Year Active-(1951-2001)
Genres-Punk Rock
Associated Acts-Ramones, Sibling Rivalry,Sniper (American band)
Joey Ramone (born Jeffry Ross Hyman; May 19, 1951 – April 15, 2001) was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon
Early life
Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman. The Jewish Hyman family[2] lived in Forest Hills, Queens, New York,[3] where Jeffry and his future Ramones bandmates attended Forest Hills High School. By general accounts, Jeffry was happy but something of an outcast.
Jeffry was a fan of The Beatles,[4] The Who, David Bowie and The Stooges among other bands (particularly oldies and the Phil Spector-produced "girl groups"). His idol was Pete Townshend of The Who (with whom he shared birthdays). Jeffry took up drums at 13, and played throughout his teen years.
[edit]Ramones
In 1974, Jeffry Hyman co-founded the punk rock band the Ramones with friends John Cummings and Douglas Colvin, upon which point all three adopted stage names using "Ramone" as their surname: Cummings became Johnny Ramone, Colvin became Dee Dee Ramone, and Hyman became Joey Ramone. The name Ramone stems from a story that Paul McCartney of the The Beatles would check into hotels under the pseudonym "Paul Ramon" while touring.
Joey initially served as the group's drummer while Dee Dee Ramone was the original vocalist. Ramones managerTommy Erdelyi suggested Joey switch to vocals while Tommy took over on drums.[1]
The Ramones were a major influence on the punk rock movement in the United States, though they achieved only minor commercial success. Their only record with enough U.S. sales to be certified gold was the compilation album Ramones Mania. Recognition of the band's importance built over the years, and they are now regularly represented in many assessments of all-time great rock music, such as the Rolling Stone lists of the 50 Greatest Artists of All Time and 25 Greatest Live Albums of All Time, VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock, and Mojo's 100 Greatest Albums. In 2002, the Ramones were voted the second greatest rock and roll band ever in Spin, trailing only The Beatles.
In 1996, after a tour with the Lollapalooza music festival, the band played their final show and then disbanded. Less than nine years after the breakup, three of the band's four founding members (Joey, guitarist Johnny Ramone, and bassist Dee Dee Ramone) were dead.
[edit]Sid Vicious 
Years Active-(1957-1979)Genres-Punk RockAssociated acts-Sex Pistols
Sid Vicious (born John Simon Ritchie[1] 10 May 1957 - 2 February 1979) was an English musician best known as the bassist of the influential punk rock group Sex Pistols. In 2006 he was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Sex Pistols.Sex Pistols
Before joining the band, Vicious had associations with The Bromley Contingent, the fashion avant garde that followed the Sex Pistols. According to various publications (such as the biography England's Dreaming by John Savage) and films (namely The Filth and the Fury) Vicious was asked to join the group after Glen Matlock's departure in February 1977 due to his being present at every gig. Manager Malcolm McLaren once claimed "if Johnny Rotten is the voice of punk, then Vicious is the attitude."McLaren also said in person and in a documentary that if he'd met Vicious before he had hired Rotten to be the singer, Vicious would have been the Sex Pistols front man, because he had the most charisma of anyone on that stage. Alan Jones described Vicious as "[having] the iconic punk look (...) Sid, on image alone, is what all punk rests on."[12] His nails would be painted in a sloppy manner with purple nail polish.[13] Vicious played his first gig with the Pistols on 3 April 1977 at the The Screen On The Green in London. His debut was filmed by Don Letts and appears in Punk Rock Movie. In November 1977, Vicious met American groupieNancy Spungen. Both the group and Vicious visibly deteriorated during their 1978 American tour. The Pistols broke up in San Francisco after their concert at theWinterland Ballroom on 14 January 1978. With Spungen acting as his "manager", Vicious embarked on a solo career during which he performed with musicians including Mick Jones of The Clash, original Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock, Rat Scabies of The Damned and the New York Dolls' Arthur Kane, Jerry Nolan, andJohnny Thunders. Vicious performed the majority of his performances at Max's Kansas City and drew large crowds. His final performances as a solo musician took place at Max's.[14][edit]
Nancy Spungen's death
