D.D. Verni

D.D. Verni, is an American bassist, best known as founding member and longtime bassist/songwriter of thrash metal band Overkill. In 1976, Verni met Lee "Rat Skates" Kundrat in high school, who had been learning to play drums since age 15. They shared the same musical interests in hard rock bands like Kiss, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Starz, The Godz, Black Sabbath, and Rainbow and were then introduced to punk music such as The Damned, The Ramones, Generation X, Iggy and The Stooges, and Johnny Thunders through another classmate Fred Hensley (who became known as vocalist Billy Vector.) With Skates using drums that were borrowed from neighborhood friends, the three formed a punk group in 1979 with another classmate Ken Sibley on guitar, who became known as Nick Fuse. The group disbanded in 1980, and Verni, along with fellow band mate Skates, posted an advertisement for a vocalist and guitarist to join the band. Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth answered the ad, and brought guitarist Dan Spitz with him. Although a bassist, Blitz would focus on vocals in the new band. After rejecting many names, including "Virgin Killer", the group finally settled on "Overkill".