.com/actionpark/bigblack/press/mrr112.php Steve Albini interview discussing early Naked Raygun] (among many other things)
* [http://www.emergingthoughts.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=45 Article on NR's Nov 6, 2006 show]

== YouTube Clips ==

* Promo videos
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebhk63N6f70 Vanilla Blue]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFWeTDzdVzM Home]

* Live, 10/19/2006 reunion show at Cobra Lounge
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKYDmBURnm4 Vanilla Blue]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ2RKWpCwvE Knock Me Down]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgjRNlhKx3w Managua, set closer]

* Live, 11/5/2006 at Riot Fest
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWNqI_PRZr4 Riot Fest DVD trailer]

* Live, early 1980's in Chicago
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e2J3o8001o Surf Combat (from Chicago Punk Rock 1980's DVD)]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxhyZrd8g8k Bombshelter / Tojo (from Chicago Punk Rock 1980's DVD)]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xznlRf6mrQg Leeches (from Chicago Punk Rock 1980's DVD)]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5maD-ixnwcA Roller Queen (from Chicago Punk Rock 1980's DVD)]

[[Category:Bands]]
[[Category:Naked Raygun]]
[[Category:MySpace]]
[[Category:YouTube]]

Mothers

2009-09-30T18:44:20Z

Vanillablue:

[[Image: ticket_stubb.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Ticket for Buzzcocks/Gang of Four gig, September 9, 1979. Image posted to Dimeadozen.org by "acetboy".]]

'''Mothers''' is a Rush Street bar/nightclub off Division in Chicago. While they are most well-known for being an upscale, trendy, singles bar with a very strict dress code, Mothers' basement was the home of a number of punk shows during [[1979]]. [http://www.windycitypunk.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000113.html] This "Summer of Punk" lasted from about July to October of 1979 and only played punk shows during the week. In addition to the many local punk and new wave acts that took to the basement stage at Mothers on one of these so-called "Punk Nights" there was a then little-known band from Georgia who loaded up their van and drove to Chicago to play a one-night gig there - The B-52's.

Punk Night at Mothers was all thanks to an out-of-town promoter named Wayne Mackie. After the promoter left, the shows stopped and Mother's went back to the place that wouldn't let you in if they didn't like how you dressed.

== Notable Shows (all in 1979) ==

* Buzzcocks / Gang of Four - September 9, 1979
* The Cramps
* Peter Perrit and The Only Ones

[[Category:Venues]]

Mothers

2009-09-30T18:43:01Z

Vanillablue:

[[Image:ticketstubb.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Ticket for Buzzcocks/Gang of Four gig, September 9, 1979. Image posted to Dimeadozen.org by "acetboy".]

'''Mothers''' is a Rush Street bar/nightclub off Division in Chicago. While they are most well-known for being an upscale, trendy, singles bar with a very strict dress code, Mothers' basement was the home of a number of punk shows during [[1979]]. [http://www.windycitypunk.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000113.html] This "Summer of Punk" lasted from about July to October of 1979 and only played punk shows during the week. In addition to the many local punk and new wave acts that took to the basement stage at Mothers on one of these so-called "Punk Nights" there was a then little-known band from Georgia who loaded up their van and drove to Chicago to play a one-night gig there - The B-52's.

Punk Night at Mothers was all thanks to an out-of-town promoter named Wayne Mackie. After the promoter left, the shows stopped and Mother's went back to the place that wouldn't let you in if they didn't like how you dressed.

== Notable Shows (all in 1979) ==

* Buzzcocks / Gang of Four - September 9, 1979
* The Cramps
* Peter Perrit and The Only Ones

[[Category:Venues]]

File:Ticket stubb.jpg

2009-09-30T18:40:26Z

Vanillablue: Ticket stub for 9.9.1979 Buzzcocks/Gang of Four gig at Mother's

Ticket stub for 9.9.1979 Buzzcocks/Gang of Four gig at Mother's

1979

2009-09-29T19:39:03Z

Vanillablue: corrected date for Disco Demolition Night

== Notable Chicago Punk Events in 1979 ==

* [[Space Place]] opens its doors
* [[Special Affect]] forms
* [[Neo]] opens its doors
* [[Meaty Buys]] form
* Spring - four Northwestern students form ''The Lines'', which becomes [[The Front Lines]]
* June 12 - the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dils Dils] play [[Gaspar's]]. Probably the first show by a West Coast punk band in Chicago.
* July 12 - [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disco_Demolition_Night Disco Demolition Night] takes place at Comiskey Park.
* July 17 - [[End Result]] form
* August - [[Poison Squirrel]] makes it's debut at [[Gaspar's]]
* September 9 - the Buzzcocks and Gang of Four play [[Mothers]]
* September 14 - the Clash play the [[Aragon Ballroom]]
* October - The Ramones played a show at [[B'Ginnings]]

=== Record Releases ===

* [[The Buzzards]] - ''Melt Down Boogie 7"'' & ''Melody 7"''
* [[The Exit]] - ''Who Asked You / Out In The Street 7"''
* [[Immune System]] - ''Ambivalence & Spark Plugs / Submerged 7"''
* [[The Mentally Ill]] - ''Gacy's Place 7"''
* [[Special Affect]] - ''Mood Music 7"''
* [[The Swingers]] - ''Leaving On A Jetplane / Foundry Joe 7"''

[[Category:Chicago Punk by Year]]

Mothers

2009-09-29T04:59:14Z

Vanillablue:

'''Mothers''' is a Rush Street bar/nightclub off Division in Chicago. While they are most well-known for being an upscale, trendy, singles bar with a very strict dress code, Mothers' basement was the home of a number of punk shows during [[1979]]. [http://www.windycitypunk.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000113.html] This "Summer of Punk" lasted from about July to October of 1979 and only played punk shows during the week. In addition to the many local punk and new wave acts that took to the basement stage at Mothers on one of these so-called "Punk Nights" there was a then little-known band from Georgia who loaded up their van and drove to Chicago to play a one-night gig there - The B-52's.

