Michael Butler

Michael Butler is an early and influential figure in **Jacksonville’s punk rock scene**, best known as the original bass player for *Stevie Stiletto and the Switchblades*—Jacksonville’s first punk band, formed in 1982. Alongside bandmates like Ray McKelvey (aka Stevie Stiletto), Steve Gallagher, and Bob Akkk, Butler helped define the sound and spirit of punk in North Florida, pushing back hard against the city’s dominant Southern‑rock culture ([FSCJ Pressbooks][1]).

Under Butler’s low‑end foundation, the band became notorious for high‑energy live shows—think shaving‑cream cans, fire extinguishers, and snarling, politically charged anthems—and they toured regionally, opening stages for acts like **Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, and the Ramones** ([Wikipedia][2]).

Despite a conservative atmosphere that often viewed punk as an alien threat, Butler and his bandmates forged forward, even founding the **7:30 Club**, a DIY venue that became a hub for Jacksonville’s growing punk community and gave a platform to national touring acts ([FSCJ Pressbooks][1]).

While Stiletto (Ray McKelvey) became the face of that era, Butler’s role behind the scenes was foundational—his bass lines and commitment helped legitimize punk in a city embedded in Southern rock tradition. His contributions helped spark new punk outfits, zines, venues, and grassroots networks that sustained the scene well into the late 1980s and beyond ([FSCJ Pressbooks][1]).

Sources:

[1]: https://fscj.pressbooks.pub/mossculture/chapter/__unknown__/?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Never Mind the Pistols – Moss Culture”
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevie_Stiletto_and_the_Switchblades?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Stevie Stiletto and the Switchblades”