Andy Shernoff (born April 19, 1955) is an American musician, songwriter and record producer.
He is a founding member of
The Dictators
The Dictators are an American punk rock band formed in New York City in 1973. Critic John Dougan said that they were "one of the finest and most influential proto-punk bands to walk the earth."
Origins
The band was formed in 1972 by Andy "Ad ...
, one of the original New York punk bands, in which he wrote nearly all of the songs, played bass guitar and keyboards, and sang backing vocals and occasional leads. He has been involved with a variety of other musical projects, most notably the heavily Dictators-populated Manitoba's Wild Kingdom and
Joey Ramone
Jeffrey Ross Hyman (May 19, 1951 – April 15, 2001), known professionally as Joey Ramone, was an American musician, best known as the lead singer and a founding member of the punk rock band Ramones. His image, voice, and his tenure with the R ...
's first studio album, ''
Don't Worry About Me
''Don't Worry About Me'' is the debut album released by Joey Ramone as a solo artist. It was released posthumously on February 19, 2002, by Sanctuary Records, less than a year after his death. The album was produced by Daniel Rey, who also did m ...
.'' He additionally co-wrote four
Ramones
The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
songs with Joey.
Shernoff's current projects include garage rock band
The Masterplan, featuring members of
The Fleshtones
The Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York, United States, formed in 1976.
History 1976–1979
The Fleshtones were formed in 1976 in Whitestone, New York, by Keith Streng (born September 18, 1955, New York City) an ...
and the Waxing Poetics. In the fall of 2009, he embarked upon a series of solo shows playing songs he wrote or co-wrote and telling the stories behind them. In the spring of 2010, those shows would become "When Giants Walked the Earth - A Musical Memoir" with 50 tour dates in the Eastern U.S. and Canada. Shernoff sang "California Sun" in the official Major League Baseball promotional video for the
2010 All-Star Game. On March 24, 2012 Andy played the Reason Rally, the largest secular gathering in American history, on the National Mall in Washington DC. He released his first solo
EP ''Don't Fade Away'' in October 2012. A follow-up EP, ''On The First Day Man Created God'', was released in February 2013.
Career
Shernoff grew up in New York City, in the Queens neighborhood of
Jackson Heights. He attended elementary school with
Johnny Thunders
John Anthony Genzale (July 15, 1952 – April 23, 1991), known professionally as Johnny Thunders, was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He came to prominence in the early 1970s as a member of the New York Dolls. He later played with ...
and
Flushing High School
Flushing High School is a four-year public high school in Flushing, in the New York City borough of Queens. The school is operated by the New York City Department of Education.
As of the 2020-21 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,4 ...
with
Peter Zaremba and Keith Streng of the
Fleshtones. After high school, he attended the
SUNY New Paltz Music Department. There he started the music magazine ''The Teenage Wasteland Gazette,'' known for its sarcastic, wise-guy attitude. The publication's contributors included famed rock critic
Lester Bangs, who invited Andy to write for ''
Creem'' magazine. Shernoff's early profession of choice was rock journalist.
As both a journalist and a musician, Andy Shernoff is often credited as "Adny Shernoff," a deliberate typo transposing the second and third letters of his name. Shernoff has never explained the reasoning behind this stylistic quirk.
The Dictators
While at SUNY New Paltz, Shernoff met Ross Friedman, aka
Ross the Boss
Ross Friedman (born January 3, 1954), also known as Ross the Boss, is a guitarist, known as a founding member of both the punk band the Dictators, and the heavy metal band Manowar.
History
Friedman was born in the Bronx, New York, and formed t ...
and they started a band with
Scott Kempner. (Later members included roadie turned singer
Handsome Dick Manitoba and several different drummers.)
The band then linked up with
Blue Öyster Cult's management/producers
Sandy Pearlman and Murray Krugman to record the first Dictators album, ''
The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!'' for
Epic
Epic commonly refers to:
* Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation
* Epic film, a genre of film with heroic elements
Epic or EPIC may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and medi ...
in 1975. Shernoff penned the vast majority of the songs, a pattern that would continue throughout the group's career. Lauded by ''
Trouser Press
''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...
'' as a "wickedly funny, brilliantly played and hopelessly naïve masterpiece of self-indulgent smartass rock'n'roll," the album nonetheless failed to connect with the general public at the time and Epic dropped the band.
