In Memoriam: Veteran New Jersey punker Paul Decolator
us that Paul Decolator, who was instrumental to New Jersey's punk scene in
the 80s, passed away on Wednesday November 13. Paul was in the band New Jersey's
Finest in the early eighties (members of which went on to form Niblick Henbane). Paul also played guitar in
Pleased Youth, who reunited last year and played shows with longtime friends
Adrenalin OD. Decolator ran the popular fanzine "Tips and Tours" and
booked shows throughout the 80s for bands like Youth Brigade, Government Issue
and 76% Uncertain. Later, Decolator played short stints in New Brunswick's
Loose, The Nils and GG Allin. He recently worked as a music journalist for the
North Jersey music paper The Aquarian. Paul's wicked sense of humor can be summed up in an often-repeated story of when the
Rahway, New Jersey Police raided a Youth Brigade show he had booked at an illegal
venue: when they finished climbing up the long stairway and knocked on the door of the
building, Paul calmly opened the door and told them "That'll be six dollars
each." His family has requested that friends make donations to Paul's favorite radio
station WFMU.