Punk originator Ross “The Boss” Friedman, who led the Dictators before forming Manowar, died Thursday, March 26. He was 72.
His death, announced on social media, came one month after he revealed he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Friedman was a bridge between two worlds that usually don’t mix: the raw, sarcastic street toughness of ’70s New York punk and the over-the-top, high-fantasy grandeur of ’80s heavy metal.
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Most musicians are lucky to be part of one revolution; Ross was on the ground floor of two. He formed the Dictators in 1973 with Andy Shernoff, helping to kick off the punk rock movement one year before the Ramones formed. The Dictators’ 1975 debut, The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!, is widely considered one of the first punk rock albums.
I meet so many guys who say, ‘I saw you play guitar, I wanted to play guitar like you, I wanted to form a band like the Dictators.’ … This just touches my heart.”
— Ross Friedman
The record defined the Dictators’ sound and style with loud, fast and smart-alecky rock and roll about professional wrestling and burgers, while also sifting through rock history with covers of vintage gems like Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe” and Joe Jones’ “California Sun.”
“I think when Go Girl Crazy! came out, no one had a name for it; no one knew what the hell it was,” Friedman said of punk when interviewed by Manuela Schon in 2015. “I think even we did not know what it was. No one did call it punk rock or anything like that; I would say it is more like protopunk.
“People still look to the band and their records and still form their bands. I meet so many guys who say, ‘I saw you play guitar, I wanted to play guitar like you, I wanted to form a band like the Dictators.’ … This just touches my heart.”
Five years after forming the Dictators, he co-founded the heavy metal group Manowar after meeting Black Sabbath bass tech Joey DeMaio. Friedman’s new band, Shakin’ Street, were opening for Sabbath when the two met backstage and realized they shared a vision for a band that would be “louder than hell.” Friedman went on to play on Manowar’s first six albums, which became the blueprint for much of the power metal genre.
There wasn’t an emphasis on musicianship. It was like, ‘Hey, I can play sloppy and it doesn’t matter.’ I was the opposite of that.”
— Ross Friedman
Friedman’s main electric guitar was a Gibson SG and similar models. Unlike many punk guitarists who possessed only rudimentary skills, Friedman was a skilled and talented player. He disliked the simplistic guitar work of the punk genre.
“There wasn’t an emphasis on musicianship,” he told Guitar World in 2022. “It was like, ‘Hey, I can play sloppy and it doesn’t matter.’ I was the opposite of that. I practiced while everybody else was partying.”
Friedman’s ALS diagnosis followed months of symptoms that included weakness in his hands and legs after a series of minor strokes. Announcing his illness, Friedman wrote, “It’s difficult to know what lies ahead, and it crushes me not to be able to play guitar, but the outpouring of love has been so, so strong. I’m absolutely blown away by the love and support from family, friends and fans. I love you all.”
His death was announced on his Facebook page.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of the Bronx’s own Ross ‘The Boss’ Friedman, who died last night after battling ALS.
“A legendary guitarist and beloved father, his music and spirit impacted fans around the world as much as you impacted him.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support you all have shown throughout his career, and especially these last few months.
“His music meant everything to him, and his guitar was his life’s breath. This insidious disease took that away from him. His legacy with the Dictators, Manowar, Ross the Boss and other collabs will live on forever in our hearts and ears.”
Friedman was inducted into the Hall of Heavy Metal History in 2017, prior to it being rebranded as the Metal Hall of Fame.
