Today, the seminal Evanston, IL punk band Verböten, formed in 1982 by guitarist/singer JasonNarducy (Bob Mould Band, Michael Shannon, Superchunk, Sunny Day Real Estate), singer TraceyBradford, bassist Chris Kean, and drummer Zack Kantor, announce their first-ever album, Verböten(out October 4th), and in conjunction share the albumʼs lead single, “Bodily Autonomy.” Ahead of the albumʼs release, Verböten will play their first show since 1983 at Riot Fest in Chicago on Saturday, September 21st.
Formed by four kids ages 10 to 14, the Evanston bandʼs scrappy and aggressive songs made them young stalwarts of the burgeoning Chicagoland punk scene. Though they only lasted a yearand a half, their legacy still endures: Dave Grohl says witnessing their band practice at his cousin,singer Tracey Bradfordʼs house, inspired him to start writing original songs. In 2020, a musicalabout the band was critically acclaimed and award winning. Now, 41 years after they disbanded,theyʼve reunited to release their debut album Verböten, 12 brand-new tracks as a testament tothe miraculous power of making music with your friends.
Recorded at Chicagoʼs Electrical Audio, Verböten is intense, efficient, and direct punk. Coming in at just under a half hour, the album is a blast front-to-back. Itʼs a document of four lifelong friends once again finding the freedom and joy of the music that brought them together. Making an album served as an exercise for the band to rediscover the music of their childhood:punk and new wave. “We asked ourselves, ʻWhat was it that inspired us in the 80s?ʼ,” says Narducy. “There were a lot of bands that were political, so we decided to lead this record with twohighly political songs that are rip your face off, aggressive.” Lead single “Bodily Autonomy” is that pummeling dose of righteous anger. Over pounding power chords and a relentless drum beat,Bradford sings, “Imagine now / New laws on vas deferens / Does this add up? / The target is so clear.”
During their short but influential career, Verböten featured Bradford, Narducy, Kean, and Kantor.After they amicably broke up in 1983, only Narducy stayed in music. Heʼs an indie rock lifer who fronts the band Split Single and is the touring bassist in the Bob Mould Band and Superchunk, and touring guitarist with Sunny Day Real Estate. Despite his musical pedigree, it was Bradford, ahospice nurse, and Kean, a public school teacher, who floated the idea for a reunion. “It never evenoccurred to me that they would want to reunite because they hadn’t played music in fourdecades,” says Narducy. Instead of revisiting material Narducy wrote when he was 11 years old, the band set out to write entirely new songs.
With Kantor not interested in performing music again, he gave the band his blessing to reunite and bring on new drummer John Carroll (Muca Pazza, Paper Mice, 88 Fingers Louie). “I was as surprised as anyone that this middle school band teacher is also a phenomenal punk rock drummer,” says Narducy. “The fact that he teaches at the Evanston middle school both Chrisand Zack attended while they were in Verböten made it even more special.”
“It was easy and natural to play together again,” says Kean. “It didn’t really feel like decades hadpassed. The new songs capture the spirit and energy of who we were then and who we are now.”Bradford agrees: “The most important part of our band besides the music, is the lifetime friendship and respect to each other. We gel seamlessly as soon as we start. Itʼs like time has notelapsed except Jason is a better leader, musician, and writer.”
“This is the punk rock record we always wanted to make,” says Narducy. “That’s what wewanted to do as kids—we just weren’t able to do it. This is how I imagined this band would have grown if we had stayed a band.”
Pre-order Verböten
Verböten Tracklist
- No More Indecision
- Bodily Autonomy
- Kicking Away
- Machine
- Lost In My Skin
- Dark Things
- Better Life
- Full Disruption
- Radiate
- Human Division
- Scam Culture
- Conviction Of Youth
