Elda and the Stillettos

Elda and the Stillettos were a 70s New York City punk band with an extremely raw and energetic stripped-down rough'n'ready sound. The group was formed by lead singer Elda Gentile (a.k.a. Elda Stiletto) in 1972. The original band line-up was: Chris Stein (guitars), Billy O'Connor (drums), Fred Smith (bass), Deborah Harry (vocals), and Rosie Ross (vocals). Elda and the Stillettos played in such notable Big Apple punk venues as CBGB's, Club 82, and Max's Kansas City. The group broke up in 1974 after only the female members were offered a record deal. Stein and Harry went on to form the hugely popular and successful New Wave outfit Blondie. Elda Gentile continued with a solo career before reforming the band with an all-new line-up in late 1976. Members of this particular incarnation of the group included Cheetah Chrome, Walter Lure, and Billy Ruth. Elda and the Stillettos appear as themselves and perform two songs live in the enjoyably sordid exploitation private eye mystery thriller "Punk Rock." The band eventually broke up a second and final time in the late 70s.