Robert Bertelli, better known as Bob Bert, is an American rock drummer.

Biography

Based in

Hoboken, New Jersey Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,690 i ...

, Bert initially came to prominence as drummer for the experimental rock band

Sonic Youth Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the b ...

during the early to mid-1980s. Bert played on the Sonic Youth releases '' Confusion Is Sex'', ''

Sonic Death ''Sonic Death'' is a live album by American rock band Sonic Youth. It was released in 1984 on cassette tape by the Ecstatic Peace! record label. Content ''Sonic Death'' contains live recordings from 1981 to 1983. Many of the tracks on the a ...

'', and ''

Bad Moon Rising "Bad Moon Rising" is a song written by John Fogerty and performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was the lead single from their album ''Green River'' and was released in April 16, 1969 four months before the album. The song peaked at No. 2 ...

''. After ''Bad Moon Rising'', Bert quit the group. Bert contributed during the last half of the 1980s as percussionist for noise band

Pussy Galore Pussy Galore is a fictional character in the 1959 Ian Fleming James Bond novel '' Goldfinger'' and the 1964 film of the same name. In the film, she is played by Honor Blackman. The character returns in the 2015 Bond continuation novel ''Trigg ...

. He was a member of

Action Swingers Action Swingers were an indie rock/garage punk band formed in the late 1980s in New York City, fronted by singer/guitarist Ned Hayden, who was the only constant member. During its history the band featured members of several other bands, both as fu ...

in the early 1990s.Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 588 In the early 1990s, Bert drummed for the Chrome Cranks (which also included Peter Aaron on vocals; Jerry Teel on bass; and William Weber on stun guitar). After the dissolution of the Cranks, Bert joined forces with guitarist

Kid Congo Brian Tristan (born March 27, 1959), better known by his stage name Kid Congo Powers,Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 25, 41, 359 is an American rock guitarist, singer, and actor best known as a member o ...

, guitarist Jack Martin, bassist/vocalist Jerry Teel and organist Barry London in the rootsy New York City band Knoxville Girls. Throughout, Bert managed to release a handful of recordings by his percussive/concussive vehicle

Bewitched ''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typic ...

. Releases by Bewitched include the ''Chocolate Frenzy'' 12" EP; some albums, including '' Harshing My Mellow'' on No. 6 Records; and the "Hey White Homie" 7" on

Sub Pop Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often ...

. Bewitched toured with S.Y. and STP (short-lived NYC all-female foxcore band which included PG guitarist

Julie Cafritz Julia Cafritz (born May 5, 1965) is an American musician and guitarist who was a member of Pussy Galore and Free Kitten. She is regarded as a cult figure from the New York City noise music scene of the 1990s. Early life Cafritz was born in Was ...

) during the summer of 1990, the year Goo was released. During the late 1990s, Bert and his wife, artist Linda Wolfe, began publishing ''

BBGun A BB gun is a type of air gun designed to shoot metallic spherical projectiles called BBs (not to be confused with similar-looking bearing balls), which are approximately the same size as BB-size lead birdshot used on shotguns ( in diamet ...

'', a

zine A zine ( ; short for '' magazine'' or '' fanzine'') is a small-circulation self-published Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author at their own cost, without the involvement of a publisher. The term usually refers to writ ...

that primarily covers punk rock. In 1998, Bert contributed the liner notes and interviewed

Suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

for the reissue of the band's eponymous second album. Bert played with Five Dollar Priest as well as with the International Shades, which features ex-

Live Skull Live Skull is a post-punk/experimental rock band from New York City, formed in 1982. In an overview of their abrasive no wave-influenced music, ''Trouser Press'' said, "As part of the same New York avant-noisy scene that spawned Sonic Youth, Lyd ...

guitarist Mark C. and former Pier Platters shop assistant-turned-keyboardist

Dorien Garry ''Dorien'' is a Spanish psychological thriller and horror web television series created by Kiko and Javier Prada starring Carolina Bang, Daniel Muriel, Macarena Gómez and Dafne Fernández. It was released from 2017 to 2018 on RTVE's playz. ...

among others. In 2011

Thick Syrup Records Thick Syrup Records is an independent record label from Little Rock, Arkansas. Founded by Travis McElroy in 2006, it specializes in indie rock and underground music. It has released the work of known acts such as Matt Cameron, Jad Fair from Half ...

released the compilation cd ''Bewitched - Bob Bert Presents: The Worst Poetry Of 1986 - 1993'', featuring all tracks Bob Bert recorded with Bewitched. The label also released the last album of the re-united Chrome Cranks featuring Bert on drums. Lydia Lunch Retrovirus W71 06

Bert is now playing with Retrovirus (

Lydia Lunch Lydia Lunch (born Lydia Anne Koch; June 2, 1959)Martin Charles Strong. ''The Great Indie Discography''. 2003, page 85 is an American singer, poet, writer, actress and self-empowerment speaker. Her career began during the 1970s New York City no ...