Punk Night at Mothers was all thanks to an out-of-town promoter named Wayne Mackie. After the promoter left, the shows stopped and Mother's went back to the place that wouldn't let you in if they didn't like how you dressed.

== Notable Shows (all in 1979) ==

* Buzzcocks / Gang of Four - September 9, 1979
* The Cramps
* Peter Perrit and The Only Ones

== External Links ==

* [http://www.dimeadozen.org/attachments/268153/3512011/Ticket%20stubb.jpg Ticket stub for Buzzcocks/Gang of Four show]
[[Category:Venues]]

1979

2009-09-29T04:37:01Z

Vanillablue:

== Notable Chicago Punk Events in 1979 ==

* [[Space Place]] opens its doors
* [[Special Affect]] forms
* [[Neo]] opens its doors
* [[Meaty Buys]] form
* Spring - four Northwestern students form ''The Lines'', which becomes [[The Front Lines]]
* June 12 - the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dils Dils] play [[Gaspar's]]. Probably the first show by a West Coast punk band in Chicago. Unfortunately for the Dils, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disco_Demolition_Night Disco Demolition Night] took place at Comiskey Park the same night.
* July 17 - [[End Result]] form
* August - [[Poison Squirrel]] makes it's debut at [[Gaspar's]]
* September 9 - the Buzzcocks and Gang of Four play [[Mothers]]
* September 14 - the Clash play the [[Aragon Ballroom]]
* October - The Ramones played a show at [[B'Ginnings]]

=== Record Releases ===

* [[The Buzzards]] - ''Melt Down Boogie 7"'' & ''Melody 7"''
* [[The Exit]] - ''Who Asked You / Out In The Street 7"''
* [[Immune System]] - ''Ambivalence & Spark Plugs / Submerged 7"''
* [[The Mentally Ill]] - ''Gacy's Place 7"''
* [[Special Affect]] - ''Mood Music 7"''
* [[The Swingers]] - ''Leaving On A Jetplane / Foundry Joe 7"''

[[Category:Chicago Punk by Year]]

1979

2009-09-29T04:31:22Z

Vanillablue:

== Notable Chicago Punk Events in 1979 ==

* [[Space Place]] opens its doors
* [[Special Affect]] forms
* [[Neo]] opens its doors
* [[Meaty Buys]] form
* Spring - four Northwestern students form ''The Lines'', which becomes [[The Front Lines]]
* June 12 - the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dils Dils] play [[Gaspar's]]. Probably the first show by a West Coast punk band in Chicago.
* July 17 - [[End Result]] form
* August - [[Poison Squirrel]] makes it's debut at [[Gaspar's]]
* September 9 - the Buzzcocks and Gang of Four play [[Mothers]]
* September 14 - the Clash play the [[Aragon Ballroom]]
* October - The Ramones played a show at [[B'Ginnings]]

=== Record Releases ===

* [[The Buzzards]] - ''Melt Down Boogie 7"'' & ''Melody 7"''
* [[The Exit]] - ''Who Asked You / Out In The Street 7"''
* [[Immune System]] - ''Ambivalence & Spark Plugs / Submerged 7"''
* [[The Mentally Ill]] - ''Gacy's Place 7"''
* [[Special Affect]] - ''Mood Music 7"''
* [[The Swingers]] - ''Leaving On A Jetplane / Foundry Joe 7"''

[[Category:Chicago Punk by Year]]

Mothers

2009-09-29T04:29:50Z

Vanillablue:

'''Mothers''' is a Rush Street bar/nightclub off Division in Chicago. While they are most well-known for being an upscale, trendy, singles bar with a very strict dress code, Mothers' basement was the home of a number of punk shows during [[1979]]. [http://www.windycitypunk.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000113.html] This "Summer of Punk" lasted from about July to October of 1979 and only played punk shows during the week. In addition to the many local punk and new wave acts that took to the basement stage at Mothers on one of these so-called "Punk Nights" there was a then little-known band from Georgia who loaded up their van and drove to Chicago to play a one-night gig there - The B-52's.

Punk Night at Mothers was all thanks to an out-of-town promoter, whose name remains unknown. After the promoter left, the shows stopped and Mother's went back to the place that wouldn't let you in if they didn't like how you dressed.

== Notable Shows (all in 1979) ==

* Buzzcocks / Gang of Four - September 9, 1979
* The Cramps
* Peter Perrit and The Only Ones

[[Category:Venues]]

Gaspars

2009-09-04T23:24:52Z

Vanillablue:

'''Gaspars''' was located at 3159 N Southport Ave. It was one of the few venues for live music in late '70's Chicago. [[Ken Mierzwa]] described it as "a neighborhood tavern which booked bands on weekends". Gaspar's apparently did book the occasional new wave or punk show in the late '70's and early '80's. Some [http://newwave.50megs.com/j3chron.html shows] by the early [[Wax Trax]] bands were held at Gaspar's in early [[1978]], and San Francisco punks [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dils the Dils] played Gaspar's in the summer of 1979 (probably the first show in Chicago by a touring West Coast punk band).

Gaspar's is now [http://www.schubas.com/ Schuba's], primarily booking alt-country and singer-songwriter acts.

[[Category:Venues]]

Gaspars

2009-09-03T20:33:10Z

Vanillablue:

'''Gaspars''' was located at 3159 N Southport Ave. It is now [http://www.schubas.com/ Schuba's], primarily booking alt-country and singer-songwriter acts (which was the main clientele of Gaspar's also). Gaspar's apparently did book the occasional new wave or punk show in the late '70's and early '80's. Some [http://newwave.50megs.com/j3chron.html shows] by the early [[Wax Trax]] bands were held at Gaspar's in early [[1978]], and San Francisco punks [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dils the Dils] played Gaspar's in the summer of 1979 (probably the first show in Chicago by a touring West Coast punk band).

