xSTUCK IN THE PASTx

listen to 3 songs from the upcoming Invierno - El Tiempo Lo Probará LP/CD

2012-01-28T10:41:00.000-08:00

http://invierno.bandcamp.com/

The Bridge (featuring members of Hitman, Deadrise, Jain and Empty)

2012-01-20T13:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bridge/194325163999764

Per guitarist Rajko's email, The Bridge have two shows coming up, including one opening for Integrity in Sofia, Bulgaria on February 10, 2012. They will be recording a 7" next month as well.

Hollow Earth (featuring members of Shai Hulud)

2012-01-13T09:06:00.000-08:00

http://www.mediafire.com/?iq6lodu8wu3im87

http://www.facebook.com/HollowEarthInc

Lifetime at The First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia, PA on 1/8/12 (full set)

2012-01-12T17:31:00.000-08:00

Lifetime (Full Set) from hate5six on Vimeo.

Sealed With A Fist - 'Beside The Lion' 7"

2012-01-11T13:14:00.000-08:00

Here's another request, which was made a while ago, sorry it's taken so long to do this post. Somebody requested material from NYHC band Sealed With A Fist, specifically their demo and the 'Beside The Lion' 7". I only have their 7", so here it is. Solid 90s NYHC with a slight metallic and grooving edge. This 7" was released in 1993 on Nawpost Records, a small label which I believe was run by John Franko of Awkward Thought? Anyways, some time after the 7" was released singer Aragon Amori died, RIP. Their guitarist would take over on vocals, but no recordings were made with this line-up that I know of. Sealed With A Fist ended when their drummer went to play for Maximum Penalty. He would also do some time in Madball. Their bassplayer now plays in a band called Truth In Needles.

Sealed With A Fist - 'Beside The Lion' 7"

All About Friends Forever compilation coming soon

2012-01-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

http://allaboutfriendsforever.tumblr.com/

confirmed bands thus far:

Children Of God

Crushed On You

Great Falls

Harvest

Heiress

Olde Ghost

Ladder Devils

Regents

The Goddamn Rattlesnake

Torchbearer

When Tigers Fight (ex-Damnation A.D./The Promise)

interview with All About Friends Forever's Carrie Whitney coming soon

Indecision cassettes

2012-01-08T17:19:00.000-08:00

My friend, Tim, came over a couple of weeks ago with a handful of Indecision cassettes for me to convert to mp3. For those that don't know, Indecision released quite a few tapes over the course of their tenure, so there are even more out there aside from these four that I'm going to post. If anyone has some of the other tapes, and you'd like to send me dubs to convert, please get in touch!

Indecision - Three More Songs [Demo 95/96]

http://www.mediafire.com/?5nbuab4tn6dbaud

Indecision - Dashboard Icons [demo 1996]

http://www.mediafire.com/?v8jfkz1e6p14p9n

Indecision - Live!!! [10-31-97]

http://www.mediafire.com/?5fp6hi32j6j1pwd

The following cassette contained a mixture of tracks from To Live And Die In New York City and Release The Cure, followed by two unreleased covers and five live songs. I only converted the covers and live songs since all of the other tracks are readily available.

Indecision - In God We Rust [2000]

http://www.mediafire.com/?8pi7d7v6dih78ok

Please Welcome Our Newest Contributor: John Vista

2012-01-04T19:06:00.000-08:00

I'm extremely excited to welcome our newest contributor to Stuck In The Past, John Vista of Vista Zine and former lead singer for Inner Dam. John has been a great friend and regular follower here for years and we're excited to have him join us.

Live at the Safari Club book update

2012-01-02T07:35:00.000-08:00

From the Safari Club Book website:

We have interviewed about 50 people since beginning this book last April. We have about 100 more to go, on our ‘wish list.’ If you are not on this already-interviewed list (below) and wish to be, please get in touch. We need you! We’ve done interviews via phone, email, Skype and in person using audio & video. We’d like to wrap all interviews by Spring 2012 to publish by the end of this year. Here’s a list of the cast of characters so far:

Billy Anderson: former 9:30 Club bouncer
Nathan Anderson: perpetual hardcore kid
Gabe Banner: Safari promoter
Matt Burger: Worlds Collide singer
Rodney Butinelli: drummer: Parasite, Scooter Trash
David Byrd: singer: Set to Explode; drummer: Barfight & For the Living
Martin Castro: Safari Club promoter
Dan Cav: bassist: Resurrection, Absolution
Chuck Copeland: former DC scenester, Original Hardcore Kid
John (Galbraith) Cornerstone: Safari Club promoter
Pat Crean: Goons guitarist; singer: Musicband
Gini Crowder: support staff/Safari Club door-woman
Alex Daniels: Swiz drummer
Sean Dorsey: hardcore kid
Nam Dong: East Wind guitarist
Zac Eller: drummer: Worlds Collide, Bluetip
Lars Frederiksen: guitarist: Rancid, UK Subs; singer: Lars & the Bastards
Grant Garrettson: drummer: LDKids, HR band
Linas Garsys: artist
JR Glass: singer: Next Step Up & Bet the Devil
Andy Guida: drummer: Supertouch, Absolution
Steve Hart: guitarist: Day of Suffering
Chris Hartnett: band manager: Elegant Mess; indie label owner.
Dave Hooser: hardcore kid
Kenny Innouye: Marginal Man guitarist; former 9:30 Club booking agent
Colin Kelly: hardcore kid
Jason Kooken: hardcore fan
Tom Lyle: bassist: Government Issue
Alec MacKaye: Ignition vocalist
Jay Martin: doorman of Safari Club
Mike McTernan: Damnation A.D. singer
Michelle Mennona: photographer
Heidi Minx: Franky & Minx clothing designer; author Punk Rock Domestics
Toby Morse: H2O singer; former Sick of it All roadie
Ingrid Newkirk: PETA founder/director
Ken Olden: guitarist: Damnation A.D., Worlds Collide, Battery, Better than a Thousand, YOT
Anthony Olney: Barfight singer; drummer: Quill; former 9:30 Club doorman
Gabe Onrubia: hardcore kid
Jason Orr: singer: Press Your Luck; guitar: Benchmark
Jason Powell: guitarist & singer, Fury for Another
Sharie Powell: bassist, Fury for Another
Kurt Powers: Time Flies singer
Tru Prey: founder of Malfunction Records; show promoter
Dave Saulnier: hardcore kid
Walter Schreifels: guitarist: Gorilla Biscuits; singer: Quicksand & Rival Schools
Sammy Siegler: drummer: Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Judge
Arthur Smilios: bassist, Gorilla Biscuits, Token Entry; producer: Hot Water Music
Joe Songco: Outburst drummer
Steve Squint: Bad Brains roadie
“Fat Rich” Warwick: drummer: Shark Attack
Joe Wongananda: photographer
Bryan Wassom: owner, Sunspot Records
Kevin Young: bassist, Device

Live at the Safari Club Facebook group - http://www.facebook.com/groups/333646193332037/

Into Another documentary (1995)

2012-01-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

On a related note, Richie Birkenhead will be playing at Cafe Nine in New Haven, CT on 1/14/12. More info can be found here.

Top 10 Lists of 2011

2011-12-31T14:50:00.000-08:00

Well its that time of the year. I know many of the other sites have already posted theirs but hey better late than never. This is just a glimpse into what we've been digging on this year. I hope everyone has had a safe and happy holiday and hope that everyone is safe tonight.

Chip
In no order:

-Foundation "When The Smoke Clears": Bridge 9 Records
-Ghost "Opus Eponymous": Metal Blade Records
-Take Offense "Tables Will Turn": Reaper Records (I don't care that it came out in late December of last year)
-Sick Of It All "Nonstop": Century Media Records
-Death "Reissues": Relapse Records
-Heartsounds "Drifter": Epitaph Records
-Lich King "World Gone Dead": Stormspell Records
-Earth Crisis "Neutralize The Threat": Century Media Records
-Morrissey's 3 new songs
-Axis new tracks/Deathbed new tracks

Justin
1. Envision - s/t
2. Harvest - Years Of Defiance, Years Of Disgust
3. Indecision - Unorthodox (remaster)
4. My Dying Bride - The Barghest O' Whitby
5. Deathbed - Oppression
6. Anthrax - Worship Music
7. Axis - Rites Of Passage
8. Earth Crisis - Neutralize The Threat
9. Foundation - When The Smoke Clears
10. The Nick And Artie Show

Jav
In no order:

Integrity- detonate worlds plague
Rot In Hell- as pearls before swine
Rot In Hell/ Horders split 7"
VA- No Peace/ War
Cold Cave- cherish the light years
Cults- Cults
Prurient- bermuda drain
Glassjaw- coloring book
Seven Sisters Of Sleep s/t and DVD
Peste Noire- l'ordure a l'etat pur

Edwin
In no order:

Vice - Get Down, Stay Down demo
Abolition LP
Thornz - demo
Accept The Change - Escapism Is A Dying Art LP
Foundation - When The Smoke Clears LP
Wolf Down 7"
Goldust - Soir tape
Soul Control - Get Out Now 7"
Oathbreaker - Maelstrom LP
State Of Mind - Knowledge Of Self 12"

Jake

1. Big Love season 5
2. Your Favorite Trainwreck - "The Brilliance" video
3. Wyatt Earp and the Holy Grail: The Tale Of The Three Gates
4. The Big 3 podcast
5. Miles Davis - Bitches Brew Live
6. ZappaCast podcast
7. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part 2
8. all the Starbucks that I hung out at most of the day for the 5 and a half months that I was living in Hemet
9. the Orange County Hardcore Scenester screening at The Yost Theater in Santa Ana, CA on 5/12/11
10. The Big Bang Theory (yes, I'm serious)

Springwater - ...Another Trip Inside MCD

2011-12-29T00:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a release which was requested in the 'Requests and Reposts' box on the righthandside of this blog. Springwater was a German metalcore band and this MCD was released on Unsubmissive Records in 2000. This would be the last release on this label while using the name Unsubmissive Records, afterwards the label renamed itself Incendiary Records and continued under that name for a while. Before this MCD Springwater did a 3-way split 7" with Linsay and Deamon's Jaded Passion, and they also appeared on the 'Emotional Outburst Assisted By Technical Supply' compilation CD, both of which were also released on Unsubmissive/Incendiary Records. Springwater played metalcore in the vein of other German bands such as Caliban and Jane mixed with some H8000 influences. Members moved on to I Despise. Enjoy.

Springwater - ...Another Trip Inside MCD

Xessive Force - Vengeance Is Mine

2011-12-24T08:10:00.000-08:00

Here's the Excessive Force - Vengeance Is Mine 7" from 1994 when they were using the alternate spelling of 'Xessive Force'. Three tracks with great production. I always loved how punchy their recordings sounded. It was perfect for their mosh laden jams.

Excessive Force - Vengeance Is Mine

[1994 - Life Sentence Records]

http://www.mediafire.com/?74vji37a6djwy61

Dobek Ohashi's videos of stuff he's selling

2011-12-21T14:04:00.000-08:00

If you see anything you like please reply with your offer: xohashix@gmail.com

On Bodies (members of Culture, As Friends, etc) Posts 2 Song Sampler

2011-12-20T11:24:00.001-08:00

You may or not have heard that I am doing a new band with members of Culture, As Friends Rust, Shai Hulud and Glasseater. Well our record comes out on February 14, 2012 and we have uploaded a 2 song sampler from that record. We have a blog to keep you guys updated on what's happening with us so if you have a free minute, check it out and see what you think. We're also on Facebook

On Bodies - 2 Song EP Sampler

Olde Ghost at The White Elephant in Brush Prairie, WA on 8/11/11 (full set)

2011-12-19T10:08:00.000-08:00

Olde Ghost from Because We Must on Vimeo.

Requested: Built To Last

2011-12-15T10:07:00.000-08:00

Someone had asked for the first two Built To Last records a few weeks back so here we are. Members went on to Over My Dead Body and Boxcar Racer. I never got a chance to see them and I really don't remember much about them so if anyone has info to fill, please let me know

Built To Last - Loyalty And Betrayal

http://www.mediafire.com/?pqkiybsfk4dyd9j

Built To Last - And Knowing Is Half The Battle

http://www.mediafire.com/?l4l264ml0assu9j

FREE DOWNLOAD: Trial at Vegan Club in St Petersburg, Russia on 10/14/11 (full set - soundboard audio)

2011-12-13T17:21:00.000-08:00

http://www.mediafire.com/?i4v25f5yl3df91j

A very special thank you to hate5six.com for providing us with this recording. Speaking of which, if you haven't already gotten a copy of the hate5six diaries: volume one DVD, click here to purchase one.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Bréag Naofa (featuring members of Trial, Wait In Vain and Sinking Ships)

2011-12-10T09:45:00.000-08:00

http://breagnaofa.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/BreagNaofa

Click here to download their 4 song LP coming out on Panic Records early next year.

Set Adrift - Fifth Season 12" up for pre-order.

2011-12-06T05:09:00.000-08:00

The new 12", titled "Fifth Season", from Set Adrift is now available for pre-order over at One Truth Records. They've been holding down the 90s sound in the Ukraine for a little while now, and I'm sure this record will be a great listen.

One Truth Records

Sara Russert (Olde Ghost, This Time Tomorrow) interview

2011-12-05T13:01:00.000-08:00

How did you get into hardcore music?

I started going to ska shows when I was like 14 and through friends I met, and mixed genre shows, I was introduced to hardcore. I came in during the era of Backside Disaster, Portland's first metal influenced hardcore band... and early on in Trial's lifespan. The intensity of mid-nineties hardcore was undeniable and super alluring for me.

Have you been in any other bands besides Olde Ghost? If so, what band(s)?

Yeah, an all girl hardcore band called To See You Broken (1999-2003?), a crusty hardcore band called This Time Tomorrow (2005-2007?) and now Olde Ghost.

As a singer and as a songwriter, who/what are some of your influences and why?

I don't write lyrics for Olde Ghost. When I joined the band, it was with the understanding that it would be a really low intensity project for me. So no touring, only a few shows a year and the only writing I do is laying my own vocal parts into the song once Chris does the initial vocal writing. In previous bands, I feel like I've written the same way as most singers - influenced by books, current events and politics.

Do you play any instruments? If so, what?

I play the violin and viola and am just starting to mess around on guitar. I can play three whole chords now. ;)

Discuss your experiences (good and/or bad) both being a woman in the hardcore scene and being a frontwoman for a hardcore band.

Initially, it was an uphill battle. In the late nineties, it was extremely rare for girls to be in bands and the reason my first band was all girls was because no boys wanted to start bands with any of us. I think even today, an all girl hardcore band would be a spectacle. We got the full range of reactions, from people being really excited (girls asking us to sign things) to boys yelling "show us your tits". Mostly, I felt that people decided whether they were going to like the band or not based more on our gender than our music. In TTT, it was a really different experience. We were playing music that was more punk influenced and women have always been more accepted in punk rock than hardcore. That band had two girls and we played to a mostly vegan straightedge crowd, which is also generally a feminist crowd. In Olde Ghost, I don't think people even notice that there is a girl in the band. My general take on it has always been to minimize the attention that I get being a girl in a band, with the theory being if I treat it like it's normal, maybe everyone else will too. You know, just act like you belong there.