On the morning of 12 October 1978, Vicious claimed to have awoken from a drugged stupor to find Nancy Spungen dead on the bathroom floor of their room in theHotel Chelsea in Manhattan, New York. She had suffered a single stab wound to her abdomen and appeared to have bled to death. The knife used had been bought by Vicious on 42nd Street and was identical to a collector's knife given to punk rock vocalist Stiv Bators of the Dead Boys by Dee Dee Ramone. According to Dee Dee's wife at the time,[20] Vera King Ramone, Sid had bought the knife after seeing Stiv's.Vicious was arrested and charged with her murder. He said they had fought that night but gave conflicting versions of what happened next, saying, "I stabbed her, but I didn't mean to kill her. I loved her, but she treated me like shit", then saying that he did not remember and at one point arguing Spungen had fallen onto the knife.On October 22, ten days after Spungen's death, Vicious attempted suicide by slitting his wrist and subsequently became a patient at Bellevue Hospital. He was charged with assault after an altercation with Todd Smith (singer Patti Smith's brother) at a Skafish concert.[21] Vicious was arrested December 9, 1978 and sent toRikers Island prison for 55 days. He was released on bail on February 1, 1979.Bail was originally set at $50,000.[22] However, after court hearings and work from his lawyer, it was lowered.[citation needed] Malcolm McLaren, the Sex Pistols' manager, worked to raise money, and the bond was eventually covered by Virgin Records.[22]One theory regarding the murder is that Spungen was killed in a robbery or drug deal gone wrong, in which one of those involved was Rockets Redglare, later to become known as a stand-up comedian and actor. Redglare, who died in 2001, always denied any part in her death. He stated that the other dealer known to have been there that evening had left before him to obtain more heroin, and was due back after he had left the building. He said he believed that the other dealer returned, found Vicious out cold, and attempted to steal the remaining drugs, leading to a confrontation with Spungen.[23][edit]Death
On the evening of 1 February 1979, a small gathering to celebrate Sid's having made bail was held at the 63 Bank St. New York Apartment of his new girlfriend, Michele Robison, whom he had started dating the day he got out of Bellevue Hospital the previous October. Vicious was clean, having been on a detoxification methadone program detoxed from heroin during his time at Rikers Island.[24] However, at the dinner gathering, his mother (who was once a registered addict herself[25]) had some heroin delivered, against the wishes of Sid's girlfriend. The person who delivered it, Peter Kodick, came and stayed for a while. Vicious overdosed at midnight that night but everyone who was there that night worked together to get him up and walking around in order to revive him.[26] At 3am Sid and Michele Robison went to bed together. Vicious was discovered dead late the next morning. An autopsy confirmed that Vicious died from an accumulation of fluid in the lungs that was consistent with heroin overdose. A syringe, spoon, and heroin residue were discovered near the body. It was theorized that he had injected himself with an excess of the nearly 80%-pure heroin.A few days after Vicious' cremation, his mother found an alleged suicide note in the pocket of his jacket:We had a death pact, and I have to keep my half of the bargain. Please bury me next to my baby in my leather jacket, jeans and motorcycle boots. Goodbye.[27]
Nancy was buried in a Jewish cemetery and Vicious, who was not Jewish, could not be buried with her. According to the book Please Kill Me: The UncensoredOral History of Punk by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain, Vicious' mother scattered his ashes over Nancy's grave. This has not been fully substantiated as fact.
s
[edit]Joe Strummer
Years Active-(1952-2002)
Genres-Punk Rock,Rock n Roll,Reggae
Associated Acts-
The 101ers, The Clash, The Latino Rockabilly War, The Pogues, The Mescalero
John Graham Mellor (21 August 1952 – 22 December 2002), best remembered by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the critically acclaimed British rock band The Clash. His musical experience included his membership in The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, The Mescaleros and The Pogues, in addition to his own solo music career. Strummer's work as a musician allowed him to explore other interests, which included acting, creating film scores for television and movies, songwriting, radio broadcasting, and a position as a radio host. Strummer is one of the most iconic figures of the British punk movement.Joe Strummer and The Clash were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in January 2003. In his remembrance, Strummer's friends and family have established the Strummerville Foundation for the promotion of new music, and each year there are many festivals and both organized and spontaneous ceremonies worldwide to celebrate his memory.
