Death has been described as the band that was punk before punk was punk. Their story is an amazing example of how music can transcend generations is never truly forgotten. It all began in Detroit in the mid-70’s, where three brothers, Bobby Sr., David, and Dannis Hackney, first formed the power trio that they called Death. Their music is comparable to the Ramones and inspired by bands including Iggy Pop and Alice Cooper, and they came five years before the most prominent African-American punk band, Bad Brains. Though record labels were impressed by the music, nobody wanted to sign a group with the name Death, and their music was never distributed. The group’s work was basically completely unheard until Bobby’s son heard one of their singles, “Tryangle,” at a party in San Francisco in 2008 and heard his father’s voice. This prompted Bobby to dig Death’s tapes out of his attic, spurring his son to spread the word of the band’s story.
This summer, their documentary, “A Band Called Death,” is playing in select theaters across the nation, and we were lucky enough to have them in our studio. On Monday, June 24th, you can also attend a special Alamo Drafthouse event, which includes a screening and Q&A with the band at the Drafthouse Ritz, followed by a concert at the Parish.
Take a listen to their great session in Studio 1A RIGHT HERE!