Disillusioned, Shernoff left the Dictators for a short time and was replaced on bass by
Mark "The Animal" Mendoza before returning to the band, on keyboards. The group was signed to
Asylum Records and released its second album, ''
Manifest Destiny
Manifest destiny was a cultural belief in the 19th century in the United States, 19th-century United States that American settlers were destined to expand across North America.
There were three basic tenets to the concept:
* The special vir ...
'', in 1977. The album, also produced by Pearlman and Krugman, featured a more mainstream sound than ''The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!'' but once again the band failed to find an audience.
Shernoff was back playing bass in 1978 after Mendoza left the band, and the Dictators recorded their third album with Pearlman and Krugman, ''
Bloodbrothers''. Mainstream success continued to elude the band, and the members took a long break, reuniting occasionally for live concerts. Live recordings during this time were captured in the cassette-only ''Fuck 'Em If They Can't Take a Joke'' (
ROIR, 1981), later released on CD as ''The Dictators Live, New York, New York'' (ROIR, 1998).
In the late 1990s, the Dictators began recording a new album, which was eventually released in 2001 as ''D.F.F.D.'' The album was named on several critics' Top 10 lists for the year, including the Denver Post'' and the ''Boston Globe''. The band later released the live album ''Viva Dictators'' (2005) and the rarities compilation ''Every Day Is Saturday'' (2007).
Manitoba's Wild Kingdom
In the late 1980s, Shernoff formed Manitoba's Wild Kingdom with his Dictators bandmates Handsome Dick Manitoba and Ross the Boss. He wrote and produced the band's 1990 MCA Records debut, ''...And You?'' which received warm reviews, national radio airplay and regular airplay on MTV for the video "The Party Starts Now!!".
The Master Plan
Shernoff's side project with the Waxing Poetics' Paul Johnson and Fleshtones Keith Streng and Bill Milhizer, the Master Plan, released its first album, ''Colossus of Destiny,'' in 2003. The band's second album, entitled ''Maximum Respect,'' was released in November 2009 in Europe by Nicotine Records and released in the U.S. in May 2010 on Steel Cage Records.
Solo artist
As a solo artist, Andy has focused on creating videos for his YouTube channel. He has produced videos for "Are You Ready to Rapture", "Let's Get The Band Back Together", "F*ck Christmas" (an
Eric Idle
Eric Idle (born 29 March 1943) is an English actor, comedian, musician and writer. Idle was a member of the British surreal comedy group Monty Python and the parody rock band The Rutles, and is the writer of the music and lyrics for the Broadwa ...
song), "Laugh and Walk Away", "A Good Night to Say Goodbye" (a collaboration with
Lydia Lunch), a tribute to
Joey Ramone
Jeffrey Ross Hyman (May 19, 1951 – April 15, 2001), known professionally as Joey Ramone, was an American musician, best known as the lead singer and a founding member of the punk rock band Ramones. His image, voice, and his tenure with the R ...
called "Sweet Joey" and a song parody of
Blondie's "
Dreaming" entitled "Streaming". He has also released two 7" singles and two CD EP's (listed below).
Other bands
Shernoff has also been a member of the bands The Resistance with Joey Ramone, The David Roter Method with
Albert
Albert may refer to:
Companies
* Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic
* Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands
* Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia
* Albert Productions, a record label
* Albert ...
and
Joe Bouchard, Andy Shernoff's Maximum R&B and The Bel-Airs. He has appeared as a guest musician on albums by the
Ramones
The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
and the
Fleshtones, as well as Joey Ramone's solo album.
Producer
As producer he has worked with The Dictators, The Master Plan, Manitoba's Wild Kingdom, The Figgs, Sin City Six, The Kowalskis, The Golden Horde,
The Barracudas
The Barracudas are an English surf music, surf rock band formed in late 1978. The band's original line-up consisted of Jeremy Gluck (Singing, vocals), Robin Wills (guitar and vocals), Starkie Phillips (Bass guitar, bass and vocals) and Adam Phil ...
,
The Untamed Youth
The Untamed Youth were a mid-1980s garage rock band from Columbia, Missouri, United States, led by Deke Dickerson, who is best known as the frontman for Deke Dickerson & the Eccofonics. Original members (1986) were Deke Dickerson, Steve Mace, Do ...
