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Gang Green is a band originally from Braintree, Massachusetts. Chris Doherty (guitar), Bill Manley (bass) & Mike Dean (drums) started the band in 1980 and broke up in 1984. The band was influential in the formation of the East Coast hardcore scene.

History

Creation

The first incarnation of the band in 1980 consisted of 15 year olds Chris Doherty, Mike Dean, and Bill Manley and contributed seven tracks to the This Is Boston, Not L.A. compilation in 1982.

In 1984 the group disbanded and lead singer Chris Doherty joined the band Jerry's Kids for their album Is This My World?^[1] In 1985, Gang Green released the 7" "Sold Out" on Taang! Records, the heavily influential Boston label's first release. All of the tracks recorded by the original line up of Gang Green were later released on the Gang Green, Preschool CD, released by Taang! Records.

In 1985 Doherty reemerged with an all new Gang Green lineup consisting of himself (vocals, guitar), Chuck Stilphen (guitar, vocals), Glen Stilphen (bass, vocals) and Walter Gustafson (drums). This second lineup is the most famous nationally as it was both the first to tour and the one that recorded the songs "Alcohol" and "Skate to Hell". This edition of Gang Green released the Another Wasted Night LP on Taang! Records in 1986. This record is considered to be the band's best recording and was a defining moment in Boston punk in the 1980s.

The song "Alcohol" from Another Wasted Night has been covered by a number of bands. Tankard, a German thrash metal band, featured the song on their album Chemical Invasion. It was also covered by Impaled Nazarene, a black metal band from Finland. It appeared on their EP entitled Motörpenis which was released in 1996. Boston punkrock band Dropkick Murphys covered the song on their "Back to the Hub" 7inch. It also appeared on their live compilation, Live on St. Patrick's Day from Boston, MA. It was also covered by The Meatmen on their album Pope on a Rope, and also by No Fun At All on their album Master Celebrations.

By 1987, when they were signed by Roadrunner Records the band’s musical style had come to lean more toward heavy metal and the personnel of the band, save Doherty, had changed completely. This incarnation of Gang Green consisted of Doherty, Fritz Erickson (guitar), Joe Gittleman (bass) and former Jerry's Kids drummer Brian Betzger. In 1989 Gittleman left to devote more time to The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and was replaced by Josh Pappe, formerly of Dirty Rotten Imbeciles.

The Nineties

After touring the United States with Social Distortion in 1990 Gang Green experienced a few more lineup shuffles before being dropped by Roadrunner and going on hiatus for several years in which Doherty founded the bands Klover (Mercury Records) and Hamerd.

In 1996 Gang Green surfaced yet again with Walter Gustafson returning on drums, along with newcomers Mike Earls (guitar, vocals) and Matt Sandonato (bass, vocals). They re-signed with Taang! Records and in 1997 released Back & Gacked (EP) and Another Case Of Brewtality. These records saw the band returning to their punk roots and even moving in a pop direction. Gang Green toured Europe and the U.S. extensively in 1997 and 1998. Chris Doherty moved from Boston to Cincinnati shortly afterwards and in the early 2000s Gang Green played only once or twice a year in Boston and NYC.

Recent Activity

In 2005 Chris Doherty and a new Gang Green lineup supported the Dropkick Murphys’ tour of the U.S. west coast tour.

In early 2007, the band toured through Florida and up the east coast of the US with bands like Lucky Scars before heading out for a European tour scheduled for spring 2007 that included UK and Irish dates.

Mike Dean moved to Maui in 1990 and now lives in Las Vegas.

In 2009 Chris Doherty formed a Cincinnati chapter of the band with a lineup featuring Chris Donnelly, Matt Bryant and Troy Bryant and began playing a few local shows.

Gang Green is in the studio working on a new album and preparing for several live dates in 2010. Once out, it will be their first studio recording in 13 years.

Current members

• Chris Doherty – Vocals, Guitar (July 1980 – present)
• Mike Earls – guitar (1996 – 1998; 2007 – present)
• Walter Gustafson – drums (Feb 1984 – Sep 1985, Feb – Aug 1991, 1996 – 1998; 2005-present)
• Matt Sandonato – Bass (1996 – present)

Previous Members

• Ray Jeffrey – guitar
• Chuck Stilphen – guitar (Feb 1984 – 1986)
• Tony Nichols – guitar (Nov 1986 – Apr 1987)
• Fritz Erickson – guitar (Apr 1987 – May 1990)
• Mike Lucantonio – guitar (May 1990 – 1992)
• Bob Cenci – guitar (2005 – 2007)
• Bill Manley – bass (Jul 1981 – Mar 1983)
• Glen Stilphen – bass (Feb 1984 – 1986)
• Joe Gittleman – bass (Nov 1986 – Aug 1989)
• Josh Pappe – bass (Aug 1989 – 1991)
• Kevin Brooks – bass (1991 – 1992)
• Mike Dean – drums (Jul 1981 – Mar 1983)
• Brian Betzger – drums (1986 – Feb 1991, Sep 1991 – 1992)

Discography

• Another Wasted Night (1986)
• You Got It (1987)
• Older... Budweiser (1989)
• Another Case of Brewtality (1997)

External links

• Official Gang Green website
• Official Gang Green MySpace page
• GangGreen music video for "Alcohol" on BlankTV.com
• http://www.taang.com/bands_ganggreen_body.html
• http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/usa/ganggreen_main.html

References