John Haggerty

John Haggerty was the guitarist for Naked Raygun from 1983 until 1989. He is typically known as the Raygun guitarist and recorded all their albums, with the exception of their first EP Basement Screams and their final LP Raygun...Naked Raygun. Haggerty's signature "wall of sound" guitar dominates mid-period and later Raygun albums, and exemplifies the so-called "Chicago Sound".

Haggerty played briefly in Terminal Beach, and played guest saxophone on "Swingo" on Basement Screams, before joining Raygun in 1983. Haggerty actually joined the band in time to play at the record release party for Basement Screams (according to the CD liner notes), on which Santiago Durango had played guitar. Briefly, Haggerty and Durango shared guitar duties; this lineup only played a few gigs, but these have assumed legendary status--Steve Albini has referred to these shows as "amazing" and "unreal". Durango left shortly thereafter to join Big Black, and Haggerty continued as the sole guitarist. Haggerty also wrote some of Raygun's best known songs, such as "Rat Patrol", "Soldier's Requiem", and "I Remember".

Haggerty left the band in the summer of 1989. According to a 1999 interview in the Big Takeover fanzine, Haggerty was frustrated with the other band members' reluctance to tour more heavily. After leaving NR, Haggerty went on to form Pegboy with his brother Joe and two members of Bhopal Stiffs.

Fun facts

• Was originally inspired to play guitar because of Led Zeppelin
• Seeing Strike Under at O'Banions gave him the inspiration to form a band
• Haggerty works as a bartender at Chicago bars such as The Rainbo and Liars Club

External Links

• Interview with John about Throb Throb - his part starts at 10 minutes