Naked Raygun is an American punk rock/post-punk band formed in Chicago in 1980. Initially active until 1992, the band had several short-lived reunions afterwards and a full-time reformation in 2006.
History
Initial run
The band was formed in 1980 by Santiago Durango, Marko Pezzati and later Jeff Pezzati. Singer Jeff Pezzati was the sole constant member through multiple personnel changes. Members over time include drummers Bobby Strange, Jim Colao, and Eric Spicer; bassists Marko Pezzati, Pierre Kezdy, Camilo Gonzalez and Pete Mittler; guitarists Santiago Durango, John Haggerty, and Bill Stephens; and keyboardist John Lundin. Durango and Jeff Pezzati were also members of Big Black.
Post-Naked Raygun
In 1989, John Haggerty left Naked Raygun to form Pegboy with his younger brother Joe and Steve Saylors and Larry Damore of the Bhopal Stiffs. Jeff Pezzati is also the lead singer of The Bomb, which is a different and later band than the San Francisco group, known as "Bomb".
Reunions
A two-show reunion in 1997 produced the live albumFree Shit!. In 1999, the independent record labelQuarterstick Records re-issued the bands back catalog on CD. In 2006 Naked Raygun reunited for Riot Fest, an annual punk rock festival held in Chicago. Following their 2006 reunion, Naked Raygun announced that the band was "back for good." The reunited lineup consists of its "Raygun...Naked Raygun" members: Pezzati, Stephens, Kezdy, and Spicer. In 2009 Naked Raygun returned to the studio for the first time since 1997 for a series of 7" singles released on Riot Fest Records and announced plans to record an LP, the first since 1990's Raygun... Naked Raygun. In 2011, Pete Mittler of The Methadones joined the line-up so that longtime bassist Pierre Kezdy could convalesce from a stroke. In August 2014, Naked Raygun opened for Bad Religion, The Offspring and Stiff Little Fingers on the last two shows of the Summer Nationals tour at The Rave in Milwaukee and Harrah's Stir Cove in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Naked Raygun opened for the Foo Fighters at Wrigley Field, Chicago, on August 29, 2015. Although the band announced plans to release a new album in 2016, no recordings were released.
Legacy
drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has frequently discussed seeing Naked Raygun as his first concert in 1982 at Chicago's Cubby Bear. During their October 17, 2014 show at the Cubby Bear, Jeff Pezatti joined the band for a Naked Raygun cover. Naked Raygun themselves later opened for Foo Fighters on select dates during the Sonic Highways World Tour. Blink-182’s Matt Skiba references Naked Raygun in the song “Parking Lot” from their California album.
