Crime

:(This page is about the American punk band. For the British punk band of the same name, see Crime(2)).
Crime was an early American punk band from San Francisco, California, United States. The band was formed in 1976 by Johnny Strike (vocals, guitar), Frankie Fix (vocals, guitar), Ron "The Ripper" Greco (bass; ex-Flamin' Groovies), and Ricky Tractor (Ricky Williams) (drums). Their debut, the self-financed double A-side, "Hot Wire My Heart" and "Baby You're So Repulsive", appeared at the end of 1976, and is the first single released by a U.S. punk act from the West Coast.
In the following years Crime changed their line-up several times. Ricky Tractor was fired (later appearing in groups such as Flipper, Toiling Midgets and The Sleepers) and was succeeded by Brittley Black (Larry Black) in 1977. After releasing one single, another double A-side, "Frustration" and "Murder by Guitar", Black was replaced by Hank Rank (Henry S. Rosenthal) that same year. In 1979, Greco left the band and was replaced by Joey D'Kaye (Joey Swails) on bass, who had been the band's sound engineer.
Greco and Black both returned for Crime's last release, the single "Maserati/Gangster Funk" in 1981, while D'Kaye moved to synthesizers and produced the recording.
The band split up the following year. Strike and D'Kaye briefly formed an electropunk duo called Vector Command, while Fix attempted to start a solo career, with a back-up band called The Rockabilly Rebels. Neither produced any record releases at the time.
Ricky Tractor died in 1992, Frankie Fix in 1996, Brittley Black in 2004 and Johnny Strike in 2018.
==Links to Peel==
John would often play their songs on his radio shows, even after the band split in 1982. In 1991, he played three tracks from the band's live album on his 01 September 1991 show, as well as Vertigo's cover of their song, 'Murder By Guitar'.
==Shows Played==
;thumb|220x220px1980
*18 August 1980: Murder By Guitar (7" b-side Frustration) Crime Music 
;1982
*01 December 1982: Murder By Guitar (7" - Frustration) Crime Music
*12 December 1982 (BFBS): Murder By Guitar (7" - Frustration) Crime Music
;1991
*01 September 1991: Twisted (album - San Francisco's Doomed) Solar Lodge
*01 September 1991: Murder By Guitar (album - San Francisco's Doomed) Solar Lodge
*01 September 1991: Instrumental Instrumental (album - San Francisco's Doomed) Solar Lodge
;1992
*23 February 1992: Hot Wire My Heart (7") Spirit Music Industries
*02 March 1992 (Ö3): 'Hotwire My Heart (7")' (Crime Music)
;1995
*30 September 1995: 'Murder By Guitar (7"-B side of Frustration)' (Crime Music)
;2002
*17 October 2002: Hot Wire My Heart (Compilation 7" - Rock And Roll 1) Mute
*05 November 2002: Hot Wire My Heart (Compilation 7" - Rock And Roll 1) Mute
*14 November 2002 (Radio Eins): Hot Wire My Heart (Compilation 7" - Rock And Roll 1) Mute
== See Also ==
* The Collection (Peel Acres - Jarvis Cocker): Murder By Guitar (7" -  Frustration / Murder By Guitar) Crime Music
==External Links==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
Category:Artists