When Lorry Doll and Jeff Rey set up their Lower East Side base camp in the heart of New York City’s punk scene at the end of 1978 they had left their popular group Tracks back in Boston. Since there already was at least one band and a club in New York with spelling variations on that group’s title, they took the name of the Wild Ones from their own promotional materials catch phrase (TRACKS … the wild ones). Bright lights, big new city called for new hair - blonde for Lorry, shorter and slicked back for Jeff. A quick ad in the Village Voice produced a massive turnout of rhythm section hopefuls for the latest edition of Tracks. Two of the first to show up were Billy Rath, late of the Heartbreakers and Johnny Blitz of Deadboys fame. The foursome sounded very intense, but it was soon obvious that any expectation of a punk super-group would be daunted by four super-egos. Enter Detroit beatmaster Bobby Savage and bassist Lou Lude. Anchored by CBGBs, Max’s, the Mud Club, Hurrah’s and Tier 3, there were no dead gigs in New York. It didn’t take long for the Wild Ones to secure an avid New York following. Lorry's step-brother, bassist Dave Clark, joined on with drummer Donald Moto in 1980. This line-up lasted for a while and was to reappear several times.
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