How long have you been vegan and why did you choose to become vegan?

I have been vegan for around 14 years. I initially made the decision because of animal rights issues but now also do it for my health and the environment.

I'm a staunch animal rights supporter and a very proud caretaker of 3 rescue dogs. However, I'm also a lifelong red meat eater and while I could certainly see myself giving up the more expensive red meats (i.e. steak and filet mignon), I just don't think that I'll ever be able to completely stop eating ground beef in one form or another. As a vegan, what are your thoughts and opinions on this conflict of mine?

I will just never understand anyone's belief that one kind of animal is more important than another based on their personal preference. It seems like a really illogical thought process. The idea that we keep certain domesticated non-human animals as "pets" and bring them into our houses, let them sleep in our beds, buy them toys and special treats, and shape our lives to fit theirs simply because we feel like it. Whereas others are forced to stay outdoors, receive no special treatment and are, in fact, treated cruelly in many cases, and we eat their flesh simply because we feel like it. It's fucking crazy. Seriously, I don't get it. Humans are so illogical and egocentric.

How long have you been Straight Edge and why did you choose to become Straight Edge?

I've been straightedge for 15 years. I am definitely one of those people who could say straightedge and the straightedge scene probably saved my life. Or, at the very least, led it down a very different and more productive path. That's probably the main reason I will never turn my back on the labels even if I no longer NEED them the way I did as a teenager.

What are your thoughts and opinions of Straight Edge hardcore bands whose core members are no longer Straight Edge, particularly those bands who do reunions shows, tours, records, etc.?

You know, I don't really care. I think reunion shows and tours are stupid in general and I think playing reunions with like one original member just so you can sing straightedge songs is stupid, so this is probably not a great question for me. ;) It's over, move on.

Discuss your Vegan Sara Beth website.

I'm a baker & cooking instructor and I'm writing a cookbook - vegansarabeth.com is my business website. I also have a Facebook page - Facebook.com/vegansarabeth

Feel free to shamelessly plug any of your other musical or non-musical endeavors here.

That's all I got. Thanks. :)

Fugazi Live Series is, uh, live (and commentary on their 9/8/91 show)

2011-12-01T13:10:00.000-08:00

http://www.dischord.com/fugazi_live_series

Today, the first 130 Fugazi show recordings from 1987 to 2003 were made available to the general public on the Dischord website as part of the website's Fugazi Live Series (all 800+ Fugazi show recordings in the band's vault will eventually be released over time). This being the case, I decided to include a bit of commentary on the one and only Fugazi show that I attended at the Hollywood Palladium on 9/8/91 (flyer above).

This show was quite significant for me for a few different reasons. First and foremost, however, is the fact that it remains BY FAR the biggest hardcore show that I've ever attended in my almost a quarter of a century of going to hardcore shows, both in terms of venue size and attendance. The Palladium holds 4000 people and not only were there, in fact, 4000 people (at least) there that night but the show also sold out well in advance. Another significant thing about this show was that almost all 4000 people were fixated on Fugazi as they played and moving in time to the music. Needless to say, it was quite an unbelievable spectacle to behold. I had never seen anything like it before and I have never seen anything like it since. The third and final reason why this show was significant for me is because less than 3 years after opening for Fugazi at this show, The Offspring would go on to sell millions of records and become one of the most popular bands in the world. To me, however, they will always and forever be just another one of the many, many bands that got blown off the stage by the sheer raw intensity that was Fugazi.

TODAY ONLY - get $10 off Lisa Quintero's Burning Fight Book Release photo book

2011-11-29T13:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2481692

enter promo code BIGTEN at checkout

52 pages of photos of Guilt, Unbroken, Trial, 108, Threadbare and more from the Burning Fight book release show at The Metro in Chicago, IL on May 2 & 3, 2009.

FREE SHOW! Richie Birkenhead (acoustic) at Gunners Run in Philadelphia, PA on 12/14/11

2011-11-28T10:53:00.000-08:00

http://www.facebook.com/events/205724029501963/

http://www.gunnersrun.com/wp/

http://www.facebook.com/GrindcoreHouse

Amendment Eighteen demo [download]

2011-11-27T15:04:00.000-08:00

http://www.mediafire.com/?6tfcj9z5mf1d1id

Jon Huskey, the mastermind behind the stellar It Follows blog and one of my favorite interviewees (my interview with him can be found here), was kind enough to allow me to cross-post his most recent cassette rip, the Amendment Eighteen demo. One of the things that I like the most about this demo is that it contains my personal favorite A18 song "Ink Bleeds Through", which was later re-recorded for their first full length All My Heroes Are Dead. The poor man's Henry Rollins, who is the subject of said song, gets called out for the megalomaniacal fraud that he is. Damn good stuff.

6 Ft. Underground - s/t 7"

2011-11-26T08:16:00.000-08:00

6 Ft. Underground was a short-lived German veggie/vegan hardcore band from the first half of the 90s. This self-titled 7" is the only record of theirs I'm aware of. It was released by the band members themselves in 1995. Pretty decent mix between old school/melodic hardcore and more 'new school' hardcore, including a 'Meat Free Youth' anthem. Members also played in a number of other bands such as Universal a.k.a. The Mental Toilet, Diavolo Rosso, Fear Is The Path To The Dark Side, Repugnant and Dead Beat.

6 Ft. Underground - s/t 7"

Indecision - Unorthodox remastered vinyl available for order!

2011-11-23T17:22:00.000-08:00

As you may recall, I remastered the Unorthodox cd a while ago, but the fine gentleman at Bitter Melody Records has taken it the extra mile by having the recording remastered from the master tapes and repressing it on vinyl. He went the extra mile by producing two color versions and a 180gram black vinyl version with a screen printed cover.

They are all currently available for ordering over at the Bitter Melody page on Limited Pressing, and there is also a price discount when you order the 3-pack.

Individual

3-pack

Into Another at Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ on 6/28/92 (full set)

2011-11-21T09:36:00.000-08:00

FREE DOWNLOAD: Revelation Records Crash Course compilation

2011-11-20T10:29:00.000-08:00

http://amzn.com/B00667MPHM

1. By A Thread - Fashion

2. Shook Ones - Pheasant

3. Down To Nothing - Higher Learning

4. Bold - Looking Back

5. Judge - Bringin' It Down

6. Shai Hulud - This Song: For The True And Passionate Lovers Of Music

7. Dag Nasty - Twisted Again

8. Will Haven - Carpe Diem

9. The Movielife - Single White Female

10. Elliott - Drive On To Me

11. The Nerve Agents - Fall Of The All American

12. Texas Is The Reason - Back And To The Left

13. Sense Field - Building

14. Farside - Audience

15. Inside Out - No Spiritual Surrender

16. Quicksand - Omission

17. Gorilla Biscuits - New Direction

18. Chain Of Strength - True Till Death

19. Youth Of Today - Break Down The Walls

20. Sick Of It All - It's Clobberin' Time

21. Down To Nothing - Where It Went

Straight Edge and the art of the Clothing Line

2011-11-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

Okay so it's pretty common place that since the 80s people have been printing and selling straight edge tshirts. Hell I have quite a few myself (most of which don't fit anymore but that's neither here nor there) and to be quite honest, there have been some bad but also some good. Some of these may look dated now but they were pretty hot items back then. Let's take a look back at some of the good and bad from the 90s. Please not, I have not included Cabal in this as we've covered them pretty extensively. If you'd like to go back and see what we said, click here: Cabal Clothing.

No post on straight edge tshirts would be complete without the famous "Sesame Street" straight edge shirt. I was told who printed this but I can't for the life of me remember who though Jav did tell me that it printed in Buffalo. This was printed in 1995 though as the shirt shows.
One of my personal favorites was the Andrew Thomas Company. I've done a few posts on them in the past, two of which you can see by clicking on the 1995 catalog and the 1997 catalog. Being that I've already covered them in past, Ill just post a few images of theirs.
Devil's Head was another company/label that printed shirts...some good, some...well not so good. You be the judge
The Attitude Shop began under a different name which escapes me now but they printed up some great designs as well as a bunch of ARA (Anti-Racist Action) designs. I think they were based out of Pennsylvania. I have a few more of their shirts but for some reason I can't find the photos.

While some people ran "clothing lines", labels and distros that also considered themselves straight edge and printed up shirts.
Victory Records sold this design throughout the 90s and into the early 2000s before finally retiring it. If you went to shows in the 90s, there was always at least 1 person at the show with this shirt.

I remember seeing Ray from Tension (FL) wearing this on the insert of the full length "Agent of the People". I scooped this up in a lot I bought. Not sure who printed it though.

This one was also sold by Victory. I really don't think we need to go anymore into this. There are also Pepsi and Coke designs

This one was sold through Very Distro in the late 90s.

The notorious "Kill Your Local Drug Dealer" shirt. This is the original before it was changed and reprinted by Seventh Dagger. I don't know who printed these but they came out of North Carolina if memory serves.

Finally, what post on straight edge shirts would be complete without something New Age related. Probably the most well known design they did. Id love to get my hands on the circular "Proud to be Drug Free" design so if you get at me if you have it and want to unload it.

Straight & Alert distro and blog

2011-11-16T07:19:00.000-08:00

http://www.straightandalert.com/

From the Straight & Alert about us page:

Straight & Alert is a French independent distro born during 2009 summer from our addiction for vinyl records and Hardcore music. Import hard to find records, introduce new bands to friends, share knowledge, have more records…always more records.

Here are our motivations to get ahead.

Hardcore, punk, metal, indie… Straight & Alert’s musical landscape doesn’t cease to change and evolve, as ours, and isn’t gonna stop.

Straight & Alert has started in a scene, where strong values and ideals are shared. Stand up for them is one of our struggle.

Take a stand, Take a new look at yourself.

You have to be STRAIGHT & ALERT.

the hate5six diaries: volume one DVD now available for preorder

2011-11-08T11:13:00.000-08:00

http://hate5six.bigcartel.com/product/the-hate5six-diaries-volume-one

the hate5six diaries: volume one DVD

(100% of the proceeds will be donated to One Hundred for Haiti)

Featuring nearly 4 hours of live footage of:

108
Black Kites
Converge
Damnation AD
Give
Have Heart
Iron Chic
Kid Dynamite
Mindset
Pulling Teeth
Ruiner (from the last show)
Seraphim
Suicide File
The First Step (from the last show)
The Rival Mob
Touche Amore
Trial
Unbroken

[Running time: ~240 minutes, 16:9 widescreen]

Supertouch at Future Bar in Quincy, MA on 10/29/11 (full set)

2011-11-04T18:37:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already done so, please consider making a donation to hate5six.com if you're able.

Long Beach Vegan Eatery - NYHC legend Jeff Terranova's new restaurant

2011-10-30T17:22:00.000-07:00

Even though America is on the brink of a double dip recession with no foreseeable end in sight, the very brave duo of New York hardcore legend Jeff Terranova and his partner Beckey Salg have recently opened Long Beach Vegan Eatery, a restaurant which specializes in all manner of vegan comfort food (as Jeff himself told me, "people still gotta eat, even in a recession"). If you live in the Southern California area or if you ever find yourself there, be sure to stop in and get your grub on. They are open every day from 11:00 AM until 8:00 PM.

2246 N. Lakewood Blvd. (at Stearns Avenue)

Long Beach, CA 90815

562-986-LBVE

http://www.lbveganeatery.com

http://www.facebook.com/LBVeganEatery

Joe Nelson and Evan Jacobs interview on their new film, Wyatt Earp and the Holy Grail: The Tale of the Three Gates

2011-10-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

Discuss your new film, Wyatt Earp and the Holy Grail: The Tale of the Three Gates.

EJ: Wyatt Earp and the Holy Grail: The Tale of the Three Gates (WEATHG: TTOTTG) is a look at humankind's relationship to the elements which surround them. Oftentimes, these elements encroach on them in a way that is not normal. WEATHG: TTOTTG attempts to explore this as well as study how a man who is lost ultimately finds himself. It's a big story, which is why there are two more films coming, which will bring the total length of the series to 3 hours.

JN: Yes, yes. However, it's also a study in circular lineage. As I'm sure you can tell after viewing the film, at least 1/2 of the story is noir rooted but there is also an ode as to what makes a human being, in fact, a human being. Wyatt is lost, true, but the emphasis for the viewer shouldn't be the typical tonal dissection of "who?", "what?", "when?", "where?", "why?" and "how?" but instead, it should take a more "if?", "or?", "but?" and "will?" direction.

I've watched the film twice now and while I'm obviously not in a position to actually review it (and I wouldn't even know where to begin if I tried to review it), one of the things that I really liked about the film was the beautiful visuals. What specific effects in the editing of the film did you use?

JN: I can’t really speak for the equipment that was used; the cameras, the film, the dollies, the cranes, the boom mics or the editing system. That’s not really what I am about as a film maker and, for that matter, a man. What I will say is not a lot of people have the mental capacity to make movies. That is why only a select few of us ever soar. The only advice I can give to young, aspiring film makers is follow your dreams.

EJ: The film was shot on a KODAK Zi8 camera as well as on multiple camera phones. It was processed using the effects of FINAL CUT X and then edited in FINAL CUT 7, which both Joe and myself were more comfortable with. We consulted Walter Murch's legendary book In the Blink of An Eye so we wouldn't be constrained.

Discuss the film's sound editing. What specific effects did you use for that?

EJ: The goal was to create a mood, an atmosphere, and I think we have achieved that. We wanted people to not only get in touch with this character but also with themselves. In this way, they could see how they were constrained. However, it is eventually these constraints which allow us to be free.

JN: For me, the most important derivative of the whole scope is the tonal alchemy. Evan has really come into his own as a true soundman in the essence of the craft. To me, Joe Nelson, Wyatt is Evan's greatest work when it comes to the dialect of rations and pitch layering. It grabs you from the get go sonically and one hour later, you’re thirsting for more. Audiophillicly speaking, of course.

In what ways does the first and original draft of the screenplay differ from the completed film?

EJ: I will just say this - Joe's original draft was more linear. Wyatt was called Shaw, Arthur was called Max and the script actually took place in present day Las Vegas. I told Joe that to truly tell this story, he would have to abandon the constraints of narrative, plot and other such devices and just allow the story to breathe. Since he was playing Wyatt, he gladly complied.

JN: Originally, the film was called Wyatt Earp and the Holy Grail – Perditions Window. However, the main character was, indeed, named Shaw, and Wyatt was more of an underlying idea throughout the film. When you view the film, you can see why we changed it to The Three Gates, but you will still feel "Perditions Window" subtly shifting within the context of the body. However, Evan is 100% correct when saying that the story followed more of a linear arc, too much actually. His recommendation to take a more obtuse path is what got us to where we are today. Once we went off the grid, so to speak, it was desperately necessary for the Shaw character to be cut from the story completely and what I refer to as the "Wyatt Idea" to become the major focus of the journey.

