The Dictators have announced more dates on their latest tour. The run of new shows includes Debonnair Music Hall followed with a performance at the St. George Theatre in Staten Island, New York with legendary band Blue Oyster Cult.

You said you wanted to see The Dictators live and we’ve got six shows to close out 2022 with more coming in 2023. C’mon down, let me see a sea of hands!!

The added shows are just the beginning and the band plans to include more dates in the coming 2023 year.

The Dictators - Tour Dates
The Dictators have announced three more tour dates to close out 2022. The tour will now include a show with our old friends Blue Oyster Cult.

NOV 2, 2022

Debonnair Music Hall
1409 Queen Anne Rd, Teaneck, NJ 07666

NOV 5, 2022

With Blue Oyster Cult

St. George Theatre

35 Hyatt St, Staten Island, NY 10301

Tickets

NOV 8, 2022

The Alchemy

171 Chestnut St, Providence, RI 02903

Tickets

NOV 10, 2022

Horseshoe Tavern

370 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2A2

Tickets

NOV 11, 2022

The Rec Room

1680 Richmond Street, London, ON N6G 3YN

Tickets

NOV 12, 2022

The Casbah

306 King Street West, Hamilton, ON L8P 1b1

Tickets

Here’s a little preview of a song we’re working up!

Screw the kids and get the calendar clear... The Dictators are proud to announce their first shows since reforming. Joining original members Andy Shernoff and Ross the Boss are new singer Keith Roth (Sirius XM DJ/Frankenstein 3000) and drummer Albert Bouchard (Blue Oyster Cult).

Andy explains, "The band has been rejuvenated and reenergized, we’ve worked up a bunch of cool new tunes and have a few surprises in store. As Lou Reed said, 'We’re gonna have a real good time together!'"

Andy also adds, "Canada has always held a special place in our hearts and we can’t wait to return to the birthplace of one of our heroes; the legend Bobby Bittman."

A Mari Usque Ad Mare

Upcoming shows

Nov 10, 2022
Horseshoe Tavern
370 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2A2

Nov 11, 2022

The Rec Room
1680 Richmond Street, London, ON N6G 3YN

Nov 12, 2022
The Casbah
306 King Street West, Hamilton, ON L8P 1b1

A brief history of The Dictators

New York City-based punk rock band The Dictators was formed in 1974. The Dictators have been credited as one of the pioneers of the punk rock genre and have influenced many other punk and rock bands since.

The Dictators released their debut album, Go Girl Crazy!, in 1975. The album was met with critical acclaim and helped to solidify the band's place in the punk rock scene. The Dictators followed up Go Girl Crazy! with a number of other releases, including Bloodbrothers which was well-received by fans and critics alike.

The Dictators are proud to announce that Keith Roth has joined the band, replacing Scott Kempner, who had to withdraw earlier this year due to a diagnosis of early-stage dementia.

                                                                           Keith Roth of The Dictators

Born in the Bronx, Keith has been a fan of the band since their first album and brings a wealth of experience to The Dictators. He has performed, toured, and recorded with artists such as David Johansen, Earl Slick, Cherie Currie, and Cheetah Chrome, as well as his own band, Frankenstein 3000. Additionally, Keith has been a DJ and producer on Sirius XM Radio since 2003.

Keith will be featured on the next Dictators single and video, set to be released in early November 2021.

The Dictators are sad to announce that our brother Scott Kempner will be leaving the band due to health reasons. Scott has been diagnosed with early stage dementia. Despite this, Scott wants everyone to know he is feeling fine. His contributions over the past 50 years have been invaluable, shaping the band's vision and sound.

                                                                                      Scott Kempner

Scott's enthusiasm was instrumental in the band's recent reformation, and his presence will be deeply missed. Fans are encouraged to leave messages of love and encouragement for Scott, which he will see.

Our relationship with Scott goes back 50 years. The band was a shared vision and Scott's sense of rock and roll history and our place in it along with his arrangement and songwriting skills kept us on the right course over the years. We will be forever grateful.

As many of you know, The Dictators recently reformed, Scott's enthusiasm played a major role in our decision to make music again. We will miss his contributions in the future You can leave your messages of love and encouragement at this link, where Scott will see them.

