Named after a historical figure who assassinated the 'steward' of the Netherlands in 1584, Balthasar Gerards Kommando was formed in the early '80s by members of Amsterdam punk band the Nitwitz. Rejecting the then-popular trend to emulate British Oi bands, BGK took their musical cues from American hardcore bands such as MDC, and soon developed an ultrafast style of their own. The band was also committed to following through with its leftist political stance, both in terms of the punk scene (the band set up DIY shows with low door prices, and put out affordable records on their own label) and in a wider political spectrum (they often played benefits for various causes, and helped run the Emma squat in Holland). BGK released all their records on a label they started in their Nitwitz days, Vögelspin, and collaborated with U.S. labels R Radical and Alternative Tentacles. They helped touring bands playing in the Netherlands, and themselves toured Europe and the U.S. several times, finally calling it quits in 1987. After BGK's demise, bassist Tony formed rock'n'roll band Loveslug. In 1996, the Nitwitz reunited (partially due to interest from Epitaph records), and may or may not still be around to this day. Alternative Tentacles has recently reissued BGK's entire catalog, both on vinyl and CD.