Why exactly is the character of The Outlaw an outlaw? Or is he, in fact, an outlaw?

EJ: The Outlaw is a man who rules a realm known as the sound. He is trained in the art of audio and he treats it that way. Wyatt has obviously done something to offend that sensibility and that is how he ends up 3 dimensions from the rest of us.

JN: To side step a little, I am currently working on a feature length 3 minute cartoon short film based 100% on The Outlaw’s life circa 18 years of age. Can you imagine an 18 year old Outlaw, carefree and loose upon the world? Well, the world he currently occupies, that is? Or does he? HA HA HA... you’ll actually have to watch the film to get what I mean by that little inside joke but boy is it true and, dare I say, relevant for this age that we live in socially, politically and spiritually. Mankind’s peripherales are what hold him back, you realize. The Outlaw knows this. Does Wyatt? Okay okay, I am giving away too much of the film. Next question please?

How did Isaac Golub (singer/frontman for A Chorus Of Disapproval and A18/Amendment 18) become involved in the film?

EJ: Isaac, not many people know, is classically trained in the classics. He doesn't talk about it much but he and I are friends, so he told me about this. I told him that I wanted to stretch his persona. In X CHORUS X, he was one thing and in A18, he was something else but he was always Isaac. In Wyatt, he plays a man who knows no boundaries within himself.

JN: I was originally against having Isaac involved but after I saw his screen tests, well, let’s just say not only was I hooked, I became a fan of the man. I became a fan of his words. I became a fan of his charisma. I even became a student on the compository make up to the very grassroots of Isaac’s soul. In fact, Evan and I were so moved by his audition that we both felt his screen tests were just too strong as is. Therefore, his scenes in the film are the screen tests themselves, as is, uncut and verbatim.

What direction, if any, did you give to Jay Cee, who wrote and composed the original music score for the film?

JN: Evan knows Jay Cee better than I do. This was actually my first encounter with the man. Skeptical? Yes. Due diligence? Forever, and a day.

EJ: Jay has scored a bunch of my other films. Basically, I give him a copy of the film without the audio and he does a bunch of scratch recordings. Then he comes to the studio (a.k.a. THE LAB) and we go from there. Music is his department and he actually has final say in regards to music cues.

How much of an influence, if any, was the work of actor/writer/director Vincent Gallo on the film?

EJ: I am sure it is in there somewhere. Joe is a big Terrence Malick fan and I have always admired Stan Brakhage. We merged those two worlds.

JN: We actually met, Evan and I that is, at the Orange County Terrence Malick Fans Of Stan Brakhage Films Fan Club, back in 1992. We became immediate pen pals, and from those letters grew a friendship, and from that friendship sprouted Wyatt. It was almost as if God's hand led us to be.

How much of a challenge to understand and/or appreciate will this film be for fans of each of your previous music and film works?

JN: This is the first real work of art that I have been a part of. I am 41 years old now and for 10 years, I have worked feverishly on nothing but this film. I’ve spent every last penny I have on it and if somebody handed me more pennies, I would gladly, and without prejudice or hesitation, give them to Wyatt.

EJ: I think people will see it and be able to appreciate it for what it is. I like being able to bounce between writing movies for people like Kevin Sorbo to making very personal films like ORANGE COUNTY HARDCORE SCENESTER to making a movie like WEATHG: TTOTTG, which is made for the pure pleasure of getting together with creative people and making a movie. Alex Cox would be proud.

What can you tell us about the upcoming Wyatt Earp and the Holy Grail films?

EJ: Well, we are going to go bigger production value wise and we are currently locking down locations. However, before we even start thinking about that, Jacobs/Nelson will be making a horror film that is heavy inspired by APOCALYPSE NOW titled NIGHT OF THE JAKE 2000. It is going to be a sequel to a short film that Joe made in 1989 titled NIGHT OF THE JAKE.

JN: I don't want to give too much away for what is coming in the next Wyatt installment. However, as you will tell after completing the first undertaking, the space is wide open and the air is ablaze.

Earth Crisis at Future Bar in Quincy, MA on 10/15/11 (full set)

2011-10-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

We Gotta Know Podcast

2011-10-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

I apologize as its taken me some time to do this update but our friend and dedicated follower Jason has started a podcast. I told him I was going to have it posted last week but hey better late than never. Check out it....good mix of new and older hardcore.
Click here to check out the site and download the first episode

We Gotta Know Podcast

Richie Birkenhead solo appearance at Mojo Main in Newark, DE on 11/27/11

2011-10-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/72093

EDGE DAY 2000: The Last Show Of In My Eyes video

2011-10-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

HAPPY EDGE DAY!

From the Revelation Records Vimeo:

This is what we could salvage of the documentary "EDGE DAY 2000: The Last Show Of In My Eyes." Hope you enjoy it! Here are some words from In My Eyes' guitarist, Anthony Pappalardo:

For the entire existence of In My Eyes there were always three words used to describe us that made us cringe: Youth Crew Revival. Most 'zines that were covering Snapcase and Chamberlain would mention we were "great at being a Youth Crew Revival band" and it drove me fucking insane. The Youth Crew was Youth of Today's crew, not a style of music and certainly not relevant to a band formed in 1997. We all loved Youth of Today but we weren't setting out to revive anything. That phrase always made me think of a bunch of kids in varsity jackets standing over a drawing of the Step Forwards record dude with wires hooked up to him like Weird Science. Suddenly he rises out of the pages of Boiling Point and He's Alive... the Youth Crew had been revived! Let's all pose in the street a la We're Not In This Alone and bleach our hair!

In My Eyes accomplished infinitely less than many of the bands that were our peers in Boston. From Bane and American Nightmare to Converge, Isis, Jejune and Piebald; we'd toured less, played less and never committed to the band full time but it didn't mean it wasn't our lives or that we weren't happy with what we had left behind. We weren't able to be a "full time band" and that made things fun. We had an outlet to pour ourselves into every weekend and it made even the smallest show special.

We didn't revive the Youth Crew, we lived our crew. Some of us listened to Juvenile, while some listened to Stereolab. We could be found wasting our money on sneakers, jackets, unhealthy vegetarian food, gambling or video games. We combed the streets of Boston looking for fun, records and girls… girls were the hardest to come by. In My Eyes was our way of avoiding the September to June College Malaise that defines Boston.

Initially we were a handful of kids crammed into the first floor of a poorly insulated Mission Hill apartment with a Subway table in the vinyl floored kitchen. By the end of the band our friends inhabited about 43% of the neighborhood, formed twenty thousand bands and record labels and we all found time to hang out on each other's porches and stoops no matter what was going on.

In My Eyes was convinced to play a final show, as the band had run it's course. We were exhausted, broke, and all facing different directions while still being best friends. Matt Galle, Tim Mailloux and Ray Lemonie aka DHU were responsible for most of the all ages punk and hardcore shows in Boston at the time and they wouldn't let us go out with a whimper. They booked an all ages, $5.00 show in Haverhill, MA, where Ten Yard Fight had once played as well as 108, about 7 years prior. Haverhill was about ten miles from where I grew up. I spent my teen years there in coffee shops, grinding and sliding the curbs in the town's parking garage. It was part of the Merrimack Valley, an area responsible for Cave-In, Piebald, Converge, Ten Yard Fight and other notable bands. It was nice to end where I started.

The show wasn't going to take place in Boston so we could have an all ages show with no barriers, without giving a cent to club owners that hated us the other 364 days of the calendar year.

DHU asked me who I'd wanted on the bill; I remember asking if American Nightmare could play... they didn't and I'm not sure why but Wes sang the ending of Through The Motions which is part of this documentary. In viewing the video again I realized how much this song aspired to be a Moondog song though it's mid-paced tempo was modeled after Inside Out.

I'm not sure why my memory is so sharp for some things and so vague for others but I'll run down the last time In My Eyes played together:

• A few weeks prior we played a last show in Riverside County in California at the Showcase Theater. I liberated a pair of gold Air Max 97s from Niketown as an homage to Civ's obnoxious creepers at the last GB shows.

• As In My Eyes was fading out, a lot of us noticed the focus on NYHC folk-lore and generally being "hard" in hardcore 2000. We purposely chose to cover A Time We'll Remember and Bottled Violence, two songs without mosh parts that are as energetic as any songs recorded to keep an emphasis on stage dives and sing-alongs... things we saw as the core of the band.

• Friends from all over the world came, a lot of our friends hadn't been to a show in years or ever, some of them liked Limp Bizkit and others, House music. It was rad to have such a mix of personalities and backgrounds there in one place.

• The show was $5.00; I'm not sure how many people paid but I know for a fact that no one I knew was asked for even a dollar. Clevo mentions there being 500+ kids there, I'm sure at least 200 were on the "guest list." I have no idea how many kids were actually there but it felt like at least 501.

• The palm tree background was pretty calming, and later, Jeff and I joked about starting a new band, "Veggie Burger in Paradise", a Leisure Core band inspired by the backdrop.

• We all knew Sweet Pete was tight with Porcell but didn't believe he'd really show up to sing Straight Edge Revenge. It kind of blew me away how kids didn't give him a little room to do his thing, I always thought he was pretty incredible on stage and would have liked to see him have a little more space.

• There was one In My Eyes song we all thought sucked so we didn't play it but I'm not sure 11 years later what it was, maybe it was Overlooked.

• Dudes ripping down the ceiling cost us $400.00, which is 80 paid customers. I might start a Kickstarter to recoup the costs retroactively.

• There were a lot of humans there not wearing shirts... I'm pretty sure 11 years later they'd keep their "Hanes Beefy Tees" on.

• None of us could even get near our amps to look at our tuners due to the amount of Edgemin on stage, we gave up and tuned by ear. Al Quint once complained that we were always out of tune because we "jumped around so much", I'm surprised how in-tune we actually sounded.

As for the actual documentary you're viewing now, it was supposed to be this multi-angle, multi-camera, semi-mega production packed with ephemera, interviews and insight. Instead, it sat somewhere for years until a short sample tape and an invoice arrived in my mail box years later. There was a lot of confusion about what really happened with the movie, I wanted to work with the editor and really make this different but instead the film crew disappeared and we all forgot about this until Larry Ransom found this 30 minute cut.

I wish I didn't swing my arms around as much when I talked but I'm happy with this slice of In My Eyes and I hope everyone enjoys it.

Thank you to DHU for booking the show, everyone who came out as well as Shark Attack, The Killing Flame, Mouthpiece, Fastbreak, Bane and Ten Yard Fight who played for next to nothing to be a part of the day.

I never went to my senior prom and spent 15 minutes at my college graduation because In My Eyes had a show booked at a shed in a New Jersey backyard with Ensign which I played with a 100+ degree fever but I had this day no matter how bad my memories of it actually is.

Despite this show being an endpoint for In My Eyes, I see many of the people on that stage weekly, monthly and at weddings and other celebrations to this day. We share tweets, texts, emails, Facebook wars and other social media connections and we all agree it was a great time that continues into our (gasp) adult lives.

Thank you.
-Anthony Pappalardo 10.17.2011

The Gaslight Anthem covering Farside's "I Hope You're Unhappy"

2011-10-14T08:07:00.000-07:00

Here we have a video of newly signed Mercury Records' recording artists The Gaslight Anthem covering the former Revelation Records' recording artists Farside song "I Hope You're Unhappy". Now, major label bands covering songs by indie label bands (even hardcore bands) is, of course, nothing new. However, I felt that this particular case warranted a post due to the fact that Farside are from my beloved hometown of Orange County, California and singer/guitarist Popeye has been a good friend to my brother and me for 20 years this year. Oh yeah, almost forgot the best part - it's another middle finger to the "nobody cares about '90s hardcore" naysayers. Yes they do, assholes.

Deathbed (ATL) Records 2 New Songs For Upcoming Split

2011-10-11T17:54:00.000-07:00

My dudes in Atlanta's Deathbed just recorded 2 new songs for a split with True Life. You can check them out here and you can order their 7 inch here. If you dig bands like 108 and Harvest, chances are you're probably going to like this.

Stampin' Ground - s/t MCD

2011-10-09T06:29:00.000-07:00

Formed in 1995 and quitting in 2006, Stampin' Ground was one of the biggest UK metalcore bands, not to mention one of the best metalcore bands to come out of the UK period, or even Europe as a whole IMHO. Their self-titled MCD on We Bite Records from 1996 compiles the first 2 7"s of this band, the 'Dawn Of Night' 7" on Days Of Fury Records and the 'Starved' 7" on Too Damn Hype Records. Both these 7"s were recorded at the same recording session in late 1995, and the 7"s were released in 1996. Great stuff. On these releases, they were still more on the hardcore side of things, the metal influences took over more and more on their later releases. After these 7"s they did a number of releases, all of which are great. Their best release in my opinion was the 'Carved From Empty Wounds' album from 2000, that one is absolutely vicious, and comes highly recommended, tho really all of their output does. Anyways, as I also own both 7"s, I've included scans of the 7"s as well with the download. Check out this band if you haven't done so already.

As a side-note, for those who are interested in the origins of UK punk & hardcore, Stampin' Ground's bass-player Ian Glasper has written 3 books about the UK (anarcho) punk and hardcore history, 'Burning Britain - A History Of UK Punk 1980 to 1984', 'The Day The Country Died: A History Of Anarcho Punk 1980 To 1984' and 'Trapped In A Scene: UK Hardcore 1985-1989'. Check those out as well.

Here's a cool video from that time about a Stampin' Ground roadtrip to Belgium's Goodlife fest '97:

Stampin' Ground - s/t MCD

Mike Hartsfield interview, part 2

2011-10-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

Promo video for MEXPW, Mike Hartsfield's new wresting company

What is the current status of Outspoken?

I'd say we are in a holding pattern, everyone is busy with other stuff. I'd say we are on pause.

How would you personally rate the recent Outspoken shows with singer/frontman Wes Sisk? Not just performance-wise but reaction-wise as well?

We all had a blast. From everything I heard, people enjoyed it. Anytime a venue has a barricade it inhibits crowd reaction, but we were still able to enjoy ourselves. Wes is a heart throb.

A18 has played a few shows here and there in the past few years. Are there any plans for that band to record again? Why or why not?

No, We're just past that point. We broke up in '06 and played a few benefit shows and just small get-togethers over the years. We played a few weeks ago with Hellfire Trigger for a going away party for Nicholas (our guitarist and sometimes bassist) and we all decided that was pretty much it for the A18.

Is there any possibility of a Freewill reunion at some point? Why or why not?

None of us have ever talked about it (or at least none of them mentioned it to me). It would be a lot of fun but we were a VERY obscure band. I miss those guys tremendously. When I was in the band, I didn't appreciate it like I think I should have. I look back on the recording we did for Wishingwell Records as a huge deal for us. There's not too much more you need to do at age 18 than record an album for your favorite record label. It was amazing then. I wouldn't be against a reunion but I just don't think anyone would be all that interested.

What is the current status of New Age Records?

Gearing up to shut our doors in 2012. Repressing the Trial 7" (working on that now) and clearing out the webstore in the next few months.

