10 Most Obscure Punk Bands Of All Time

3. The Cheifs

L.A. punk outfit, The Cheifs (the misspelling was apparently an early accident, which the band adopted) released a sole EP, 1980s Blues, before disappearing, only to re-surface with a new line-up some three decades later. Driving force and the only link between the two versions, bassist Bob Glassley, abruptly stepped away from the music world in 1982, to pursue a career in IT.

He returned in 2016, with a new group of players, determined to provide a compelling reaction to what he viewed as deeply troubling political events. The new Cheifs played a series of well-received shows across Atlanta and the wider L.A. area before Glassley's untimely death the following year, from complications arising from liver cancer.

The Cheifs original EP, Blues, remains a prized rarity among collectors. More importantly, Glassley's music stands as a visceral reminder of punk's enduring power. This is the punk sound at its best – raw, easily melodic, effortlessly earnest and stripped of pretension.

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Chris Wheatley is a journalist and writer from Oxford, UK. He has too many records, too many guitars and not enough cats.