,
D Generation, The Connection, Skrap, Adrenalin OD, The Electric Playboys,
The Smithereens, Prisonshake,
Guided by Voices, The Waldos, The Connection, Daddy Long Legs, Amphetamine Discharge, The Bonzos,
The Blue Chieftains, The Blood Drained Cows, Metadona, Alter Boys, Riff Raff, Stop, David Roter Method, Sibling Rivalry with Joey Ramone & Mickey Leigh, The Zantees with Billy Miller and
Miriam Linna, Tongue Fu, Wheelers and Dealers, Sic F*cks with Tish and Snooky, and
The Cyclones.
Songwriter
Andy wrote all the original songs for The Dictators and Manitoba's Wild Kingdom. His songs have also been recorded by
The Ramones
The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
,
Dee Dee Ramone
Douglas Glenn Colvin (September 18, 1951 – June 5, 2002), better known by his stage name Dee Dee Ramone, was an American musician. He was the bassist and a founding member of the punk rock band Ramones. Throughout the band's existence, he w ...
, Joey Ramone,
Mary Weiss,
Dion DiMucci and The Little Kings, The Master Plan, Blue Coupe, Carolyne Mas,
Turbonegro
Turbonegro (Turboneger in Norway) is a Norwegian rock band, active from 1989 to 1998 and from 2002 to the present. The band combines glam rock, punk rock, and hard rock into a self-described "deathpunk" musical style.
History
Early years (1 ...
,
The Hellacopters,
Drivin 'N' Cryin, Baptized By Fire with Jesse Blaze Snider,
The Del-Lords,
Toilet Böys,
Young Fresh Fellows
Young may refer to:
* Offspring, the product of reproduction of a new organism produced by one or more parents
* Youth, the time of life when one is young, often meaning the time between childhood and adulthood
Music
* The Young, an American roc ...
,
The A-Bones
The A-Bones was an American garage rock band from Brooklyn, New York. Their name was derived from a song by The Trashmen. The band was formed in 1984 by vocalist Billy Miller and his wife, drummer and co-vocalist Miriam Linna, in the wake of a p ...
,
The Nomads, The Untamed Youth, The Connection, The Dahlmanns,
The 69 Eyes
The 69 Eyes are a Finnish rock band. It was founded in 1989 in Helsinki by vocalist Jyrki 69 (who also writes the band's lyrics), guitarists Bazie, Timo-Timo and bassist Archzie, joined in 1992 by drummer Jussi 69; the lineup never changed sin ...
, The Sponsors, The Golden Arms, The Pleasure Fuckers, The Fastbacks, The Vikings, The David Roter Method, The Streetwalkin Cheetahs,
Teengenerate, Texas Terri, Tom Clark, The Screaming Tribesman, The Smugglers,
The Meatmen
The Meatmen are an American punk band headed by Tesco Vee, originally existing from 1981 to 1988, before reforming in the mid-1990s, and again in the 2000s. They were known for their outrageous stage antics and offensive lyrics. They reformed in ...
, Sex Museum, The Sons of Hercules,
Electric Frankenstein
Electric Frankenstein is an American punk revival band from New Jersey, founded by Sal Canzonieri in 1990. The band relocated to North Carolina in 2021. Their style is a mixture of punk rock, hard rock, garage rock, glam, and heavy metal. It is ...
, The Prissteens, Park Central Squares, The Alter Boys, The Hudson Falcons, Metal Mike, Tesco Vee, The Mighty Ions, Sismicos, Lawn Vultures, The Statics, The Persuaders, The Scared Stiffs, Furious George, Powder Monkeys, Parasites, Wanda Chrome & The Leather Pharaohs, Los Vivos, The Phanthom Fliers, Labanak, The Wretched Ones, Government Cheese, Angel Corpus Christi, Rick Blaze & The Ball Busters, Asteroid B612, Fifi & The Mach III, Jeff Dahl, The Loved Ones and Shock Treatment.
His songs have been in the following movies and television shows: ''
Kindergarten Cop,'' ''
Boys Don't Cry,'' ''
Billions,'' ''
Garage Days,'' Shot! the Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock, ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film of the same name, also written by W ...
,'' ''
We Are Twisted Fuckin Sister,'' ''
Ticket to Write: The Golden Age of Rock Music Journalism,'' ''
Knife Fight,'' ''
Dance Me Outside
''Dance Me Outside'' is a 1994 Canadian drama film, directed by Bruce McDonald (director), Bruce McDonald. It was based on Dance Me Outside (book), a book by W.P. Kinsella.Rob Salem, "Dance Me Outside struts a lively two-step". ''Toronto Star'', M ...