Johnny Rotten
Years Active-(1956-present)Genres-Punk rock, post-punk,experimental rock, noise rock,alternative rock, dance-rock,alternative danceAssociated Acts-Sex Pistols, Public Image Ltd.
John Joseph Lydon (born 31 January 1956), also known by the former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a singer-songwriter and television presenter, best known as the lead singer of punk band the Sex Pistols from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s. He is also well known as the lead singer of the post-punkband Public Image Ltd., which he founded and fronted from 1978 until 1993, and again in 2009–2010. A highly controversial figure, Lydon has vocalised his contempt for the British Royal Family as well as other contentious issues such as segregated education. Q Magazine remarked that "somehow he's assumed the status of national treasure."[1]Growing up as the son of Irish immigrants in Finsbury Park, an impoverished area of London, Lydon's personally crafted image and fashion style led to him being asked to become the singer of the Sex Pistols by their manager,Malcolm McLaren. With the Pistols, he penned singles including "Anarchy in the U.K.", "God Save the Queen" and "Holidays in the Sun", the content of which precipitated the "last and greatest outbreak of pop-based moral pandemonium" in Britain.[2] The band caused nationwide uproar in much of the media, who objected to the content of Lydon’s lyrics, and their antics, which included swearing on live television, in which Steve Jones called Bill Grundy a "fucking rotter". Due to the band's appearance in the media, Lydon was largely seen as the figurehead of the punk movement in the public image[3] although this idea was not widely supported amongst the punk movement itself. Despite the negative reaction that they provoked, they are now regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of popular music.[4][5]Lydon left the Pistols in 1978 to found his own band, Public Image Ltd, that was far more experimental in nature, and which has been described as "arguably the first post-rock group".[6] Although never as commercially successful as the Pistols, the band produced eight albums and a string of singles, including "Death Disco", "Rise" and "Disappointed", before they went on indefinite hiatus in 1993.In subsequent years, Lydon hosted a number of television shows in the UK, USA and Belgium, as well as writing an autobiography, Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs (1993), and producing some solo musical work, such as the album Psycho's Path (1997). In the 2000s, Lydon once more took up being the vocalist for both the Sex Pistols and subsequently also Public Image Ltd as well for a number of reunion tours.
Jello Biafra
Years Active-(1958-Present)Genres-Punk rock, hardcore punk,spoken wordDead
Associated Acts-Dead Kennedys, The Melvins,No WTO Combo, D.O.A., Lard,Al Jourgensen, Pennywise,The Offspring, Nomeansno,Sepultura, Tool, Revolting Cocks, Napalm Death, Mojo Nixon, 1000 Homo DJs, Métal Urbain, Body Count, Tumor Circus, Butthole Surfers, Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine
Jello Biafra (born Eric Reed Boucher; June 17, 1958) is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys. After his time with the band concluded, he took over the influentialindependent record label Alternative Tentacles, which he had co-founded in 1979 with Dead Kennedys bandmate East Bay Ray. Although now focused primarily on spoken word art, he has continued as a musician in numerous collaborations.Politically, Biafra is a member of the Green Party of the United States[1] and actively supports various political causes. He ran for the party's Presidential nomination in 2000, finishing second to Ralph Nader.[2] He is an anarchist[1] who advocates direct action and pranksterism in the name of political causes. Biafra is known to use absurdist media tactics, in the leftist tradition of the Yippies, to highlight issues of civil rights and social justice.Henry Rollins
Years Active-(1961-present)Genres-Spoken, punk rock, alternative rock, heavy metal
Associated Acts-Rollins Band
Black Flag
State of Alert
Henrietta Collins and the Wifebeating Childhaters
Wartime
Mother Superior
