Bill Chamberlain

By SoDak

Punk rock lifer Bill Chamberlain of The Pist, Brutally Familiar, Behind Enemy Lines, Mankind?, Caustic Christ, React, The Dissidents, and many other bands died on July 17, 2025. This past week, I have been spinning many of the records on which Bill played guitar. He wrote simple, straightforward, catchy riffs that set up the vocals. The couple times that I saw him play, with both The Pist and Brutally Familiar, he was very engaging and energetic. In 1993, he played guitar on seven-inch records by The Pist, Mankind?, and Brutally Familiar. Give these records a listen, enjoy the riffs, and sing along. My favorite of the three records is Brutally Familiar, especially the songs “T.V. Land” and “Cops Suck.”

The Pist, Destroy Society (1993). 

Mankind?, Won’t You Join the Army Now So You Fight…And You Can Die (1993).

Brutally Familiar, T.V. Land (1993).