The Plasmatics

New York-based, The Plasmatics established a cult reputation for their outrageous stage presentation, built around Wendy O'Williams' contortions, distortions and disrobing. 

The group built up a loyal following among those fans of American avant-garde rock & roll whose other favourite practitioners were people like Lydia Lunch and Suicide.

In fact one critic remarked that the band "take all the marketable aspects of those musicians and combine them with the formularised commercialism of KISSAlice Cooper and Blondie to come up with a truly perverse yet utterly saleable commodity"

Sure, The Plasmatics music sounded more like unadulterated noise than music; Sure, Wendy's blatant exhibitionism stood eroticism on its head, turning sexual pleasure into a castrating horror show, but so what? No one ever lost money underestimating the intelligence of the American public.

The band's debut EP was titled Meet The Plasmatics, and contained SometimesWon't You? and Want You Baby

During the instrumental section of Want You Baby the band members were isolated from one another so that no one could see or hear what the other was playing!

As a visual act, The Plasmatics made The Tubes look like a temperance-union meeting. Wendy O' Williams, usually topless, systematically destroyed all manner of objects on stage - including motor vehicles.

Police officers attending a 1981 Plasmatics gig in Milwaukee felt that Wendy had perhaps exceeded the entertainment brief when they arrested her for simulating masturbation on stage with a sledgehammer(!). 

In the ensuing fracas, police officers wrestled her to the floor of the auditorium and pinned her down. The singer received cuts to the head and face requiring 12 stitches.

On 6 April 1998, Wendy O Williams committed suicide. A memorial was held at CBGBs on 18 May.

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 The Band

Wendy Orleans Williams 
Vocals & sax
Richard Stotts 
Guitar
Chosei Funahara 
Bass
Wes Beech 
Guitar
Stu Deutsch 
Drums