Henry Rollins (born Henry Lawrence Garfield; February 13, 1961) is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, publisher, actor, and radio DJ.After performing for the short-lived Washington D.C.-based band State of Alert in 1980, Rollins fronted the Californiahardcore punk band Black Flag from August 1981 until early 1986. Following the band's breakup, Rollins soon established the record label and publishing company 2.13.61 to release his spoken word albums, as well as forming the Rollins Band, which toured with a number of lineups until 2003 and during 2006.Since Black Flag, Rollins has embarked on projects covering a variety of media. He has hosted numerous radio shows, such as Harmony in My Head on Indie 103, and television shows such as The Henry Rollins Show, MTV's 120 Minutes, and Jackass. He had a recurring dramatic role in the second season of Sons of Anarchy and has also had roles in several films. Rollins has also campaigned for various political causes in the United States, including promoting LGBT rights, World Hunger Relief, and an end to war in particular, and tours overseas with the United Service Organizations to entertain American troops.Tim Armstrong
Years Active-(1965-Present)Genres-Punk rock, ska punk, street punk, hardcore punkAssociated Acts-Rancid, Box Car Racer, Devils Brigade, Transplants, Operation Ivy, Skye Sweetnam, Dance Hall Crashers, Downfall, Basic Radio, Shaken 69, The Silencers, The LJs, U.S. Thugs, Generator, Special Forces
Timothy Lockwood Armstrong (born November 25, 1965[1]) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work with punk rock bands Rancid, Operation Ivy, Downfall, and the Transplants. He is also the owner and operator of Hellcat Records.Armstrong was born November 25, 1965 and was raised primarily by his mother. At the age of five, he met Matt Freeman while playing Little League Baseball in Albany, California. Freeman and Armstrong formed a band many years later based on their shared love of bands such as The Clash and the Ramones. Armstrong married musicianBrody Dalle in 1997 and the couple divorced in 2003. Much of the lyrics on the album Indestructible deal with Armstrong's feelings on his divorce.
In April 2011, frontman for rock band Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong, confirmed via twitter that he and Tim Armstrong are related.
[edit]Darby Crash
Years Active-(1958-1980)Genres-Punk Rock
Associated Acts-The Germs, Darby Crash Band
Darby Crash (born Jan Paul Beahm) (September 26, 1958 – December 7, 1980)[1][2] was an American[3] punkmusician who, along with long time friend Pat Smear (born Georg Ruthenberg), co-founded The Germs. He died of an intentional heroin overdose.[4]Beahm had a troubled childhood; he grew up believing that his biological father left the family and his older brother died of a drug overdose. When in his teens, his sister revealed in an argument that his biological father was really aSwedish sailor named William Björklund.Beahm attended IPS (Innovative Program School), a school within University High School in Los Angeles. The IPS program combined elements of Erhard Seminars Training and Scientology.[5]Before the Germs, Beahm and Pat Smear called themselves "Sophistifuck and the Revlon Spam Queens", but had to shorten this name because they didn't have enough money to put the full name on a t-shirt.[6] After a short stint under the name Bobby Pyn, Beahm changed his name to Darby Crash. The Germs can be seen in the 1981 film The Decline of Western Civilization, directed by Penelope Spheeris. Crash discussed taking drugs onstage to avoid feeling injuries from fan violence and "creeps out there with grudges".[edit]Jerry Only
Years active-(1959-Present)
Genres-Horror punk, punk rock, heavy metal
Associated Acts-Misfits, Osaka Popstar, Kryst The Conqueror, BALZAC