[[Category:Venues]]

Gaspars

2009-09-03T20:32:33Z

Vanillablue:

'''Gaspars''' was located at 3159 N Southport Ave. It is now [http://www.schubas.com/ Schuba's], primarily booking alt-country and singer-songwriter acts (which was the main clientele of Gaspar's also). Gaspar's apparently did book the occasional new wave or punk show in the late '70's and early '80's. Some [http://newwave.50megs.com/j3chron.htmlshows by the early] [[Wax Trax]] bands were held at Gaspar's in early [[1978]], and San Francisco punks [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dils the Dils] played Gaspar's in the summer of 1979 (probably the first show in Chicago by a touring West Coast punk band).

[[Category:Venues]]

1979

2009-09-03T20:19:06Z

Vanillablue:

== Notable Chicago Punk Events in 1979 ==

* [[Space Place]] opens its doors
* [[Special Affect]] forms
* [[Neo]] opens its doors
* [[Meaty Buys]] form
* Spring - four Northwestern students form ''The Lines'', which becomes [[The Front Lines]]
* June 12 - the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dils Dils] play [[Gaspar's]]. Probably the first show by a West Coast punk band in Chicago.
* July 17 - [[End Result]] form
* August - [[Poison Squirrel]] makes it's debut at [[Gaspar's]]
* October - The Ramones played a show at [[B'Ginnings]]

=== Record Releases ===

* [[The Buzzards]] - ''Melt Down Boogie 7"'' & ''Melody 7"''
* [[The Exit]] - ''Who Asked You / Out In The Street 7"''
* [[Immune System]] - ''Ambivalence & Spark Plugs / Submerged 7"''
* [[The Mentally Ill]] - ''Gacy's Place 7"''
* [[Special Affect]] - ''Mood Music 7"''
* [[The Swingers]] - ''Leaving On A Jetplane / Foundry Joe 7"''

[[Category:Chicago Punk by Year]]

Naked Raygun

2009-08-24T18:29:25Z

Vanillablue: /* 1981-1982 */

[[Image:NR-Group.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Final Naked Raygun lineup]]

'''Naked Raygun''' was one of the first, one of the longest running and one of the best Chicago punk bands. They are considered by a large majority to be the most important band in the history of Chicago punk. Raygun was active (in various lineups) from [[1980]] to [[1992]], along with reunion shows in [[1997]] and [[2006]]. They were one of the few bands to span the entire decade of the 80s and played with or helped bring along most of the acts during that time.

== Members ==

* [[Santiago Durango]] - Guitar (1980-1983)
* [[Marko Pezzati]] - Bass (1980-1981)
* [[Jeff Pezzati]] - Vocals (1980-1992, 2006- )
* [[Bobby Strange]] - Drums (1980)
* [[Jim Colao]] - Drums (1980-1984)
* [[John Lundin]] - Drums, Keyboards (1980-1981)
* [[Camilo Gonzalez]] - Bass (1981-1985)
* [[John Haggerty]] - Guitar (1983-1989)
* [[Eric Spicer]] - Drums (1984-1992, 2006- )
* [[Pierre Kezdy]] - Bass (1985-1992, 2006- )
* [[Bill Stephens]] - Guitar (1989-1992, 2006- )

== Records ==

* [[Basement Screams]] EP ([[1983]], [[Ruthless Records]])
* [[Flammable Solid]] 7" (1983, Ruthless Records)
* [[Throb Throb]] LP ([[1985]], [[Homestead Records]])
* [[All Rise]] LP ([[1986]], Homestead Records)
* [[Vanilla Blue]] 7" ([[1987]], [[Sandpounder Records]])
* [[Jettison]] LP ([[1988]], [[Caroline Records]])
* [[Treason]] 12" (1989, Caroline Records)
* [[Understand?]] LP (1989, Caroline Records)
* [[Naked Raygun - Home (Song)|Home 7"]] ([[1990]], Caroline Records)
* [[Raygun...Naked Raygun]] LP (1990, Caroline Records)
* [[Last of the Demohicans]] CD ([[1997]], [[Dyslexic Records]])
* [[Free Shit]] (Live) CD/LP ([[2001]], [[Haunted Town Records]])

=== Compilations (incomplete) ===

* [[Busted at Oz]] ([[Autumn Records]], March 1981) - ''Bomb Shelter, When the Screaming Stops, Paranoia, Libido''
* [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/comps/codeblue.html Code Blue cassette] (Last Rites, 1984) - ''No Sex'', ''Only In America''
* [[The Middle of America Compilation]] ([[H.I.D.]], 1984) - ''I Don't Know, Stupid''
* [[Sub Pop 100]] (Sub Pop, 1986) - ''Bananacuda''
* [[The Wailing Ultimate]] (Homestead, 1987) - ''I Remember''
* Rat Music For Rat People Vol. III (1987) - ''Rocks of Sweden''
* Beautiful Happiness (Happy, 1988) - ''Vanilla Blue''
* Something's Gone Wrong Again, The Buzzcocks Covers Compilation (Caroline, 1992) - ''Love Battery'', ''Running Free''
* Faster & Louder: Hardcore Punk, vol. 2 (Rhino, 1993) - ''Rat Patrol''

=== Unreleased or Obscure ===

* ''Promo Tape'' (Around March/April 1982)
** Sent out to potential bookings, Reviewed in [[CR]] #20
** Tracks include Mofo, Bombshelter, Emperor Tojo, Party Dolls and Coitus Interruptus

* ''Roger Moore''
** Popular early track (1981 timeframe), never recorded

* [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/usa/albums/nakedraygun_artof.html The Art of Throb Throb]
** Bootleg LP recorded 6/22/1985, Hoboken, NJ

