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Todd Schofield (May 15, 1971 – October 27, 2018), known as Todd Youth, was an American guitarist, best known for his work with Warzone, Murphy's Law and Danzig.

Biography

Youth grew up in New York City and started playing as young as 12 years old (hence the name Youth) in several New York City hardcore bands. He debuted with Agnostic Front in 1983 but did not play on any recordings. Youth also played for New York City act Warzone until around 1986. He joined Murphy's Law (another New York City band) that year, recording on various works with them, including three full-length albums. Youth performed with Murphy's Law until 1995.

After leaving Murphy's Law, and he recorded a single with a band named The Homewreckers in 1996. Around this time Youth evolved his style from hardcore to implementing some of his 1970s punk influences, such as New York Dolls, Dead Boys and The Heartbreakers, thus he joined famous New York City glam punk band D Generation, replacing Richard Bacchus on guitar. He was with D Generation from 1996 to 1998 and recorded on their final album Through The Darkness, and Youth co-wrote the track "Sunday Secret Saints" with Jesse Malin.

Chrome Locust was formed by Youth with former D Generation members Michael Wildwood and Vásquez member Jim Heneghan in 1998. However, the band proved to be short-lived, lasting only a year before splitting, and they managed to record and release a self-titled album on Tee Pee Records.

Playing with Danzig and Samhain

During the summer of 1999, he successfully auditioned for Danzig; he joined as the guitarist. Coincidentally, former D Generation bandmate Howie Pyro joined Danzig at the same time. The same year Glenn Danzig had reformed his horror punk band Samhain, guitarist Damien decided not to join the band for their reunion tour, thus Todd was asked to replace him.

He only had three months to practice and learn the Samhain and Danzig sets. Although not an original member of Samhain, fans welcomed him to the lineup, some even mistaking him for Damien. The band AFI had toured with Samhain during 1999, and their frontman Davey Havok was a longtime fan, so in 2000 Youth, along with Samhain members London May and Steve Zing masterminded horror punk band Son of Sam,.

This featured Davey Havok on vocals and on their album Songs from the Earth with guest appearances from Glenn Danzig.

Back with the band Danzig, Youth recorded two album: a live one and I Luciferi, released in 2002. The latter featured Glenn Danzig, Howie Pyro and future Queens of the Stone Age drummer Joey Castillo. Todd eventually left the group in 2003.

Todd Youth rejoined Danzig in 2007 for the Halloween Tour and appeared on the release The Lost Tracks of Danzig. He left Danzig to join Glen Campbell's band.

Recent times

Youth also played with Motörhead in May 2003, filling in for three dates on Motörhead's tour of the United States, as Phil Campbell's mother had died and he was unable to continue on tour.

Since 2004, Todd has led Los Angeles rockers The Chelsea Smiles, this in some ways marks a return to the style of music Youth played with D Generation with the band implementing similar influences, such as The Stooges, New York Dolls, MC5 and Chuck Berry. They released debut EP Nowhere Ride in 2005. The debut full-length Chelsea Smiles album Thirty Six Hours Later was released in November 2006, and its European release date was early December of the same year.

The Chelsea Smiles were invited by Social D to open for them in 2006. The Chelsea Smiles later toured Europe in 2007.

In 2008, Todd reformed the band Son of Sam, Davey Havok did not return on vocals. As with the first Son of Sam release, all music was written by Todd.

2008 and 2009 also saw Todd's joining singer Glen Campbell's band. Todd recorded three songs on Glen's comeback record Meet Glen Campbell. Todd did various TV show appearances (Jimmy Kimmel, The Tonight Show) and toured the UK in support of the release.

In 2009, the Chelsea Smiles released a new, self-titled release. The band undertook a short UK tour with horror punk artist Wednesday 13, in support of the release. At the end of 2009, the Chelsea Smiles decided the end had come for the band and changed the name to the Royal Highness.

Todd began writing with Wednesday 13 with plans to record an album under the band name Gunfire 76. The band had more of a rock sound than Wednesday 13.

