Scott Kempner, ‘The Dictators’ Guitarist and Songwriter, Dies at 69
variety.comValerie Wu Intern Scott “Top Ten” Kempner (pictured at left), founding member of bands The Dictators and The Del Lords, guitarist and songwriter, died Wednesday of complications from early onset dementia.
He was 69. Kempner, who died at a nursing home in Connecticut, was born in the Bronx, N.Y. In college, he began playing music with Andy Shernoff and Ross “The Boss” Friedman, and they formed the rock band The Dictators in 1974.
Their debut album, “The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!,” is now considered by many to be the precursor to the punk rock genre, with Kempner an early punk pioneer.
The Dictators recorded three albums together before splitting up (aside from the occasional reunion). They officially re-formed in 2019 until Kempner’s dementia diagnosis.
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