* [[Chicago Sound]]
** Presumably a bootleg, as the sound quality is mediocre, although the disc is labeled as "[[Sandpounder Records]] 002".
** CD released around 2000. Contains two live shows:
:: Eagles Club, Milwaukee 10/29/1989 - complete show with [[Bill Stephens]] on guitar
:: WUST Radio Hall, Washington DC 6/20/1985 - partial show with Haggerty

== History ==

=== 1980 ===

[[Image:Naked raygun-wide.jpg|right|400px]]

Naked Raygun began in February of 1980 when Marko Pezzati and Santiago Durango, who were both students at the University of Illinois at Chicago, met at [[O'Banions]]. Distressed about the lack of punk bands in Chicago, they decided to form a group. Jim Colao--a friend of Camilo from UIC--joined the band briefly, but left almost immediately after joining. Many singers were tried, including Jim Colao's girlfriend until Marko enlisted his younger brother Jeff, who at the time was singing in a cover band, Condor, and had "an afro three miles wide". After obtaining a more punk-rock hairdo, Jeff Pezzati started practicing with Marko and Santiago at [[222 S. Morgan St.]], playing their first gig shortly thereafter in June. At this point they used the name [[Negro Commando]]. Shortly thereafter Bobby Strange signed up on drums and they recorded a demo, which would eventually be included on the [[Basement Screams]] CD reissue. The band's first gig as Naked Raygun was in August at the original [[Oz]]. Their third gig was on October 5 in Detroit, at a club called Nunnzio's; when the rest of the band went to pick up Strange, they found he had pawned his drum kit to buy drugs. They retrieved his drums and made the gig, but the audience walked out on them. Strange left in December, and the band tried out various replacements. One short-term replacement was John Lundin, who quickly switched over to keyboards. For their New Years Eve gig at [[Oz]], Jim Colao rejoined as the full-time drummer.

The origin of the band's name remains somewhat unclear. According to a 2006 interview in Alternative Press, Marko Pezzati claimed it was chosen more or less at random, although he had insisted the name include "nude" or "naked". However, in the same interview, Durango stated he came up with the name as a tribute to the Sex Pistols. Although many believed the band's name was a play on "Ronald Reagan", this is apparently not the case.

=== 1981-1982 ===
[[Image:NakedPezzati.jpg|right|thumb|Naked Pezzati @ Tuts, 1981]]

With a stable lineup in place, Naked Raygun began to play regularly in Chicago. Initially the band played primarily loft parties around UIC, but soon began regular gigs at [[Oz]]. In March of 1981, Raygun recorded live tracks for the [[Busted at Oz]] comp - the first time Raygun appeared on vinyl. Marko Pezzati left the band in 1981 (likely April/May, from [[Coolest Retard|CR]] 13&14) and was replaced by original Silver Abuse member Camilo Gonzalez. John Lundin left April/May 1981. Because he was not replaced, Naked Raygun ditched the keyboards and became a four piece. The band closed out 1981 by playing a New Year's Eve gig at [[O'Banions]] with [[Trial by Fire]] (according to [[CR]] #18). By mid-1982, [[John Haggerty]] began joining the band onstage to play saxophone and occasional 2nd guitar. A [http://www.dementlieu.com/users/obik/arc/effigies/int_dc2.html review] of their July 4th show at [[Exit]] actually calls Haggerty Raygun's "new guitarist/saxophonist".

In this period, Raygun's music was very experimental and quite different from the more straight-ahead Buzzcocks-influenced punk sound that would later bring them fame. Durango, in particular, would frequently experiment with his guitar sound, changing nearly from gig to gig. In a [[1992]] [http://petdance.com/actionpark/bigblack/press/mrr112.php interview], [[Steve Albini]] raved "I mean, they were so weird back then. Totally left field. Going to see them live at that time was totally invigorating because they were so damn weird. It was like a space age rockabilly band. With this bizarre jungle drumming going on. And periodically they would take too much drugs or whatever, and Santiago would come out with this completely underwater guitar sound. It would just flatten everybody." Albini later wrote an extended paean to the early Raygun incarnation in the liner notes for [[Basement Screams]]. Frustratingly, very little recorded output exists from this period, save for the [[222 S. Morgan St.]] demo, four songs on [[Busted at Oz]], a few poor-quality demo tracks on the posthumous [[Last of the Demohicans]] CD, and [[Basement Screams]].

=== 1983 ===

[[Image:LR1-Raygun.jpg|left|250px|thumb|The ultra-rare Durango and Haggerty lineup]]

In January 1983, [[John Haggerty]] joined Raygun on guitar. He had played sax on ''Swingo'' for [[Basement Screams]], and occasionally joined Raygun onstage. This two-guitar lineup would exist only for a few months, but apparently put on some legendary shows (including a show on January 21, 1983 at the [[Metro]], reviewed in [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/LastRites/LR1.pdf Last Rites #1].) According to Haggerty, the band briefly discussed adding his guitar parts to the already-recorded [[Basement Screams]], but in the end decided to release it as originally recorded. [[Santiago Durango]] later said that he had already decided to leave the band, and asked Haggerty to join as his eventual replacement. In March 1983, the band embarked on their first [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_mrr19.html tour], a 10-day East Coast swing in March including a show opening for [http://www.missionofburma.com/home.html Mission of Burma] in Washington DC. This tour took place before [[Basement Screams]] had been released; it's not clear if Durango was still in the band for the tour, as he left Raygun to join [[Big Black]] sometime in 1983 ([[Matter]] #4 from July said he was "ex-Naked Raygun"). Ironically, [[Jeff Pezzatti]] was playing bass in [[Big Black]] at the time. The [[Basement Screams]] EP was finally released in July or August.

During this time, Durango and both Pezzati brothers lived in a coach house at [http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=1129+West+Drummond,+Chicago,+IL 1129 West Drummond] in the Lincoln Park neighborhood (according to the liner notes of [[Last of the Demohicans]]). [[Steve Albini]] described the "Naked Raygun house" as a central part of the Chicago punk scene during this time. It was at this house where Big Black's lineup formed, when Durango was distracted from watching a football game by the sounds of Pezzati and Albini practicing in the basement, and asked if he could play along with them.

