Chicago punk legends Naked Raygun are releasing their first studio album since the 1990 release Raygun…Naked Raygun. The new album, Over The Overlords, is also the band’s first release since the sad passing of bassist Pierre Kezdy last year. Over The Overlords LP consists of 11 new songs with the CD format containing two bonus tracks: A remix of “Living In The Good Times” by Paul Barker and an unreleased live version of “Knock Me Down”.
Preorder it here.
Four decades running, Naked Raygun is one of the most important bands in the history of Chicago punk rock. The band have also been credited with creating “the Chicago sound.” Naked Raygun was formed in 1980 by Santiago Durango (guitar), Marko Pezzati (bass) and, soon thereafter, Jeff Pezatti (vocals). Jeff Pezzati has been the sole constant member through multiple personnel changes.
The band were initially active, and prolifically so, from 1980-1992, releasing five studio albums: Throb Throb (1985), All Rise (1986), Jettison (1988), Understand? (1989), and Raygun… Naked Raygun (1990).
Following disbandment in 1991, Naked Raygun played a reunion show in 1997, and then reunited “for good” in 2006, starting with a performance at Chicago’s Riot Fest.
And now, 15 years into their resurrection, Over The Overlords is set for release on Audioplatter. The album is the band’s sixth, and their first in 31 years. Sadly, it is also the final record to feature longtime bassist Pierre Kezdy, who passed away from cancer late 2020 following the completion of recording the new album. The current lineup consists of original member Jeff Pezzati, Eric Spicer, and Bill Stephens, with Fritz Doreza stepping in to take Pierre’s place.
