Genre

punk

Years Active

1977 - 1980 , 1982 -

Well Known Songs

“Three Chord Rock,” “They Saved Hitler’s Brain,” “No Surfing In Dorchester Bay”

Members

Original Lineup:
Rich Parsons (vocals)
Tom White (guitar)
Frank Dehler (bass)
Dom DeYoung(drums)

later members:
Tommy Taylor (drums)
Roger Tripp (drums)
John Clark (drums)
Fritz Ericson (guitar)
Note: band had a variety of drummers

Band Bio:

Unnatural Axe began in 1977 in the Dorchester basements of Richie Parsons and Tom White. They found bassist Frank Dehler via Berkley and original drummer Dom DeYoung working at a garage. Influenced by groups like The Dictators, the New York Dolls, and The Ramones, the band formed during the “pure punk” phase between new wave and hardcore, according to Joe Viglione, who calls the band “New England’s most visible ambassadors” of punk.

They played 100 gigs in their first few years, from local clubs like The Rat, Cantone’s, and The Club to shows across New England. They were the first band signed to Viglione’s label Varulven, releasing their EP Brain in ‘77, which received lots of local airplay thanks to friend/fan WBCN’s Oedipus. The band is known for their classic “Three Chord Rock," “They Saved Hitler’s Brain,” a song influenced by the film and that was briefly banned by WMBR, and “No Surfing in Dorchester Bay,” written by the band but recorded by The Gremies.

The band’s original lineup called it quits in 1980 and regrouped two years later for a show at the Rat with La Pest’s drummer Roger Tripp. The band has played with The Dictators, The Plasmatics, and backed up The Dead Boy’s Cheetah Chrome. They are known for their speed courtesy of drummer Jack Clark, of Jerry’s Kids, who has been a long-time drummer for the group, and also for telling Sting off at The Rat backstage one night while performing with The Police when he accused them of farting.

The bandmates went on to join other groups as well--Richie and Frank briefly joining The Gremies and Tom White playing in The Fabulous Billygoons, The Mighty Ions, and The Beachmasters. White also produced a documentary on the band in 2005 called “You’ll Pay For This.” The band played some European shows in the mid 2000s and continue to play domestically around Boston and at Chicago’s underground HoZac Blackout! Festival. They are rumored to be working on a new album.

[Content combined from the Music Museum of New England and Razorcake magazine]

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