With Haggerty on lead guitar, the band recorded [[Throb Throb]] in the summer of 1983, which because of funding would not get released until [[1985]]. The [[Flammable Solid]] 7-inch, containing two songs from the album and an alternative mix of "Libido", was released in late 1983.

===1984===

[[Image:NR-FirstSpicerShow.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Flyer for Eric Spicer's first show]]

Though Colao played on Throb Throb, he left the band in the summer of 1984 before the record was released. He left under less than amicable circumstances, as he disagreed with the rest of the band about going on an West Coast tour before releasing Throb Throb to raise funds. Colao felt that going on a cross-country tour with no record to sell was a financial mistake, and wanted to play only larger local gigs until they had the cash to release Throb Throb. Colao was replaced by former [[DV8]] drummer [[Eric Spicer]]. In a posting on his [http://www.myspace.com/sonofaraygun MySpace page], Spicer joked that he wound up joining the band solely because "I just made sure I never missed a practice." Spicer's first show was on July 14 at [[Tuts]]. Despite changing drummers and encountering delays in releasing [[Throb Throb]], Raygun steadily gained popularity and toured the Midwest (in the summer) and the West Coast (in September/October), and opened for the Ramones at the 5000-seat [[Aragon Ballroom]] in Chicago. Though still not having released a full-length album at this point, Raygun did release songs on the "Code Blue" cassette compilation and [[WNUR]]'s [[The Middle of America Compilation]]. Many of the songs that would make up their next LP [[All Rise]] had already been written by this point, as evidenced on Jason Willis's audience recording of the [http://scarstuff.blogspot.com/2006/02/naked-raygun-live-at-vfw18-in-kc-mo.html August 11, 1984 show at the VFW#18 in Kansas City]. As the band gained wider acclaim, [[Jeff Pezzati]] eventually decided to leave [[Big Black]] in late 1984 to focus solely on Raygun.

=== 1985 ===

[[Throb Throb]] was finally released in early 1985, followed by East Coast gigs in April and June. The album was very well received and established the band as one of the top American post-punk bands; a review in [http://www.operationphoenixrecords.com/mrrissue23.html Maximumrocknroll] pegged them as "one of the most important bands in the country". By this point, Raygun was becoming a huge draw in Chicago, graduating from clubs like the [[Cubby Bear]] and [[Tuts]] to regularly playing the [[Cabaret Metro]]. Raygun also began what would become a hometown tradition by playing a Thanksgiving show at Metro--infamously, Pezzati took a chainsaw to a turkey onstage and threw the remains into the audience.

[[Camilo Gonzalez]] played on the tours after [[Throb Throb]] was released, but subsequently left the band and was replaced by [[Pierre Kezdy]]. Kezdy joined shortly before [[All Rise]] was recorded, but did not contribute any songs to the record, which was mostly written by Pezzati and Haggerty. Although according to a fanzine interview the band was targeting a Christmas release, [[All Rise]] did not hit the stores until [[1986]].

===1986===

[[All Rise]] was released in the spring of [[1986]] to nearly unanimous praise, garnering rave reviews from everyone from alternative media stalwarts like Trouser Press to the New York Times. The first to feature the Pezzati/Haggerty/Kezdy/Spicer lineup, this album is still generally considered the definitive Raygun album. Although by this point the Chicago punk scene had splintered somewhat, Raygun continued to be immensely popular, the only band that could bridge the gap between older scenesters and hardcore punk kids. The band played several high profile all-ages gigs at the [[Metro]], one of which (9/14/1986) was vividly memorialized by [[Greg Dunlap]] in the liner notes to the 1999 reissue of [[All Rise]].

===1987===

The band had completed their contract with [[Homestead Records]] by releasing [[All Rise]], and early in 1987 released Pierre Kezdy's [[Vanilla Blue]] as a single on their own [[Sandpounder Records]]. Subsequently, ex-Minor Threat guitarist Lyle Preslar signed the band to a three-album contract with Caroline Records. Raygun recorded [[Jettison]], which would be their first Caroline release, in Chicago with producers [[Iain Burgess]] and Larry Sturm. [[Pierre Kezdy]] and [[Eric Spicer]] also contributed songwriting to the album; as they had both joined shortly before [[All Rise]] was recorded, they had not written songs previously for Raygun.

The band had become such a huge local draw that they could no longer play the 1100-capacity [[Metro]], and moved up to the 2500-person [[Riviera]] during this year. The November 20, 1987 Riviera gig was professionally recorded by [[Tim Powell]] of Metro Mobile recording, and several songs (including their cover of Stiff Little Fingers' "Suspect Device") would be released on [[Jettison]] and as bonus tracks on the 1999 album reissues. (Powell had previously recorded the band for [[Busted at Oz]] with a completely different lineup and, according to [[Jeff Pezzati]], only 30 people in the audience.)

Despite receiving critical acclaim and drawing big crowds in Chicago, Raygun's members still held down day jobs (Pezzati worked at a design engineering firm, Spicer at Kinko's, and Haggerty tended bar), which perhaps contributed to the relatively small amount of touring they did. The band regularly played New York City and Washington DC, and would play weekend gigs around the Midwest, but as John Haggerty would later note, "we didn't get out of town very much, probably less than what most people think" (Alternative Press interview, 2006). Certainly Raygun toured much less than contemporaries such as [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/blackflag/1984.html Black Flag] and [http://www.thirdav.com/hd_discog/dates.html Husker Du]. The inability (or reluctance) to tour more would later become a bone of contention for Haggerty in particular.