The Dictators
Jun 14, 2021
2 min read

With their irreverent mix of ‘teengenerate’ sarcasm, three-chord garage rock, surf music and party-hearty stage antics, The Dictators presaged New York City’s punk attitude. An eternal favorite of PKM, the band, with a break here and there, ‘coulda been a contenduh.’ Alas, in 2021, they are stepping back into the ring! Three of the four original members–Andy Shernoff, Ross “The Boss” Friedman and Scott Kempner–have been joined by former Blue Oyster Cult drummer Albert Bouchard to release new music and eventually tour. PKM’s David Laing caught up with Andy Shernoff for a long and wonderful conversation about all things Dictators.

For all the death, disease and duplicitous dunces it brought us, 2020 wasn’t without its highlights. Amongst good things in rock ‘n’ roll was the announcement – a very low-key but extremely exciting announcement – made by Dictators main man Andy Shernoff. Andy, it seemed, had taken the advice of a song he wrote and recorded solo some years back, “Let’s Get the Band Back Together”. That is, the Dictators had reconvened and were making new music! Not a phony version of the Dictators, but the real thing. The original three guys, Andy Shernoff, Scott Kempner and Ross ‘The Boss’ Friedman, who formed the band and who were at the heart of all its line-ups, were BACK!

No, Handsome Dick Manitoba wasn’t invited to the party, but then, he kinda blew it with the phony version anyway, and he wasn’t even their original singer; Andy was. And don’t worry about the drummer; neither of the two guys on their original three albums – Stu Boy King and Richie Teeter – are with us anymore, and neither were there in the beginning anyway. Andy, Scott and Ross were THE THREE, and they are THE THREE again, with the exciting addition of old pal Albert Bouchard from the Blue Oyster Cult on drums.

The first fresh produce from the new Dictators appeared last month. “God Damn New York” is a thumping tune. Dense, melodic, souped-up hard rock, it follows on from where Bloodbrothers and “16 Forever” left off 40+ years ago and where the great D.F.F.D. picked up 20 years back. It’s everything that you could expect from a Dictators tune, and Andy’s voice is familiar enough – he sung on a bunch of the original recordings anyway – that there is no doubting who it is. A second new single is due April 12 and scheduled to be premiered on Little Steven’s Underground Garage radio show.

One of many influential New York groups featured in Legs & Gillian’s Please Kill Me book, the Dictators have long warranted a detailed feature on this hallowed site, so as soon as I saw the announcement last year, I reached out to Andy. I wanted to get the lowdown on the new stuff, ask him  questions that I didn’t think had been asked, and put a few of my own thoughts about the group to him for a response. I wanted to dig fairly deep into the Dictators’ original time around the block. What you’ll read below is the result of our communications. Enjoy.

Read the entire interview at Please Kill Me: https://pleasekillme.com/dictators-andy-shernoff/

The Dictators
Apr 21, 2021
1 min read

Updated: Jun 14, 2021

Punk rock icons The Dictators are back with "Let's Get the Band Back Together," a fitting title for their first reunion song which also marks the debut of new drummer Albert Bouchard of Blue Oyster Cult fame.

The band was formed in 1973 in New York City and released three albums before splitting up in 1978. Their style was entirely unique — one predicated on punk rock energy with the laid back, party-time sensibilities of surf rock.

Not much has changed all these years later, evidenced by the jingle-jangle of "Let's Get the Band Back Together." There's no need to pour through the song and look for some deep, hidden meaning — it's good-natured fun about loading up your gear and playing a gig with an unforgettably slapstick chorus where the members of The Dictators shout out the song title slightly out of unison.

"I recorded 'Let’s Get The Band Back Together' for one of my solo EPs back in 2012. When we were considering songs I presented it and everybody agreed that it was just too perfect...we had to re-record it, Dictators-style," commented bassist/singer Andy Shernoff.

Regarding their high-profile new drummer, Shernoff added, "Once we made the decision to reform, we discussed getting a drummer who could really explore the space with a cowbell. That means Albert Bouchard because when it comes to the cowbell there’s nobody’s better …. We also think he’s a pretty good drummer."

Rounding out Shernoff and Bouchard in the lineup are guitarists Ross 'The Boss' Friedman (ex-Manowar) and Scott 'Top Ten' Kempner.

Source: Loudwire https://loudwire.com/dictators-new-song-lets-get-the-band-back-together/

Updated: Jun 14, 2021

Called by critic John DouganCalled by critic John Dougan "one of the finest and most influential proto-punk bands to walk the earth," The Dictators have released their first new music in 20 years. The group’s three founding members, Andy Shernoff, Ross Friedman, and Scott Kempner are joined on drums by founding Blue Öyster Cult member Albert Bouchard, the man who played the infamous cowbell on "Don't Fear The Reaper". The Dictators and the Blue Öyster Cult have known each other since the early days when they both shared the patronage of producer/manager Sandy Pearlman.

