Al Barile, co-founder and guitarist of the influential Boston hardcore band SS Decontrol — known as SSD — died on Sunday, April 6th, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He was 63. His wife, educator and author Nancy Barile, confirmed the news in a personal statement on Instagram. Barile had been diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022.
“I never met anyone who was his own person as much as Al was. No one made me laugh more. There was always a story,” Nancy wrote. “We loved each other unbelievably, and my heart is crushed into a million pieces… I know he will ALWAYS be with me.”
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Barile was at the center of Boston’s hardcore explosion in the early ’80s, creating a band that offered a fast, heavy, and confrontational alternative to mainstream rock.
SSD was known for its raw sound and uncompromising message, rooted in a DIY ethos and the straight-edge philosophy. “The Kids Will Have Their Say,” released in 1982 through a partnership between Barile’s own Xclaim! Records and Ian MacKaye’s Dischord label, became an essential document of the era. Its cover, a photo of teenagers storming the steps of the Massachusetts State House, captured the defiant spirit SSD embodied.
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In a 2024 documentary, SSD vocalist David Spring, known as Springa, recalled one of Barile’s early speeches: “Al comes out and makes the big speech — and I remember this as clear as I remember my f— 8th birthday. ‘OK, what this band is gonna be about — it’s not gonna be a groovy type of band where people go out on the dance floor and shake their ass. We’re making a statement here: It’s about anti-government, anti-society, anti-conformity and breaking down the barriers between the band and the audience.’”
The band’s follow-up, Get It Away (1983), added guitarist Francois Levesque and further cemented SSD’s place in hardcore history. Trouser Press writers Ian McCaleb and Ira Robbins called it “a definitive hardcore classic.”
Barile himself said SSD was a reaction to what he saw as the hollow posturing of Boston rock acts like Aerosmith and the Cars. “It didn’t seem like it was real sincere, that kind of music — it didn’t seem like it had the kind of honesty and sincerity that I was after.”
The straight-edge identity, which SSD helped solidify on the East Coast, was rooted in influence from Washington D.C.’s Minor Threat. Nancy Barile reflected on that moment in a statement, saying the philosophy “provided kids with a choice from the typical ’70s suburban party lifestyle.”
SSD’s impact reached far beyond Boston.
Over the decades, bands from across genres — including Youth of Today, Agnostic Front, Have Heart, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Nirvana — cited SSD as an influence. Even now, it’s common to see touring artists wearing SSD shirts at Boston shows as tribute.
Al Barile was born October 4, 1961, in Lynn, Massachusetts.
He played hockey, made home movies, and studied mechanical engineering at Northeastern University before founding SSD with bassist Jaime Sciarappa, drummer Chris Foley, and Springa. After SSD disbanded in 1985, Barile went on to form Gage and spent over three decades working as an engineer at General Electric. In 2025, SSD was inducted into the New England Music Hall of Fame.
In his final days, Barile was surrounded by close friends, bandmates, and Nancy.
“Even though he was on comfort care, it was clear he knew we were all there, and he was so happy about that,” she wrote.
Tributes have poured in from all corners of the hardcore community. Converge wrote: “Without Al Barile and @ssdecontrolofficial none of us in the hardcore punk scene would be doing what we’re doing today… We’ll do our best to keep it going.” Bridge Nine Records added, “Al built the foundation that we stand upon.”
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“Flags should be at half mast to acknowledge the passing of this absolute legend.” – posted Bridge Nine Records.
“Bridge Nine would not exist if not for the efforts of this man, a dozen or so years before we released our first record. Al built the foundation that we stand upon, and from his influence and inspiration, we continue championing the community that he started building over forty years ago. Thank you for letting us be one of your collaborators. Our deepest respect and condolences to Al and his wife and partner of 43 years, Nancy.”
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On April 16th, Drew Stone’s New York Hardcore Chronicles LIVE will host an Al Barile tribute episode, featuring SSD members Jaime Sciarappa and Chris Foley, Nancy Barile, Duane Lucia of Gallery East, Eugene Robinson of Whipping Boy/Oxbow, and other guests.
As Sean McNally summed it up, “Today’s a sad day for American Hardcore.”
If you haven’t seen it yet, check out this special video of Al Barile speaking with Pat Flynn of HAVE HEART, created by Trust Records as part of their One Two Me You series:
