The Dictators

小简介
摇滚评论家Andy Shernoff在70年代中期和一帮布朗克斯区邻里的朋友组建了“独裁者”乐队，作为他的《青年垃圾场》杂志的外延副产品。他们以充满灵感的“Beet The Meeties”为名举行了他们早期的几场演唱会，之后就把主唱的话筒递给了他们巡回演出的厨子Handsome Dick Manitoba，并且最终改名为Dictators（独裁者）乐队。
1975年他们发行了第一张专辑The Dictators Go Girl Crazy。很不幸的是，这张专辑生不逢时：没有赶上2年后由Ramones乐队和纽约的Punk杂志所营造并且定义的“青年退化”的氛围。评论界对这张专辑十分不友好，而公众则对这张专辑漠不关心。结果，乐队作为“美国野蛮小姐”大赛的伴奏乐队度过了地狱般的两年。
他们的第二张专辑Manifest Destiny出版于1977年，第三张Bloodbrothers出版于1978年。两张专辑都是为了商业成功而制作，但是在主流摇滚乐市场的需求和“独裁者”乐队之间，却存在着不可调和的矛盾。乐队成员对这一切无能为力，他们解散了。
还有一件被记入史册的事情：Handsome Dick Manitoba在CBGB的观众席上对着Wayne County（当时纽约摇滚圈有名的变性人）大喊大叫，结果被后者用话筒底座爆头，差点毙命。这个事件将纽约摇滚圈分为了两边：Max Cansas City和CBGB，而观众则迅速的选择了自己所在的一边。“独裁者”被禁止在Max Cansas City和其他的俱乐部演出，但是Hilly（CBGB老板）让他们在CBGB演出，而最终，这帮小子回来了并且又开始到处演出。
很难定义“独裁者”乐队的音乐：一点点摇滚加一点点朋克，同时还有一种健康的政治不正确、态度以及幽默感。他们像是Blue Oyster Cult与The Ramones的结合。为什么他们没有成功？因为美国人并没有准备好来接受他们。不过这个事实真的令人难以想象!这是一个绝对不应当被低估的乐队。
by John DouganFormed in 1974, N.Y.C.s Dictators were one of the finest and most influential proto-punk bands to walk the earth. Alternately reveling in and satirizing the wanton excesses of a rock & roll lifestyle and lowbrow culture (e.g., wrestling, TV, fast food), the Dictators, whose worldview was defined by bassist/keyboardist and former fanzine publisher (Teenage Wasteland Gazette) Andy (occasionally Adny) Shernoff and renegade rock critic/theorist Richard Meltzer, played loud, fast rock & roll fueled by a love of 60s American garage rock, British Invasion pop, and the sonic onslaught of the Who. Driven by the guitar barrage of Scott Top Ten Kempner and Ross the Boss Funichello and fronted by indefatigable ex-roadie and wrestler Handsome Dick Manitoba (aka Richard Blum), it seemed that nothing stood in the way of the Dictators and mega-popularity. But thats not what happened. There were complications with record companies, personnel changes (one-time bassist Mark Mendoza left for Twisted Sister; original drummer Stu Boy King was replaced by Richie Teeter), radio hated them, critical response was lukewarm, and lots of audiences didnt get the jokes; supporters remained loyal and vociferous (especially Meltzer), but it didnt turn into anything tangible. Ironically, what didnt help at all was the rise of the New York punk scene, which only diverted attention away from them and onto bands they influenced (e.g., the Ramones). They did manage to release three fine albums, but after 1978s Bloodbrothers was greeted with public apathy, the groups members began moving in different directions. Kempner put together the Del-Lords and the Little Kings and recorded as a solo act. Ross the Boss spent a few years in the goofy, macho heavy metal band Manowar and later joined Shernoff and Manitoba in the punk/metal combo Manitobas Wild Kingdom. And Shernoff worked as a producer. However, as Shernoff put it, the Dictators never broke up. Sure there were occasional gaps of a few years between some shows (we had lives to lead) but deep in our hearts and souls we always knew we were Dictators. We couldnt escape it even when we tried. With this in mind, the band got together to play a handful of shows in 1980, one of which was recorded for the cassette-only album Fuck Em If They Cant Take A Joke, which was later reissued as New York, New York. The band hit the road again in 1991, and began heading out on a semi-regular basis after that. In 2001, the Dictators made their abandoned retirement official and recorded a new album, D.F.F.D., which ranked with the bands finest work in the studio. More touring followed, and a live album recorded at two shows in support of D.F.F.D., Viva Dictators!, came out in 2005.