Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers
The Furious Era 1979-1987

The Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers are a piece of Italian punk and underground music history. The band was formed in Pisa in 1979. The initial lineup consisted of Antonio Cecchi and Syd Migx. Later, they were joined by two "historic" and mythical figures of the Pisa music scene, guitarist Dome La Muerte – later with Not Moving – and drummer Andrea "Vipera" Salani, who is still active today with various neo '60 projects – I even saw him play live with the Liars. Their first 7" EP 400 Fascists is shrouded in an aura of legend: it is very likely the first self-produced single in the history of Italian hardcore punk music. The piece recalls a true story: the late '70s were a period of strong social and political tension, and in Pisa, where there is a paratrooper barracks, 400 paras marched in a sort of red hunt amidst the indifference of the police while slogans like "Sieg Heil!" were shouted. The expressive urgency of the CCM – another acronym by which they were known – translated into a raw and disruptive sound with the ultra-fast guitar of Dome La Muerte and the powerful rhythm section creating a real wall of sound, while the lyrics spoke of social anger. Right from the start, CCM became a cult group under the banner of rejecting any compromise. The subsequent EP Furious Party was recorded in Berlin: at that time the group was staying in the Kreuzberg district, not far from the infamous Checkpoint Charlie near the Wall.

Later, Dome La Muerte leaves the group to join the Not Moving but this will not deter the CCM who will relentlessly continue their activity with various concerts alongside names like Negazione and Kina!. Meanwhile, the group was now ready for the release of a real album, which was recorded in Indianapolis after an American tour with D.O.A., Toxic Reasons, and False Prophets: Into The Void – released by Belfagor Records – is today considered a classic of punk-hardcore. After another grueling European tour, the group begins to show signs of fatigue that will eventually lead to disbandment in 1987. For many years, CCM records were real rarities in the collectors' market. Now, the courageous and admirable label from Pisa, Area Pirata, releases The Furious Era 1979-1987, a double CD and double LP that contains all their production: in the first disc, there are the first two EPs and the split recorded with I Refuse It! from Florence, as well as outtakes from the Berlin period and sessions recorded for the compilation Senza Tregua. In the second, we find Into The Void and a live track recorded in Bologna in 1987. The Furious Era 1979-1987 is an indispensable piece for anyone who wants to understand the music and the underground cultural context of Italy during that period.