,'' ''
Mondo New York
''Mondo New York'' is a 1988 Mondo film directed by Harvey Nikolai Keith. The documentary film was inspired by the 1963 movie '' Mondo Cane''.
Overview
''Mondo New York'' examines the lives and activities of Manhattan performance artists, and fea ...
,'' ''
Lillyhammer
''Lilyhammer'' is a crime comedy-drama television series starring Steven Van Zandt about a former New York-based gangster named Frank "The Fixer" Tagliano trying to start a new life in isolated Lillehammer, Norway. The first season premiered on ...
,'' ''
Final Rinse,'' The Sex O'Clock News, ''Convenience Store,'' ''Alone in the Dark'' and ''The Way of the West.''
His song "Faster and Louder" was used in the video game, ''
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare''.
Film appearances
* Shernoff is interviewed in the 2000 rockumentary DVD about the
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
, ''
The Filth and the Fury,'' directed by
Julien Temple
Julien Temple (born 26 November 1953) is a British film, documentary and music video director. He began his career with short films featuring the Sex Pistols, and has continued with various off-beat projects, including ''The Great Rock 'n' Roll ...
.
* He performs in the movie ''TV Party,'' which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2005.
* He appears in the movie ''Final Rinse'' as a member of The Dictators 1999.
* He is interviewed in the Fleshtones documentary "Pardon Us For Living But The Graveyard Is Full" 2009
* He performs in the documentary about the Reason Rally, "March of Reason" 2012
* He appears in numerous photos from the Rock Critics Convention in the Big Star documentary, "Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me" 2013
* He is interviewed in the movie "Looking For Johnny, The Legend of Johnny Thunders" 2014
Books
Shernoff is quoted in the following books:
* ''From The Velvets to the Voidoids'' by Clinton Heylin (1993)
* ''Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk'' by
Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain (1997)
* ''Hey Ho Let's Go - the Story of The Ramones'' by Everett True (2002)
* ''On the Road With the Ramones'' by Monte A. Melnick and Frank Meyer (2003)
* ''The Heebie-Jeebies at CBGB's: A Secret History of Jewish Punk'' by Steven Beeber (2006)
* ''Sweat: The Story of the Fleshtones, America's Garage Band'' by
Joe Bonomo
Joe Bonomo is an American essayist and music writer.
Life
Bonomo was born and raised in Wheaton, Maryland. He graduated from University of Maryland (BA) and Ohio University (MA and PhD).
His books include ''No Place I Would Rather Be: Roger Ang ...
(2007)
* "Andy Shernoff's Ten Rules for the Punk Rock Sommelier" appears in ''The Official Punk Rock Book of Lists,'' edited by Handsome Dick Manitoba and Amy Wallace (2007) – ''vide''
sommelier
* ''I Slept With Joey Ramone'' by Mickey Leigh with Legs McNeil (2009)
* ''All Hopped Up and Ready To Go'' by Tony Fletcher (2009)
* ''American Fun" by John Beckman'' (2014)
Discography
The Dictators
Manitoba's Wild Kingdom
The Master Plan
Solo Artist
Guest musician
Songwriter (selected)
References
Other sources
The DFFD Blog, "The Dictators Finally Make the Big League" Fox promo video featuring "California Sun" (June 2010)*
ttp://thedictators.com/trouserpress.html ''Trouser Press'', "The Dictators Look for a Perfect Wave" Andy Shernoff and Scott Kempner interview by Ira Robbins (June 1978)I-94 Bar, "Lou Reed is a Creep: Discourse with Two Dictators"*
ttp://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/08/09/1028158009174.html ''The Age'', "Rulers of Rock," Andy Shernoff interview by Steve Tauschke (August 2002)*
allmusic, Andy Shernoff: Songs
External links
The Official Dictators WebsiteAndy Shernoff's Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shernoff, Andy
1955 births
Living people
People from Queens, New York
American music journalists
Flushing High School alumni
Jewish American musicians
Musicians from New York (state)
Protopunk musicians
State University of New York at New Paltz alumni
Jews in punk rock
Journalists from New York City
The Dictators members
21st-century American Jews
American atheists