Dwarves

Dwarves are an American punk rock band from Chicago, United States, active since 1983. The group is associated with garage punk, hardcore punk and punk rock, and its line-up includes Blag Dahlia, Michael Fox, Peter Konicek, Vadge Moore, Nick Oliveri and Peter Straus.

Background

The band forms in Chicago in the mid-1980s, when the original members begin making music together as teenagers in the garage rock group The Suburban Nightmare. They are later based in San Francisco, California. Their early work develops from hardcore punk and scum punk, and their sound later takes on a more pop-punk influence.

Style and image

Dwarves are known for controversial lyrics and for a stage presence that often involves aggressive confrontations with audiences and, in one case, a police officer. Their performances also feature the figure known as “He Who Cannot Be Named”, who appears either in a jockstrap or completely nude without hiding behind his guitar.

Their album artwork is similarly provocative. Blood Guts & Pussy features naked women and a naked dwarf shown in a violent image, while Come Clean uses a related theme with soap suds. Their 1986 Voxx Records debut Horror Stories reflects an earlier Paisley underground style and includes garage rock covers such as The Avengers’ “Be a Cave man” and Shag’s “Stop and Listen”.

Releases and label history

The band records for several labels over its career and is dropped by Sub Pop after pranks including a long-running hoax claiming that guitarist “He Who Cannot Be Named” has died. It later joins Sympathy for the Record Industry. A track by the group also appears on the compilation album Punk You.