The Pagans

Last updated
The Pagans
Origin Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Genres Punk rock
Years active1977–1979
1982–1983
1986–1989
2014–2017
LabelsNeck Records, Drome, Crypt Records, Terminal Records, Treehouse Records, Glitterhouse Records, Smog Veil Records, Ruin Discos
MembersJohn Dzubak
Eric Schrader
Justin Lack
Past membersMike Hudson
Brian Hudson
Tim Allee
Robert Conn (Bill DeGidio)
Mike "Tommy Gunn" Metoff
Bob Richey
Chas Smith
David Scott Liston
Loren Molinare
Mike D'Amico
Tony Matteucci
Ben Reagan
Denny Carleton

The Pagans were an American punk rock band from Cleveland, Ohio, United States, that was originally active from 1977 to 1979. They reformed several times, from 1982 to 1983, from 1986 to 1989 and again from 2014 to 2017. [1] Along with fellow Cleveland band The Dead Boys, the Pagans were part of the first wave of American punk music, and were also part of the second wave of Cleveland proto-punk and post-punk bands such as Pere Ubu.

Contents

Their song "What's This Shit Called Love?" was covered by the Meatmen on their 1985 album War of the Superbikes.

History

1970s

The precursor to the Pagans was basement garage rock band the Mad Staggers, formed in 1974 by brothers Mike Hudson (guitar) and Brian" Brian Morgan" Hudson (drums), and bassist Tim Allee. [2] They formed the Pagans in 1977, adding singer Robert Conn (née Bill Digiddio) and issuing a debut single that year, "Six and Change". By 1978, Conn had left (to form the AK-47s and later, Defnics), with Mike Hudson switching to vocals and the addition of guitarist Mike "Tommy Gunn" Metoff. The Pagans released three additional singles: ""Street Where Nobody Lives" (1978), "Dead End America" (1979) and "Not Now No Way" (1979). After failed album sessions, the band broke up in November 1979.

1980s

After the Pagans’ original lineup disbanded, Metoff formed the Clocks, later known as Radio Alarm Clocks, while Allee played in Broncs.

In 1982, Mike Hudson and Metoff joined forces again in new band Les Raving Sounds, which transformed into a new lineup of the Pagans, also featuring Conn on bass, Bob Richey on drums and Chas Smith on keyboards. This lineup toured and released The Pagans LP (later reissued as The Pink Album) before splitting again in 1983. Metoff then joined the Cramps from 1983 to 1984.

In 1986, Treehouse Records issued Buried Alive, a vinyl LP compilation of their recordings, sparking another Pagans reunion and resulting in the release of The Godlike Power of the Pagans Live (1987). This lineup (Mike Hudson, Metoff, Allee, Richey and additional drummer David Scott Liston) ended in 1989, although recordings from 1988 to 1989 were later issued on the 1990 German album Family Fare and live release The Blue Album (2008).

Metoff, Allee and Liston all recorded as part of Cheetah Chrome and the Ghetto Dogs; their 1987 recordings were issued as an eponymous EP in 1993.

1990s

During the 1990s, Mike Hudson briefly played with the Murder Junkies, recorded the Unmedicated solo album (not released until 2006), and sang for the Highrollers and the Styrenes.

Original drummer Brian Hudson, who had also played for the Kingpins, Jules Baptiste/Red Decade, Chris Bond Band, the Ashley Alexander Big Band, Backbønes and the Droogs during his 1980s career, died in 1991.

In 1994, a CD compilation of Pagans material, Everybody Hates You, was released by Crypt Records.

2000s

In 2001, Crypt Records issued two other compilation CDs: Shit Street and The Pink Album…Plus!. Mike Hudson, Metoff, Allee and Richey held one-off reunion performances at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in 2003, and in Chicago in 2005.

Smith, who also played in Cobra Verde and Einstein's Secret Orchestra, died in October 2007.

Metoff formed Motherfucker 666 with Jeff Dahl, Allee joined Lurid, while Conn later performed the music of the Pagans alongside similarly styled originals in his band Chelsea Hotel.

