Naked Raygun is an American punk band formed in Chicago in 1980, foundational to the city's scene alongside The Effigies and Big Black. Their melodic, anthemic take on hardcore — best heard on Throb Throb (1985) and All Rise (1986) — shaped generations of American punk; even Foo Fighters' Pat Smear cites them. Find Naked Raygun vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Naked Raygun formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1980 around Jeff Pezzati and Santiago Durango (Durango departed to join Big Black in 1985). John Haggerty replaced Durango on guitar. They are widely cited as one of the foundational acts of the 1980s Chicago punk scene alongside The Effigies, Strike Under, Articles of Faith, and Big Black. Their distinctive melodic punk approach - combining post-punk and pop sensibility with hardcore aggression - was influential on subsequent generations of Chicago and American punk rock (notably Foo Fighters guitarist Pat Smear cited them as a influence). The band dissolved in 1992 and reformed in 2006-2007 for ongoing intermittent activity. Pierre Kezdy died of cancer on October 8, 2020 at age 58. They have continued performing with substituted bassist arrangements.
Naked Raygun's sound combines punk rock, post-punk, hardcore punk, melodic hardcore, alternative rock, and power pop with Pezzati's distinctive vocal delivery, anthemic chorus arrangements, and arrangements drawing on classic British post-punk (Stiff Little Fingers, Wire) alongside American hardcore punk traditions.
Original Homestead and Caroline pressings of the late-1980s Naked Raygun catalog are widely collected in punk rock communities. Multiple reissues have been released through Quarterstick Records.
Listeners new to Naked Raygun typically start with Throb Throb (1985) or All Rise (1986).