Jerry Only (born Gerald Caiafa on April 21, 1959 in Lodi, New Jersey) is an American bassist. He is the currentbassist and vocalist for the Misfits.[1] He is credited[2] with creating the infamous hair style known as the Devilock.He joined The Misfits in 1977, just a few months after receiving his first bass as a late Christmas present. He would work at his father's factory during the week to help finance the band and play shows on the weekend. This would go on for several years until the band split due to differences between lead singer Glenn Danzig and the rest of the band. During this downtime, Jerry and his brother Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein (the guitarist for The Misfits) formedKryst The Conqueror. In 1995 Jerry settled a legal battle out of court with co-founder Glenn Danzig, effectively allowing him rights to The Misfits' name on a performing level, while they split the money on merchandising. He reformed the band with Doyle (who played guitar from 1980 to 1983), vocalist Michale Graves, and drummer Dr. Chud.Chud and Graves left the group in 2000 to form Graves. In reaction to the loss of members, Doyle left the Misfits. Graves, Doyle and Chudd were replaced on the M25 tour by Dez Cadena, formerly of Black Flag and DC3 on guitar and Marky Ramone, formerly of The Ramones, on drums. Jerry took up the singing duties from this point till the present date. In early 2005 Marky left the group and Jerry brought in ex-Misfit and Black Flag drummer ROBO to rejoin the group. A new album was recorded in 2010 in Colorado entitled The Devil's Rain which will be released in the fall of 2011. Their new single, "Land of the Dead", was released at the mischief night show 2009 at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ.[edit]
Sid Vicious
Years Active-(1957-1979)
Genres-Punk Rock
Associated acts-Sex Pistols
Sid Vicious (born John Simon Ritchie[1] 10 May 1957 - 2 February 1979) was an English musician best known as the bassist of the influential punk rock group Sex Pistols. In 2006 he was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Sex Pistols.
Sex Pistols
Before joining the band, Vicious had associations with The Bromley Contingent, the fashion avant garde that followed the Sex Pistols. According to various publications (such as the biography England's Dreaming by John Savage) and films (namely The Filth and the Fury) Vicious was asked to join the group after Glen Matlock's departure in February 1977 due to his being present at every gig. Manager Malcolm McLaren once claimed "if Johnny Rotten is the voice of punk, then Vicious is the attitude."
McLaren also said in person and in a documentary that if he'd met Vicious before he had hired Rotten to be the singer, Vicious would have been the Sex Pistols front man, because he had the most charisma of anyone on that stage. Alan Jones described Vicious as "[having] the iconic punk look (...) Sid, on image alone, is what all punk rests on."[12] His nails would be painted in a sloppy manner with purple nail polish.[13] Vicious played his first gig with the Pistols on 3 April 1977 at the The Screen On The Green in London. His debut was filmed by Don Letts and appears in Punk Rock Movie. In November 1977, Vicious met American groupieNancy Spungen. Both the group and Vicious visibly deteriorated during their 1978 American tour. The Pistols broke up in San Francisco after their concert at theWinterland Ballroom on 14 January 1978. With Spungen acting as his "manager", Vicious embarked on a solo career during which he performed with musicians including Mick Jones of The Clash, original Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock, Rat Scabies of The Damned and the New York Dolls' Arthur Kane, Jerry Nolan, andJohnny Thunders. Vicious performed the majority of his performances at Max's Kansas City and drew large crowds. His final performances as a solo musician took place at Max's.[14]
[edit]
Nancy Spungen's death
On the morning of 12 October 1978, Vicious claimed to have awoken from a drugged stupor to find Nancy Spungen dead on the bathroom floor of their room in theHotel Chelsea in Manhattan, New York. She had suffered a single stab wound to her abdomen and appeared to have bled to death. The knife used had been bought by Vicious on 42nd Street and was identical to a collector's knife given to punk rock vocalist Stiv Bators of the Dead Boys by Dee Dee Ramone. According to Dee Dee's wife at the time,[20] Vera King Ramone, Sid had bought the knife after seeing Stiv's.
Vicious was arrested and charged with her murder. He said they had fought that night but gave conflicting versions of what happened next, saying, "I stabbed her, but I didn't mean to kill her. I loved her, but she treated me like shit", then saying that he did not remember and at one point arguing Spungen had fallen onto the knife.
