Brendan Logan and his late uncle, D.H. Peligro, weren’t particularly close during childhood. Logan describes his uncle’s presence like a guest star on a sitcom who appears once a season, generating applause and excitement from the audience.
“He’s someone I didn’t really grow up with,” Logan explains. “He lived in California, and I lived here. But in many ways, he was like my artistic father.”
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At 16, Peligro taught Logan guitar. He also gave Logan tickets to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform in town and gave him a shout-out from the stage. Logan attended one of his uncle’s shows at Webster Hall in New York and spent time with him backstage. Their relationship deepened when Logan relocated to Los Angeles, where Peligro was living.
D.H. Peligro was born Darren Henley and spent his childhood in various St. Louis homes. He developed drumming skills and a passion for rock music, performing in several garage bands. Following his graduation from North County Technical High School, he boarded a Greyhound bus to San Francisco with just his drums and some clothing.
In San Francisco, Peligro became a central figure in the bay area’s hardcore punk movement. He auditioned for the Dead Kennedys in 1981 and was accepted into the band. He played on their albums Plastic Surgery Disasters, Frankenchrist, and Bedtime for Democracy until the band broke up in 1986. His aggressive, dynamic drumming became a signature feature of the band’s relentless style.
Peligro later drummed for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and created music with his own band, Peligro. He performed at several Dead Kennedys reunion concerts and released an autobiography in 2013 titled Dreadnaught: King of Afropunk, which explored his difficult childhood in St. Louis, his accomplished music career, and his long struggle with substance abuse.
Peligro passed away unexpectedly in 2022 at 63. For Logan, it was a significant loss. While going through his uncle’s possessions, Logan felt motivated to create an art piece from these items—something that would honor Peligro’s impact both as a musician and as a person.
Years later, Logan submitted the project concept to the Luminary Futures Fund, a yearly grant program that supports creative projects by emerging artists in St. Louis. The project’s working title, “PUNKS NOT DEAD! (but my uncle is),” eventually became the final name. For Logan, the title reflects both Peligro’s lasting musical influence and punk’s rebellious spirit. “PUNKS NOT DEAD! (but my uncle is)” will premiere on May 23 at the Punk Rock Flea Market in Tower Grove Park.
“Death is uncomfortable and something we avoid discussing,” he says. “Punk culture naturally rejects saccharine sentimentality. Using my uncle and his legacy as the vehicle allowed me to have an authentic conversation about death and its real meaning.”
The multimedia installation features a restored van displaying Peligro’s personal collection, photographs, and memorabilia alongside audio and video content, plus a companion zine. Logan draws on his background in film, journalism, and DJing to develop these components.
“I’ll be reworking his material and footage with my own perspective and original pieces,” he explains. The finished product will be a “funhouse mirror” that captures the complexity of his uncle’s existence while addressing themes of mortality, cultural memory, art, commercialization, and identity.
“I want people to remember my uncle as a complete person,” Logan says. “As a talented artist and a pioneering black musician in a genre where black artists were underrepresented.”
Logan envisions the installation generating strong emotional reactions and challenging society’s discomfort with discussing death.
“Grief has no single correct approach. There are no set rules,” he says. “This represents my personal process. While it will have viewers, it reflects only my perspective and understanding. That’s all I’m able to offer.”