Mike Hudson, later a journalist and editor-in-chief of the Niagara Falls Reporter newspaper, chronicled the band's history in his 2008 autobiographical book Diary of a Punk: Life and Death in the Pagans. He reformed the Pagans again in 2014 for the Hollywood High album, backed by an all-new lineup of Loren Molinare (guitar), Mike D'Amico (bass), Tony Matteucci (drums) and Ben Reagan (guitar). In 2015, he brought in another new lineup of John Dzubak (guitar), Eric Schrader (bass) and Justin Lack (drums).

Mike Hudson died on October 27, 2017, from sepsis at the age of 61. [3]

Members

Mike Hudson, 2011 Mike Hudson 02.jpg
Mike Hudson, 2011
Original lineup Mk. 1 (1977)
Original lineup Mk. 2 (1978—1979)
Second lineup (1982—1983)
Third lineup (1986—1989)
Fourth lineup (2014—2015)
Fifth lineup (2015—2017)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blood, Sweat & Tears</span> American rock music band

Blood, Sweat & Tears is an American jazz rock music group founded in New York City in 1967, noted for a combination of brass with rock instrumentation. The group's self-titled second album spent seven weeks atop the U.S. charts, spun off three Top 5 hit singles, and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1970. Their follow-up album, Blood, Sweat & Tears 3, also reached number one in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bored Suburban Youth</span>

Bored Suburban Youth was among the hardcore punk bands that rose up in the Southeastern United States in the "second wave" of the 1980s. Along with bands such as Bedlam Hour, Massappeal and The Sex Mutants, BSY contributed to the nascent punk scene in the decidedly un-punk environs of the politically and socially conservative New South.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samhain (band)</span> American rock band

Samhain was an American rock band formed by singer Glenn Danzig in 1983, immediately following his departure from Misfits. Glenn Danzig originally planned Samhain as a side project with Eerie Von. After the Misfits' contentious 1983 dissolution, Samhain became Danzig's full-time band.

Screeching Weasel is an American punk rock band consisting of Ben Weasel (vocals), Mike Kennerty (guitar), Mike Hunchback (guitar), Zach "Poutine" Brandner (bass) and Pierre Marche (drums). Screeching Weasel is originally from the Chicago suburb of Prospect Heights, Illinois. The band was formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead. Since their formation, Screeching Weasel have reformed several times with lineup changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant member, though Jughead was present in every incarnation of the band until 2009. Other prominent members include guitarist/bassist Dan Vapid and drummer Dan Panic, who have each appeared on six of the band's studio albums, and Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt who appeared on one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackfoot (band)</span> American Southern rock band

Blackfoot is an American Southern rock band from Jacksonville, Florida, formed in 1969. Though they primarily play with a Southern rock style, they are also known as a hard rock act. The band's classic lineup consisted of guitarist and vocalist Rickey Medlocke, guitarist Charlie Hargrett, bassist Greg T. Walker, and drummer Jackson Spires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Miret and the Disasters</span> American punk band

Roger Miret and the Disasters are a street punk group formed by Agnostic Front frontman Roger Miret. The band started when Miret was writing songs that were not a style suitable for Lady Luck or Agnostic Front, so he starting recording them on his own on a Boss recorder. Johnny Rioux had previously mentioned he would like to work with him, so Rioux helped Miret on what originally started as a solo project. Then Miret met Rhys Kill, who liked the material and joined in on the project. The band then recorded a demo tape, with Miret and Kill on guitar, Rioux on bass and Matt Kelly from the Dropkick Murphys on drums. That six-song demo found reviewed by Lars Frederiksen, who passed it off to his Rancid bandmate Tim Armstrong. He asked Miret to put his project out on Hellcat Records. As Kelly could not continue with Miret due to his commitments with Dropkick Murphys, Miret asked Johnny Kray of The Krays and New York Rel-X to join on drums. After a couple rehearsals, they decided to make it a band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agent Orange (band)</span> American punk rock band

Agent Orange is an American punk rock band formed in Placentia, California, in 1979. The band was one of the first to mix punk rock with surf music.

The Fartz were a Hardcore Punk band that was founded in 1981 and were one of the first well-known hardcore bands from Seattle, Washington. They were signed to Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles Record label. They were notable not only for playing incredibly fast and heavy music, but also for their politically and socially conscious song lyrics that criticized government policies, religious hypocrisy, racism, sexism, and poverty. Throughout their musical career they championed a blue collar, working class perspective on life.