On October 22, ten days after Spungen's death, Vicious attempted suicide by slitting his wrist and subsequently became a patient at Bellevue Hospital. He was charged with assault after an altercation with Todd Smith (singer Patti Smith's brother) at a Skafish concert.[21] Vicious was arrested December 9, 1978 and sent toRikers Island prison for 55 days. He was released on bail on February 1, 1979.
Bail was originally set at $50,000.[22] However, after court hearings and work from his lawyer, it was lowered.[citation needed] Malcolm McLaren, the Sex Pistols' manager, worked to raise money, and the bond was eventually covered by Virgin Records.[22]
One theory regarding the murder is that Spungen was killed in a robbery or drug deal gone wrong, in which one of those involved was Rockets Redglare, later to become known as a stand-up comedian and actor. Redglare, who died in 2001, always denied any part in her death. He stated that the other dealer known to have been there that evening had left before him to obtain more heroin, and was due back after he had left the building. He said he believed that the other dealer returned, found Vicious out cold, and attempted to steal the remaining drugs, leading to a confrontation with Spungen.[23]
[edit]Death
On the evening of 1 February 1979, a small gathering to celebrate Sid's having made bail was held at the 63 Bank St. New York Apartment of his new girlfriend, Michele Robison, whom he had started dating the day he got out of Bellevue Hospital the previous October. Vicious was clean, having been on a detoxification methadone program detoxed from heroin during his time at Rikers Island.[24] However, at the dinner gathering, his mother (who was once a registered addict herself[25]) had some heroin delivered, against the wishes of Sid's girlfriend. The person who delivered it, Peter Kodick, came and stayed for a while. Vicious overdosed at midnight that night but everyone who was there that night worked together to get him up and walking around in order to revive him.[26] At 3am Sid and Michele Robison went to bed together. Vicious was discovered dead late the next morning. An autopsy confirmed that Vicious died from an accumulation of fluid in the lungs that was consistent with heroin overdose. A syringe, spoon, and heroin residue were discovered near the body. It was theorized that he had injected himself with an excess of the nearly 80%-pure heroin.
A few days after Vicious' cremation, his mother found an alleged suicide note in the pocket of his jacket:
We had a death pact, and I have to keep my half of the bargain. Please bury me next to my baby in my leather jacket, jeans and motorcycle boots. Goodbye.[27]
Nancy was buried in a Jewish cemetery and Vicious, who was not Jewish, could not be buried with her. According to the book Please Kill Me: The UncensoredOral History of Punk by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain, Vicious' mother scattered his ashes over Nancy's grave. This has not been fully substantiated as fact.
[edit]Joe Strummer
Years Active-(1952-2002)
Genres-Punk Rock,Rock n Roll,Reggae
Associated Acts-
The 101ers, The Clash, The Latino Rockabilly War, The Pogues, The Mescalero
John Graham Mellor (21 August 1952 – 22 December 2002), best remembered by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the critically acclaimed British rock band The Clash. His musical experience included his membership in The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, The Mescaleros and The Pogues, in addition to his own solo music career. Strummer's work as a musician allowed him to explore other interests, which included acting, creating film scores for television and movies, songwriting, radio broadcasting, and a position as a radio host. Strummer is one of the most iconic figures of the British punk movement.
Joe Strummer and The Clash were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in January 2003. In his remembrance, Strummer's friends and family have established the Strummerville Foundation for the promotion of new music, and each year there are many festivals and both organized and spontaneous ceremonies worldwide to celebrate his memory.
Johnny Rotten
Years Active-(1956-present)
Genres-Punk rock, post-punk,experimental rock, noise rock,alternative rock, dance-rock,alternative dance
Associated Acts-Sex Pistols, Public Image Ltd.
