Gentlemen Afterdark

Gentlemen Afterdark (or GAD) were an Arizona postpunk glam quintet from the ashes of pop-punk band
<a href="spotify:artist:4Qf8J3l0A1NTmbDjqkOLbZ" data-name="The Pills">The Pills</a>. <a href="spotify:artist:3EhbVgyfGd7HkpsagwL9GS" data-name="Alice Cooper">Alice Cooper</a>, a huge fan of GAD’s take-no-prisoners live shows, produced the band’s debut EP, with partner Dick Wagner (<a href="spotify:artist:42TFhl7WlMRXiNqzSrnzPL" data-name="Lou Reed">Lou Reed</a>). People magazine dubbed GAD &quot;stars of the future&quot; (alongside Tom Cruise) in 1984. A&amp;M Records recorded them, saying “the songs are hits!” But GAD got lost to the ether. Still, these hardly famous kids captured self-destruction, identity confusion, and heartbreak, in four-minute bursts. They supported everyone from Sparks and X to Culture Club and New Order.
GAD later traded on artistic successes or rock ’n’ roll excesses. Frontman Brian Smith led power-pop punks <a href="spotify:artist:4pkGshJEijBUZA68dF3pMp" data-name="Beat Angels">Beat Angels</a> and wrote for Alice Cooper and others, before turning to journalism. His best-selling story collection Spent Saints (Ridgeway Press), and a U.K. press compilation of his columns have both been translated onto the big screen. Winston Watson drummed for many, including <a href="spotify:artist:74ASZWbe4lXaubB36ztrGX" data-name="Bob Dylan">Bob Dylan</a>, and currently <a href="spotify:artist:00TFWY9PfTDEgsptXLrl1e" data-name="XIXA">XIXA</a>. Guitar-hero <a href="spotify:artist:6twCQkRIWVKREjHoYu47IE" data-name="Robin Johnson">Robin Johnson</a> starred in combos like <a href="spotify:artist:0zXuiSEM2isZlztEY4QyUL" data-name="Sand Rubies">Sand Rubies</a> and his debut EP is out now. Barry Smith earns his living playing violin, and guitarist Stuart Smith formed U.K. band <a href="spotify:artist:5jLXVM8so7f9TxZjvnD9Ss" data-name="Super J Lounge">Super J Lounge</a> before inventing video software for arena acts like Arianna Grande and Metallica. RIP Kevin Pate and Jon Norwood. Recently, GAD has enjoyed a global resurgence: The Cooper-helmed “Open the Door” landed in season three of Stranger Things, and The Pills’ “I Walk Alone” landed in Glow.