Too much punky business! Let’s get down to action with our weekly barrage of Lower East Side New York City hardcore punk antics, pulled from the pages of Tony Rettman’s big, meaty NYHC book. These bands eat cinder blocks for breakfast…
The Undead were formed by guitarist Bobby Steele after his acrimonious split with the Misfits. He played an overlooked role in that infamous Lodi, New Jersey, band, appearing on the band’s hallmark Horror Business EP (1979), “Night of the Living Dead” 7″ (1979), Beware EP (1980), 3 Hits from Hell EP (1981), “Halloween” 7″ (1981), and many unreleased tracks. Within six months of his ouster, the Undead were up and running, and Stiff Records released their Nine Toes Later EP in 1982.
Peter Crowley, talent booker, Max’s Kansas City: “The Undead were peculiarly Beatles-ish. They were the poppiest of the hardcore bands.”
Bobby Steele: “Glenn Danzig actually financed the first Undead recording, but he decided he didn’t want to put it out after Tim Sommer of WNYU did an article for Sounds where he wrote: ‘The Undead have accomplished more in six months than the Misfits have in five years.’ That’s all it took. All of a sudden, this record that he said he loved, sucked.”
Pick up the whole head-cracking neighborhood of NYHC mayhem! Read Tony Rettman’s NYHC: New York Hardcore 1980–1990.
