Plasmatics

Plasmatics
The Plasmatics filming a music video in New York City in 1980. From left to right: Richie Stotts, Stu Deutsch, Wes Beech, Wendy O. Williams and Jean Beauvoir.
The Plasmatics filming a music video in New York City in 1980. From left to right: Richie Stotts, Stu Deutsch, Wes Beech, Wendy O. Williams and Jean Beauvoir.
Background information
OriginNew York City, U.S.
Genres
Years active1977–1983, 1987–1988
Labels
Past members
Websiteplasmatics.com

The Plasmatics were an American punk rock, hardcore punk and heavy metal band formed by Rod Swenson and Wendy O. Williams in New York City in 1977. They were a controversial group known for chaotic, destructive live shows and outrageous theatrics. These included chainsawing guitars, destroying speaker cabinets, sledgehammering television sets and blowing up automobiles live on stage. Williams was arrested in Milwaukee by the Milwaukee Police before being charged with public indecency.[6]

The Plasmatics' career spanned five studio albums and multiple EPs. The band was composed of lead vocalist Wendy O. Williams and various other musicians rotating behind her over time. Aside from Williams and manager Rod Swenson, guitarist Wes Beech was the only other permanent member of the group. Guitarist Richie Stotts was a co-founder of the band and a mainstay of the pre-breakup core group (1978–1983).[7] After the full breakup of the band following the release of Coup d'etat, Stotts was edited out of band videos and was not referred to by name in a 2006 compilation DVD released by Plasmatics Media LLC (via plasmatics.com).

  1. ^ Burnham, Linda Frye (1983). "Plasmatics". High Performance Magazine. 6.
  2. ^ Nickas, Bob and Robert Nickas (2008). Theft is vision: collected writings and interviews. JRP Ringier. ISBN 978-3-905770-36-0.
  3. ^ Phillips, William and Brian Cogan (2009). Encyclopedia of heavy metal music. Greenwood Press. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-313-34800-6.
  4. ^ Popoff, Martin (2017). Speed Metal.
  5. ^ Smith, E.R. Extreme Metal: The Story of Punk and Metal's Interwoven History.
  6. ^ Skanse
  7. ^ Star, Butch; Edouard Dauphin, Kruger (1982). Plasmatics: Your Heart In Your Mouth! (The First Four years). United States of America: Raging Rhino Entertainment. p. 7.