Dez Cadena

Dez Cadena (born June 2, 1961) is an American punk rock singer and guitarist.

He was the third vocalist and later rhythm guitarist for hardcore punk band Black Flag from 1980 to 1983.

Cadena joined Black Flag in 1980, replacing singer Ron Reyes.

During the first year of touring with the band, his hoarse voice became a recognizable and often imitated style of singing in hardcore punk.

Eventually, and due in part to straining his voice, Cadena decided he wanted to play guitar.

Robo returned to the band for the first time since the 1980s having played on the band's classic Earth A.D./Wolfsblood album alongside Jerry and Doyle.

Cadena had also played with Robo in Black Flag in the early 1980s.

This line-up featured one bonus track only on the Cuts From The Crypt compilation.

They split up when Doyle left the band after a failed reunion with Glenn Danzig, later joining Danzig instead.

Robo and Marky Ramone both handled drum duties for the band on this tour before Robo left once again.

Henry Rollins joined as vocalist, and for a period, Cadena played rhythm guitar alongside founder Greg Ginn, including on the seminal 1981 album Damaged.

Eventually, Cadena wanted to explore other forms of music so he left Black Flag and started DC3.

Before, during and after his stint in Black Flag, Cadena was a member of Redd Kross, Twisted Roots, and Ella and the Blacks, a band which he co-founded.

He also made a guest appearance on Hüsker Dü's 1984 double album, Zen Arcade.

During the mid-1990s, Cadena teamed up with George Hurley and Tom Troccoli to form Vida.

Originally VIDA was formed w/ former Saccharine Trust drummer, Tony Cicero.

The original line-up recording of the Minutemen tune Reserved for 99' can be found on the cover compilation "Our Band Could Be Your Life".

Their self-titled album was released by Blue Man from Uranus Records.

The band has since dissolved.

He also played with raucous Hermosa Beach bar band The Jim Mellon Quartet, as well as Steve Reed and Dave Markey in Carnage Asada.

Cadena played guitar and sang lead vocals for the super-group Chop on their only single, which consisted of Blue Öyster Cult covers.

The group also included Mike Watt, Dave Markey, Dave Peterson, and Dave Travis.

In around 1999, Cadena toured as part of ex-Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan's solo band to promote McKagan's latest album Beautiful Disease which was never actually released because of the merger between Universal and PolyGram, but promoted on tour.

Cadena played guitar with Misfits from 2001 to 2015, initially joining the band alongside Doyle, Jerry Only, and Robo for their 25th Anniversary Tour.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, his father, Ozzie Cadena, was a well-known A&R man in the music industry, and the co-founder of iconic jazz label Savoy Records.

At age thirteen, Cadena moved to Hermosa Beach, California.

While tending a yard sale at his father's house, Cadena met Ron Reyes and the two became friends.

Reyes introduced Cadena to the local punk scene and they both started watching the early incarnation of Black Flag when they were still going by the name Panic.

Soon Reyes replaced Keith Morris as vocalist of the band.

Cadena first played with Misfits on the band's 25th anniversary tour in 2001, initially joining the band alongside Doyle, Jerry Only and ROBO, following the departure of Michale Graves and Dr. Chud who had left the band to form the short-lived Graves.

Only took over singing duties although Michale Graves filled in as a guest for a number of shows alongside future Blitzkrieg bandmate Marky Ramone.

In 2003, Only pieced together a line-up for the Project 1950 cover album which featured himself, Cadena and Marky Ramone.

The band toured to support the album and released one single, once again a cover for "The Day The Earth Caught Fire" by Japan's Balzac.

Cadena also played lead guitar for punk rock supergroup Osaka Popstar during this period, along with Jerry Only, Marky Ramone, John Cafiero and Ivan Julian.

In 2005 and 2006, Cadena was also a member of the raucous Hermosa Beach bar band, The Jim Mellon Quartet.

The band has released one album to date, Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk, in 2006.

Around 2006, Marky left Misfits and was replaced by Robo for the 30th Anniversary Tour.

In 2007 Only announced that this line-up would release a new album.

This was delayed due to the bands' relentless touring.

Eventually in 2009 the band released a new single "Land of the Dead" before once again ejecting Robo from the band due to constant visa problems.