The Untamed Youth are a surf-frat-garage band from Columbia, Missouri (USA), led by Deke Dickerson, the driving force behind standout projects such as The Whippersnappers, The Ecco-Fonics, The Dave and Deke Combo and The Go-Nuts, among many others.
Formed in 1987 in their hometown, the band quickly built a reputation through their irresistible mix of top-tier musicianship, an irreverent sense of humor and explosive shows that included jelly-o fights, impromptu fashion shows, pizza-eating contests and even spraying the audience with beer.
Despite recording wonderful albums on top labels (Estrus, Norton…), earning critical acclaim and a loyal fan base, the band broke up in the late ’90s. As is often the case with truly unique acts, The Untamed Youth gradually earned cult status, leading to occasional reunions and appearances at cool festivals across the US and Europe. Today, their early albums, Some Kinda Fun and More Gone Gassers, are highly prized collector’s items on vinyl.
The current lineup features Deke Dickerson, Steve “King of Men” Mace, Steve “Sammy” Rager, Chris Sprague , (also known as “Gringo Starr” or “Sugarballs”) from Los Straitjackets and Nick Lowe. In 2025, they released a powerful new LP, Git Up and Go (Hi-Tide Recordings).
They never disappoint—get ready for a high-octane blast of surf and garage rock ’n’ roll that will have you shaking a tail feather and leaving your worries behind.