Child's Play

by Alex Henderson
Not to be confused with the Child's Play that recorded an LP titled This Is Skoolies in 1979, this Child's Play is a long-haired hard rock/heavy metal unit that enjoyed a small following on the Baltimore rock circuit in the 1980s and '90s. The four-member band started to make a name for itself around Baltimore and Washington, DC in the late '80s, when it consisted of leader singer/rhythm guitarist Brian Jack, leader guitarist Nicky Kay, bassist Idzi and drummer/occasional lead singer John Allen. After creating a strong local buzz, Child's Play signed with Chrysalis in 1989 and recorded its debut album Rat Race, which was produced by Howard Benson and came out the following year. The album did well in Baltimore and DC, but it didn't bring the headbangers the national attention they were hoping for.