La Peste unearth the raw spirit of Boston punk on ‘I Don’t Know Right From Wrong’
Boston punk band La Peste announces their long-lost recordings with the upcoming compilation I Don’t Know Right From Wrong: Lost La Peste 1976–1979 Vol. 1, due out April 17, 2026, via Wharf Cat Records. To mark the announcement, the band has shared a newly unearthed, Ric Ocasek-produced track, ‘I Don’t Know Right From Wrong,’ accompanied by a video made from archival footage of the group.
Originally formed after frontman Peter Dayton witnessed The Ramones perform at CBGB in 1975, La Peste became one of Boston’s first true punk bands. What started as a group of art students who had never played instruments quickly evolved into a force that helped define the city’s burgeoning punk scene. Despite releasing just one single during their initial run—1978’s ‘Better Off Dead’—the band’s sound and attitude left a lasting impact, earning praise from figures like John Peel and opportunities to share the stage with The Ramones and The Cars.
Produced by Ocasek, ‘I Don’t Know Right From Wrong’ channels the unpolished energy of the late ’70s with an eerie synth line and nervy rhythm section. The track captures La Peste at their most vital—raw, political, and alive. As Dayton recalls,
“We didn’t really know right from wrong when we formed La Peste. But the song was always great live and everyone believed me when I sang it. It had 2 chords which made it an amazing song for it’s utter simplicity. When I went back to these lyrics to write them all out I couldn’t believe how repetitive I was. The verses were usually very similar and the choruses were almost like I was shouting a political slogan. Our fans had a real connection with each song and often sang along, even though they might not have understood them.”
I Don’t Know Right From Wrong: Lost La Peste 1976–1979 Vol. 1 is out April 17, 2026, on Wharf Cat Records. ‘I Don’t Know Right From Wrong’ is out now.
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