Gene Severens
Encyclopedia
Gene Severens was an American
songwriter
, musician
and visual artist. He was the driving force behind a number of punk rock
bands, first in Worcester, Massachusetts
, but mostly in Providence, Rhode Island
. In addition to lead vocals, Severens would perform on both bass and guitar, usually bass. As a visual artist, he worked in acrylic paint, ink, charcoal and mixed media. The aesthetic throughout was consistent: punk.
Influenced by early punk rock bands the Clash
and the Dead Boys, Severens began writing song with Richard "Foghorn" Harnois with whom he founded the Aggressions c. 1984. The Aggressions, along with the Commandos and the Performers, constituted the core of Worcester's early hardcore punk scene, playing frequently at Ralph's Diner. The Aggressions enjoyed local radio success with their song "Howard Johnson's" about an ill-fated attempt to drive through a snow storm to a punk rock concert.
In Providence, Severens founded his most influential band, Boneyard, who opened for Goo Goo Dolls
and Social Distortion
. Members included Gail Greenwood
who would later join Belly
and L7
. His other main Providence-based project was My Way.
/crucifix
appears throughout Severens' artwork, included as a tattoo on his right arm. This image served as a central theme for his views on the human condition: where Jesus
gave the ultimate sacrifice to call down the doves of peace, modern religion has "made him a scarecrow, to chase the doves away", as Severens wrote in his song The Scarecrow.
The Scarecrow expresses the image and its meaning more fully. On the Boneyard recordings, Severens delivers the vocal, bringing his biting sarcasm to the fore. An alternate arrangement recorded by Severens' brother and accomplished cellist Michael Severens, features a simple vocal with cello accompaniment that brings out the more enduring themes to which the song points.
Eugene Padanyi Severens died in February 2006, in Worcester, Massachusetts, at the age of 42.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and visual artist. He was the driving force behind a number of 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...
bands, first in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, but mostly in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
. In addition to lead vocals, Severens would perform on both bass and guitar, usually bass. As a visual artist, he worked in acrylic paint, ink, charcoal and mixed media. The aesthetic throughout was consistent: punk.
Influenced by early punk rock bands the Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
and the Dead Boys, Severens began writing song with Richard "Foghorn" Harnois with whom he founded the Aggressions c. 1984. The Aggressions, along with the Commandos and the Performers, constituted the core of Worcester's early hardcore punk scene, playing frequently at Ralph's Diner. The Aggressions enjoyed local radio success with their song "Howard Johnson's" about an ill-fated attempt to drive through a snow storm to a punk rock concert.
In Providence, Severens founded his most influential band, Boneyard, who opened for Goo Goo Dolls
Goo Goo Dolls
The Goo Goo Dolls are a Grammy-nominated American rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, by vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik and vocalist and bass guitarist Robby Takac. Since the end of 1994, Mike Malinin has been the band's drummer, a position previously held by George Tutuska...
and Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
. Members included Gail Greenwood
Gail Greenwood
Gail Greenwood is an American musician notable for performing with the bands Belly and L7. Having originally learned to play the baritone horn, she switched to guitar after high school. Her first band, the Dames, won the WBRU Rock Hunt in 1986...
who would later join Belly
Belly (band)
Belly was an alternative rock band formed in 1991 by former Throwing Muses members Tanya Donelly and Fred Abong. The band was based in Boston, Massachusetts, though all of the original members grew up in Newport, Rhode Island. The band consisted of Donelly on lead vocals and guitar, Abong on bass,...
and L7
L7 (band)
L7 was an American rock band from Los Angeles, that was active from 1985 to 2000. Due to their sound and image, they are often associated with the grunge movement of the late 1980s and early 1990s.-History:...
. His other main Providence-based project was My Way.
The Scarecrow
The image of a scarecrowScarecrow
A scarecrow is, essentially, a decoy, though traditionally, a human figure dressed in old clothes and placed in fields by farmers to discourage birds such as crows or sparrows from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.-History:In Kojiki, the oldest surviving book in Japan...
/crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
appears throughout Severens' artwork, included as a tattoo on his right arm. This image served as a central theme for his views on the human condition: where Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
gave the ultimate sacrifice to call down the doves of peace, modern religion has "made him a scarecrow, to chase the doves away", as Severens wrote in his song The Scarecrow.
The Scarecrow expresses the image and its meaning more fully. On the Boneyard recordings, Severens delivers the vocal, bringing his biting sarcasm to the fore. An alternate arrangement recorded by Severens' brother and accomplished cellist Michael Severens, features a simple vocal with cello accompaniment that brings out the more enduring themes to which the song points.
Eugene Padanyi Severens died in February 2006, in Worcester, Massachusetts, at the age of 42.