The Lewd, The Refuzors at Danceland USA in Seattle, WA. Saturday May 2, 1981

This poster advertises a one night performance by the formerly disbanded group The Lewd, with The Refuzors, at Seattle’s Danceland USA on May 2, 1981. 

The Lewd was a Punk band formed in Seattle in 1977 by J. Satz Baret (b. unknown), formerly known as Satin Sheets, after leaving Ze Whiz Kidz, a cabaret and comedy troupe led by Tomata Du Plenty (1948 – 2000). The Lewd opened twice for The Ramones in June 1977. In 1979, Baret and Kurdt Vanderhoof (b. 1961), who later became the guitarist for Metal Church, moved the band to San Francisco, where Bob Clic (b. unknown), Tony Garay (b. unknown), Mic Rawls (b. unknown), and Rob Vastano (b. unknown) joined the band. The Lewd was a derivative of a band called The Knobs, formerly known as Sixteen-Year-Old Virgins, which also led to a band called ‘S Nots. Member of The Lewd and ‘S Nots who had been involved with The Knobs included guitarist Marc Cain (b. unknown), guitarist Jeff Gossard (b. unknown)—cousin of Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard—bassist Sheldon Gomberg (b. unknown), and drummers Drake Eubank (b. unknown) and Bill Rieflin (1960 – 2020). 

The Refuzors were a Seattle Punk Rock band in the 1980s, formed by Mike Lambert (b. unknown) on bass and vocals, Danny Barton (b. unknown) on guitar, and Dan Bradshaw (b. unknown) on drums. Other members included Ward Nelson (b. unknown) on guitar, Al Dams (b. unknown) and Mike Purdon (b. unknown) on bass, and Renee Vazquez (b. unknown) on vocals. The band was involved in media controversies both of their own making—such as swinging a dead cat into their all-ages audience while playing the song “Splat Goes The Cat”—and others stemming from assumptions about their black leather uniforms, such as a public accusation by a rock critic at the Seattle PI suggesting they were white supremacists, which led Lambert to write “White Power,” explicitly denouncing such views. The Refuzors performed around Seattle and Porland before they disbanded in 1989.