Weasel Walter Weasel Walter (born Christopher Todd Walter, May 18, 1972) is an American composer, improviser, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and founder of ugEXPLODE Records. Walter's work has been informed by techniques and traditions of music including Av ...

, Tim Dahl), who have released studio and live albums, and also with Wolfmanhattan Project with

Kid Congo Powers Brian Tristan (born March 27, 1959), better known by his stage name Kid Congo Powers,Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 25, 41, 359 is an American rock guitarist, singer, and actor best known as a member of ...

(

The Gun Club The Gun Club were an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, United States, which existed from 1979 to 1996. It was formed and led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Jeffrey Lee Pierce. History Early days (1979–1980) The Gun Club w ...

The Cramps The Cramps were an American rock band formed in 1976 and active until 2006. Their lineup rotated frequently during their existence, with the husband-and-wife duo of singer Lux Interior and guitarist Poison Ivy the only ever-present members. T ...

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian rock band formed in 1983 by vocalist Nick Cave, multi-instrumentalist Mick Harvey and guitarist-vocalist Blixa Bargeld. The band has featured international personnel throughout its career and pres ...

, Knoxville Girls, Pink Monkey Birds) and

Mick Collins Mick Collins (born December 18, 1965) is a musician from Detroit, Michigan. Biography Collins first got exposure to early rock and roll music through his family's record collection. Also, living in Detroit, he was surrounded by Motown record ...

(

The Gories The Gories are an American garage rock trio that formed in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in 1986. They were among the first 1980s garage rock bands to incorporate overt blues influences. The band features Mick Collins (of The Dirtbombs), Dan K ...

The Dirtbombs The Dirtbombs are an American garage rock band based in Detroit, Detroit, Michigan, notable for blending diverse influences such as punk rock and Soul music, soul, while featuring a dual bass guitar, dual drum and guitar lineup. The Dirtbombs we ...

). In 2019, Bert released ''I'm Just the Drummer: My Time Behind Sonic Youth, Pussy Galore, Chrome Cranks & BB Gun Magazine'', a book compiling his photographs and interviews he did with artists he collaborated with or that influenced him.

Discography

With Sonic Youth

* '' Confusion is Sex'', 1982 * '' Kill Yr Idols'', 1983 * ''

'', 1984 * ''

'', 1984 * '' Death Valley 69'', 1984

With Lee Ranaldo

* '' Between the Times and the Tides'', 2012

Bewitched

* ''Chocolate Frenzy'' 12" EP * '' Brain Eraser'', No. 6 Records * '' Harshing My Mellow'', No. 6 Records * "Hey White Homie" 7"

. * '' Bob Bert Presents: The Worst Poetry of 1986-1993'',

2011

Chrome Cranks

* ''Dead Cool'', CD

Crypt A crypt (from Latin ''crypta'' "vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics. Originally, crypts were typically found below the main apse of a chur ...

, 1995 * ''

Love In Exile ''Love in Exile'' is a 1936 British romantic adventure film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Helen Vinson, Clive Brook and Mary Carlisle. Production The film was shot at Isleworth Studios in west London by the independent producer M ...

'', CD PCP, 1996 * ''Oily Cranks'', CD

Atavistic Records Atavistic Records is an American record label based in Chicago, Illinois, known for its no wave and free jazz recordings. Atavistic has released albums by Glenn Branca, Nels Cline, Lydia Lunch, Peter Brötzmann, Ken Vandermark, Pinetop Seven, Sw ...

, 1997 * ''Diabolical Boogie: Singles, Demos & Rarities (1992 B.C.- 1998 A.D.)'' CD, Atavistic Records, 2006 * ''Ain't No Lies In Blood'' CD,

2011

With Lydia Lunch Retrovirus

*''Retrovirus'', Recorded live at the Knitting Factory, Brooklin, NY, Nov 15, 2012 (CD / Widowspeak, 2013) *''Urge to Kill'' (CD / Widowspeak / Rustblade / Brava, 2015) *Live in Zurich (CD / Widowspeak, 2016)

With Wolfmanhattan Project

* ''Smells Like You'', (7", In The Red Recordings, 2015) * ''Blue Gene Stew'', (CD/Album, In the Red Recordings, 2019)