Derf Scratch
Encyclopedia
Derf "Fred" Scratch was best known as the original bass guitar
ist for, and former member of the punk rock
band Fear
.
Scratch played bass for Fear since the band's formation in 1977. Scratch met John Belushi
during this time in Los Angeles
. Belushi loved Fear and was their biggest booster; the two became good friends and cocaine abusers—this period is well documented in the Bob Woodward
book 'Wired
'. Belushi got Fear a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live
that essentially ended in a semi-planned melee.
After their Saturday Night Live appearance, they recorded their debut album The Record
, now a classic punk album. Scratch not only played bass on most of the record, he played saxophone on the song "New York's Alright If You Like Saxophones" (while lead singer Lee Ving
played bass, as they had been doing the song live). Scratch also co-wrote one song with Ving on the album, "Fresh Flesh", and wrote and sang lead vocal on another, "Getting The Brush". Scratch was also seen with the band in the movie The Decline of Western Civilization
and on an episode of Casey Kasem
's syndicated America's Top 10
TV show.
Fear hung on until the mid-1980s, eventually breaking up due to the death of the Hollywood punk scene and Ving's increasing interest in acting and performing country music
. During the punk revival generated by Nirvana
in the 1990s, vocalist Lee Ving
did one final performance with the original lineup of Fear before putting together a new version of Fear containing no original members other than himself.
Scratch, wishing to concentrate on guitar and saxophone, sold the Fender bass he used on The Record to then-Minutemen bassist Mike Watt
. Watt played the instrument on another future punk classic, the 1982 release What Makes A Man Start Fires?
Scratch later resurfaced in several other groups, including groups such as the eponymous Derf Scratch and Friends and The Werewolfs. As a member of The Werewolfs, Scratch was seriously injured in a car accident after a show in Los Angeles.
Scratch died on July 28, 2010 from liver disease. He was 58 years old. He is survived by his wife of fourteen years, Tammy.
Scratch was a real estate agent who had passed his test during his early days with Fear. He shared a desk with his parents at the realtor and would tell them he was going to look for properties, but would go to Lee Ving's place to brainstorm ideas for the band.
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist for, and former member of the punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Fear
Fear (band)
Fear is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1977. The band is credited for helping to shape the sound and style of American hardcore punk, the group started out as part of the early California punk rock scene, and gained national prominence after an infamous 1981...
.
Scratch played bass for Fear since the band's formation in 1977. Scratch met John Belushi
John Belushi
John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...
during this time in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Belushi loved Fear and was their biggest booster; the two became good friends and cocaine abusers—this period is well documented in the Bob Woodward
Bob Woodward
Robert Upshur Woodward is an American investigative journalist and non-fiction author. He has worked for The Washington Post since 1971 as a reporter, and is currently an associate editor of the Post....
book 'Wired
Wired (book)
Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi, is a 1984 non-fiction book by American journalist Bob Woodward about the American actor and comedian John Belushi....
'. Belushi got Fear a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
that essentially ended in a semi-planned melee.
After their Saturday Night Live appearance, they recorded their debut album The Record
The Record (album)
The Record is the debut album by Los Angeles hardcore punk band Fear, released in 1982"We Got to Get Out of This Place" is a cover of the song made famous by The Animals.-Track listing:All songs by Lee Ving, except where noted....
, now a classic punk album. Scratch not only played bass on most of the record, he played saxophone on the song "New York's Alright If You Like Saxophones" (while lead singer Lee Ving
Lee Ving
Lee Ving Lee Ving Lee Ving (born Lee James Capellaro; April 10, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an American musician, most famous for his role as lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Los Angeles-based punk rock band Fear, and actor. In the late 1960s Ving joined Sweet Stavin Chain Blues Band...
played bass, as they had been doing the song live). Scratch also co-wrote one song with Ving on the album, "Fresh Flesh", and wrote and sang lead vocal on another, "Getting The Brush". Scratch was also seen with the band in the movie The Decline of Western Civilization
The Decline of Western Civilization
The soundtrack was released in December 1980 by Slash Records on LP. In the late 1990s it was released on CD as well. It is currently out of print. Germs singer Darby Crash appears on the soundtrack album cover. He died shortly before the film was released, though the promotional images for the...
and on an episode of Casey Kasem
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
's syndicated America's Top 10
America's Top 10
America's Top 10 was a television program of music hits based on Billboard's Hot 100, with the exception of the last season in 1992 which used the Radio and Records chart. It aired in syndication by Gold Key Media from 1980-1982 and by All American Television from 1982-1992. The show was hosted by...
TV show.
Fear hung on until the mid-1980s, eventually breaking up due to the death of the Hollywood punk scene and Ving's increasing interest in acting and performing country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
. During the punk revival generated by Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
in the 1990s, vocalist Lee Ving
Lee Ving
Lee Ving Lee Ving Lee Ving (born Lee James Capellaro; April 10, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an American musician, most famous for his role as lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Los Angeles-based punk rock band Fear, and actor. In the late 1960s Ving joined Sweet Stavin Chain Blues Band...
did one final performance with the original lineup of Fear before putting together a new version of Fear containing no original members other than himself.
Scratch, wishing to concentrate on guitar and saxophone, sold the Fender bass he used on The Record to then-Minutemen bassist Mike Watt
Mike Watt
Michael David Watt is an American bassist, singer and songwriter.He is best known for co-founding the rock bands Minutemen, dos, and Firehose; , he is also the bassist for the reunited Stooges and a member of the art rock/jazz/punk/improv group Banyan as well as many other post-Minutemen...
. Watt played the instrument on another future punk classic, the 1982 release What Makes A Man Start Fires?
What Makes a Man Start Fires?
What Makes a Man Start Fires? is the second full-length album and fifth release overall by influential American punk rock band Minutemen.At almost twice the length of their previous album, The Punch Line, the Minutemen's songs began surpassing the two-minute mark.Breaking another Minutemen record,...
Scratch later resurfaced in several other groups, including groups such as the eponymous Derf Scratch and Friends and The Werewolfs. As a member of The Werewolfs, Scratch was seriously injured in a car accident after a show in Los Angeles.
Scratch died on July 28, 2010 from liver disease. He was 58 years old. He is survived by his wife of fourteen years, Tammy.
Personal
Scratch met his wife Tammy in 1992. They married in 1996. She was a member of Derf Scratch and Friends who played keyboards and sang vocalsScratch was a real estate agent who had passed his test during his early days with Fear. He shared a desk with his parents at the realtor and would tell them he was going to look for properties, but would go to Lee Ving's place to brainstorm ideas for the band.