Al Barile, SS Decontrol guitarist, dead at 63
Al Barile, the guitarist with influential Boston hardcore band SS Decontrol, has died aged 63 following a battle with cancer.
Barile, who played a pivotal role in the 1980s straight-edge scene, had been fighting colon cancer since 2022 which also led to a series of other debilitating health problems. The guitarist died on April 6th at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
His death was confirmed by his wife, author Nancy Barile, who wrote on Instagram: “Hi Everyone, I wanted to let you know that Al Barile passed away this morning. I was with him. You all know he fought a hard, hard battle. He spent last day with Chris, Jaime, Angie, and his best, dear friend Scott, and me, and even though he was on comfort care, it was clear he knew we were all there, and he was so happy about that. I never met anyone who was his own person as much as Al was. No one made me laugh more.”
Nancy’s powerful message continued: “There was always a story. We loved each other unbelievably, and my heart is crushed into a million pieces. I am so incredibly grateful for our 43 years together. I can’t even think of how to go on without him, but I know he will ALWAYS be with me. I take great comfort especially, in knowing he and Flippy are now reunited. I want you all to know how much Al appreciated your outpouring of love to him. It truly meant a great deal to him.”
She poignantly concluded: “You know I will have a lot to say about Al’s time on this earth and his impact and his legacy, as the days go on, but for now, I’m going to need some time to be with my closest friends and family. I like this picture because if you look in the back, you can see me with a giant smile on my face, falling in love ~ Nancy”.
Other members of the hardcore musical community, such as Ten Yard Fight and Agnostic Front, have since paid tribute to Barlile in the wake of his passing.
While SS Decontrol were only active between 1981 and 1985, releasing three albums during their tenure, they left their mark on the hardcore world for decades to come. Following their break-up, Barlile later formed Gage with his SSD bandmate Francois Levesque and also worked as an engineer for General Electric.
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