The Suicide Commandos honored in Minneapolis

Newly Re-elected Mayor R.T. Rybak to Proclaim” Suicide Commandos Day” Nov.7

INFLUENTIAL ‘70s “PUNK BAND” PAVED WAY FOR OTHER BANDS AND THE TWIN CITIES MUSIC SCENE; GROUP MEMBERS STILL CREATING MUSIC OPPORTUNITIES AT MCNALLY SMITH COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND OTHER PLACES



WHO: The legendary punk rock trio, The Suicide Commandos, will be honored for their pioneering work November 7, 2009, when newly re-elected Minneapolis Mayor, R.T. Rybak, will proclaim “Suicide Commandos Day” this Saturday.

WHAT: The Suicide Commandos, like other rock bands of the late ‘70s such as The Ramones in New York and other “punk bands” like The Sex Pistols in England, helped shape a rock ‘n roll renaissance by peeling back to the basics with a swell sense of humor and rock history.

As noted in the proclamation, Whereas, in the words of “indie” music industry shaker and mover, Peter Jesperson at New West Records in LA, “The Suicide Commandos are THE Granddaddy’s of the Minneapolis/St. Paul music scene that later bred The Suburbs, Husker Du, The Replacements, Soul Asylum and The Jayhawks.”

Whereas The Suicide Commandos put the Minneapolis Music scene on the map; and

Whereas The Suicide Commandos carved a path where there was none before. Many of the Minneapolis bands that went onto big success may not have done so without the Commandos having done so; and…

WHEN/
WHERE: The band will reunite for two special “10 and Under” shows at the Walker Arts Center at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. (1750 Hennepin Ave., Mpls) and a late acoustic set at The Dakota (1010 Nicollett Mall, Mpls.) that night at 11:00 p.m..


WHY: All three band members are still involved in making music and paving the way for others: Guitarist Chris Osgood is currently Vice President of Organizational Development at McNally Smith College of Music; drummer Dave Ahl is one of the primary builders of recording studies in the area; and bassist Steve Almaas, residing in New York where he is a school teacher, has been giving music lessons to aspiring rockers for years while also playing in other bands.

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Background: The band Recorded for Phonogram and Twin/Tone Records 1977-80. The Commandos were re-released on Mercury Records, August 1996 and were inducted into the Minnesota Rock and Country Hall of Fame in May, 2006. Pioneer Rock videographer Chuck Statler’s video of Chris’ song, “Burn It Down,” was screened at New York’s Museum of Modern Art in November, 2006. The Suicide Commandos were released on iTunes Island Def Jam and iTunes Twin/Tone in 2007.