Day After Day is an ambitious attempt to write about a song every day in 2024 (starting on Jan. 4).
Sonic Reducer
Some songs were just born to be anthems. No matter what's going on in your life or how shitty your day's going, when you hear these songs, it makes you forget all that other stuff. Case in point is "Sonic Reducer" by Dead Boys. Just a tried-and-true ass kicker that never fails to get the blood pumping.
The song was written by Cheetah Chrome when he was in Rocket from the Tomb out of Cleveland, with some help from bandmate David Thomas, who later went on to form Pere Ubu. RFTT was playing the song live as early as 1975, but never recorded a studio version. After RFTT broke up, Chrome brought the song to his short-lived glam rock act called Frankenstein, and then to Dead Boys, who made it the opening track of their 1977 debut Young, Loud and Snotty.
"Sonic Reducer" is a classic punk "stick it to The Man" song, full of piss and vinegar and delivering the middle finger to whoever's in range. In the Dead Boys, singer Stiv Bators gives it some extra attitude.
"I don't need anyone/Don't need no mom and dad/Don't need no pretty face/Don't need no human race/I got some news for you/Don't even need you, too/I got my dull machine/Got my electronic dream/Sonic reducer, ain't no loser/I'm a sonic reducer, ain't no loser."
Dead Boys took the garage rock that came before them and infused it with punk attitude, which they needed after they relocated to New York City at the urging of Joey Ramone in 1976. They became regulars at CBGB and "Sonic Reducer" was a staple of their shows.
"I'll be a pharaoh soon/Rule from some golden tomb/Things will be different then/The sun will rise from there/Then I'll be 10 feet tall/And you'll be nothing at all/I got my dull machine/I got my electronic dream/Sonic reducer, ain't no loser/Got my sonic reducer, I ain't no loser."
Young, Loud and Snotty actually charted on the Billboard 200, peaking at #189, which was no mean feat for a punk album in 1977. It's considered a punk classic and with good reason.
Dead Boys released their second album, We Have Come for Your Children, in 1978. Their label, Sire Records, tried to get the band to change their look and sound to be more commercial, which led to the band breaking up in 1979. After the breakup, Bators started a solo career and then formed Lords of the New Church with Brian James of The Damned and Dave Tregunna of Sham 69, releasing several albums on IRS Records. Cheetah Chrome remained busy, doing shows with the Stilettos and his band Cheetah Chrome and the Casualties and playing on Ronnie Spector's debut solo album.
Dead Boys reformed for several gigs throughout the '80s and re-released their debut album as Younger, Louder and Snottier in 1989. Bators died in 1990 after getting hit by a taxi in France. The remaining members reunited for a show in Cleveland in 2004 and then played a few more shows the next year. Chrome and original drummer Johnny Blitz did a Dead Boys 40th anniversary tour in 2017, playing with other musicians including the singer of a Dead Boys tribute band; they also re-recorded the debut album.
"Sonic Reducer" remains a powerful anthem and it's been covered by numerous bands including Bad Religion, Pearl Jam, Guns N' Roses, Overkill, Die Toten Hosen and Saves the Day. It has also been sampled by the Beastie Boys on "An Open Letter to NYC" and was performed by the fictional punk band Hard Core Logo in the 1997 mockumentary of the same name. Great punk songs never die, they just keep giving you the finger, as well they should.
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