===1988===

After the release of [[Jettison]] in May, Raygun did an extensive East Coast tour, playing 25 gigs in 30 days (according to an interview in [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_id14.html Ink Disease fanzine]). A shorter West Coast tour followed, including a gig at the famed [http://www.924gilman.org/index.html 924 Gilman Street] club in Berkeley. (How the band members coped with the no-alcohol policy at Gilman Street remains unclear.) [[Jettison]] was also well-received, with many reviews noting that the band had evolved toward a more varied sound, thanks to all four members contributing songs. Later that year, Raygun would record their second album for Caroline, [[Understand]].

===1989===

Raygun returned to [[Metro]] for the record release show for [[Understand]] on April 22. Following the release, the band finally made it to Europe for the first time in their career, playing a 5 week series of gigs across the continent. A highlight of the tour came at their gig in London (5/19/1989), when Steve Diggle of the Buzzcocks joined them onstage for the encore. Several songs from the June 4, 1989 gig at AJZ in Verden, Germany would eventually be released on [[Last of the Demohicans]].

Though it was not well known at the time, tensions within the band had been building over the past year. [[John Haggerty]], in particular, had become increasingly dissatisfied for a number of reasons. Haggerty wanted to quit his day job, tour more, and generally make the band a full-time pursuit, and felt frustrated by the other members' reluctance to do so. In interviews after Raygun broke up, Haggerty also spoke of feeling that the band had stagnated musically. In a 1999 interview, [[Jeff Pezzati]] tacitly agreed, saying that he had fallen into the trap of writing too many songs around Haggerty's big-guitar sound.

A major source of conflict involved business matters. [[Karen Bemis]], [[Jeff Pezzati]]'s longtime girlfriend who he married in 1988, had been acting as the band's manager for several years, and Haggerty, Spicer, and Kezdy were apparently not very involved in the financial side of the band. Although the details are unclear (and, in fairness, Bemis has never told her side of the story), Haggerty felt that "Jeff and Karen pretty much called all the shots" regarding band matters, and Kezdy agreed that "(Bemis) was getting paid for things she had nothing to do with" (Alternative Press interview, 2006).

Haggerty attempted to voice his concerns to the other band members, but felt ignored; he would later say that "Jeff started to think of the band as 'his' band, and I wanted to think of the band as 'our' band, and ultimately, that's a deal-breaker". He quit in August 1989. Spicer, who was also angry at Pezzati for failing to keep them informed about money issues, also wanted to quit but was talked into staying on by Kezdy.

The remaining band members quickly recruited a new guitarist, [[Bill Stephens]], who had previously played in [[Product 19]] opening for Raygun at Metro. With an East Coast tour already booked, Stephens only had a week to learn the material, but stepped in without difficulty. The [[Chicago Sound]] bootleg CD documents one of Stephens' early gigs with the band.

===1990===

Having decided to carry on without Haggerty, the band remained active throughout 1990, and toured Europe again in May of 1990. [[Raygun...Naked Raygun]] was recorded during 1990 with producer Keith Auerbach. [[Pierre Kezdy]] described the recording sessions as "sort of semi-catastrophic" (Ink Disease interview 1990), perhaps portending the chilly reception that was to come. When the album was released in October 1990, it received generally mediocre reviews, mostly centering around the muddy sound and relatively uninspiring songwriting. [[Bill Stephens]] also was widely criticized simply for not being [[John Haggerty]]. [[Eric Spicer]] concedes now that "it wasn't great--the sound was all wrong", and [[Raygun...Naked Raygun]] certainly pales in comparison with the standard set by [[All Rise]] and [[Jettison]].

===1991-1992===

With [[Raygun...Naked Raygun]], the band had completed their contract with Caroline Records. Raygun continued to play local shows and do short tours during 1991, and played at [[Metro]] in July as part of the club's 9th anniversary celebration. However, by this point the band members' enthusiasm was clearly waning. Spicer would later say, "(the band) was becoming like a second job", and Stephens added "it just became this side thing". Somewhat ironically, by the end of 1991, the music that Raygun had pioneered and kept vital throughout the 1980's was becoming wildly popular, and other Chicago bands were starting to gain national recognition.

In early 1992, the band entered the studio to record four new songs, which would become known as "the last demo". By this point, both Spicer and Stephens had decided to leave the band, and Kezdy and Pezzati did not attempt to dissuade them. After one final show at the Riviera, Raygun called it quits. The band never issued an official announcement--they simply stopped playing shows.

For the next few years, most of the band members remained completely inactive musically. [[Pierre Kezdy]] joined John Haggerty in [[Pegboy]] in 1994, but Pezzati, Spicer, and Stephens essentially retired.

===1997 Reunion===

In March 1997, the final band lineup decided to re-record the "last demo", since the original tapes had been lost. The four songs were recorded with [[Steve Albini]] and subsequently released on the collection [[Last of the Demohicans]] in mid-1997. The band then re-formed and played three sold-out reunion shows at [[Metro]] on November 29-30 and December 1. Two shows were initially announced, but they sold out so quickly that a third had to be added. These shows, the first Raygun gigs in Chicago in five years, would eventually be documented on the [[Free Shit]] album.

At the time, rumors circulated that the band was writing new songs and preparing to record another album. However, these proved untrue, as after the reunion shows the band disappeared again. [[Jeff Pezzati]] formed [[The Bomb]] in 1999, Stephens continued playing in [[The Tarts]], and Kezdy held down the bass spot in [[Pegboy]]; Spicer did not play in any other bands after Raygun.

=== 1999 ===

In 1999, [[Quarterstick Records]] re-released all of the NR albums, including the long out-of-print [[Basement Screams]]. All the albums, except [[Raygun...Naked Raygun]] came with bonus tracks and extensive liner notes and photographs. Despite the fact that most people never heard Basement Screams until 7+ years after their breakup, the opening track ''I Lie'' became one of the most well-known Raygun anthems. More reunion shows were rumored, but never took place for unclear reasons.