There have been lots and lots of hardcore reunion shows throughout the '00s and in the past two years. What have been some of your favorites and why?

Anyone that gets together for friends, fun or a cause is all good in my book. No For An Answer was the tops. Chorus always, Headfirst, ICE and Mean Season in 2005 was incredible.

Discuss in detail your new wrestling company, MEXPW.

It's a company that I formed this year along with a partner and we are running live events in the U.S. and in Mexico. We are set to debut in January 2012 in Los Angeles. I have been in the business in one way or another for a very long time. I am working now with venues, wrestlers, merchandising, advertising. promotions, etc. and am hoping soon to be stepping into the world of TV and pay per view.

How will this new wrestling company differ from previous wrestling companies that you've been involved with?

That's a good one. Hopefully, this one can keep it's head above water. I'm hoping that by closely managing the whole thing, we can make the right decisions and stay on corse.

Generally speaking, how has the wrestling industry fared during the economic recession in America?

It's down but I think a bigger factor is that there are more and more forms of live entertainment every year and in California, with all the options that people have, we really have to create and maintain something interesting and exciting.

After she turns 18, how would you feel about your daughter pursuing a career in some capacity in the wrestling industry if she wanted to?

Hahaha. I'd encourage her to be on the production side but if it turns out that she wanted to actually train to be a wrestler, I guess I'd have to support her there as well.

Remission - Isolation t-shirts from their 2011 U.S. Tour now available

2011-10-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

http://remissionhc.bigcartel.com/product/isolation-t-shirt-r-records

Cornered: European Hardcore

2011-09-30T16:51:00.001-07:00

Last month, I went out to see Take Offense play (if you haven't seen them yet, do it, they tore the roof off of the place) and found out that a few bands on the tour were from Europe. I always try to show support to bands on tour, especially when they are from another country. Both bands shared members (Cornered and New Morality) and I took the time to talk to the guys. Niels, the singer for Cornered, told me that he and the other guys check us regularly (thanks guys) and asked if we could post a link to their newest recording for them. So here it is, the newest offering from Cornered. If they come back to the US and you get a chance to check them out, do so. You won't be disappointed

http://www.mediafire.com/?chkoc7oh1cpgtut

You can also "Like" them on Facebook and keep up with what's happening on their end by clicking here: Cornered on Facebook

Damnation AD Interview: No Reason Zine, #4 1997

2011-09-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

Here's an interview with Damnation AD from No Reason Zine, #4. I saw Mike last month and asked about the Cure record they had rumored to be recording...looks like there might be some truth to this. Ill get more info for you guys soon but until then, here's the interview.

Orange County Hardcore Scenester trailer #1 video

2011-09-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/ochardcorescenester

http://anhedeniafilms.com/

Culture Discography to be released in early 2012

2011-09-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

(Photo from Alex's Culture Myspace Page)

I just received a message from Jamie, head of the label American Enemy Inc., letting me know that he will be releasing the Culture discography on both CD and vinyl in early 2012. He just finalized the deal with former Culture member Rich Thurston yesterday and they've already gone forward with remastering the band's catalog. Here's a statement from Rich on the upcoming discography:

"CULTURE was and always will be one of my proudest achievements. We weren't the most popular. We didn't get on the cool big labels of the time. We didn't play a tons of shows. Given all that I think we helped define a genre as well as influence bands with like minded goals in the mid to late 90s. Working on this discography brings back so many memories and yeah even some regrets. I am so happy and proud that all of the songs we worked so hard on and believed in will be put together on one release. Its my crowning accomplishment."

The layout is being handled by Damien Moyal and is already in the process of being put together. Order information will be posted in the near future so until then, follow American Enemy Inc on Facebook to keep up to date with the release.

"Veganism: From Black Metal to Hip-Hop and Everything in Between" panel videos

2011-09-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

Panelists include Kevin Tillman, Vegan Black Metal Chef (Brian Manowitz), Larry Brady and Greg Bennick. For more information, please visit Vegan Score.

Casa De Diversion Vol. 2

2011-09-12T05:32:00.000-07:00

Toxic Breed has just released Vol. 2 of their Casa De Diversion compilation series.

Tracklist:

1. Disapproval- Intro/Detached From Birth

2. Villain- Debt Nation ft COA

3. Raindance- Severed Wings and Open Wounds

4. Bottom Out- Home

5. Pulling Teeth- Waiting

6. Axis- Atlas

7. Born Low- Two-fold

8. Goodbye Cruel World- Better Off Dead

9. Written Off- Reiterator

10. Unrestrained- Disdain

11. Power Trip- Suffer No Fool

12. Agitator- Force Fed Lies

13. Sabertooth Zombie- Banana Milk

14. The Love Below- High Friends In Low Places

15. Coke Bust- Another Fucking Problem

16. Another Mistake- Crust Fund

17. Social War- 28 Days Later

18. Sojourner- Deception Falls

19. Legion- Salvation

20. Hatewaves- Pride

21. At Our Heels- Wolfsblood

22. Old Wounds- Terror Eyes

23. Fed To The Wolves- Disappointment

24. Sacred Love- Riot Dogs (Molon Lave)

25. Crucified- Dead Of Sleep

26. Code Orange Kids- Walls (We Lose Each Other)

27. Homewrecker- Internal Morgue

28. Divider- Glory of Kings

29. Masakari- IX- Tempt Providence

30. Low Places- Honor Thee Cult

31. Streetsweeper- Place Of Fear

32. Vice- Vice

33. Alaskan- Euthanize

34. Deathbed- Cleanse

35. Jungle Juice- Blind

It can be downloaded through mediafire:

http://www.mediafire.com/?9xcsth58tndldcs

Or streamed through the Band Camp page:

http://casadediversion.bandcamp.com/album/vol-2

Greg Bennick (Trial, Between Earth & Sky, One Hundred For Haiti) interview

2011-09-10T17:59:00.000-07:00

As a singer/frontman and a songwriter, who/what are some of your influences and why?

GREG: I find that I am influenced by people from so many different sources. Lou Reed's New York album was a huge influence on me, and obviously not hardcore related. In the liner notes to that record, he wrote that the record was meant to be listened to in one sitting as if it was a book or a movie. And that's what I brought to my contribution to the Trial - Are These Our Lives? record. I wanted it to be the same way, though maybe with slightly more intense music than Lou Reed's. And that's arguable. He can take guitar, bass and drums and make them sound like they need nothing else ever. Other influences: Behemoth for their sheer intensity and ability to play like they do. Listen to their Evangelion album. If you can't appreciate its speed and/or intensity, then we can't be friends. I also was inspired and influenced by Catharsis' Samsara album. That record is just relentless creatively, politically, socially, personally and psychologically. More than anything else, I am influenced by individuals, specifically those who have suffered and survived, or suffered and died. I spend a lot of time processing and thinking and feeling with people about what their experiences in life have been with the things they've faced. Our capacity to feel is astounding, and our ability to survive in the face of suffering is even more astounding. I remember standing at Birkenau near Auschwitz in the middle of the camp at Birkenau and just taking a breath in trying to imagine all of what happened there. I have been there many times over the years. And just letting all of that history sink in, the individuals, their fears and pain, their hopes and survival, and their loss, sometimes even the loss of themselves. Thats ten albums worth of inspiration for art and creation right there in one deep breath. And beyond the historical, one on one interactions with people - people with courage and sincerity - about their lives and mine, and the things they have had to face and work with and endure. That's where the real inspiration is found to live more fully and then to transform that sense of living into the creation of art.

In this video, Unrestrained singer/frontman and xStuck In The Pastx co-owner/co-manager Justin Sitner, among others, says that his favorite hardcore band is Trial. What do you think it is it about Trial that appeals to so many people?

GREG: It might be something to do with our dashing good looks, quick wit, and limitless charm. But since few of these things appeal to Justin, I would suggest that - other than the rifftastic jams unleashed by Timm McIntosh, that there is a sincerity to the band that appeals to people because we present ideas and feelings - and i mean that we do that musically as well as lyrically - that reflect what is happening within their own hearts and minds. The bands that tend to impact me do the same thing. Take a band like Into Another for example. The lyrics just go so far beyond most other music in my iTunes: just deeply emotionally clear and direct and I feel like they were written by me for me. Thats when a band really reaches people... when they feel like the songs were written by them, for them. Because ultimately in terms of Trial, the songs were written for them, at least with that amount of connection and devotion. I am deeply honored when anyone says that we are their favorite band. Your very own Justin and I were hanging out in Portland when we first met. And I was making conversation, and asked him "So, who are your favorite hardcore band?" He stopped for a second, held up his arm - which has a full sleeve Trial tattoo - and looked at me like I was a total idiot. Point taken. And FYI: Justin also likes Behemoth, so we know his tastes in music are solid.

What are some of your favorite Trial songs/records and why?

GREG: Are These Our Lives? has definitely stood the text of time for me. And that was the test and challenge: when I was writing the lyrics my challenge to myself was to write them so that I would be able to stand behind them when I was 90 years old not just 30 years old. I wanted something so long lasting that I wouldn't look back on it as historical or with nostalgia, but rather as an ongoing representation of current truths. I still feel in my mind and heart every word on that record, every note of the music. It all works together and I love it still. A part of loving that record is remembering the recording sessions and how Brian Redman was so supportive of me during that time. For those who don't know, Brian was our bassist and he died two years ago in a moped accident. I am still in shock from that. But before the studio, I had gone a year without singing because I had lost my voice. I trained vocally for a year with an opera coach, and never once raised my voice that year in order to protect my vocal cords. When we got to the studio, no one knew what was going to happen and whether or not the vocals were even going to work. I got behind the microphone and anticipation was very high. A year before I had no voice: what was going to happen now? We decided to try "An Awakening" first, and the first take, the first moment back vocally after a year, is what you hear on the record. I remember launching into that first line "Are we the dead?" and looking through the control room window and Brian just threw his arms above his head and had this wide eyed look on his face like "YES!!!!!!!!" It brings tears to my eyes thinking about it now because it was such a moment of triumphant victory. I miss him so goddamn much. But in that moment we all knew that we were going to have a record, and possibly a great one. In terms of the earlier songs, "In Closing" always meant so much to me and still does. It was always a rager and we never play it. Its almost like we forgot about it along the way.

Discuss your most recent band/project, Between Earth & Sky.

GREG: Between Earth & Sky is a new hardcore band from Vancouver BC and Seattle that really isn't that new. The band - Sean Lande (By a Thread, Strain), Happy Kreter (Gob, Burden), and recording engineer Blair Calibaba and I - formed over eleven years ago as best friends who wanted to simply release a CD together that we had collaborated on. This summer that dream became reality. The goal with the band was to explore the psychology of suffering and examine our lives for what they ultimately are: hopeless and doomed. This isn't intended to sound negative but rather realistic. Ultimately we're all food for worms, but what we do in the midst of that fact, how we love, the ways we live, how we interact, are really what matter. A hundred years from now I am going to be a skeleton. But until then, I take every second to kiss with conviction, live with passion, and feel as deeply as I can. Live as if you are made of gunpowder and a fuse has been lit nearby leading to you. You are explosion and anticipation all at once, so fulfill that responsibility. Between Earth & Sky is about what that process feels like. Our new CD, entitled Of Roots and Wings, is available now on Refuse Records from Europe (http://refuserecords.prv.pl/) as a CD and 12"ep and it will be released in the USA as a double 7" on Hellfish Records (http://www.hellfishfamily.com) later in 2011. You can hear more from the band including a song from the EP by visiting our site on the worldwide internet web at http://www.betweenearthandsky.com

You are both vegan and Straight Edge. Has it been difficult for you to maintain either or both as you've gotten older? If so, in what way(s)? If not, why not?

GREG: It is easier than ever to be vegan. I think back to twenty years ago and what it was like being vegan then, at a time when there was only one restaurant in Seattle that had a completely vegan menu. And then fast forward to now when there are a dozen. Or in Portland Oregon, the vegan Mecca of the world, where there are fifty or more. And you talk to people who were around even before that, like Richie Birkenhead from Into Another / Underdog, and he tells stories of being on tour with Youth of Today in the late 80's and hoping that his container of soymilk would last from NYC all the way to Los Angeles because there wasn't anywhere to buy another one. Its so easy to be vegan now, and people who use the excuse that its too hard to be vegan just need to be shown how easy it is and how many options are available.

As for being Straight Edge, it's easy too - when people offer you alcohol, you reply that you'd rather have something else. And when you are on your own, don't drink. Not too tricky. (I am typing this while listening to one of my current favorite hardcore songs which happens to be a great song about the 'edge: "Above the Influence" by Betrayed) I actually don't mind if people drink occasionally. I don't hate alcohol, just the people who let it take control of their lives at the expense of others. It doesn't affect me as long as people aren't being selfishly stupid or they aren't driving. Drunk drivers should be stopped by any means necessary, and you can use your imagination as you choose to decide what the limits of that are. Drunk drivers are like people shooting bullets into crowds of innocent people. If someone had a gun and was shooting it in a public place, you'd do anything to stop them wouldn't you? Yet we condone people being buzzed and driving. I have no sympathy whatsoever for what happens to drunk drivers and actually support creative direct action to stop them. But back to the point I wanted to make: drinking itself or not drinking is irrelevant really. Happy from Between Earth & sky worded it best. He was speaking in an interview about how not drinking is irrelevant in a way: bring straightedge he suggested isnt a triumphant end goal, but rather brings you to a point of zero essentially and what really matters isn't whether or not you drink, its what you actually do with this newfound clarity. I back that. In terms of my own life, as time has gone on, I find that its easy to not be drinking in social situations where everyone else is drinking. I used to feel awkward about it sometimes but I don't anymore. If the only thing that bound me to the people I spent time with is alcohol, then my thought is that I would need new friends, not new things to drink. I don't need alcohol to free my inhibitions. I spent a few years in a relationship with an alcoholic and seeing the effect that her drinking had on her family and friends was enough to remind me of how alcohol can ruin everything. When one's family members are feeling neglected and emotionally abandoned, or one's ability to communicate with loved ones is affected, it shows where your real priorities are. My dear friend Mike has a screen name that says it all: walkxaway. That is my mantra in situations like that now. And yes, when you say it, you pronounce the x.

How long have you been vegan and how long have you been Straight Edge?

GREG: I committed to being vegan in July of 1991 after being vegetarian for three years and dabbling in being vegan before that. And I quit drinking and drugs on September 30th 1988.

What is your view of Straight Edge hardcore bands whose core members are no longer Straight Edge, particularly those bands who reunite either for the short or long haul?

GREG: For me - in situations like that - its about the singers. They are the communicators of the message, which isn't to take any value from any other band member in any other situation. But in the specific situation you are describing: where a band who had been all straightedge reunite without that commitment still intact, for me if the singer is still straightedge, then I can get somewhat behind their reunion, playing, etc, though more for nostalgia sake than anything else. But take a band like Strife for example on the other side of the coin. They built their entire existence on the fact that they were straightedge and claimed (in my opinion immaturely so but whatever) that there was only "one" truth. Then almost all of them betrayed their fans, supporters, and their own integrity by selling out. I guess people who come to their shows now are there because they like to just scream words, regardless of the meaning behind those words. Not the way I'd like to spend my time, but if people are into screaming, rock on.

