Pierre Kezdy
Pierre Kezdy (January 4, 1962 – October 9, 2020) was an American bassist and songwriter, known for playing with various Chicago punk bands, including Naked Raygun, Pegboy, Strike Under, Arsenal, and Trial By Fire. He was also the younger brother of Effigies frontman John Kezdy.
Pierre Kezdy
Greg Dunlap · CC BY 2.0
- Name
- Pierre Kezdy
- Born
- 4 January 1962
- Died
- 9 October 2020
- Place of death
- Glenview, Illinois, U.S.
- Occupation
- Musician
- Nationality
- United States
- Fields
- punk rock
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Pierre Kezdy (January 4, 1962 – October 9, 2020) was an American bassist and songwriter, known for playing with various Chicago punk bands, including Naked Raygun, Pegboy, Strike Under, Arsenal, and Trial By Fire. He was also the younger brother of Effigies frontman John Kezdy.
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Pierre Kezdy (1962–2020) was a bassist and musician, of American nationality. The bassist was born in Chicago and died in Glenview. Pierre Kezdy lived in Chicago.
The work spans punk rock. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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wikidata · Q7192296 · wikipedia · Pierre Kezdy
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Pierre Kezdy • Born — 4 January 1962 • Origin — Chicago, Illinois, U.S. • Died — 9 October 2020 • Place of death — Glenview, Illinois, U.S. • Genre — Punk rock • Occupation — Musician • Years Active — 1980–2020 • Instrument — Bass • Past Member Of — Naked Raygun, Pegboy, Strike Under, Arsenal, Trial By Fire • Label — Caroline, Quarterstick, Wax Trax!, Riot Fest
Biography
Biography
Kezdy started with the band Strike Under in either 1979 or 1980. When Steve Bjorklund, the band's lead singer, left the band in 1981, the remaining members, including Kezdy, formed a new band called Trial By Fire. When that band folded in 1982, Kezdy went on to replace Camilo Gonzalez in Naked Raygun, joining them in time for their second album All Rise. Naked Raygun ceased performing in 1992. In 1994 Kezdy replaced Steve Saylors in Pegboy, the band started by former Naked Raygun bandmate John Haggerty. When Naked Raygun started playing again in 2007, Kezdy was replaced in Pegboy by Mike Thompson. Kezdy suffered a stroke in 2010 and was unable to perform live with Naked Raygun, so Sensitive Pete, who was already part of Jeff Pezzati's band, the Bomb, played bass for their live shows. Kezdy did re-join Naked Raygun for live shows in 2013, playing baritone guitar with Fritz Doreza playing bass. Other bands that Kezdy has played with include the Rainbow Girls (with his brother John Kezdy, of the Effigies), the Interceptors and Arsenal (both with Santiago Durango). Kezdy played a Gibson G3 bass guitar. Kezdy was interviewed for the film You Weren't There and two of his bands (Naked Raygun and Strike Under) were profiled.
Death
Death
Kezdy died of cancer on October 9, 2020.
Strike Under
Strike Under
• Immediate Action 12" EP (1981)
Naked Raygun
Naked Raygun
• All Rise (1986) • Jettison (1988) • Understand? (1989) • Raygun...Naked Raygun (1990) • Last of the Demo Hicans (1997) • Free Shit (2001) • What Poor Gods We Do Make DVD (2007)
Pegboy
Pegboy
• Earwig (1994) • Cha Cha Damore (1997)
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1962
Pierre Kezdy born at Chicago.
2020
Pierre Kezdy died at Glenview.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
- Chicago
Named but not plotted · 1
Glenview.
Death place
Reception
• "Ex-Raygun bassist Pierre Kezdy's steely edge is further ferocious: even his old favorite J.J. Burnel of the Stranglers would karate-kick for such a ripping, trebly sharpness." (Jack Rabid, Allmusic) • "Pierre Kezdy's bass gurgles blood on one track, and is swampy on the next." (Bob Gendron, Allmusic) • "Pierre Kezdy's bass sounds like a power tool" (Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune)
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.artist. overview. Naked Raygun. Greg. Prato.
- 2.artist. overview. Pegboy. Steve. Huey.
- 3.artist. overview. Strike Under. Peter. Schaefer.
- 4.Discogs artist Trial By Fire (3) Trial By Fire
- 5.Stegall, Tim. These 15 Punk Albums from 1985 are the Roots of Alternative Rock. Alt Press. 2020-07-21.
- 6.Roach, Cal. Reunited Naked Raygun has strong Turner Hall showing. The Milwaukee Record. 2015-12-05.
- 7.Carlton, Chris. Interview With Neutron Bombs/Naked Raygun/The Bomb Bass Player. Critical Mass. August 12, 2011.
- 8.Kot, Greg. Naked Raygun gets some payback from longtime fan Dave Grohl. Chicago Tribune. 2015-08-27.
- 9.Raymer, Miles. Chicago Punk, Vol. 1. Chicago Reader. November 22, 2007.
- 10.O'Donnell, Maureen. Pierre Kezdy, bass player for influential punk rockers Naked Raygun, other Chicago bands, dead at 58. Chicago Sun-Times. 2020-10-09.
- 11.release. overview. Naked Raygun - All Rise. Mike. DaRonco.
- 12.release. overview. Naked Raygun - Jettison. Bob. Gendron.
- 13.release. overview. Naked Raygun - Understand?. Bob. Gendron.
- 14.release. overview. Naked Raygun - Raygun.Naked Raygun. Bob. Gendron.
- 15.Discogs release 1760307 Naked Raygun - Last Of The Demo Hicans
- 16.Discogs release 615818 Naked Raygun - Free Shit
- 17.Punknews.org. Naked Raygun - What Poor Gods We Do Make: Story and Music Behind Naked Raygun DVD (2007). December 11, 2007.
- 18.release. overview. Pegboy - Earwig. Richard. Foss.
- 19.release. overview. Pegboy - Cha Cha Damore. Jack. Rabid.
- 20.Gubbins, Teresa. Pegboy. The Dallas Morning News. February 6, 1998.
- 21.Kot, Greg. Made in Chicago Naked Raygun's 5th, Pegboy's 1st top the good stuff from local talent. Chicago Tribune. November 8, 1990.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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