Pierre Kezdy

Pierre Kezdy
Background information
Born	January 4, 1964
Origin	Chicago, IL
Genres	Punk rock
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Bass
Years active	1980–present
Labels	Caroline, Quarterstick, Wax Trax!, Riot Fest
Associated acts	Naked Raygun, Pegboy, Strike Under, Trial By Fire

Pierre Kezdy is a Chicago bass player, known for playing with various Chicago punk bands, including Naked Raygun,^[1] Pegboy,^[2] Strike Under^[3] and Trial By Fire.^[4] Kezdy was interviewed for the film "You Weren't There" and two of his bands (Naked Raygun and Strike Under) were profiled.^[5] He is also the younger brother of Effigies frontman John Kezdy.

Background

Kezdy started with the band Strike Under in either 1979 or 1980. When Steve Bjorklund, the band's lead singer, left the band in 1981, the remaining members, including Kezdy, formed a new band called Trial By Fire. When that band folded in 1982, Kezdy went on to replace Camilo Gonzalez in Naked Raygun. Naked Raygun split up in 1990, then in 1994 Kezdy replaced Steve Saylors in Pegboy, the band started by former Naked Raygun bandmate John Haggerty. Kezdy dropped out of Pegboy in 2007 when Naked Raygun re-formed. He was forced to drop out of Naked Raygun in 2011 after he suffered a stroke, he was replaced by Pete Mittler while he recovers.^[6]

Other bands that Kezdy has played with include the Rainbow Girls (with his brother John Kezdy, of the Effigies), the Interceptors and Arsenal (both with Santiago Durango).

Partial discography

Strike Under

• Immediate Action 12" EP (1981)^[3]

Naked Raygun

• All Rise (1986)^[7]
• Jettison (1988)^[8]
• Understand? (1989)^[9]
• Raygun...Naked Raygun (1990)^[10]
• Last of the Demo Hicans (1997)^[11]
• Free Shit (2001)^[12]
• What Poor Gods We Do Make DVD (2007)^[13]

Pegboy

• Earwig (1994)^[14]
• Cha Cha Damore (1997)^[15][16]

Reception

• "Ex-Raygun bassist Pierre Kezdy's steely edge is further ferocious: even his old favorite J.J. Burnel of the Stranglers would karate-kick for such a ripping, trebly sharpness." (Jack Rabid, Allmusic)^[15]
• "Pierre Kezdy's bass gurgles blood on one track, and is swampy on the next." (Bob Gendron, Allmusic)^[8]
• "Pierre Kezdy's bass sounds like a power tool" (Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune)^[17]

References

1. Prato, Greg. Naked Raygun at AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
2. Huey, Steve. Pegboy at AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
3. Schaefer, Peter. Strike Under at AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
4. Trial By Fire discography at Discogs
5. Raymer, Miles (November 22, 2007), Chicago Punk, Vol. 1, Chicago Reader, retrieved February 10, 2013
6. Carlton, Chris (August 12, 2011), Interview With Neutron Bombs/Naked Raygun/The Bomb Bass Player Pete Mittler, Critical Mass, retrieved February 10, 2013
7. DaRonco, Mike. Naked Raygun - All Rise at AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
8. Gendron, Bob. Naked Raygun - Jettison at AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
9. Gendron, Bob. Naked Raygun - Understand? at AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
10. Gendron, Bob. Naked Raygun - Raygun...Naked Raygun at AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
11. Naked Raygun - Last Of The Demo Hicans at Discogs
12. Naked Raygun - Free Shit at Discogs
13. Naked Raygun - What Poor Gods We Do Make: Story and Music Behind Naked Raygun DVD (2007), Punknews.org, December 11, 2007, retrieved February 10, 2013
14. Foss, Richard. Pegboy - Earwig at AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
15. Rabid, Jack. Pegboy - Cha Cha Damore at AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
16. Gubbins, Teresa (February 6, 1998), Pegboy, The Dallas Morning News, retrieved February 10, 2013
17. Kot, Greg (November 8, 1990), Made in Chicago Naked Raygun's 5th, Pegboy's 1st top the good stuff from local talent, Chicago Tribune, retrieved February 10, 2013

External links

• Pierre Kezdy discography at Discogs
• Pierre Kezdy profile @ punkdatabase.com
• Trial By Fire profile @ punkdatabase.com