John Joseph Lydon (born 31 January 1956), also known by the former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a singer-songwriter and television presenter, best known as the lead singer of punk band the Sex Pistols from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s. He is also well known as the lead singer of the post-punkband Public Image Ltd., which he founded and fronted from 1978 until 1993, and again in 2009–2010. A highly controversial figure, Lydon has vocalised his contempt for the British Royal Family as well as other contentious issues such as segregated education. Q Magazine remarked that "somehow he's assumed the status of national treasure."[1]
Growing up as the son of Irish immigrants in Finsbury Park, an impoverished area of London, Lydon's personally crafted image and fashion style led to him being asked to become the singer of the Sex Pistols by their manager,Malcolm McLaren. With the Pistols, he penned singles including "Anarchy in the U.K.", "God Save the Queen" and "Holidays in the Sun", the content of which precipitated the "last and greatest outbreak of pop-based moral pandemonium" in Britain.[2] The band caused nationwide uproar in much of the media, who objected to the content of Lydon’s lyrics, and their antics, which included swearing on live television, in which Steve Jones called Bill Grundy a "fucking rotter". Due to the band's appearance in the media, Lydon was largely seen as the figurehead of the punk movement in the public image[3] although this idea was not widely supported amongst the punk movement itself. Despite the negative reaction that they provoked, they are now regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of popular music.[4][5]
Lydon left the Pistols in 1978 to found his own band, Public Image Ltd, that was far more experimental in nature, and which has been described as "arguably the first post-rock group".[6] Although never as commercially successful as the Pistols, the band produced eight albums and a string of singles, including "Death Disco", "Rise" and "Disappointed", before they went on indefinite hiatus in 1993.
In subsequent years, Lydon hosted a number of television shows in the UK, USA and Belgium, as well as writing an autobiography, Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs (1993), and producing some solo musical work, such as the album Psycho's Path (1997). In the 2000s, Lydon once more took up being the vocalist for both the Sex Pistols and subsequently also Public Image Ltd as well for a number of reunion tours.
Jello Biafra
Years Active-(1958-Present)
Genres-Punk rock, hardcore punk,spoken wordDead Associated Acts-Dead Kennedys, The Melvins,No WTO Combo, D.O.A., Lard,Al Jourgensen, Pennywise,The Offspring, Nomeansno,Sepultura, Tool, Revolting Cocks, Napalm Death, Mojo Nixon, 1000 Homo DJs, Métal Urbain, Body Count, Tumor Circus, Butthole Surfers, Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine
Jello Biafra (born Eric Reed Boucher; June 17, 1958) is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys. After his time with the band concluded, he took over the influentialindependent record label Alternative Tentacles, which he had co-founded in 1979 with Dead Kennedys bandmate East Bay Ray. Although now focused primarily on spoken word art, he has continued as a musician in numerous collaborations.
Politically, Biafra is a member of the Green Party of the United States[1] and actively supports various political causes. He ran for the party's Presidential nomination in 2000, finishing second to Ralph Nader.[2] He is an anarchist[1] who advocates direct action and pranksterism in the name of political causes. Biafra is known to use absurdist media tactics, in the leftist tradition of the Yippies, to highlight issues of civil rights and social justice.
Henry Rollins
Years Active-(1961-present)
Genres-Spoken, punk rock, alternative rock, heavy metalAssociated Acts-Rollins Band
Black Flag
State of Alert
Henrietta Collins and the Wifebeating Childhaters
Wartime
Mother Superior
Henry Rollins (born Henry Lawrence Garfield; February 13, 1961) is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, publisher, actor, and radio DJ.
After performing for the short-lived Washington D.C.-based band State of Alert in 1980, Rollins fronted the Californiahardcore punk band Black Flag from August 1981 until early 1986. Following the band's breakup, Rollins soon established the record label and publishing company 2.13.61 to release his spoken word albums, as well as forming the Rollins Band, which toured with a number of lineups until 2003 and during 2006.
Since Black Flag, Rollins has embarked on projects covering a variety of media. He has hosted numerous radio shows, such as Harmony in My Head on Indie 103, and television shows such as The Henry Rollins Show, MTV's 120 Minutes, and Jackass. He had a recurring dramatic role in the second season of Sons of Anarchy and has also had roles in several films. Rollins has also campaigned for various political causes in the United States, including promoting LGBT rights, World Hunger Relief, and an end to war in particular, and tours overseas with the United Service Organizations to entertain American troops.
