D.H. Peligro, the longtime drummer for the long-lasting punk band the Lifeless Kennedys, died Friday at age 63.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
D.H. Peligro, the longtime drummer for the long-lasting punk band Lifeless Kennedys, has died on the age of 63.
(SOUNDBITE OF DEAD KENNEDYS SONG, “MOON OVER MARIN”)
SUMMERS: His frantic hardcore drumming set the tempo for the band’s boundary-pushing lyrics and performances.
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
Born Darren Henley in St. Louis, Mo., Peligro moved to San Francisco to hitch the punk music scene. After listening to Lifeless Kennedys play, he auditioned to be their subsequent drummer. Peligro introduced contemporary vitality to the band’s music. And regardless of the music’s aggressive formulation, Peligro was a heat, easygoing individual.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
D H PELIGRO: We do not need folks coming right down to make bother. We’re fairly anti-violence.
SUMMERS: Peligro was additionally one of many few Black punk musicians early on, and he spoke overtly about his experiences with racism when the band toured. NPR Music’s Lars Gotrich says Peligro helped set the bar for the hardcore music scene’s beat.
LARS GOTRICH, BYLINE: He had the stamina to blast via these 90-second songs, however he additionally had soul. I imply, simply take heed to the music “I Spy,” which Peligro wrote. It swings at first.
(SOUNDBITE OF DEAD KENNEDYS SONG, “I SPY”)
GOTRICH: However then, simply because the music barrels right into a surf-punk chaos and the whole lot looks like it is going to topple over, Peligro retains the whole lot regular. His precision and innovation would develop into the spine of American hardcore.
KELLY: D.H. Peligro was 63 years previous.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “I SPY”)
DEAD KENNEDYS: (Singing) I spy for you and me.
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