BOSTON, MA (CelebrityAccess) — Alan Scott Barile, founder and guitarist of the influential Boston-based hardcore band SS Decontrol (SSD), passed away on April 6th after a long illness.
A longtime fixture of the New England hardcore scene, Barile gained prominence through aggressive regional touring and his penchant for staging DIY shows at non-traditional venues like Boston’s Gallery East and Media Workshop.
SSD released their groundbreaking debut album, The Kids Will Have Their Say, in 1981, followed by Get It Away the next year. These albums firmly stamped the band’s imprint on the music scene.
The band called it quits in 1985 after two more releases, but their influence on hardcore music in the region remains potent to this day.
In 2023, SSD returned to the limelight with a reissue of their albums through Truist Records. They were also inducted into the New England Music Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2025.
In addition to his music career, Barile was a trained mechanical engineer who worked at General Dynamics and remained active in political causes.
Barile and SSD earned a reputation for their no-drinking, no-drugs ethos, and co-founders Jaime Sciarappa, Chris Foley, and Springa helped define the straight-edge movement within hardcore.
Barile is survived by his wife, Nancy, whom he met when she attempted to book a show for the band in Philadelphia. They were married for 43 years, according to a statement from the band’s publicist.
