The Dictators
From New York
Popularity
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About
Also known as: Dictators
Few bands can claim they helped invent punk rock while also having Bruce Springsteen count in one of their songs, but The Dictators pull it off. Formed in New York City in 1972 around the core trio of Andy Shernoff, Ross "The Boss" Friedman, and Scott Kempner, the band built their reputation on a snarling blend of hard rock and proto punk with a sharp, wiseguy New York attitude. Their 1975 debut The Dictators Go Girl Crazy! barely sold at the time, yet it is now widely regarded as a foundational document of American punk, with its junk culture references and smart aleck energy pointing the way forward for countless bands. The classic lineup, with vocalist Handsome Dick Manitoba and bassist Mark "The Animal" Mendoza, pushed further with Manifest Destiny and the rawer Bloodbrothers, the latter featuring Springsteen audibly counting off the opening track. Commercial success largely eluded them, but the cult following they built is fierce and well earned. Critic John Dougan called them "one of the finest and most influential proto punk bands to walk the earth," and it is hard to argue the point.
