He was the driving force behind a number of punk rock bands, first in Worcester, Massachusetts, but mostly in Providence, Rhode Island.
The Aggressions, along with the Commandos and the Performers, constituted the core of Worcester's early hardcore punk scene, playing frequently at Ralph's Diner.
The Aggressions enjoyed local radio success with their song "Howard Johnson's" about an ill-fated attempt to drive through a snow storm to a punk rock concert.
This image served as a central theme for his views on the human condition: where Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice to call down the doves of peace, modern religion has "made him a scarecrow, to chase the doves away", as Severens wrote in his song The Scarecrow.
On the Boneyard recordings, Severens delivers the vocal, bringing his biting sarcasm to the fore.