While recording an album in 1989, New York City punk band the Rat Bastards imploded due to typical musical differences, and two members, Andy Gortler (guitar, vocals) and Steve Baise (bass, vocals), carried on with the project as the Devil Dogs. Influenced particularly by '60s trash rock (Sonics, Wailers), the Phil Spector "Wall of Sound," and the big New York punk sound of the '70s (Ramones, New York Dolls, Dictators), the Devil Dogs went on to release a slew of LPs, EPs, live albums, and 45s. Gortler originally formed a band called Gilligan's Revenge in the early '80s, which became Token Entry and then Black Train Jack after his departure. Baise played in a New Jersey-based surf/punk combo, PT109, before joining the Rat Bastards. Drummer "Mighty" Joe Vincent, who also played in PT109, joined the group in 1991. ~ Matt Carlson