As I mentioned in a previous interview, for better or worse (mostly worse, I know), I'm a lifelong red meat 'n cheesy potatoes man. However, I'm also a staunch supporter of animal rights and the very proud caretaker of 3 rescue dogs, so needless to say, I'm interested in at least learning more about veganism. Being as how you're one of the most respected authorities in the hardcore scene on all things vegan, please give the laypeople (like me) reading this a brief and non-Googled description of veganism.

GREG: I am glad you want to learn more about being vegan, but I need to say that if I am one of the most respected authorities in the hardcore scene on all things vegan, people have an even more corrupted relationship with and perspective on authority than I thought they did. The real authorities are people like Anika from Seattle Vegan Score (http://www.veganscore.com) who is actively involved with exploring options for vegans in the Seattle area and trying new products all the time. Seek her out for advice on all things vegan. Here is the description and definition that you wanted though: vegans only eat and wear things that are not animal derived. For you, that means you would be eating fake meat and vegan cheesy potatoes. There are countless delicious things to eat as a vegan. But taste and compassion aren't the only reasons to go vegan. Being vegan also makes you better at chess. It leads to higher scores on at least eleven different videogames. As a vegan, you will be able to climb trees faster, predict the end of boring movies so that you can turn them off and watch something else, and will be able to drink soda without even opening the can. As a vegan you get to date far more beautiful people because you yourself become a far more beautiful person. And you will be able to type so fast that emails get sent before you even hit "reply". But it doesn't end there. Being vegan increases your chances of winning the lottery by 43%. It makes you able to listen to black metal for hours without going insane. It makes it possible to literally walk between raindrops. And it means that you will be able to understand languages you don't speak, even while you are sleeping, which you likely won't need to ever do again because of the energy you'll have. All of this doesn't even yet mention the increases that you'll notice in your ability to throw and catch javelins, run as fast as a car, and do spontaneous backflips to impress and entertain the elderly. At the core, veganism might seem to be about not eating or wearing animal products, but ultimately its really just about being more awesome.

Is it at all hypocritical or, at the very least, a conflict of interests for one to be both a meat eater and pro-animal rights? Why or why not?

GREG: Yes, it is. Both hypocritical and a conflict of interests. But, and I say this without taking away from the fact that I think you should go vegan (did I mention that being vegan makes it likely that you will get signed to the NHL as a professional hockey player, befriend a gazelle, and discover buried treasure?), I feel that its impossible to live without conflict of interests in our culture. Again, I want you to go vegan but that isn't so that you wil be free of conflicts of interests. Its so that you can live with less conflicts in your interests. And not you necessarily, but everyone. I like the idea of decreasing the things we do that are destructive to others and to animals and to the world. Case in point, I am writing this interview on a plane while burning more fuel and contributing to the destruction of the earth far more than I would be had I walked home from Denver to Seattle today. But because I live in this culture, I wouldn't have thought about walking. When we make convenience the rule, there is a substantial price to pay for what we save.

Normally, I allow people that I interview to shamelessly plug their other musical or non-musical endeavors at the end of the interviews. In your case, however, I'd like for you to briefly discuss all of your many other endeavors that you would like to talk about publicly.

GREG: A couple things: One Hundred For Haiti (http://www.onehundredforhaiti.org) is the charity I founded and work on still with a global network of friends and supporters,creating sustainable development projects and real economic results for the people of Haiti. Go to the website, our youtube channel (100forhaiti) or email / facebook us anytime to find out more. I am really excited about the upcoming Trial European tour, the dates of which can be found here (http://tinyurl.com/trialeurope). And anyone who has questions about anything I brought up in this interview can be in touch anytime by way of the all-knowing website of ultimate power and data mining, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gregbennick

What else would you like to do that you haven't already done and why?

GREG: That one's easy. 1. Write and release a Between Earth & Sky full length CD (because I want there to be a more definitive statement from the band). 2. Make the phad thai recipe from the first episode of the Vegan Black Metal Chef YouTube video series (because I want to cut the tofu, turn the plate, cut the tofu, turn the plate, with a knife that IS that awesome). 3. Write a book (because I have about nine books floating around in my head all day long and my brain will explode if I don't get started soon). 4. Help support Haiti (because they need it and because I am their neighbor and I live in the country largely responsible for their annihilation and lack of stability). And 5. Convince you to go vegan. (Because I want to see you be able to skydive without parachutes, win the gold medal on the balance beam, and build furniture, all of which is inevitable when you switch to a vegan diet).

Earthmover Leftover Reunion Merch

2011-09-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

Andy Dempz, guitar player for Earthmover, hit me the other day to let me know that there is still some leftover merch from their reunion show in Chicago earlier this year. They've set up a Big Cartel store and are ready to ship so scoop these up before they're gone. He also sent me footage of them opening up their set...looks straight out of a Slayer show. If you view the video on Youtube, you can also see footage from their Detroit reunion show.

Earthmover Leftover Merch from Chicago

Carnage - Beast To Bastard 7"

2011-09-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a band from Germany which released only 1 record I'm aware of, the awesome 'Beast To Bastard' 7", and then disappeared. Which is unfortunate becuz this 7" rules from start to finish. Carnage from the west of Germany played raw, dark & harsh metallic hardcore with strained vocals. Great stuff. This 7" was released on Rex Rotari Records, also out of Germany, in 1996. Because there's no gap between the songs on either side of the 7" I didn't split them up. Anyways, give this 7" a chance if you haven't already.

Carnage - Beast To Bastard 7"

Lucia Macip (La Reina Está Muerta, Liberation Frequency internet radio show) interview

2011-09-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

How did you get into hardcore music?

Well... when I started to listen to music I did listen to a lot of thrash and metal. I have an older brother who while we grew up he played guitar and did listen to a lot of Anthrax, Slayer, Pantera and Metallica so at a really young age the music was really appealing to me. Then as I grew up I started to hang out with a lot of people and they were really involved in bands and they did show me a lot of music and that's where I did discover punk music... and I did relate to it and started to find out more, and then I discovered bands like Black Flag, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, etc. and instantly knew it was "my kind of music"... I joke about the Dimitri Costas picture, where there's Keith Morris, Ian MacKaye and Henry Rollins as "The Holy Trinity" and yes, I have to thank those three for making such awesome music and inspiring me.

Did you understand English before you started listening to American hardcore? If not, how were you able to overcome the language barrier in order to fully appreciate the song lyrics?

Yes, I did but even as I did understand the lyrics there's always a cultural and language barrier... at least I see it that way and the situation in my country is not the same as in America so there's always something you won't be able to catch entirely, that did happen to me before, but over all it wasn't a problem to me. I started to listen to American Hardcore and as I did listen to it I tried to find bands that sang in my own language... there are awesome bands like El Eterno Enemigo, Vieja Escuela, Los Crudos and some from my own country.

Discuss the past and present hardcore scenes in your home country of Guatemala.

The first time I went to a hardcore show here in Guatemala, I loved the fact that everybody knew each other, they were all friends and hung out together... I like that sense of unity and of course there are great bands here... most of those bands have been straight edge, I'm not straight edge myself but I have mad respect for the people that are... there were bands back then like Fuerza X, Sangre Joven, Rivalidad, Nota Suicida, Residentes and some other more. Like in every scene, there are kids that just show up to pick up fights and be all stupid... beating up others as if they were trying to prove they were better, meaner and stronger... to me that's idiotic, totally takes out what hardcore is really about. The positive thing is having great bands like Venganza, Creo En Mi and Volver that are still out there making awesome music. If you want to check out more Guatemalan music you can go to this site - http://bajopresionrecords.bandcamp.com/

Discuss the bands that you've been in.

Well I've been in different bands and in bands that had different styles from one another. The first band I was in is a band called Evilminded, my best friend's band... he does really awesome music that mixes a lot of electronic industrial sounds with grindcore, punk, metal so I did sing in it for some time, it was an awesome experience cause I could experience a totally different sound and my friend always challenged me (and still does) to be a better singer. Then I joined a local punk band called Los Hijos De Su Madre for a really short time... great friends of mine, but I was finishing school so I feel like I didn't give them the time they deserved so I ended up getting kicked out. I spent several years without being in a band, then last year I got together with two girls and a guy and we formed La Reina Está Muerta, we did a few shows because Dani (the bass player) goes to school in the States so we didn't have a lot of time in our hands but we did manage to do a lot with the time we had.

As a singer and a songwriter, who/what are some of your influences and why?

My influences... I can say that who shaped me as a singer and as a person would be Henry Rollins... I think he's a very smart and awesome person... that made me to be a very outspoken person. Other things that influence me, as it is the case of other writers, are my everyday situation, the things that happen around me and how I need to vent about it. I see writing as a release and a way to express all that I think and feel. Now, the bands that have influenced me are Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Minor Threat, Fugazi, Black Flag, Trial, The Smiths, Ceremony, Refused, Outspoken.

Discuss your internet radio show, Liberation Frequency.

Well, Liberation Frequency did start after my friend Mike Celis and I tried to start a powerviolence band and didn't find a drummer so one day we were talking and we just came up with the whole concept of the radio show: to play music we like and wanted to share. So we make playlists, one hour long each and that's where the magic begins. it's on Wednesdays from 8 to 10pm CDT. http://liberationfrequency.listen2myradio.com/

You play an extremely varied mix of music on Liberation Frequency but are there any genres of music that you will NOT play (besides, obviously, any music with racist/sexist/homophobic lyrical content)? If so, what genre(s) and why won't you play them?

Yes we do play a lot of music, we play grindcore, hardcore, sludge, powerviolence, post-punk, screamo and sometimes Mike plays some hip-hop... I'm not into it and I will never play it myself but he can play anything he wants on his playlist.

How did you get into photography?

I'm a Graphic Designer and I took photography one semester and I fell in love with it. I don't consider myself a great photographer but I take pictures of what I consider to be appealing or that catches my eye. I've been doing it for a long time and I'm not planning to stop doing so. This is going to be shameless self-promotion but here's the link to my blog http://luciaxmacip.tumblr.com/

As a photographer, who/what are some of your influences and why?

My influences aren't other photographers, music and life in general inspire me. I might sound lame but I'd rather do my own thing and see where I go from there but I can tell you... I'm a fan of Ross Farrar's work... really awesome pics.

Do you have any plans to make your photos available in some kind of a hardcopy form? If so, please discuss. If not, why not?

If someone wants them I will do it for sure, you can buy them or trade me some music... the last one sounds better and will make me a really happy girl.

How long have you been vegan and why did you become vegan?

Well before being a vegan I was a vegetarian for 7 years. I've always been an animal lover... I can tell you I like animals more than I do like people. So I was thinking about doing it for years but I thought about it and saw it as something hard to do... so I've been a vegan for 5 months and I'm loving it, I made the right choice.

Living in Guatemala, how much of a challenge is it for you to maintain a vegan diet?

Well at first it was hard for me... I didn't know where to buy stuff, but I did meet some other vegans and there are several in the hardcore scene so I did ask around on what to eat, how to do it and where to buy stuff and now it is really easy for me... plus, veganism made me fall in love with cooking again so it might seem like a bit of a challenge but it is something that can be done.

I'm a staunch animal rights supporter and a very proud caretaker of 3 rescue dogs. However, I'm also a lifelong red meat eater and while I could certainly see myself giving up the more expensive red meats (i.e. steak and filet mignon), I just don't think that I'll ever be able to completely stop eating ground beef in one form or another. As a vegan, what are your thoughts and opinions on this conflict of mine?

Well, I think veganism is a personal choice, and I don't think less of people who do eat meat... I'm glad to hear you love animals and give love to three dogs... I have three dogs as well :) about the meat... if you think you can't do it, just have days where you don't eat it, and try to do it less... plus, it's good for your health and your pocket. ;)

Remission 2011 U.S. Tour dates and FREE download

2011-09-05T09:53:00.000-07:00

The songs from the Police & Thieves / Remission split 7" are available for FREE download here.

Cowardice - We Are Nothing available for free download.

2011-09-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

Cowardice hail from Tacoma, WA and are definitely one of the best bands currently going in the realm of Northwest Hardcore. They recently recorded a full length, and have made it available for free download. A direct V0 download is available on mediafire, or you can also head over to their bandcamp page to download it in various formats. There are also plans to put the record out in a physical format, so keep your eyes peeled for such an announcement.

Shawna Kenney (co-author of the upcoming Live At The Safari Club book) interview

2011-09-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

Shawna Kenney (center) in the pit after an Agnostic Front show

How did you get into hardcore?

I grew up in a small town in southern Maryland (about an hour and a half south of DC), where there was not a lot to do. In middle school, I started skateboarding and an older skater made me and my best friend some punk tapes (Circle Jerks, the Dead Kennedys and TSOL). I was hooked on punk and later hardcore from there on out. My friends and I traveled an hour and a half to shows in DC and Baltimore, and sometimes put on little shows and “skate jams” in our own. When I was 16, I stumbled upon an interview with Ian MacKaye in the Washington Post. He was in Embrace, at the time. I wrote him what was probably a ridiculous fan letter and sent him my 'zine, and to my surprise, he wrote me back with some very encouraging words. The whole "small-worldness" of this left a deep impression upon me.

How did you come to book weekend hardcore matinee shows at the Safari Club in Washington, DC when you were a teenager?

I graduated from high school when I was 17, and moved to NY briefly. When I moved back to MD, my friend Toby (Morse, who is now in H2O—he, Todd Morse, Todd Friend and Rusty Pistachio all grew up together in that MD town) was very excited to introduce me to a new girl in town named Pam, who came from St. Louis, MO and was “all into punk rock, too!” (I had no other girls to go to punk shows with back then—most of my skating and punk friends were guys). So Pam and I became besties, then roommates. She became co-editor of the ‘zine and we moved to the DC area of Northern VA together.

One night I was out with my boyfriend’s band, who was supposed to play at the Safari Club. We get to the club and it’s a pay-to-play situation, and the soundman wants $50 from each band or something. The headlining band left right away and my boyfriend’s band was hemming and hawing about whether they were gonna do it or not. Someone forgot some equipment or something and they all left the club at different times, saying they’d be back to play, and somehow in all of the confusion, I got left behind. I sat there all night—until 3 am—waiting for my dumb boyfriend to come back to get me. This was before cell phones, so I used the bar’s phone to try to call him, Pam, or anyone who could come get me (by midnight, the Metro had shut off), but couldn’t reach anyone. I had about $4 in my pocket and a cab ride to Fairfax, VA would have been about $30. While shooting the breeze with the club owner—this Ethiopian guy named Haile—I asked him if I could book matinee “rock shows” on the weekend there sometime. He said sure, as long as he got a percentage of the door, so we took out a calendar, and he picked out two dates for me to start with. He must have felt sorry for me, because then he called up one of his cabdriver friends and asked them to take me home—for free.

