The Dead Boys began life in 1975 as a Cleveland (USA) band called Frankenstein.
When the band members relocated to New York City in July 1976, they adopted the name by which they are best known and quickly gained notoriety for their outrageous live performances.
Lewd gestures and profanity were abundant, and on a number of occasions, lead singer Stiv Bators slashed his stomach onstage with his microphone stand.
The band frequently played at the legendary rock club CBGBs, recorded two studio albums – Young, Loud and Snotty (1977) and We Have Come For Your Children (1978) – for Sire Records, and imploded in 1979.
Drummer Johnny Blitz (real name John Madansky) was critically wounded in a fight on 19 April 1978, just a few blocks from CBGBs on New York’s Lower East Side. He was stabbed six times in the eye, throat and chest, apparently while trying to help one of the band’s roadies in a fight with five other guys. The injury caused him to be hospitalised for a number of months.
Bators made two solo albums and then formed Lords Of The New Church with Brain James from The Damned. He re-formed The Dead Boys in 1987 for a single.
Tragically, Stiv Bators died on 4 June 1990 in Paris from internal injuries sustained after being struck by a car.
The 40-year-old had been waiting outside a store for his girlfriend when the vehicle hit him. Unaware that he was seriously hurt, he refused to seek medical attention. He died in his sleep later that evening.
Stiv Bators (Steve Bator)
Vocals
Cheetah Chrome (Gene O’Connor)
Lead guitar
Jimmy Zero (William Wilden)
Rhythm guitar, vocals
Jeff Magnum (Jeff Halmagy)
Bass
Johnny Blitz (John Madansky)
Drums
