Editing Plasmatics (section)

{{Short description|American punk rock band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Plasmatics
| image             = Plasmatics.jpg
| caption           = The Plasmatics filming a music video in New York City in 1980. From left to right: [[Richie Stotts]], Stu Deutsch, Wes Beech, [[Wendy O. Williams]] and [[Jean Beauvoir]].
| image_upright     = 1.2
| alias             = 
| origin            = New York City, U.S.
| genre             = {{flatlist|
* [[Punk rock]]
* [[hardcore punk]]
* [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]]
* {{nowrap|[[shock rock]]}}<ref>Multiple sources:
*{{cite journal | title=Plasmatics | author=Burnham, Linda Frye | journal=[[High Performance Magazine]] | year=1983 | volume=6}}
*{{cite book | title=Theft is vision: collected writings and interviews | publisher=JRP Ringier | author=Nickas, Bob and Robert Nickas | year=2008 | isbn=978-3-905770-36-0}}
*{{cite book | title=Encyclopedia of heavy metal music | publisher=Greenwood Press | author=Phillips, William and Brian Cogan | year=2009 | page=211 | isbn=978-0-313-34800-6}}</ref>
}}
| years_active      = 1978–1983, 1987–1988
| label             = {{flatlist|
* [[Stiff Records|Stiff]]
* [[Capitol Records|Capitol]]
* [[Profile Records|Profile]]
}}
| associated_acts   = [[Motörhead]]
| website           = {{url|plasmatics.com}}
| past_members      = <!-- Please do not add "deceased" or any other notation to any of the band members per the template's guidelines. -->
* [[Wendy O. Williams]]
* Wes Beech
* [[Chris Romanelli]]
* [[Michael Ray (guitarist)|Michael Ray]]
* Ray Callahan
* [[Richie Stotts]]
* [[Chosei Funahara]]
* Stu Deutsch
* [[Jean Beauvoir]]
* Joey Reese
* T.C. Tolliver
* [[Greg Smith (American musician)|Greg Smith]]
* Tony Petri
}}

The '''Plasmatics''' were an American [[punk rock]] and [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band formed by Rod Swenson and [[Wendy O. Williams]] in New York City in 1978. They were a controversial group known for chaotic, destructive live shows and outrageous theatrics. <!--NPOV--> These included chainsawing guitars, destroying speaker cabinets, sledgehammering television sets and blowing up automobiles live on stage. Williams was arrested in [[Milwaukee]] by the [[Milwaukee Police Department|Milwaukee Police]] before being charged with [[public indecency]].<ref name="Skanse">Skanse</ref>

The Plasmatics' career spanned five studio albums and multiple EPs. The band was composed of lead vocalist [[Wendy O. Williams]] and various other musicians rotating behind her over time. Aside from Williams and manager Rod Swenson, guitarist Wes Beech was the only other permanent member of the group. Guitarist [[Richie Stotts]] was a co-founder of the band and a mainstay of the pre-breakup core group (1978–1983).<ref>{{cite book
|title= Plasmatics: Your Heart In Your Mouth! (The First Four years)
|last= Star
|first= Butch
 |author2=Edouard Dauphin, Kruger
|year= 1982
|publisher= Raging Rhino Entertainment
|location= United States of America
|page= 7
}}</ref>
After the full breakup of the band following the release of [[Coup d'etat (Plasmatics album)|''Coup d'etat'']], Stotts was edited out of band videos and was not referred to by name in a 2006 compilation DVD released by Plasmatics Media LLC (via plasmatics.com).