The next day, I was happy to tell Pam we had a place where we could do shows now—and I broke up with the guy.

What show(s) that you booked are you the most proud of and why?

I don’t know about pride, but the most exciting thing was probably the first Gorilla Biscuits show. Our first show was 3 local bands, and according to my notes, 69 people showed up. Cool, but Pam and I hoped they’d get bigger. The following week, Swiz and GB were booked. When Pam and I pulled up to the club at 11 to meet the sound people for sound check, 400 people were waiting outside! They didn’t even have a 7-inch out yet. We were blown away. Then they were 4 hours late, and people actually waited for them to show! We were nervous wrecks, thinking they might not actually come, but they did and everyone was stoked and it was a lot of fun.

After that, the Ethiopian club owner was like “Gorilla Biscuits, every weekend!” We had to explain why that would not work.

What show(s) that you went to in the '90s stick out the most in your mind and why?

In the early 90s, I lived in NYC briefly and then came back and started college full time, so most of the shows I went to were at the 9:30 Club or at CBGBs. I’d see Sick of it All over and over, wherever I lived (still do). Went to one of Into Another’s first shows at the Pyramid Club in NY. Briefly interned for Def Jam Records, so I went to (and worked) a lot of hip hop shows, like Public Enemy, EPMD, A Tribe Called Quest, Ice Cube, Ice-T, Salt-n-Pepa, etc. Saw an awesome go go show with Rare Essence and Naughty by Nature in the Maryland suburbs. Saw the Ramones at a community college in Long Island once. Rage Against the Machine played a dance club in DC--that was pretty cool. I've been to so many shows, I get them all confused. I hung out at the 9:30 Club during that time a lot, not even knowing what bands were playing, and I incidentally saw bands like Jane's Addiction, Nirvana, Danzig, Soundgarden, Bad Brains, Nine Inch Nails, etc.

I had no idea the Safari Club continued after we quit, until in ’95 when I met Martin Castro in a grocery store, of all places, then invited him to a Slayer show I was working (as an intern) and he brought along Rich Dolinger (who is now my husband). He and Rich told me about how Safari Club’s name had changed to Chamber of Sound and invited me to come see Shelter there that weekend. I was amazed when I walked in…the room was packed, everyone was holding up a camera, and almost half of the audience was female! There was lots of merch (not as common at 80s shows, either)—I mean, like a distro table—and Hare Krishna literature and food. It was pretty cool to see. Even though only a few years had passed, being back felt like I was in a time warp. It’s like I’d found some lost piece of myself.

Best shows I saw in the 80s include Soulside at DC Space, Verbal Assault at the Wilson Center, Fugazi, Moss Icon and Images at a church in Annapolis, and the Beastie Boys at some community center in Northern VA. Oh, and once Fugazi played the county fairgrounds in the town where I grew up, so that was pretty mind-blowing, going back there for that.

Do you prefer '80s hardcore to '90s hardcore or vice versa? Why?

Rich would tell you that I’m more into punk than hardcore, but I don’t really divide it up like that in my mind. 80s stuff like Soulside, Kingface, Dag Nasty, the Descendents, and Minor Threat I can listen to over and over and over again—it’ll always have a special place in my heart. I know more 80s music because I was kind of out-of-the-loop in the early 90s. But Rich played in Sri’s band (Baby Gopal), and in some hardcore bands in Cali (The Rule of Nines and Try Harder) so that’s given me an opportunity to see some great newer stuff. Still, I guess I lean towards the music of my youth.

What were some of your experiences (positive and/or negative) as a female in the predominantly male hardcore scenes of the '80s and the '90s?

Overall good experiences. I couldn’t help but notice the ratio when at shows, though, and I longed for a female friend into punk rock, as a younger teenager. I loved my guy friends, though, and still do. Since we were in such a small town together, we spent a lot of time making music, taking roadtrips, making zines, skating and just goofing off together. Most of them were pretty evolved dudes, and I think the DC scene in general was pretty welcoming. I was inspired by bands like 7 Seconds and Fugazi, who addressed issues of gender in their music. I was not really aware of riot grrrl stuff until it was over and was honestly a little jealous of that whole movement, later on. It must have been fun and empowering for the people involved in that.

There were a couple of bad things that happened that I’d never want a young girl to go through. Once I was waiting for (another loser) boyfriend at a Mentors and GWAR show (I had no idea who they were), and some drunk guy came up and tried to kiss me. I suddenly realized I was the only woman at the show and I didn’t really know anyone else there. I hid in the bathroom until my boyfriend showed up and then I just wanted to get the hell outta there.

Generally speaking, did being a female either help or hurt your involvement in the hardcore scene?

I don’t know. There is a culture of machismo in hardcore, which I was probably very attracted to at the time, and I was comfortable with that and knew how to work that. I never felt left out. A gay or emo guy probably suffered more than I did in that scene. Sometimes I felt frustrated some of the girls I met were just there hanging with their boyfriends and did not seem to love the music or culture, and I seemed to have nothing in common with the girls I met in college.

You and your husband Rich Dolinger are currently working on an oral history book entitled Live At The Safari Club, which chronicles the club's entire 1988-1997 history. Discuss this book.

Yes—after living in LA for 9 years and NC for 4, we recently moved back to DC and found ourselves checking out what remains of the club—it’s this crumbling shell of a building surrounded by gourmet sandwich shops and high-rises—completely different neighborhood than it was in the 80s or 90s. Then we were on Dissonance Radio with our friend Dave Brown and he and the host joked about my next book being a Safari Club book. Later, Rich and I talked about it and wondered if anyone else would be into it, then thought that even if only 4 people in the world would want this “scrapbook,” we should do it, just to have a document of that time. There had been a lot of talk amongst friends about how early and mid-80s punk has been well-covered, and many of these punk books and movies love to say that hardcore died in ’85, but anyone who has been paying attention knows it didn’t. This era made its own contributions to the overall conversation of underground music, and that should be recognized.

I thought oral history-style would be the only way, because otherwise people will complain about our point of view. People are gonna complain anyway—it’s hardcore—but we’ve been overwhelmed with the number of people who have been enthusiastic about the project. The Washington Post Express mentioned us in a brief article about the Wilson Center’s 30-year anniversary and then our website went crazy, with people sending flyers, photos and stories. Now we feel like we HAVE to make it good and do it right, because people are counting on that. The scene is our family and we love the people in it. It’s cool to know it wasn’t just our imaginations—this music and scene matter to more than just us.

Who are some of the '90s hardcore notables that you and your husband interviewed for the book?

Everyone is notable and I can’t divide them up by years. There are a bunch of interview clips on the website, but here’s a list of some people we’ve interviewed who are not on the website:

Ingrid Newkirk (President and founder of PETA)
Alec MacKaye (Ignition)
Kenny Innouye (Marginal Man)
Alex Daniels (Swiz)
Martin Castro (former Safari Club promoter)

John Galbraith (former Safari Club promoter)

Jay Martin (Safari Club doorman)
Michelle Mennona (scenester)
Chuck Copeland (scenester)

As a writer, who/what are some of your influences and why?

I like experiential writers like Hunter S. Thompson, Truman Capote, Susan Orlean—and people with an ear for language, like Alice Walker, Michele Serros, Sandro Meallet, Carolyn Forche, Chuck Palahniuk, etc. I teach literature, so I like to think I am immersed in the greats, every day. My hope is that this book is DC’s answer to Legs McNeil’s Please Kill Me or Brendan Mullen and Marc Spitz’s We Got the Neutron Bomb.

Shawna Kenney's writings and photos have appeared in My First Time: A Collection of First Punk Show Stories (AK Press), Without a Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class (Seal Press), BUST, AP, Ms., Transworld Skateboarding and a bunch of other anthologies and books.

Be sure to check out her website at http://shawnakenney.com/

The Rule Of Nines self-titled 7" available for pre-order from Irish Voodoo Records

2011-09-02T15:39:00.000-07:00

1st Press 100 on White

6 Test Pressings on white

Comes with CD of the songs

Will be shipped Sept 30th

http://irishvoodoorecords.myminto.com/product/the-rule-of-nines.aspx

This is the limited 909 The Rule Of Nines cover. Only 25 hand numbered made.

Will be shipped Sept 30th

http://irishvoodoorecords.myminto.com/product/MjMxOA%3d%3d.aspx

Click here for more info and to listen to the songs from the 7".

Prepared For War - Overcome / No Innocent Victim / Clay

2011-09-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

Here's one for all the fans of Christian-core. Prepared For War is a 3-way split that came out on Boot To Head Records in 1995, and featured songs from Overcome, No Innocent Victim and Clay. Boot To Head was (is?) based out of Portland, Oregon and I remember seeing the label owner around at a decent amount of hardcore shows in the mid - late 90s, and he typically had a Christian hardcore distro with him. Outside of any demos they may have recorded, I believe this is the first release from Overcome, and the same might go for No Innocent Victim as well.

Prepared For War - Overcome / No Innocent Victim / Clay

[1995 - Boot To Head Records]

http://www.mediafire.com/?e32ai9u4tyli623

Shockwave - Live In Poland 2000

2011-08-31T14:54:00.000-07:00

I was uploading this for a friend of mine and figured I might as well put it up here as well. Shockwave featured (and still does on occassion) members of some prominent Erie, PA. bands including xDisciplex and wrote songs about Transformers. This was recorded live while they were in Europe in 2000 and released by Alone Records which was based out of Oswego, NY. Pretty cool little EP. To the best of my knowledge, Alone Records has since folded and the EP is out of print...if someone knows otherwise, please let me know and I'll take the link down. I ripped this from the original CD source as a VBR and scanned the cover. Enjoy

Shockwave - Live European Invasion 2000

http://www.mediafire.com/?5rrw2fd3qft8a2o

xOne Truthx blog

2011-08-31T14:13:00.000-07:00

xThere Is Only One Truthx blog is run my Max, who also operates xOne Truthx Records out of the Ukraine. The blog features lots of great downloads and information about European (among others) hardcore bands from the 90s. Go check it out.

xOne Truthx

Interview with Rajko and Alex from Hitman

2011-08-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

How did you get into hardcore?

Rajko: Back in the beginning of the '90s, I was way into metal music and Biohazard was a "real" hardcore band. Don't get me wrong, I still consider Urban Discipline one of the best albums that ever came out and like it or not, we all have to admit that back in the day, they were huge. Reading thank you lists from booklets of bands that I listened to back then, I heard of a lot of bands but never had a chance to hear them. You've got to understand that back then, there was no internet and former Yugoslavia was in a civil war. Borders were closed and, more or less, we were stuck pretty much. I have a friend that used to live above the independent record store and Alex (Hitman's singer) was working there, so we pretty much hung out there all day long. Alex had a hardcore band called Definite Choice that was already playing for a couple of years and had a couple of records out. So we started going to shows, borowing records from him and ordering records from the infamous Lost & Found record label from Germany. Meanwhile, Alex started Hitman. Not long after, my friend and me started a band and played our first show as Hitman's support. That was in 1994. Everything else is history :-)! I am the last one who joined Hitman and the other 3 guys have been there since the beginning, so except for the bassist, the band has had the same line up for 17 years! Alex likes to say that even if I haven't played with them since the beginning, I have been a member of the band for last 17 years, since I was hanging around since the start.

Alex: For me, it all started in 1985 when I came to a new school and I sat down in my classroom besides my now longtime friend Aleksandar. He was already involved in the hardcore scene back then. He played bass for a band called DLH (Drunken Lords of Hell). He asked me what kind of music I was listening to and I answered The Ramones, The Clash, AC/DC, etc. Back then, I was listening to all kinds of stuff. I was 16 years old and had not yet found myself in any kind of movement or musical direction. But I liked punk music (not that I really got into what it’s all about, cause there was actually nobody that could teach me about it) and what it sounded like. The energy was fascinating to me. So he told me about this thing called hardcore and told me that he will make some hardcore tapes for me so that I can listen to some bands. The next thing that happened is he gave me a tape that had Discharge's Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing and GBH's City Baby Attacked By Rats on the A side and some songs from 7 Seconds, Bad Brains, Bad Religion and some Serbian bands (Solunski Front, Codex Of Death, DLH) on the B side. I was blown away by what I heard and, in particular, one song and the message that I could hear from the words that I understood, was something that changed my way of thinking. The song was 7 Seconds' "Walk Together, Rock Together". From that point on, I was hooked and I spent as much time as I could with my friend and recorded as much music as I could get on tapes, listened to it and tried to understand what it was all about. Back then, it was much more difficult to get to know stuff about the bands you listened to. There were only a few fanzines and they were very hard to come by. So I had to copy them or read them and write down stuff that was interesting to me. So that’s how I got into what I love and do for the past 26 years!

Did you know English before you started listening to American hardcore? If not, how did you deal with the language barrier before you learned English?

Rajko: I knew English even before I got into music because in our school system, the English language is a "must" subject. We learned it in primary school. Even kindergarten students have some kind of English schooling. Of course, they learn it through playing with other kids too. Of course since I got into music and start reading lyrics, interviews and everything else, my English improved a lot. I have also been working in a couple of companies where a lot of people from abroad also worked, so like it or not, I had to speak English.

Alex: Of course I knew English! I started learning it in school for years before I got involved in hardcore punk music. And I was always interested in lyrics and what bands wanted to say with their words. So I used a lot of dictionaries for the words I didn’t know. Back then, it wasn’t that easy. You couldn't just type in a word and the translation comes up like now. In time, I also learned the slang and through movies (since we have movies in original sound with subtitles) and more lyrics, I became actually really good at speaking and writing in English.

List some of your favorite Serbian and non-Serbian hardcore bands.

Rajko: Okay, this is a tough one :-). I wouldn't like to name any Serbian bands because this is a small country and we are all basically friends. Hardcore here is a small community. There are a lot of really quality bands. I will just mention a couple of them but I won't say which one is my favorite. There's an amazing band called SOULCAGE, loud and fast in the vein of Terror and earlier Madball. There's a great band called TIBIA, they've been together for more than 10 years and have a couple of releases so far. I wouldn't know how to describe their style but trust me, they are great. There's one new band called THROUGH THESE EYES, they are a really old school youth crew type band even though they are anything but young :-). There are lots of other amazing bands as well but of course, I can't mention all of them here.

When it comes to bands outside of Serbia, my all time favorite band is JUDGE and it always will be. Period. The list would be just too long if I were to mention every band that I love. But mostly bands from the last century. Early Revelation & Victory bands, New Age, Doghouse, Ebullition, Dischord, Conversion, Jade Tree, etc., etc.

Alex: Serbian bands - Dead Ideas (New York style hardcore), Overdose (revolutionary industrial crossover), Teabreak (melodic punk rock), Soulcage ('90s style hardcore), Tibia (post-hardcore rock crossover), Lockdown (hardcore like it should be), Better Than You (old school DC style hardcore), Shockproof (old school hardcore), Six Pack (melodic punk rock), Path Of Decay (DC style post-hardcore) and 36 Daggers (DC style hardcore)

Non Serbian bands - 7 Seconds, Slapshot, Spermbirds, Jingo De Lunch, Sick Of It All, Cro-Mags, No For An Answer, Kill Your Idols, Suicidal Tendencies, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Black Flag, Dag Nasty, Negative Approach, Bad Trip, Yuppiecide, Sheer Terror, Biohazard, Gorilla Biscuits, Youth Of Today, Killing Time... I could go on forever!

