Jeff Magnum

Jeff Magnum
Birth name	Jeff Halmagy
Origin	Northeast Ohio, U.S.
Occupation	Musician
Instrument	Bass guitar
Years active	1970s–present
Known for	Bassist of the Dead Boys

Jeff Magnum (born Jeff Halmagy) is an American bass guitarist from northeast Ohio, best known as the original bassist for the Cleveland-area punk band Dead Boys.<ref>AllMusic – Jeff Halmagy/Jeff Magnum profile</ref><ref>MOKB Presents – Dead Boys artist bio</ref> Active since the mid-1970s, he played in the proto-punk group Frankenstein and went on to appear on several classic Dead Boys recordings that became landmarks of American punk.

Career

Magnum came up in the 1970s underground rock scene in northeast Ohio, where future Dead Boys members Cheetah Chrome (Gene O’Connor) and Johnny Blitz (John Madansky) had already been active in the cult band Rocket from the Tombs.<ref>German Wikipedia – Dead Boys</ref>

Around 1975 Chrome and Blitz recruited local singer Stiv Bators (Steve Bator), rhythm guitarist Jimmy Zero (William Wilden), and bassist Jeff Halmagy, who adopted the stage name Jeff Magnum. The new band was called Frankenstein and played a small number of shows in the Cleveland/Youngstown area before evolving into the Dead Boys.<ref>MOKB Presents – Dead Boys artist bio</ref><ref>Nostalgia Central – Dead Boys</ref>

By 1976 the group had relocated to New York City and began performing regularly at CBGB, taking on the name Dead Boys and becoming part of the first wave of American punk.<ref>Dead Boys – Wikipedia</ref> Magnum served as the band’s bassist during their most active years in the late 1970s and is credited as a member from roughly 1976–1979, with later reunion stints in 1987 and 2004–2005.<ref>Bohemia Afterdark – Dead Boys live at CBGBs page</ref>

Magnum’s playing is featured on several key Dead Boys releases and live recordings (see Discography below). A 2013 interview describes him as “one of the legendary Dead Boys in the late ’70s,” noting that he continued to play and record after the band’s initial breakup, including guest bass appearances on tracks by the Cyclones on a 2007 CD and regular on-air segments for a Texas radio show.<ref>The World’s First Internet Baby – Interview with Jeff Magnum (2013)</ref>

List of bands

• Frankenstein – early mid-1970s proto-punk band formed in Ohio by Cheetah Chrome, Johnny Blitz, Stiv Bators, Jimmy Zero and Jeff Magnum; regarded as a direct precursor to the Dead Boys.<ref>MOKB Presents – Dead Boys artist bio</ref>
• Dead Boys – American punk band originally formed in Cleveland/Youngstown, later based in New York City. Magnum was the group’s bassist through much of their classic late-1970s run and in later reunion line-ups.<ref>Dead Boys – Wikipedia</ref><ref>Nostalgia Central – Dead Boys</ref>
• Cyclones (guest) – Magnum has stated that he played bass on several tracks on a 2007 CD by the Cyclones, recorded years after the original Dead Boys era.<ref>The World’s First Internet Baby – Interview with Jeff Magnum (2013)</ref>

Discography

With Dead Boys

Studio albums

• Young, Loud and Snotty (1977, Sire Records) – Magnum is credited on bass guitar alongside additional bass work by Bob Clearmountain on some tracks.<ref>Young, Loud and Snotty – Wikipedia, personnel section</ref>
• We Have Come for Your Children (1978, Sire Records) – second studio album; Magnum is listed as the band’s bassist throughout the record.<ref>We Have Come for Your Children – Wikipedia, personnel section</ref>

Live albums

• Night of the Living Dead Boys (1981, Bomp! Records) – live album recorded at CBGB in March 1979; released after the band’s breakup, featuring Magnum on bass.<ref>Night of the Living Dead Boys – Wikipedia, personnel section</ref>

Compilations, reissues and related releases (selection)

• Various Dead Boys compilations and live releases have reused performances from the late-1970s era on which Magnum originally played bass. Credits on releases and databases such as AllMusic and Discogs list him as bassist for numerous tracks from the classic lineup.<ref>AllMusic – Jeff Halmagy/Jeff Magnum profile</ref><ref>Discogs – Jeff Magnum musician credits</ref>

Other work

• Guest bass appearances on songs by the Cyclones on their 2007 CD release, as described by Magnum in interview.<ref>The World’s First Internet Baby – Interview with Jeff Magnum (2013)</ref>

External links

• AllMusic – Jeff Halmagy (Jeff Magnum)
• Discogs – Jeff Magnum credits
• Interview with Jeff Magnum on The World’s First Internet Baby

References

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