Ace Atkins

David Calabrese, known professionally as Dr. Chud, is an American horror punk drummer best known for his work with the Misfits. He has also been a member of Graves, Gorgeous Frankenstein, Doyle and Blitzkid, and fronts his own solo project Dr. Chud's X-Ward.

Dr. Chud attended Lodi High School together with Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein, Eerie Von and Steve Zing.^[1] As a teenager, he was a fan of Blondie, Aerosmith, Queen and Led Zeppelin.^[1]

Dr. Chud began his musical career by playing with Dan Kidney and the Pulsations for seven years from 1987 to 1994.^[1] He recorded and produced a self-titled album with Sacred Trash before joining Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein and his brother Jerry Only in Kryst the Conqueror in 1992.^[1]

In 1995, Only and Doyle reformed the Misfits and recruited Chud and singer Michale Graves for the band.^[2] The lineup recorded the studio albums American Psycho and Famous Monsters, and the live album Evillive II, before Chud and Graves left the band in 2000. After leaving the Misfits, the pair formed the band Graves. The band released their debut album, Web of Dharma, in 2002, produced by Chud, before splitting up that same year.^[3]

In addition to his work with the Misfits and Graves, Chud played drums for Joey Ramone on the We Will Fall: A Tribute to Iggy Pop album and appeared on Ramone's solo record Don't Worry About Me, in addition to producing the Sardonica album Flip the Grill. In 2003, Chud formed a new band named Dr. Chud's X-Ward, which released their debut album Diagnosis for Death in 2004 on the drummer's own record label Bloodwork Records.^[4][1]

In 2008, Chud joined Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein's band Gorgeous Frankenstein for their second tour.^[5] On 26 December 2009, Chud and former Misfits bandmates Doyle and Michale Graves took part in what was referred as the Misfits "Near-Reunion" in New Jersey as they performed as an opening act for Danzig, with bassist Argyle Goolsby completing the lineup.^[6]

In 2010, Chud appeared on the television series LA Ink, starring Kat Von D. He received a tattoo of his famous stitches that he usually draws on his chest and back, circling his neck, by tattoo artist Amy Nicoletto. In 2012, Gorgeous Frankenstein dissolved and Chud joined Doyle's new eponymous band. Doyle released their debut album, Abominator, in 2013.^[7] Chud departed from Doyle the following year. In 2024, Chud released the EP I Hate Horror Punk with The Karens.

With Sardonica

• "Your Own Back Yard" (1992) – Single

With Sacred Trash

• Sacred Trash (1994) – LP

With Misfits

• American Psycho (1997) – LP
• "Dig Up Her Bones" (1997) – single
• Evillive II (1998) – LP
• "Scream" (1999) – single
• Famous Monsters (1999) – LP
• "Monster Mash" (1999) – Single
• Cuts from the Crypt (2001) – LP

With Graves

• Web of Dharma (2002) – LP

With Joey Ramone

• Don't Worry About Me (2002) – LP

With Dr. Chud's X-Ward

• Diagnosis for Death (2004) – LP

With Doyle

• Abominator (2013) – LP

With The Karens

• I Hate Horror Punk (2024) – EP

• The Abominable Dr. Chud, official website