Tim Armstrong
Years Active-(1965-Present)
Genres-Punk rock, ska punk, street punk, hardcore punkAssociated Acts-Rancid, Box Car Racer, Devils Brigade, Transplants, Operation Ivy, Skye Sweetnam, Dance Hall Crashers, Downfall, Basic Radio, Shaken 69, The Silencers, The LJs, U.S. Thugs, Generator, Special Forces
Timothy Lockwood Armstrong (born November 25, 1965[1]) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work with punk rock bands Rancid, Operation Ivy, Downfall, and the Transplants. He is also the owner and operator of Hellcat Records.
Armstrong was born November 25, 1965 and was raised primarily by his mother. At the age of five, he met Matt Freeman while playing Little League Baseball in Albany, California. Freeman and Armstrong formed a band many years later based on their shared love of bands such as The Clash and the Ramones. Armstrong married musicianBrody Dalle in 1997 and the couple divorced in 2003. Much of the lyrics on the album Indestructible deal with Armstrong's feelings on his divorce.
In April 2011, frontman for rock band Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong, confirmed via twitter that he and Tim Armstrong are related.
[edit]Darby Crash
Years Active-(1958-1980)Genres-Punk Rock
Associated Acts-The Germs, Darby Crash BandDarby Crash (born Jan Paul Beahm) (September 26, 1958 – December 7, 1980)[1][2] was an American[3] punkmusician who, along with long time friend Pat Smear (born Georg Ruthenberg), co-founded The Germs. He died of an intentional heroin overdose.[4]
Beahm had a troubled childhood; he grew up believing that his biological father left the family and his older brother died of a drug overdose. When in his teens, his sister revealed in an argument that his biological father was really aSwedish sailor named William Björklund.
Beahm attended IPS (Innovative Program School), a school within University High School in Los Angeles. The IPS program combined elements of Erhard Seminars Training and Scientology.[5]
Before the Germs, Beahm and Pat Smear called themselves "Sophistifuck and the Revlon Spam Queens", but had to shorten this name because they didn't have enough money to put the full name on a t-shirt.[6] After a short stint under the name Bobby Pyn, Beahm changed his name to Darby Crash. The Germs can be seen in the 1981 film The Decline of Western Civilization, directed by Penelope Spheeris. Crash discussed taking drugs onstage to avoid feeling injuries from fan violence and "creeps out there with grudges".
[edit]Jerry Only
Years active-(1959-Present)
Genres-Horror punk, punk rock, heavy metalAssociated Acts-Misfits, Osaka Popstar, Kryst The Conqueror, BALZAC
He joined The Misfits in 1977, just a few months after receiving his first bass as a late Christmas present. He would work at his father's factory during the week to help finance the band and play shows on the weekend. This would go on for several years until the band split due to differences between lead singer Glenn Danzig and the rest of the band. During this downtime, Jerry and his brother Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein (the guitarist for The Misfits) formedKryst The Conqueror. In 1995 Jerry settled a legal battle out of court with co-founder Glenn Danzig, effectively allowing him rights to The Misfits' name on a performing level, while they split the money on merchandising. He reformed the band with Doyle (who played guitar from 1980 to 1983), vocalist Michale Graves, and drummer Dr. Chud.
Chud and Graves left the group in 2000 to form Graves. In reaction to the loss of members, Doyle left the Misfits. Graves, Doyle and Chudd were replaced on the M25 tour by Dez Cadena, formerly of Black Flag and DC3 on guitar and Marky Ramone, formerly of The Ramones, on drums. Jerry took up the singing duties from this point till the present date. In early 2005 Marky left the group and Jerry brought in ex-Misfit and Black Flag drummer ROBO to rejoin the group. A new album was recorded in 2010 in Colorado entitled The Devil's Rain which will be released in the fall of 2011. Their new single, "Land of the Dead", was released at the mischief night show 2009 at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ.
