When I think of androgynous male singers, mainstream names like Bowie, Cooper, and Jagger obviously come to mind, but a deathly pale creature named Stiv Bators and his band, The Dead Boys, deftly combined glam with the punk genre during the late seventies.
After previously going by the name Frankenstein, the not-so-dearly departed moved to New York at the advice of Joey Ramone and changed the name of the band to The Dead Boys, which may have been prophetic given the band’s powerful, yet short stint in the punk rock limelight.
On Halloween, 1986, the corpses got together for a reunion show at The Ritz in NYC and it is available on DVD for your viewing pleasure.
It’s unlike a true punk band to give its audience what it wants just as a show begins, but The Dead Boys, after a much-hyped introduction by Joey Ramone, unleashes “Sonic Reducer,” the band’s biggest hit (the song’s been covered by Pearl Jam, Overkill, Saves The Day, and The Beastie Boys sampled it in the song “Open Letter To NYC”).
Simple, yet high energy guitar riffs and rapid, heavy drum beats explode, instantly whipping the crowd into a moshing and stage-diving frenzy. Stiv trots onto the stage in his shimmering vinyl pants, vest, elbow length gloves, and captain’s hat and belts out Sonic Reducer’s anti-everything lyrics with sweet aggression.
Stiv, in keeping with punk rock’s “nothing-is-sacred” attitude, dedicates the band’s third song, “Caught with the Meat in Your Mouth,” to Mama Cass Elliott of The Mama’s and the Papa’s.
Although Stiv’s dedication might make you feel a bit guilty, the song consists of fun, catchy guitar licks that just might make you get up and shake your moneymaker. Stiv definitely prances around the stage like he’s having a particularly super time.
“Won’t Look Back” is definitely a punk rock anthem with its combination of fast guitar, memorable bass lines, and Stiv’s drawn-out-for-effect emotive vocal stylings.
One of the highlights of the concert occurs during the song “I Need Lunch” of which Stiv dedicates to the “three ladies in the room.” I’m sure you can figure that one out.
Strangely enough, the highlight has nothing to do with the band or the song, but with a stoic muscle-bound bouncer with a kick-ass mullet that comes out to toss overzealous stage divers back into the crowd. Perhaps I shouldn’t find him so amusing, but he’s too funny. If you happen to read this, I’m sorry, mullet guy.
Anyhow, back to the task at hand.
Stiv snakes eerily around his microphone stand during “Son of Sam” and the guitarist (who looks like a thin version of Uncle Fester) gets his fifteen minutes with a wailing guitar solo.
When the camera pans back to center stage, Stiv is wearing a large werewolf mask, which, to me, cements him as a total rock star because he doesn’t care if he looks silly. He has the cojones to do what he wants, and for that I salute him.
The band wraps up its set with rockin’ covers of The Rolling Stones’ “Tell Me” and Iggy and the Stooges’ “Search and Destroy,” during which Stiv gets sucked into the crowd (almost irretrievably), and another performance of “Sonic Reducer.”
Stiv leaves you with a little treat a la Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs that you may or may not want to miss.
The special features on the DVD include the “super rare” video for “Sonic Reducer” and a rare 1980 interview with Stiv, musical collaborator Frank Secich and interviewer Gary Cubberly.
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