To the best of your recollection, what was the hardcore scene in Serbia like in the '90s?

Rajko: Mighty & strong! I think those two words describes a lot. Especially in bigger cities like Belgrade and Novi Sad. In Belgrade, we had at least 5 clubs where hardcore/punk bands could play and there were shows every week. Sometimes, there were a couple of shows during the same week. Back then, Serbia (former Yugoslavia) was kind of cut off from the rest of the world because of the sanctions and there were almost no foreign bands coming here. So it was really an easy choice - either we play or we don't have any shows at all! Back then, if you wanted to see U.S. or European bands live, you had to travel to Hungary or some other neighboring country in order to see a live show. And trust me when I say that we rented a long range bus (50+ seats) to travel the whole day/night to see a band. Today, you don't have that many kids at a hardcore show in our hometown. So the scene was really doing well with a lot of bands, fanzines, distros and everything that goes with any kind of underground community. Nowadays, in the era of the internet, everything has gone with the wind. I suppose this is the case with every part of the world but I kind of miss those times.

Compare and contrast the '90s hardcore scene with the 21st century hardcore scene.

Rajko: You know, for me, it was really exciting to get a cassette demo of a band from the other part of the world in the mail. Today, you get demos in your inbox! "Has the edge gone dull?" can refer to the scene as a whole - HAS THE SCENE GONE DULL? In my opinion, I'd say that back then, everything was much more sincere and from the heart. If someone was doing a zine, played in a band, had a distro or was just a regular kid going to shows and supporting bands, he/she did it not because it was "cool" but because it was a state of a mind in a particular moment. Today, I feel like everything is well planned and organized, it just doesn't have any spirit! I mean, what happened with D.I.Y. ethics that were so common in the '80s and the '90s? They just disappeared. I am sure that most of today's kids don't even know what D.I.Y. means. They don't have to do anything themselves. Just turn on the computer, connect online and you have eveything done and served in a plate right in front of you, prepared for consumption! I feel like everything just became one big industry for a short term consumption. But that's just me.

Your band Hitman has been around since 1994, which is a very long time for a band (let alone a hardcore band) to be together. How has Hitman been able to stay together for such a long time?

Rajko: Hitman is a band of 4 completely different individuals that come from different backgrounds. But it is also a band of friends and I don't mean friends who see each other at rehearsals, shows or in the studio but friends from REAL life that share everyday lives as one big family. That's just one of the reasons. Other than that, I'd say that another good reason for standing hard for so many years is that we do what we do right from our hearts, minds and souls. We are not a band that put out a record every year or two. We don't push it. We give time for ideas to come out. Don't get me wrong, we don't think we are perfect. Like every other band, we have our ups and downs but somehow, we overcome it and keep on going.

Alex: All the members of Hitman are friends first and foremost. Now, after 17 years, we consider ourselves more like a family than a band. Since we've had only two lineup changes - in 1999, when our original bass player Vige left the band to be replaced by our good friend Janko, and not long ago, when Janko left the band and Rajko joined us. Rajko was with us since the beginning because first of all, he's a very good friend of ours and also played in bands that we shared the stage with. So basically, Ilija (drums), Lala (guitar) and me (vocals) are together in the band since the beginning. I think it’s a lot of respect for each other, tolerance and love for the music that we play. Of course we've had arguments and fights in the band but we always solved them in a mature way and kept on going. We never stopped doing what we do, regardless of what was happening around us. We somehow always managed to stay honest to each other and at some point and until this day, that made us a family.

What are some of your favorite Hitman songs and why?

Rajko: "Positive Attitude" or maybe "11 Years". "11 Years" is a very personal song of Alex's, talking about being Straight Edge for the last 11 years. But somehow, I feel like it is a song written for myself. I was Straight Edge at one point in my life but I'd say that at that time, it wasn't a choice of heart and mind but a choice of trend. I am still very supportive of Straight Edge and have a lot of friends that are Straight Edge but somehow, I feel that being Straight Edge myself isn't for me. And I am not talking about doing this or that, or not doing it, I am talking about a mental state of being Straight Edge. Besides those two songs I mentioned, as a musician, my dearest one is "Minimum Of Trust". It has, according to me, perfect music. Just the way I'd love every song to sound.

Alex: I guess first of all, I have to mention "For What We Stand", because that’s the first song we wrote and it reminds me of what it was all about back then in 1994, when all those bad things were happening around us. Politics fucked up our country and all the other countries around us that were forced into war with each other. In some way, it’s an historical document about the times we were living in and about what we were standing for.

Then, I have to say "Positive Attitude". That song was released on the split CD with Last Hope, our brother band from Sofia, Bulgaria. The name of the song speaks for itself. It’s basically about how we all can manage to be in one scene and work with each other as long as we all keep a positive attitude towards every aspect of our lives.

There is also "Minimum Of Trust", "Monsters Inside" and "Awakening The Dragon". These songs are very personal and they mean a lot to me. I expressed in those songs how I felt in the worst moments of my life. They are about relationships, death of a dear person and struggle with myself. Very personal but I had to get it out by writing down my feelings.

In the end, I have to put on this list one particular song that is about three of the most important things that we all should care about. It’s actually a song that I played with my former band Definite Choice but we took it and now we consider it ours as well. I wrote those lyrics in 1992 and back then, I believed in it as much as I believe in it now. The song is called "FRIENDSHIP, UNITY, RESPECT".

Hitman has played with quite a few of the most popular hardcore bands in the world. What band(s) were you personally most excited and proud to share the stage with and why?

Rajko: In first place would be Suicidal Tendencies. Do i have to explain why? They were, and as a matter of fact they still are, one of my favorite bands. And besides that, Mike Muir is a hell of a guy. It doesn't mean a lot to me how a band sounds or what kind of music they play as long as they are a cool bunch of people to hang out with. Also, I am very happy that I met and shared the stage with bands like Death By Stereo, No Turning Back, Sick Of It All and Youth Of Today (and they sounded like they were 13 year old kids playing for the first time :D) to mention just a few.

Alex: It was great to share the stage with all of the bands that we've played with because they all were a part of our lives and influenced us more or less. But I have to say that it was a honor to meet, play with and, in the end, become friends with bands like Sick Of It All, Agnostic Front, Madball, Municipal Waste and Death By Stereo. These guys and their music rule! I’m glad we had the chance to meet them as people, not connected to their bands, and see what great people they are!

As a musician and a songwriter, who/what are some of your influences and why?

Rajko: Musically, bands like Anthrax, Slayer, Iron Maiden and Testament. Yeah yeah, I know, those aren't exactly hardcore/punk bands but for me, they are a real influence. And when it comes to a hardcore band, I would say that I am influenced a lot by bands that are/were part of the New York scene and at the top of the list is Maximum Penalty and everything recorded and played by Matt Handerson.

Alex: Everything around us influenced us and our music. Not only music but everyday situations, the world we are living in, the wars that were going on around us, injustice, poverty, fascism, hate, etc. But also beautiful things like love, children, family in general and friendships. That is all something that sets your mood and life situation in a specific mode (if I can say so) and results in us playing specific songs in a specific way or writing lyrics from total dark ones to happy and positive ones.

Music wise, for me it would be people and bands like Black Flag and Henry Rollins, The Ramones, The Clash and Joe Strummer, The Smiths and Morrisey, Choke and Slapshot, Kevin Seconds and Dan O’Mahony to name only a few. Because they all, as individuals and in their respective bands, had a great way of expressing their feelings and situations that they were in at the moment when they made the songs. Great bands, great artists and great life philosophies! Very inspiring individuals that gathered around the same thing!

We'd like to thank Andrew and the rest of the guys from xStuck In The Pastx for giving us a chance and doing this interview. We all really appreciate that. Giving a chance to a band that comes from another part of the planet, from a small country on the Balkan peninsula. We know that for you across the oceans, it is hard to find our music, so we decided that for all of you who read this interview and want to learn more about us, here's a free download of our latest album Overstand that came out last year on Swell Creek - Superhero Records. Here's the link - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NQ0AJ7P7

Thank you for your interest, peace out!

FRIENDSHIP, UNITY, RESPECT!

My shirts are now on Ebay

2011-08-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

I appreciate all the emails I've received regarding the shirts but due to the overwhelming interest, I've decided just to Ebay them. I don't like emailing people and telling that such and such person offered me this amount, can you beat it? it makes me look like a scumbag and that I'm intentionally driving the price up. Ill take a hit on Ebay but at least it'll be fair. Ill post a link when I started posting them. Thanks for understanding.

Chip's shirts are now on Ebay

Trial, Anchor and Run With The Hunted 2011 European tour dates

2011-08-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

October 10th - KIEV @ SOKOL

October 12th - MOSCOW @ TBA

October 13th - PETROZAVODSK @ HEIKKONEN

October 14th - ST. PETERSBURG @ V-CLUB

MK Ultra Interview: April 1998

2011-08-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

One our loyal readers sent this in to me last month (sorry for taking so long Jamie) and I'm finally getting to it now. This is an interview conducted with Chicago's MK Ultra from April of 1998 by our reader, Jamie. Thanks to them for allowing us to us it.

This interview was conducted with Kirk Syrek, Jeff Jelen, Frank Hanney, and Ebro Virumbrales of MK-Ultra in Washington, DC in April 1998. I shelved the tape, considering it unusable, but it was restored recently with the generous help of Kirk. The interview will also appear in the forthcoming issue of Severity 'zine #7.

Since you guys take a lot of stances on political issues, I was wondering what you thought about the Mideast situation. I know there's no clear-cut answers, but I'd be interested on hearing your opinions on... whether there's any solutions at all. It seems like a solution-less problem.

JEFF: One solution is obviously not to do what we did a few years ago (Gulf War I), and what we're trying to do again. They're going about it the wrong way now. You don't see much about it right now.

EBRO: The thing people don't think about is the fact that we're not fighting Saddam Hussein. We're fighting against the people who live in Iraq. Frank actually mentioned that last night when we played. Basically, working-class people -- people who have regular lives -- they're the ones who get caught up fighting the wars for the rich. Saddam isn't going to the be the one fighting the war. I think people just think he's some kind of evil monster, and we're going to go kill him. But a lot of people who don't want to be caught up in it are going tol be killed because of it. That's not the solution. Saddam and Iraq, when they were at war with Iran had access to these "Weapons of Mass Destruction" (laughs) that everyone's been talking about, but they were at a bloody standstill for 8 or 9 years. They were fighting constantly and nothing happened. But when he took over Kuwait, people were freaking out as if he was going to take over the world. But... I don't see it. The only reason, why the US even cared was because Kuwait was a political ally. Well, Saddam Hussein used to be a political ally! I guess it's kind of simple to equate it with oil... but that's basically what it was. Since it threatened the convenience of the people in U.S... because oil and fuckin' gas prices would go up.

JEFF: They tried to tell us that it's not... that it's to protect the people of Kuwait. But actually this government wouldn't give a shit about the people in Kuwait if it didn't benefit them economically.

EBRO: Everyone's talking about how it's for freedom and shit, but if you look there's a whole list of human rights violations: the way women are treated, the way people are treated... that doesn't go with freedom.

JEFF: I say kill them all and let God sort them out! (laughter)

EBRO: Exactly. Don't get mad, nuke the bastards! (laughs) I don't know...

You bring up a good point though. We're always saying that we don't want to have diplomatic relations with countries who have a bad history with human rights, yet if you want to take that to the extreme, every country has customs that violate human rights: female genital mutilation in the Middle East, shitting on women in general. Or stuff that culturally we look down on, abuse of people, all of the countries that we deal with do that. We complain that China has human rights violations, but look at the business we do with them, compared to Cuba where we have economic embargoes.

EBRO: Well, they're a bunch of commies. (laughs)

But, you have to ask, who's making these policies?

EBRO: People who aren't really in touch with the normal man...

People looking to make the most money...

EBRO: I think it's based on that more than anything. I mean the US used to be allies with Saddam Hussein. I don't know why all of a sudden he turned into a bad guy, because he was as much of a bastard when we were allies with him.

JEFF:That's the way the media is... They show you who the bad guy is.
Jamie: It was probably a bad question, and I phrased it wrong, but when I was talking about the Middle East problem, I was thinking about the Palestinian/Israel conflict, the internal problems. Probably not a good question, but I'd be interested in hearing your opinions on it. Like I said, there's no right or wrong answer.

EBRO: Well, I mean, I think the Palestinians are getting fucked over and that's wrong. But, like you said, I don't know what could be done to change it. I think about all of this shit, and I think it's wrong, but I have trouble finding solutions, and even if I did, I don't think it would change anything.

At this school (George Washington) they have classes and classes just on the history because it's so complex, but it always seems to go back to ridiculous disagreements between religious beliefs that turned into territorial conflicts, that got more and more out of hand, and the killing just goes on.

EBRO: Well, we can learn about it through a book, but... there's certain things that go on in the parts of the world where if you're not there living it and don't have first hand knowledge of it, what you say about it isn't really going to affect it.

Well, maybe the people killing each other don't know the whole story...

EBRO: People just grew up thinking, "Oh, I hate those people." That's what people have been telling them.

JEFF: If someone's really into your religion, you can just tell that person, "Well, let's all just get along."

FRANK: There's a pretty different situation here than there is in that part of the world. There, there's a lot of confrontation and it's not necessarily frowned upon to start throwing rocks at people when religious views collide. Here it's a lot different because there's so many different factions of religion, but they've been fighting for thousands upon thousands of years and it's been passed on from generation to generation.

EBRO: My other band was in Ireland, and there's that conflict going on... We met a lot of different people who talked about it, and people asked us if we were going to talk about it when we played, but we just felt like it wasn't our place because... you know, it's kind of a touchy thing...

FRANK: It's hard for you to say stuff about it... I wouldn't dream to criticize people in Ireland for what they're doing, when there are so many more things here that are fucked up that can be spoken upon.

EBRO: I guess, that's a bit different from the Palestinian situation...

FRANK: And I guess, that's why I'm mad at Bono (laughter), because he had the audacity to talk about Martin Luther King's assassination here, when people are being killed on a regular basis over there. I think that's ridiculous for people from other countries to point fingers at America.

EBRO: It's the greatest nation in the world! (laughter)

FRANK: I mean, America's a pretty fucked up place, but clean up your own back yard before you go knocking on your neighbor's door

EBRO: When we were in Europe, people brought that shit up all the time... and it's like, "I know that, I live there."

FRANK: They brought up America?

EBRO: To me. I'd be like, "What's wrong with it?" And they'd be like, "Well, this is wrong and this is wrong." And I'd be like, "I know that. I agree with you." But... I don't need some fuckin' French kid to tell me that. There's so much fucked up shit going on everywhere.