=== 2006 Reunion Show ===

[[Image:NR-JBTV2006.jpg|left|200px]]

On November 5th, [[2006]] Raygun played their first show in over 9 years at [http://myspace.com/riotfest2005 Riot Fest 2006]. The lineup was the final one - Pezzati, Kezdy, Stephens and Spicer. It created quite a buzz and folks from all over the US (and Europe!) traveled to Chicago to see Raygun.

To promote their show, Raygun made their first televsion appearance in 10 years on October 19th, 2006 on local Chicago music show [http://www.jbtvonline.com/ JBTV]. It featured a continuous interview with Jeff, Bill and Pierre along with the video to [[Home]] and a few live concert videos (Managua, The Sniper Song). The show also had a bunch of videos from fellow Riot Fest acts. Part two of the Raygun interview appeared on on the October 25th show of JBTV.

Raygun also played a secret, invite-only show at the Cobra Lounge in Chicago on October 19 as a warmup for the Riot Fest show--their first gig since the 1997 reunion shows at the Metro. Video of three songs ([[Vanilla Blue]], Knock Me Down, and the set closer Managua) are up on [http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=naked%2Braygun&search=Search YouTube].

On November 3rd, Raygun did an short interview and played live on Q101's ''Morning Fix''. The interview was at 8am and they played [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK_--ieAfzQ Vanilla Blue] towards the end of the hour. On November 4th, they played another warmup show at Subterranean (with 4 Star Alarm, [[The Bomb]] and The Briefs) under the pseudonym Holyy Lazarski Nahane.

=== 2007 Shows and DVD ===
[[Image:Rf2007.jpg|right|85px]]

In January 2007, Raygun announced that they are officially back together and began shows again. They played April 27th at the House of Blues in Chicago (with [[The Effigies]], Bollweevils and Shot Baker) and May 4th/5th at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. They were joined in Minneapolis by [[The Methadones]], Shot Baker and Dillinger Four.

For the late Chicago show, Jake Burns of Stiff Little Fingers joined Raygun on stage to perform two songs - ''Suspect Device'' and ''Alternative Ulster''. For the late show in Chicago and both shows in Minneapolis, Raygun was joined onstage by [[Dan Schafer]] to perform [[Sludgeworth]]'s ''Someday''.

They also announced that a CD/DVD of their Riot Fest weekend will be released on November 6th, 2007. It includes footage of their main show as well as the warmup shows.

On October 26th, 2007 Naked Raygun played at [http://www.thefestfl.com/ The Fest 6 in Florida]. Raygun also headlined the first night of Riot Fest 2007 on Saturday, November 17. At the end of November, Raygun embarked on a West Coast tour, playing 10 shows in 10 days. They were joined by Swinging Utters and Shot Baker, playing gigs in Washington, Oregon and California. On December 22, 2007 Naked Raygun played a special XMas show at Reggie's Rock Club which was was preceded by a playing of their DVD.

=== 2008 ===

On January 12, 2008 Raygun played their first show in Detroit in over 15 years at Small's Bar. In March, Raygun played at the South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. On March 15 Raygun played a set at Cobra Lounge to celebrate its 2nd anniversary. [[Haunted Town Records]] released remastered versions of [[Throb Throb]] and [[All Rise]] on vinyl.

=== 2009 ===

Raygun plays two shows at the House of Blues on January 2nd and 3rd.

== Interviews ==

* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_cr13.html Coolest Retard #13, 1981]
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_mrr19.html MRR #19, 1984]
* [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/usa/info/nakedraygun_FSinter.html Flipside #46, 1985]
* [http://www.operationphoenixrecords.com/suburbanvoicenakedraygun.html Suburban Voice, 1985]
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_bl.html Bum Leg #2, 1985]
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_id14.html Ink Disease #14, 1988]
* [http://www.petdance.com/nr/interviews/this.html THIS fanzine, 1989]
* [http://www.dementlieu.com/~obik/arc/other/nakedraygun_id17.html Ink Disease #17, 1990]
* [http://www.petdance.com/nr/interviews/hell-on-wheels.html Tour story about a broken van]

== References ==

* [[Going Underground]] by George Hurchalla - Throb Throb release/recording dates and Colao's take on leaving.

== External Links ==

===Official and affiliated sites===
* [http://www.nakedraygun.org Naked Raygun official site]
* [http://www.tgrec.com/bands/band.php?id=55 NR page on Touch and Go]
* [http://www.myspace.com/sonofaraygun Eric Spicer's MySpace page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/nakedraygun Unofficial MySpace page]
* [http://www.coldwarskateboards.com/nakedraygun/ Naked Raygun skateboards]
* [http://www.hauntedtownrecords.com/ Haunted Town Records] - Buy re-released Raygun albums

===Fan sites and discographies===
* [http://www.petdance.com/nr/ Petdance NR pages, top notch]
* [http://www.petdance.com/nr/discography/ Petdance Discography] - main reference for this page
* [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/usa/nakedraygun_main.html Kill From The Heart Raygun page] - band history and discography

===Reviews===
* [https://securesite.chireader.com/cgi-bin/Archive/abridged2.bat?path=1999/991001/NAKED&search=%22naked%20raygun%22 Career retrospective in the Chicago Reader (1999)]
* [http://www.trouserpress.com/bandpages/NAKED_RAYGUN.html TrouserPress reviews the NR albums]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:51ua6j5h7180 Naked Raygun allmusic page]
* [http://petdance.com/actionpark/bigblack/press/mrr112.php Steve Albini interview discussing early Naked Raygun] (among many other things)
* [http://www.emergingthoughts.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=45 Article on NR's Nov 6, 2006 show]

== YouTube Clips ==

* Promo videos
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebhk63N6f70 Vanilla Blue]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFWeTDzdVzM Home]

* Live, 10/19/2006 reunion show at Cobra Lounge
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKYDmBURnm4 Vanilla Blue]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ2RKWpCwvE Knock Me Down]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgjRNlhKx3w Managua, set closer]

