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  • Sexbeat

    Location: London, England
    Active: 1983-1984

    Sexbeat arose out of London’s Batcave club, where Hamish McDonald (guitar, vocals) was one of the core DJs. They are remembered for their self titled song on the ‘Batcave: Young Limbs And Numb Hymns’ compilation. Initial reception to the song led to a record with ABC Records but the resulting  ‘Pump/Sweat’ 12″ lost the essence of the band in production – an all too common occurrence as the 80s music climate began to shift. Though they managed some high profile gigs in England and the USA (CBGBs, Danceteria), after a tour with The Cramps, they ceased activity. A posthumous 7” single of ‘Sexbeat’ was released in 2024.

    Related: Batcave, Young Limbs And Numb Hymns, CBGBs, London, Hamish McDonald, The Cramps

    Links:

    Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/278399-Sexbeat

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  • Wendy O. Williams

    At the forefront of the New York punk heavy metal band The Plasmatics was lead singer and female rock icon, the legendary Wendy O. Williams. Born May 28, 1949 – † April 6, 1998 she left home at an early age, eventually landing in New York City in 1976 where she joined The Plasmatics, a concept group of Rod Swenson. They were among the groups in the scene rising around CBGBs along with The Dead Boys, The Cramps and others. After several year’s career and problematic record deals, the Plasmatics split up in the 1980s. 

    Wendy O. released solo material under WOW, recording with artists like KISS and Lemmy from Motörhead, and starred in films like Reform School Girls and some television shows. Throughout her life she continually confronted issues like sexism in the music industry, promoted healthy eating and anti-drugs/smoking, eventually abstinence from alcohol as well. Towards the end of her life she lived in Connecticut with her long time companion and manager Rod Swenson, dedicating her life to healthy living and animal rescue and rehabilitation. In 1998 she took her own life.

    Related: Reform School Girls, New York, CBGBs, The Dead Boys, Motörhead

    Links:

    Official: https://plasmatics-com.3dcartstores.com/
    Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_O._Williams
    Discogs.com: https://www.discogs.com/artist/511193-Wendy-O-Williams

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  • The Screamers

    One of the earliest bands in the US and Los Angeles punk movement. The Screamers (along with bands like Monitor, Nervous Gender and others in LA) utilized electronic instruments and a drumset, a departure from the traditional guitar-bass-drums formula of rock bands of the time. 

    They began in Seattle as the Tupperwares with singer Tomata DuPlenty, Rio de Janeiro and Tommy Gear. While in Seattle, the Tupperwares collaborated with members Bill Reiflin (Blackouts, Ministry) and Eldon “El Duce” Hoke (Mentors). DuPlenty and Gear would relocate soon to Los Angeles and re-emerge as The Screamers, bringing in K. K. Barrett and David Brown (Dangerhouse Records) who was soon replaced by Paul Roessler (45 Grave, Nervous Gender). 

    The Screamers never released officially, though several demos and live recordings exist and have been released posthumously. They even made a cover version of fellow punk pioneers The Germs’ Sex Boy’. While they existed they did play prodigiously including gigs in New York (CBGBs) and San Francisco. By 1980 the Screamers had ceased all activity. 

    Tomata Du Plenty continued as a visual artist. He passed away in August 21, 2000, in San Francisco. His remains were cremated, and his ashes are interred at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, in a niche in the Chapel Columbarium not far from the remains of Rozz Williams (Christian Death).

    Related: Nervous Gender, NON, 45 Grave, The Germs, The Blackouts, Ministry

    Links:

    Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Screamers
    Discogs.com: https://www.discogs.com/artist/65390-Screamers

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  • The Dead Boys

    Originating in Cleveland, Ohio, The Dead Boys were Stiv Bators (vocals), Cheetah Chrome (lead guitar), Jimmy Zero (rhythm guitar), Johnny Blitz (drums) and Jeff Magnum (bass guitar).

    Emerging from the wreckage of Rocket From The Tombs, Cheetah and Blitz took Stiv Bators straight from the stage at the bands last performance to form a band known as Frankenstein. This was actually the beginning of The Dead Boys. Other Rocket members would form Pere Ubu. Bators had been in a band called Mother Goose prior and already had a reputation with bombastic style and performance antics.

    Constrained by Cleveland’s small city atmosphere, The Dead Boys were convinced to relocate to New York City, where a like-minded scene was forming in the wake of bands like Suicide and The Ramones at CBGBs and Max’s Kansas City.

    Links:

    Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Boys
    Discogs.com: https://www.discogs.com/artist/266431-The-Dead-Boys

    This profile is in development. Contributions?