Peligro made his recorded debut with Useless Kennedys on the 1981 EP In God We Belief, Inc., which incorporates their iconic hit “Nazi Punks Fuck Off” and famously marked the band’s first of many references railing towards Ronald Reagan. Peligro’s hardcore drumming fashion continued in a modified kind on the band’s sophomore album, 1982’s Plastic Surgical procedure Disasters, and on via their subsequent string of information: 1985’s Frankenchrist, 1986’s Bedtime for Democracy, and the 1987 compilation album Give Me Comfort or Give Me Demise.
Following Useless Kennedys break up in December 1986, Peligro briefly joined Purple Scorching Chili Peppers in 1988. The band was in want of a drummer after the departure of their unique member Jack Irons. As a longtime buddy of the band and former bandmate of Anthony Kiedis and Flea of their joke undertaking Three Little Butt Hairs, Peligro fortunately stepped as much as the plate. He carried out with Purple Scorching Chili Peppers and contributed to the songwriting course of for a number of tracks on their fourth album, Mom’s Milk. Peligro can also be liable for introducing Kiedis and Flea to then-teenager John Frusciante, who joined as their new guitarist shortly afterwards. In November of that very same 12 months, Peligro was fired. Purple Scorching Chili Peppers changed him with Chad Smith a number of weeks later.
In 2001, Ray, Peligro, and Flouride reunited Useless Kennedys with Brandon Cruz changing Biafra. Other than a one-year absence to deal with health-related points, Peligro was part of the band’s complete reunion effort, from a number of excursions on via to reside album releases like Mutiny on the Bay, Reside on the Deaf Membership, and DK 40.
In the course of the later years of his profession, Peligro carried out with different artists each reside and within the studio, together with Moby, Feederz, the Aliens sans Roky Erickson, and Nailbomb, amongst others. He additionally shaped his personal band named Peligro, which launched a self-titled album, Welcome to America, and Sum of Our Environment. Moreover, he fronted the bands Reverend Jones and the Cool Help Choir, the Hellions, and Al Sharpton’s Hair.
Peligro was an early Black icon within the punk rock scene, and was often outspoken about his experiences with racism whereas touring, together with being denied entry into golf equipment his bands had been scheduled to play. “Music would take me to locations I wouldn’t usually go, and it’s high quality whilst you had been onstage, however while you bought off, they’d get drunk and name you all types of names,” he instructed LA Weekly. “You go down South, you go throughout the Midwest, then individuals had been considering that it was music for white individuals, or I used to be the janitor or safety or one thing. You bought to expertise the racism firsthand, as a result of all people wasn’t as open-minded as they had been in San Francisco. It’s a bit extra open and accepted in the present day, however there’s nonetheless pockets of people that need to use punk rock to create hate music. That angers me to no finish.”