* Live, 11/5/2006 at Riot Fest
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWNqI_PRZr4 Riot Fest DVD trailer]

* Live, early 1980's in Chicago
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e2J3o8001o Surf Combat (from Chicago Punk Rock 1980's DVD)]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxhyZrd8g8k Bombshelter / Tojo (from Chicago Punk Rock 1980's DVD)]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xznlRf6mrQg Leeches (from Chicago Punk Rock 1980's DVD)]
** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5maD-ixnwcA Roller Queen (from Chicago Punk Rock 1980's DVD)]

[[Category:Bands]]
[[Category:Naked Raygun]]
[[Category:MySpace]]
[[Category:YouTube]]

Chicago Punk Pix

2009-02-13T23:26:31Z

Vanillablue:

'''Chicago Punk Pix''' is a website run by [[Marie Kanger-Born]], an member of the early to mid 80s punk scene. Due to spam issues on the [[WindyCityPunk]] boards, Marie's message boards became the most popular gathering point on the Internet to discuss the old (and new) Chicago punk scene. Most of the flyers and a good chunk of the content on this site came from the Chicago Punk Pix site and message board.

The site was active from about 2003 until February 2009. The forum was shut down at that point and all the archival 1980's content was removed. In a posting on the forum, Marie Kanger-Born said, "I feel like I did do a lot of good with the site for a number of years, friends were made, bands got promoted, projects have been facilitated. There's not many people out there who can claim to have built a specialized, local interest site, into one that, at it's height, received 30 thousand visitors a month. I think it's been quite an achievement. I also think that it's time has came and went, and now it's time to stop."

== External Links ==

* [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com/index.html http://www.chicagopunkpix.com]

[[Category:Websites]]

Marie Kanger-Born

2009-01-15T22:05:36Z

Vanillablue:

'''Marie Kanger-Born''' was a member of the early punk scene, 1979 - 1986. She photographed the local shows during 1981 - 1985 and published a fanzine, called [[Bullshit Detector]] in the 1982-1983 period. Several of her photographs were published in the book, "Going Underground: American Punk, 1979-1992" by George Hurchalla. One of her Articles of Faith photographs was included in the book, "American Hardcore: A Tribal History" by Steven Blush. Her photos were included in [[You Weren't There]], a documentary about the Chicago punk scene, produced by Regressive Films.

Marie continues to be active in the current Chicago punk scene, photographing the underground punk shows of the day. Her website, [[Chicago Punk Pix]], went up in February, 2003. It currently hosts her collection of pictures from the current era. The site used to host her extensive (and probably unrivalled) collection of memorabilia from the original Chicago punk scene, including many show flyers, photos and zines. She removed this material in January 2009, and also shut down the section of the Chicago Punk Pix forum dedicated to discussing 1980's punk.

== External Links ==

* [http://www.chicagopunkpix.com Chicago Punk Pix]
* [http://www.myspace.com/mariekangerborn Marie's MySpace page]

[[Category:Scene Members]]
[[Category:MySpace]]

Rob Warmowski

2008-12-30T19:14:59Z

Vanillablue:

'''Rob Warmowski''' was the founding bassist and lead singer for [[The Defoliants]] from [[1984]] to [[1989]]. In [[1985]] the band (Rob, [[Chuck Uchida]] and [[Jeff Cohn|Jeff "BBQ" Cohn]]) released a cassette called "Now How Much Would You Pay For It?", a 7" EP titled "Hang Ten" in [[1987]] on Chicago label [[Pravda Records]], and a LP titled "Grrr" on the Berlin label Angry Fish Music in 1989. 

In [[1991]], Rob founded Buzzmuscle with [[Greg Dunlap]], [[Dave Schleitwiler]] of [[Bhopal Stiffs]] and Brian Gay of [[Savage Beliefs]]. That band broke up in [[1994]] after releasing two 7"s ("Assembler/33 Degrees" and "Comedian / 12 Step") as well as winning graphic design honors by the US National Design Museum / Smithsonian for the "Assembler" package. Buzzmuscle completed but did not release an LP named "Stayeth". 
In 2000, Rob appeared on Califone's second self-titled EP released on RoadCone records. Rob also played bass on the theme music for the 1997 TV comedy show "Upright Citizen's Brigade" as part of a combo named "The Real Welders". Between 1999 and 2002, Rob worked for the small Chicago independent label Perishable Records, art-directing and project-managing label projects including Califone, Fruit Bats, The Fire Show, Frontier and many others. 
In 1999, Rob founded the surf-noir band San Andreas Fault with guitarist Pete Machine and a rotating cast of musicians. In 2003 SAF released the 90% instrumental album "Encantada", tracks of which appear on numerous television programs and internet radio stations. 
In 2007, Rob founded Sirs, a band with vocalist Chris Kreb. In 2008 Sirs released the 7" "Billy The Kidney / Fast Eddie and Curtis" on the Unicut Records label before ending the project. 
With animator Heather Smith, he created, wrote, directed, voice-acted, scored and engineered the online web comedy cartoon series "Officer Bob" in 2008.
Rob now records as Allende and works as an independent technical and creative writer, producer and educator. He is also a contributor to the sports website [http://www.cantstopthebleeding.com/ Can't Stop The Bleeding], writing mainly about the Chicago White Sox. 
== External Links ==

* [http://www.myspace.com/sanandreasfault San Andreas Fault myspace]
* [http://robwarmowski.com/ Rob Warmowski's personal blog]
* [http://www.perishablerecords.com/ Perishable Records]
* [http://www.perishablerecords.com/buzzmuscle/ Buzzmuscle "Assembler" info page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/sirs-chicago Sirs myspace]
* [http://www.officer-bob.com/ Officer Bob]

[[Category:Band Members]]
[[Category:Bassists]]
[[Category:Singers]]