In January 2010, Todd became the touring guitarist with ex-Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley. At the end of 2010, Todd toured with Jesse Malin and the St. Mark's Social. In 2010, the first single "American Dream" was released on One Voice by Capricorn, a band formed by Todd, Phil Caivano (of Monster Magnet) and Karl Rosqvist (of The Chelsea Smiles and Michael Monroe).

On August 18, 2017, Youth played his first show with his new band Fireburn. A hardcore punk band that features Israel Joseph I (formerly of Bad Brains), Nick Townsend (currently/formerly of Deadbeat, Knife Fight), and Todd Jones (currently/formerly of Nails, Terror).

They released their first EP on Closed Casket Actvites titled Don't Stop the Youth.

In 2017 Youth recorded and released a record via Metal Blade Records with hardcore punk supergroup Bloodclot, titled Up in Arms. The band also featured vocalist John Joseph (Cro-Mags), Nick Oliveri (Dwarves) and Joey Castillo (Danzig). The band split up after a few months and one tour.

Death

On October 27, 2018, Todd Youth died at the age of 47.

Discography

This discography documents the recordings Todd Youth played on during his time with the various bands that he was a part of, throughout his musical career.

With Murphy's Law

• Back with a Bong - (1989)
• The Best of Times - (1991)
• Dedicated- (1996)
• Monster Mash - Single - (1991)
• Good for Now - EP - (1993)
• My Woman from Tokyo - Single - (1995)
• Dedicated - (1996)

With The Homewreckers

• "I Want More" - Single - (1996)

With D Generation

• Prohibition - EP - (1998)
• Helpless - Single - (1998)
• Through The Darkness - (1999)

With Chrome Locust

• Chrome Locust - (1999)

With Son of Sam

• Songs from the Earth - (2000)
• Into The Night - (2008)

With Danzig

• Live on the Black Hand Side - (2001)
• I Luciferi - (2002)
• The Lost Tracks of Danzig - (2007)

With The Chelsea Smiles

• Nowhere Ride - EP - (2005)
• Thirty Six Hours Later - (2006)
• self-titled - (2009)

With Glen Campbell

• Meet Glen Campbell - (2008)
• Greatest Hits - (2009)

With Cheap Trick

• The Latest - (2009)

With Bloodclot

• Up In Arms - (2017)

With Fireburn

• Don't Stop the Youth - EP - (2017)
• "Shine" - Single - (2018)

Filmography

• American Hardcore - (2006)
• Kiss Loves You - (2007)

References

1. "Todd Youth". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
2. "Jesse Malin/Todd Youth - Interview Exclusive". Über Röck-Kick Ass Rock N Roll. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
3. "INTERVIEW WITH TODD YOUTH (TARUN-KRISHNA... - Sonidos de Liberacion- Spiritual Hardcore". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
4. DISTEFANO, Chris (October 31, 2014). "Top Ten Horror Punk Bands". OC Weekly.
5. "What the Hell is Horror Punk?". Rebel Circus. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
6. "Son of SAM". Punknews.org. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
7. HUEY, Steve. "Son of Sam - Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
8. "The Chelsea Smiles Interview with Todd Youth & Review". Sugarbuzzmagazine.com. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
9. KENNEDY, Adam (February 2016). "Wednesday 13 at Think Tank in Newcastle". National Rock Review.
10. "13's Official Myspace Blog". Blogs.myspace.com. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
12. "FireBurn: New Hardcore Band In Soul Control at Debut Live Performance (PHOTOS) : Features". Noecho.net. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
13. "Danzig, Warzone, etc. Guitarist Todd Youth Has Died". Loudwire.com. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
14. https://www.punknews.org/review/15219/bloodclot-up-in-arms
15. "CLOSED CASKET ACTIVITIES: All In Merchandise". Allinmerch.com. Retrieved 27 October 2018.

• 1971 births
• 2018 deaths
• American punk rock guitarists
• People from New Jersey
• Horror punk musicians
• Motörhead members
• Danzig (band) members