Stiv Bators, Celebrating the Life of a Dead Boy at the Bowery Electric

Sally Can’t Dance presented Stiv Bators, Celebrating the Life of a Dead Boy at the Bowery Electric on July 28, 2019. Michael T. of Michael T. & the Vanities hosted the event, and numerous local buzz artists sang songs from Bators’ catalogue, accompanied by a house band consisting of guitarists Derek Cruz and Sam Allen, bassist Matt Basile, and drummer Randy Schrager. The performers included the B-Girls, Chuck Bones, Matt Hitt, Paul Bearer, LG Galleon, Johnny Scuotto, Soraia Mansour, Rebecca Korbet, Dylan Hundley, Erik Toast, Sam Harris, and Dave Feldman. The Ghost Wolves and the Trash Bags performed earlier in the evening with opening sets. Cheetah Chrome, formerly Bators' bandmate in the Dead Boys, Jimmy G of Murphy's Law, and Sam Hariss of the Sweet Things were on the original schedule but then cancelled.

Steven Bator, better known by his stage name Stiv Bators, played in promising bands in his native Girard, Ohio, when he decided to pursue music in Cleveland, Ohio. There in 1976 he co-founded the Dead Boys, with whom he helped pioneer the first wave punk rock movement. Bators’ wild, unhinged performances quickly became a recurring staple at CBGB, the club at the epicenter of New York City punk culture. Ultimately the band moved to New York City.

Following the demise of the Dead Boys in 1979, Bators recorded solo. Relocating to London, England, he co-founded the short-lived Wanderers with bassist Dave Tregunna, formerly of Sham 69. Bators and Tregunna then teamed in 1981 with guitarist Brian James of the Damned to form the Lords of the New Church; that band split in 1989 when Bators injured his back and James reportedly began advertising secretly for a replacement singer.

Bators performed with reckless abandon with each of his projects. Frequently, he rolled on the floor, engaged in spit fights with fans, cut himself, and wound the microphone cord several times around his neck and pulled. Once, the hanging stunt went too far and Bators was pronounced clinically dead for several minutes, but he recovered.

Bators died in 1990 in Paris, France, after being hit by a car. He was taken to a hospital but reportedly left before seeing a doctor after waiting several hours and assuming he was not injured. He later died in his sleep as the result of a traumatic brain injury.

Bators and the Dead Boys were featured in two documentaries about the early punk years, Crash 'n' Burn and D.O.A.: A Right of Passage, and actors portrayed the Dead Boys in the film CBGB. Bators had bit parts in several films, notably in Polyester and Tapeheads. A documentary about Bators, STIV: No Compromise, No Regrets, was released on March 19, 2019.

Derek Cruz of Jesse Malin's band was the musical director

Michael T. of Michael T. & the Vanities served as the master of ceremonies

Johnny Scuotto sang “All This and More" by the Dead Boys

RB Korbett of King Missile and the Carvels NYC sang "Ready to Snap" by the Wanderers

Dave Feldman of Wyldlife sang "What Love Is" by the Dead Boys

Dylan Hundley of Lulu Lewis sang "Question of Temperature" by the Lords of the New Church

Matt Hitt of Drowners sang "Russian Roulette" by the Lords of the New Church

Chuck Bones of the Trash Bags sang "Livin' on Livin'" by the Lords of the New Church
and “I Need Lunch” by the Dead Boys

Soraia Mansour of Soraia sang "War Zone" by the Dead Boys

Paul Bearer of Sheer Terror sang "Make Up Your Mind" by Stiv Bators

Mick Stitch of the LES Stitches sang "Evil Boy" by the Dead Boys

The B-Girls sang "I'm Not That Way Anymore" and "It's Cold Outside" by Stiv Bators

LG Galleon of Dead Leaf Echo sang "Open Your Eyes" by the Lords of the New Church

Erik Toast of Toasted sang "Sonic Reducer" by the Dead Boys