Howie Pyro Explained

Background:	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Howie Pyro
Birth Name:	Howard Kusten
Birth Date:	28 June 1960
Birth Place:	New York City, U.S.
Occupation:	Musician and disc jockey
Instrument:	Bass
Death Place:	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genre:	Punk rock, heavy metal
Associated Acts:	Danzig The Blessed D Generation

Howie Pyro (born Howard Kusten, June 28, 1960 – May 4, 2022) was an American bass player. He was a founding member of The Blessed, Freaks,^[1] D Generation,^[2] and PCP Highway.^[3] Pyro was also the bass player in Danzig from 2000–2003.

Biography

Pyro was a DJ at Green Door parties as well as The Blackeyed Soul Club.^[4] He was the host of Intoxica Radio with Howie Pyro, an internet radio show, where he played "50s and 60s rock and roll, psycho surf, garage, rockabilly, hillbilly horrors, voodoo r & b, insane instrumentals, religious nuts, and teenage hell music."^[5] Pyro was also friends with Sid Vicious and was one of the last people to see the former Sex Pistols bassist alive; Pyro was there the night he died from a heroin overdose.^[6]

In December 2021, it was announced that Pyro was fighting for his life and in recovery following a liver transplant. His longtime friend and D Generation bandmate Jesse Malin announced a benefit concert for Pyro in January 2022, with all funds raised going to Pyro's medical and living expense for the next year as he recovered. Various other benefit shows were held for Pyro as well.^[7]

He died on May 4, 2022, from COVID-19 related pneumonia after suffering from liver disease.^[8]

Discography

With The Blessed

• "Deep Frenzy" / "American Bandstand" (1979)

With Freaks

• Pippi Skelter: A Rock Opera in Five Movements (1988)
• Potter's Field - EP - (1988)
• In Sensurround (1989)
• "Freakout Song" - Single - (1990)

With Action Swingers

• More Fast Numbers (1992)

With D Generation

• "No Way Out" - Single - (1993)
  • Re-released in 1994 and 1996.
• "Wasted Years" - Single - (1993)
• "No God" / "Degenerated" - Single - (1994)
• D Generation - (1994)
• No Lunch - (1996)
• "She Stands There" - Single - (1996)
• "Capital Offender" - Single - (1997)
• "Prohibition" - EP - (1998)
• "Helpless" - Single - (1998)
  • Re-released in 1999.
• Through The Darkness - (1999)
• Nothing Is Anywhere - (2016)

With Joey Ramone

• Christmas Spirit... In My House (2002)

With Genesis P. Orridge / Splinter Test

• Electric Newspaper: Issue Four (1997)

With Danzig

• Live on the Black Hand Side - (2001)
• I Luciferi - (2002)

Notes and References

1. https://variety.com/2022/music/news/howie-pyro-d-generation-danzig-dead-dies-1235259102/ Howie Pyro, D Generation and Danzig Bassist, Dies at 61
2. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p141471/biography|pure_url=yes}} Biography: D Generation]. Allmusic. 5 April 2010.
3. http://www.bigwheelmagazine.com/interviews/interview-with-howie-pyro-of-d-generation/ Big Wheel Magazine - Interview with Howie Pyro
4. Web site: LA's Blackeyed Soul Club – All 60s, All Vinyl, All the Time . 30 March 2012 .
5. Web site: Intoxica Radio With Howie Pyro . . n.d. . self published . 11 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190729124822/http://www.intoxicaradio.com/ . 29 July 2019 .
6. Web site: Sid and Nancy: A Punk Rock Murder Mystery . . 2021 . . 11 December 2021.
7. News: Howie Pyro's Friends Show Up. laweekly.com. 2022-02-03.
8. Hudak . Joseph . 2022-05-05 . Howie Pyro, D Generation Co-Founder and Eclectic DJ, Dead at 61 . 2022-05-05 . Rolling Stone . en-US.