Steve Almaas, the influential bassist, singer, songwriter, and founding member of the pioneering Minneapolis punk band Suicide Commandos, has died after battling recurrent cancer. He was 69.
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Almaas died on June 5 at his home in Beacon, New York. Fatal complications related to cancer arose after the disease returned and spread. His death marked the loss of one of the architects of the Twin Cities punk movement, whose work helped shape generations of alternative rock musicians.
Almaas co-founded Suicide Commandos in 1975 with guitarist Chris Osgood and drummer Dave Ahl. The trio quickly established itself as Minneapolis’ first major punk band. They earned a reputation for energetic performances, sharp songwriting, and an independent spirit.
Their 1978 debut, Make a Record, became one of the earliest punk albums released by a major record label. It influenced later Minnesota bands including Hüsker Dü, the Replacements, and Soul Asylum.
‘Make A Record’ Was Just The Beginning For Steve Almaas
After the original run of Suicide Commandos ended, Almaas moved to New York in 1979.
He switched from bass to guitar, formed the band Beat Rodeo, and became an important figure in the city’s roots-rock and alternative country scenes. Beat Rodeo released two albums on I.R.S. Records during the 1980s, while Almaas also recorded solo material and collaborated with numerous artists throughout his career.
Outside music, Almaas worked as a public school teacher and later as a librarian at the Woodstock Public Library in New York. Friends and colleagues remembered him as a generous mentor who connected musicians and encouraged younger artists.
Cancer forced Almaas to withdraw from Suicide Commandos’ planned farewell performance at Minneapolis’ First Avenue earlier this year after the oral cancer he had fought since late 2025 spread to his spine.
Fans, fellow musicians, and former bandmates have remembered him not only as a groundbreaking performer but also as a warm friend whose influence reached far beyond the stage.
Almaas is survived by his partner, Brandy Burre, his daughter Solveig, two sisters, and two grandchildren.