The Dictators issued "God Damn New York" in January and are now following it up with "Let's Get The Band Back Together".

"Scott and I had lost touch with Ross, but we were brought together by some Dictators business," explained Andy. "Once it was settled, Ross suggested we play together again. It was literally the last thing on my mind, but Scott was enthusiastic, so I sat on it and eventually said okay, and damn, I am so glad I did as it's kept me busy during the pandemic."

He continued: "I wrote 'God Damn New York' with my wife before we got married for a video that never got made. When I was presenting new song ideas to everybody, this one got a thumbs up. So I changed the key, re-wrote the lyrics to give it some Dictators swagger, and voila, the first new Dictators song in 20 years. It's sort of a love/hate letter to New York City".

Regarding "Let's Get The Band Back Together", Andy said: "My buddy Jesse Bates had a song called 'Let's Get The Band Back Together'. I thought it was really clever and funny so I asked him if I could fool around with it and put my spin on it. He said, 'Go for it,' so I made few changes and recorded it on my own a few years ago, but it was just so perfect for The Dictators that we couldn't resist." Ross added: "For me, 'Let's Get the Band Back Together' has the same exuberance and joy 'Go Girl Crazy' has."

Known for their sarcastic lyrics and aggressive sound, The Dictators released what Uncut magazine called "the first punk rock album," "The Dictators Go Girl Crazy", in 1975 — a full year before the Ramones. Having played shows early on with The Stooges and New York Dolls, they became regulars at CBGB's, while influencing bands around the world.

The Dictators released two more records ("Manifest Destiny" and "Bloodbrothers") in the 1970s before breaking up. Ross went on to found heavy metal overlords Manowar, while Scott started roots rock pioneers The Del Lords. Andy worked as a producer and songwriter while also performing with Joey Ramone and The Fleshtones.

An early '80s get-together produced the classic live album "Fuck 'Em If They Can't Take A Joke", and the band performed sporadically until 1995 when, realizing the extent of its fan base and influence, once again reformed full time. Numerous international tours culminated in 2001's "D.F.F.D.", the band's last studio album. After playing the final weekend of CBGB's in 2006, they once again went their separate ways.

More music will come out later in 2021, and the band looks forward to touring in 2022.

"We have a song ready to be released in July and a special seasonal song about the holidays set up for December," the band said. "We hope to record four more tracks in June and just keep on releasing cool new tunes and videos, until things are completely open."

Source: Blabbermouth https://blabbermouth.net/news/punk-rock-trailblazers-the-dictators-release-new-single-lets-get-the-band-back-together

The Dictators
Apr 13, 2021
2 min read

Updated: Jun 14, 2021

The Dictators have just released their first new song in 20 years! To celebrate we have asked Andy Shernoff to tell us about the appropriately titled "Let's Get The Band Back Together." 

Here is the story: I may be a serious musician and songwriter but I don't take myself seriously. I look for the humor in most circumstances and this all spills over into my songwriting.

One night I went to see my buddy Jesse Bates perform and ended up on the floor laughing when he performed a song called "Let's Get The Band Back Together".

It was right up my alley so i asked him if I could fool around with it and record it for one of my solo records. He obliged, so I moved around a few chords, added a bridge, a tag and rewrote the lyrics to put my own spin on it.

When we were choosing songs for the first Dictators recording in 20 years, I presented "Let's Get The Band Back Together". Everybody knew it was so perfect for our situation that we had to re-record it. However, recording in a pandemic with musicians who live hours away from each other proved a bit problematic. We rehearsed twice in Albert's living room, then when restrictions were lifted we went into a real studio and tracked guitars, bass and drums for four songs in one session - experience pays dividends in the recording studio. Then the file trading began as we overdubbed vocals, solos, extra guitars, keyboards and background vocals. What would take 10 minutes if everybody was in the same room took a week of file trading. Slow but steady was the name of the game but we concentrated on maintaining the energy and dynamics and soon ... voila the first new Dictators songs in 20 years!

Source: antiMusic https://www.antimusic.com/news/2021/April/12Singled_Out-_The_Dictators_Lets_Get_The_Band_Back_Together.shtml