Biography
The Pagans are a punk band from Cleveland, Ohio which formed in 1977 and disbanded in 1979, with a 1986 reunion tour since. The original members included Mike Hudson, lead vocals; Brian Hudson, drums and backing vocals; Mike Metoff, guitar and backing vocals; and Tim Allee, bass. The second line up originating from 1982-1983 included Mike Hudson, lead vocals; Bob Richey, Drums; Mike "Tommy Gun" Metoff, Lead Guitar; Robert Conn, Bass, who now fronts Texas based Chelsea Hotel; Chas Smith, Keyboards. The Pagans made some seminal recordings for 7" singles and compilations like Six and Change, What's This Shit Called Love and Dead End America before high tensions caused their initial breakup and ended their run before ever completing a full length album. They were known for a direct unsentimental lyrical intelligence, delivered with primitive reckless abandon, and Mike Hudson not caring who they offended with their snarling lyrics. Their unreleased and early material eventually were issued on full lengths, but not until the 1980's & 90's after the band had split up.
Mike Hudson, later a journalist and editor-in-chief of the Niagara Falls Reporter newspaper, chronicled the band's history in his 2008 autobiographical book Diary of a Punk: Life and Death in the Pagans. He reformed the Pagans again in 2014 for the Hollywood High album, backed by an all-new lineup of Loren Molinare (guitar), Mike D'Amico (bass), Tony Matteucci (drums) and Ben Reagan (guitar). In 2015, he brought in another new lineup of John Dzubak (guitar), Eric Schrader (bass) and Justin Lack (drums).
Mike Hudson passed away on October 27, 2017 at the age of 61.
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