Hammer Damage was an American punk rock band from Akron, Ohio, that performed from 1978 until 1984.

The Nuns was an American rock band based in San Francisco and New York City. Best known as one of the founding acts of the early San Francisco punk scene, the band went through a number of hiatuses and periodic reunions, lineup changes, and changes in style. Overall, The Nuns performed and recorded on and off from the mid-1970s into the 2000s. While the band was centered on Jennifer Miro and Jeff Olener through its various incarnations, Alejandro Escovedo, who went on to later success as an Americana and alternative country musician, was also a key member during its years of fame in late 1970s San Francisco.

The Monks were an English pop punk/new wave band, formed in the late 1970s by three former members of Strawbs—Richard Hudson (guitar), John Ford and Brian Willoughby—along with Terry Cassidy and Clive Pierce (drums).

Gang Green is an American punk rock band originally from Braintree, Massachusetts. Chris Doherty (guitar), Bill Manley (bass) and Mike Dean (drums) started the band in 1980 and broke up in 1983. Doherty reformed Gang Green the following year, and the band experienced numerous lineup changes until its dissolution for the second time in 1992. Doherty has been the band's only constant member and has kept Gang Green active from 2005 onwards. The band was influential in the formation of the East Coast hardcore punk scene, and went on to become one of the forerunners of crossover thrash and speed metal in the late 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Chaos</span> American punk rock band

U.S. Chaos are an American punk rock band from Paterson, New Jersey, United States, formed in 1981 from remnants of first wave punk outfits The Radicals in 1978 and The Front Line in 1979. They are the first American band to play in an Oi!/street punk style. The band's approach was to play music with lyrics that had an overtly right-wing prose and sense of American patriotism. They often played recordings of military marches and air raid sirens before going on stage.

<i>Dance Like Nobodys Watching</i> (EP)

Dance Like Nobody's Watching is a six-track EP released by American ska/pop band Suburban Legends, released on May 12, 2006. The EP signaled a drastic change in the band's sound, which also followed major lineup changes following the departure of lead vocalist Tim Maurer and trumpet player Aaron Bertram, and the untimely death of trombonist Ryan Dallas Cook. The band's previous release, Rump Shaker, was a poppy ska punk release, whereas Dance Like Nobody's Watching largely abandoned the ska influence in favor of a funk/disco-influenced sound, which would feature heavily in their following release, Infectious in 2007, and somewhat on 2008's Let's Be Friends, which featured a few ska tracks. The sudden genre change alienated some of the band's fanbase. This genre change was largely abandoned in favor of the band's original ska-influenced style with the release of Going on Tour in 2010 and Day Job in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">XL Capris</span>

XL Capris were an Australian indie-punk band formed in Sydney in 1978 by Julie Anderson, Tim Gooding, Johanna Pigott, and Kimble Rendall.

The Styrenes are an American proto-punk rock band, formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1975, by former members of other local underground scene bands, electric eels and Mirrors.

The Plague was an American hardcore punk band formed in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, by Bob Sablack. They were part of the second wave of punk rock music and toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe, recording several EP's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Tall Shorty</span>

Long Tall Shorty were a mod revival band that formed in 1978 in London. They recorded several singles before splitting up in 1982, when lead singer Tony Perfect left to join Angelic Upstarts. Reforming in 2000, they have recorded and released several albums.

The Sleepers was a San Francisco-based band, formed in 1978. They were one of the earliest punk bands in San Francisco, and later took on a darker, moodier post-punk sound before breaking up in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beach Boys live performances</span>

The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. Since then, the band has undergone many variations in composition, with representation by fill-ins onstage. As of 2021, the only principal members included in the Beach Boys' touring band are co-founder Mike Love and 1965 addition Bruce Johnston.

References

  1. Dougan, John. "The Pagans - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic . Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  2. Oliver Hall. "Pagans - Biography". Amoeba.com. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  3. "Mike Hudson, founder of Niagara Falls Reporter, has died". Niagarafallsreporter.com. Retrieved 29 October 2017.