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D.D. Verni
Verni with Overkill in 2015
Background information
Birth name	Carlo Verni
Also known as	D.D. Blaze
Born	(1961-04-12) April 12, 1961 (age 63) New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	Thrash metal, heavy metal
Occupation(s)	Musician, producer, songwriter
Instrument(s)	Bass, vocals
Years active	1979–present
Member of	Overkill, The Bronx Casket Co.

Carlo "D.D." Verni (born April 12, 1961) is an American musician, best known as a founding member, bassist and songwriter of the thrash metal band Overkill. He and vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth are the only two original members who have remained with the band throughout its entire history. In addition to his work with Overkill, Verni has recorded four albums with his side project the Bronx Casket Co. and released several solo projects. He is also the composer of The Bronx Casket Co.... A New Musical.

Career

Pre-Overkill bands

In 1976, Verni met Rat Skates, who had been learning to play drums since age 15, at New Providence High School. They shared the same musical interests in hard rock bands like Kiss, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Starz, Black Sabbath, and Rainbow, and were then introduced to punk music such as The Damned, The Ramones, The Vibrators, and Generation X. The three formed a punk group known as The Lubricunts in 1979. The group disbanded in 1980, and Verni, along with bandmate Skates, posted an advertisement for a vocalist and guitarist to join the band. Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth answered the ad, and brought guitarist Rob Pisarek.

Overkill

After rejecting several names, the band finally settled on "Overkill". Their early covers included punk songs by The Ramones and The Dead Boys. By late 1980, the band had recruited dual guitarists, and the setlist was made up of songs by bands such as Motörhead ("Overkill", half of the Ace of Spades album), Judas Priest ("Tyrant" was their closer), and Riot. Along with the new influx of heavy metal covers, the band still played a smattering of punk covers, with extra distortion, intensity, and speed marking Overkill as one of the first thrash bands.

At this point, the band started writing original songs, including "Grave Robbers" (later renamed "Raise The Dead"), "Overkill", and "Unleash the Beast (Within)". More songs followed, including "Death Rider" (1981) and "Rotten to the Core" (1982). Overkill had experienced a number of member changes by the time of their first demo Power in Black (1983), which featured the "classic" lineup of Verni, vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth, drummer Rat Skates and guitarist Bobby Gustafson. The band became a staple at New York and New Jersey clubs, such as L'Amours, and Verni gave Ellsworth the nickname "Blitz" due to his over-the-top lifestyle. There have been numerous more lineup changes since the departures of Skates and Gustafson (in 1987 and 1990 respectively), and Verni and Ellsworth are the only remaining original members left in Overkill. Verni has also been the sole songwriter for the band's music since Horrorscope (1991).

Overkill released their first album Feel the Fire in 1985, and along with their contemporaries (including Metallica, Exodus, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax), they helped define a new genre of music, known as "thrash metal". Overkill have released 20 full-length albums as well as two live albums and EPs, and several DVDs. They have done thousands of shows for millions of fans and toured extensively. They have appeared in many major music publications and have sold millions of records worldwide. Verni's signature bass sound is regarded as one of the most definable in heavy metal. He usually plays bass with a pick as opposed to with his fingers.

Work outside of Overkill

Verni released his first solo album, Barricade, on October 12, 2018. He also released a debut album under the name D.D. Verni & The Cadillac Band, Let's Rattle, on September 17, 2021.

Verni released his second solo album, Dreadful Company, on July 26, 2024. It sees Verni move into a punk rock direction.

Discography

Solo

• 2018: Barricade
• 2024: Dreadful Company

Overkill

References

1. "D.D. Verni Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
2. ^ Huey, Steve. "Biography: Overkill". AllMusic. Retrieved March 16, 2010.
3. "Former OVERKILL Drummer RAT SKATES Uses HITLER And Holocaust Footage in Bizarre Anti-'Dictator' Video". Blabbermouth.net. July 10, 2014.
4. "OVERKILL's D.D. VERNI Reveals Artwork, Track Listing Of 'Barricade' Solo Album". Blabbermouth.net. August 7, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
5. "OVERKILL Bassist To Release Debut Album From D.D. VERNI & THE CADILLAC BAND". Blabbermouth.net. July 13, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
6. "OVERKILL's D.D. VERNI Announces Second Solo Album, 'Dreadful Company'". Blabbermouth.net. June 5, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.

External links

• Media related to D.D. Verni at Wikimedia Commons

• Living people
• Musicians from New Jersey
• New Providence High School alumni
• 1961 births
• People of Calabrian descent
• American people of Italian descent
• 20th-century American bass guitarists
• Overkill (band) members
• American male bass guitarists
• 20th-century American male musicians
• American heavy metal bass guitarists
• Thrash metal musicians