Rock Icons: Vinnie Stigma by Dropkick Murphy's Al Barr

Agnostic Front guitarist Vinnie Stigma
(Image credit: Miikka Skaffari\/Getty)

I first saw Agnostic Front in the basement of a YMCA in Boston in 1984. I paid $3 to see them, Void from D.C., Murphy’s Law from New York City and a bunch of other bands. I was rocking my dad’s G.I. boots and the big American skinhead suspenders.

The hall was completely dark except for the light on the stage, and Agnostic Front came out and opened with the song Victim in Pain. I remember being up against the back wall when they started and the next thing I was right at the front. My friend Keith and I were the only ones dancing because those were the days when there was beef between Boston and New York, so all the Boston kids were just standing there – they weren’t going to get into it, even though they wanted to.

So the drummer at the time [Dave Jones] went up and grabbed the mic and he said, “Yo, we just drove eight hours up here and you guys aren’t gonna dance? What’s up with that?” I thought they were fantastic though, and the next day I went to Newbury Comics and bought the gatefold of Victim in Pain.

In my opinion, Agnostic Front are just as legendary as Sick Of It All. There wouldn’t be American hardcore without them. And Vinnie Stigma is one of the most interesting and entertaining people you could ever meet. There are many levels to Vinnie: he’s a skin and he’s one of the original Lower East Side crew guys, but he’s also one of the most thoughtful, generous and polite people you’ll ever meet.

Vinnie’s got so much heart and soul. I’ve got so much love for him. He’s always been my friend and he will always be my friend. I call him every day on the anniversary of Rick Wimert’s [ex-rhythm guitarist in Barr’s old band The Bruiser’s] death, because Vinnie was a good friend of Ricky as well.

He doesn’t drink anymore, but when he did he’d have this drinking song and he’d come on the bus with this look in his eye and you’d know right away it was going to be one of those nights. So there’s that Vinnie, too. He’s also the guy that’s been in hardcore since day one. He’s been a soldier for this music for so long. I don’t know why no one has ghost written a book for him yet. He really needs one.

What’s even more amazing is that he looks younger every time that I see him. I don’t know what his secret is, but whatever he’s taking I want some of it. He looks fantastic. I really could go on and on about him all day long. He’s just an amazing human being. Here’s to you, Vinnie.

Dropkick Muphys’ new album 11 Short Stories Of Pain And Glory is released on January 6 via Born & Bred Records. Al was speaking to Matt Stocks.

Blog: The day Dropkick Murphys got me arrested

Latest in
Vera Farmiga in 2021
The Conjuring star Vera Farmiga announces debut album with her heavy metal band The Yagas
'Emo' Ed Sheeran busking
Watch Ed Sheeran cover Chappell Roan's Pink Pony Club on the New York subway while disguised as an emo busker
A close-up shot of the Marshall Major IV on-ear headphones on a turquoise, blue and black background.
I’ve never seen the Marshall Major IV headphones this cheap before - get them for half price in Amazon’s big spring sale
Evanescence in 2025
Evanescence release new song Afterlife from Devil May Cry TV series soundtrack, have their next album in the works
Tony Banks
“You only have to hear the opening sweep to reach for your lighter and wave it in the air”: Tony Banks' greatest Genesis moments
The Horrors
Ghouls Aloud: The Horrors come back from the dead with "a dazzling nocturnal spectacle of sombre reflections and oozing catharsis"
Latest in Features
Tony Banks
“You only have to hear the opening sweep to reach for your lighter and wave it in the air”: Tony Banks' greatest Genesis moments
Rick Astley and Rick Wakeman
“Rick Wakeman’s solo albums were just brilliant… when I heard he was doing Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace, I bought 12 tickets”: Prog is the reason Rick Astley became a singer
Ozzy Osbourne, Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Jim Morrison and Joe Strummer onstage
The greatest gig I've ever seen: 24 writers pick the most memorable live show of their lives
Marillion in 1984
From debauched prog revivalists to pioneers of the internet age: The Marillion albums you should definitely listen to
Mogwai
“The concept of cool and uncool is completely gone, which is good and bad… people are unashamedly listening to Rick Astley. You’ve got to draw a line somewhere!” Mogwai and the making of prog-curious album The Bad Fire
The Mars Volta
“My totalitarian rule might not be cool, but at least we’ve made interesting records. At least we polarise people”: It took The Mars Volta three years and several arguments to make Noctourniquet