feature: black punk history—badass drummer karla maddog

Drummer Karla Maddog joined The Controlers in early 1978, where her charismatic personality, impressive skills on the drum kit, and funnily enough, her PR skills played a major role in thrusting the band into a short string of successes (the release of ‘Suburban Suicide’ and tracks on legendary punk compilation ‘Tooth and Nail’) before their 1979 break-up. This was only the beginning for Maddog who briefly moved to England to play in Sexsick with Black Flags’ Kira Roessler, followed by a string of odd jobs, some jail time, and a return to the states. Maddog enjoyed a slice of success upon her second trip to the UK when she met Malcolm McLaren who helped her get her new band, Jimmy The Hoover off the ground. Their single ‘Tantalise’ even making it to the #18 spot on the British charts. By 1990, Carla was back in the states and had joined ex-Controler Kid Spike, and Bill Bones of The Skulls, to play in a supergroup, of shorts, called Skull Control; they played songs from their former bands until they built enough to music to record ‘Radio Danger’. By 1997, Skull Control fizzled out, but, as always Maddog kept playing, hopping around from Legal Weapon, Leaving Trains, El Rey, and other bands.

By Erin White*, AFROPUNK contributor

*Erin White is AFROPUNK’s editorial and social media assistant. You can follow her on Tumblr or friend her on Facebook. Have a pitch or an inquiry? Shoot her an email at erin@afropunk.com.