JEFF: (Getting back to the topic of the Israeli/Palestinean conflict) I mean, you can't intervene in something like that. Us telling another culture how they can solve their differences? We really don't have any idea about it.

You brought up something that I was really interested in before: the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Something I think about a lot is the epistemological problems we have with -- this whole rash of assassinations in the 60's. There's the question of was it some internal government assassination or was it one man acting alone? It could be either one. We have no fuckin' idea.

FRANK: Well, the family of Martin Luther King is asking the government to reopen the case with all this new evidence.

EBRO: But the thing is, they're going to reopen it, but then they're just going to cover it back up again. Of course, people might think this is a conspiracy theory, or whatever, but I think it was the government that did all this shit. Personally I think they can control... do whatever they want. There's a bunch of shit we don't know about. Maybe that's paranoid, but I think it's true.

JEFF: I mean, they've done it before. Why not...

It seems to me... that's the interesting thing: we on the bottom will never know. The people at the top will know the truth. They'll know exactly what happened with the Robert Kennedy, MLK Jr., John Kennedy -- all these assassinations -- but we'll have no idea. I mean, you can reopen a case, but we have so much proof that the justice system doesn't work, we'll never come to an answer.

FRANK: Eventually a little bit of the truth will start to trickle out.
(Someone hums X-Files theme music.)
The truth has come out about a lot of things in history. We still want to turn our backs, close our eyes to the fact that our government does assassinations of leaders of other countries, and does install puppet dictators. We do have control over the economies of other countries. They want to say "that's in our past now," but it obviously still goes on. We still have an embargo on cuba, where people are obviously suffering. It's just to knock out Fidel Castro. I mean, we've had tons of assassination attempts on him. Iraq: obviously people are suffering there and they don't have any choice of what leader they want. They're stuck with Saddam Hussein, "the Mad Man." I think it's ridiculous that we place embargoes on these countries. It's obvious that it's not squeezing (the leaders) out. He's obviously not suffering at all.

The people are, but he's not. He still lives in the palaces that are the size of Washington, DC.

FRANK: That's one of the things that's a general problem with the people in this country is that we can't see that it's other human beings that are suffering. We just think, "Oh, it's an evil empire.."

EBRO: Well the government doesn't show the suffering of people when there's a war because then people would realize what the fuck's going on. They show it as if you're fighting a video game or something, where you kill people. I think that all of this shit is put in place to desensitize people, so that you don't think about it. I mean, I love video games, but I think that there's a fascination with violence. When it comes down to it... we just killed a bunch of people.

JEFF: The way that the media shows it is very impersonal.

FRANK: All you see is a bomb going down a chimney. You don't see who died from it. Obviously we probably killed quite a few children in Operation Desert Storm, but you'll never hear about it.

EBRO: Those were all accidents.

FRANK: All you see was people with their arms raised walking towards troops, surrendering, but you didn't see the thousands upon thousands of people that were killed.

We have these scandals (Monica Lewinsky) with the President (Clinton) , and everyone makes a joke out of it. All these tabloid shows and late night talk show hosts all laugh at it. But really, this guy has control of all these nuclear weapons, the richest country on Earth that has billions of dollars... I was wondering what you thought of this guy being mocked, the target of jokes.

FRANK: I think there's been a lot of presidents who have had marital infidelities, and it hasn't really affected... I don't think that the President is the moral leader of the country.

KIRK: I don't think the President has much to say... I mean, maybe he did 20 years ago, but nowadays he just a scapegoat.

EBRO: I don't think his personal life has any bearing on the way he's governing the country. I'm not saying he's doing a good job or anything.

KIRK: It's not him running the country. At all. It's his clique of 20 people. He's the one who has to go on TV, so if something happens to him, he's going to get bashed for it.

EBRO: Shit like that is just another thing that they throw out to people to think about. There's always some scandal or something stupid that comes up. That's what people worry about. They don't worry about other shit. Especially when everyone's into, like, Jerry Springer and shit like that. (Laughs) Ebro.

FRANK: Everyone thrives on scandals. Everyone wants to have a bit of gossip about everybody else.

JEFF: I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but there's always been stuff going on, and it really has nothing to do with how this country is run. Just get over it, already.

FRANK: I think it's easier for people to think about silly scandals like that than for people to think about the real scandals that are going on that are probably bilking people out of millions of dollars. It turns the spotlight away from issues like welfare reform and stuff like that which would be a more interesting discourse than whether or not he got a fucking blowjob in the Lincoln bedroom. It really doesn't matter; the point is moot. Since it's out there, he's already been convicted of it more or less. I just think it turns people's attention away from the real problems in the America. On the other hand, it can really spur a lot of thought in people about who's really running the show, and is this really the type of person you want running the country. But, I really don't see an answer to that question. You can't expect somebody to be perfect. If it was anyone else in the world, it would not matter. It's not a crime. Adultery is a reason people get divorced, but he can't go to jail for it. He can go to jail for perjury, for saying that he didn't in this case..

EBRO: But, like I said, what bearing does that have on him making decisions...

FRANK: Well, if he's a liar -- if he's convicted as a liar, which is what a perjurer is...

EBRO: But seriously, what politician isn't a liar? (laughter)

FRANK: Uhh... Newt Gingrich. (laughter)

FRANK: Another interesting thing: One of our Congressmen in Illinois, Henry Hyde, just went to bat as a character witness for this guy that is being charged for bombing abortion clinics. He said that if a law is unjust, which he believed that the abortion law is unjust, that this man was a hero for killing these people in a bombing. And this is person who's a representative of our state, and therefore our country, and his beliefs... I mean, that probably won't make the news here, it barely made the news in Illinois where this trial was being held, but I think things like that are way more scary than... consensual sex. I mean, Clinton does have a ring on his finger, but when somebody like that says that killing people that provide abortions for people is acceptable, and that the law is unjust, and that violence is the answer, I think that's infinitely more scary than somebody getting a hummer.

***

Update from Kirk on what the band members are up to now, 7/2011

Aside from our personal lives, after Mk-Ultra we all went on to do various other bands. Franks most recent band was The OSS from Arizona where he lives now. They just released a 7" on King of the Monsters. The rest of us still reside in Chicago. I am currently in Sick/Tired. We have an LP on To Live a Lie Records and 2 new 7"s planned for Fall of 2011. Jeff and Ebro formed Punch in the Face who have long since broken up, but are currently doing a new band with all of the same members. They have not yet played their 1st show.

Fraud (ex-Inside Out/Statue/Chain Of Strength) opening for legendary DC hardcore band Scream at Three Clubs in Hollywood, CA on 8/28/11

2011-08-25T15:58:00.000-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fraud/151614498245601

http://www.threeclubs.com/threeclubs/three_clubs.html

La Reina Está Muerta - '90s style feminist hardcore from Guatemala

2011-08-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

http://bajopresionrecords.bandcamp.com/album/la-reina-est-muerta

http://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Reina-Est%C3%A1-Muerta/154725794545004

An Acre Lost [Poison The Well] / Promise No Tomorrow - split 12"

2011-08-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

Here's the split 12" between An Acre Lost, who changed their name to Poison The Well shortly after, and Promise No Tomorrow. I'm sure most people know about the things that Poison The Well went onto do, but I don't know much about Promise No Tomorrow. Maybe Chip can jump in on the comments and provide more information, since they were also a South Florida band.

An Acre Lost / Promise No Tomorrow - split 12"

[Ohev Records - 1998]

http://www.mediafire.com/?5wmwws997cxgbgt

Trial - Foundation 7" EP colored vinyl represses available for pre-order from New Age Records

2011-08-21T16:58:00.000-07:00

http://newagerecords.com/webstore/vinyl/na35.html

Greg Bennick interview coming soon!

Spineless (H8000)

2011-08-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

Spineless was one of the best H8000 bands in the '90s in my opinion. They were a band from Kortrijk, in the south of Belgium, which also explains why the coat of arms of Kortrijk is present on the cover of their releases. The 'CMD' that appears below the coat of arms on the 'Painfields' cover stands for 'Cortrycke Mosh Division', their local crew. Anyways, they started out in 1996, and after a demo which I unfortunately do not have, they released a MCD/7" called 'Painfields' on Hans Liar's Sober Mind Records in 1997. Love this mini, and I saw this band several times since the MCD was released. They were always awesome live, and had lotsa energy. Good times.

The next year, they recorded and released the follow-up, which would also turn out to be their last release. Their album '...A Talk Between Me And The Stars...' was also released on Sober Mind Records, on both CD and LP, in 1998. Their style had changed a bit and become somewhat darker. Awesome album, definitely one of my favorite H8000 releases. They also re-recorded 2 tracks from the 'Painfields' MCD for this album. The full-length would also be licensed to Refuse Records in Poland who released it on cassette.

The band would also appear on a couple of compilations, including the 'Vort'n Vis' compilation which Chip posted here. After Spineless ended in 1999, 3 members started a new band called Amenra, which is still going strong (with 2 Spineless members nowadays) and is nothing short of amazing, do check them out if you haven't yet. Other bands which feature(d) Spineless members include Congress, Hive Destruction, Kingdom and Natural Order.

Spineless - Painfields MCD (download removed due to complaints)
Spineless - ...A Talk Between Me And The Stars... CD (download removed due to complaints)
Spineless myspace

Structure - s/t 7"

2011-08-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

I've never been able to track down much information about Structure, but I'm pretty sure that they were from New Jersey, and that this self titled 7" was their only release. Despite that, they managed to crank out a 7" of great early 90s hardcore that not too unlike counterparts such as Turning Point.

Structure - s/t

[1992 - Noode Records]

http://www.mediafire.com/?igqb4hptc9ncg2a

Damien Done (Damien Moyal from Culture/As Friends Rust) discography finally posted

2011-08-20T13:04:00.001-07:00

A lot of people have asked about Damien Moyal's project "Damien Done" in the past. The record was supposed to be released through Goodlife Recordings years ago but for one reason or another, it never came out. Damien has since uploaded the entire discography to his Bandcamp site and included various outtakes, rare tracks and covers he's recorded. As of right now, the songs can only be listened to on their site, not downloaded but I'll call him and see if that's something he plans on changing. I hope everyone enjoys it and keep your eyes open for Damien's (and mine) new project, On Bodies.

Damien Done

Divider adds Chris from Sky Came Falling/One Day Savior Records on Vocals

2011-08-19T15:06:00.001-07:00

Chris from Sky Came Falling/One Day Savior Records hit me up to let me know that he has recently joined the band Divider. The band is gearing for the release of their 3-way split LP with Bone Dance and Plebeian Grandstand. Here's the scoop:

"Three bands, three different interpretations of hardcore/punk, two continents, one policy: Destroy.

BONE DANCE (Boise, Idaho, USA) doesn't want to be your friend. The nihilism you'll hear from these self-described "five loud dudes with shitty attitudes", playing their exceedingly raw brand of chaotic hardcore/sludge, will ring a bell whether you're into GAZA or KEN MODE, BOTCH or CURSED. Conceived with a colossal sense of brutality, yet never forsaking their punk ethos, "West" and "Conniver" will further consecrate this band as one to watch. Remember this goddamned name.

No matter how paradoxical it may seem, DIVIDER (Long Island, New York, USA) would prefer to unite rather than to divide. Uniting the sound of more modern filthy hardcore bands with a strong sense of punk emergency, these two tracks ("Gaia" & "Halios Geron" ) introduce Chris Tzompanakis behind the mic, best known for his work with the influential group SKYCAMEFALLING in the early 2000's. If you're into DEADGUY, THE POWER AND THE GLORY, or VISION OF DISORDER, you've found the perfect soundtrack for your next bare-knuckle boxing match.

As for PLEBEIAN GRANDSTAND (Toulouse, France), if the shrapnel-laden assault that was "How Hate Is Hard To Define" had you asking for more, this time around there won't be any survivors left to beg for a rematch. If the explosion of screaming and distortion that is "Woe Is Me" isn't enough, then the hallucinatory "Woe Is You", with its NEUROSIS inspired, trance-like drums, and a throbbing bassline that builds to a crescendo which threatens to tip the richter scale, certainly will be. The first time I heard these tracks, I felt like ripping off my eyelids. And I won't be the one."

The record is a split release and can be ordered here:

Throatruiner Records

Mayfly Records

As if that's not good enough, you can download the record for free by clicking here: 3 Way Split

Too Many Voices (ex-Kill Your Idols/Texas Is The Reason/108)

2011-08-18T14:35:00.001-07:00

http://toomanyvoices.bandcamp.com/album/discography-2011

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Too-Many-Voices/241586772526892

From the Too Many Voices bandcamp page:

Andrew West (Kill Your Idols) and Eric Svirida (The Last Crime) started assembling the line-up that would eventually become Too Many Voices in mid-2010. They added guitarist Ivan Gonzalez (25 ta Life), Scott Winegard (Texas Is The Reason/Fountainhead) on bass and, in early 2011, the line-up was solidified with the addition of Chris Daly (TITR/108/Jets To Brazil) on drums. The plan was simple. Play as often as possible, write and record a full-length and play shows when the time is right. TMV recorded and will self release a 4 song demo Summer 2011 and will record their debut full-length Fall 2011 (label TBA).

For info or booking: toomanyv@gmail.com

Selling Lots of Shirts and Hoodies

2011-08-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

So Im doing what I swore I would never do: sell some of my shirts. I've recently lost one of my jobs and with a new house that my wife and I recently purchased, we need the money. This is the first batch (and hopefully only batch) of shirts that I'll be unloading. Here's how the chart works.

Band name - Description of the shirt - Color - Size - Shortsleeve, Longsleeve, Zipup, etc.

if you have questions, by all means please ask. I will give you the best description possible as well as provide photos for any of them. I have 100% positive feedback on Ebay and I have been trading for 10 years so you can purchase with confidence. Send all offers to xchipxsem@gmail.com.

Tshirts
108 "One Path For Me Through Destiny, Reprint" Beige M SS
108 "Creation, Sustenance, Destruction" Black M SS
As Friends Rush "Back In Coffee Black, Reunion" Black L SS
Ashes "Network Sound" White XL SS
Aftershock "Letters" Olive Green XL SS
A18 "All My Heroes Are Dead" Black M SS
Black SS "315 SXE, Reaper Records" Black L SS
Clear "Deeper Than Blood" Navy XXL SS
Clear "US Summer Tour 98" White XL SS
Caliban “Erase The Enemy” Navy XL SS
Caliban “Japan/USA Tour 01” Black XL SS
Cycle "Roller Coaster" Tan XL SS
Die Hard "Looking Out For #1" Black XL SS
Double Or Nothing Records "Logo" Black M SS
The Dillinger Escape Plan "Calculating Infinity" Black M SS
Donnybrook "Skull and Hockey Sticks" Black M SS
The Dead Unknown "Bridge City Hardcore" Black M SS
Dragonforce "Ultra Beatdown" Black L SS
Eyelid "If It Kills" Navy XL SS
Falling Forward "Birds, Initial Records" Grey XL LS
Hank Jones "Atomic Bomb" Black M SS
Indecision "For Those I Love..." Black M SS
Indecision "One Last Time, Reunion" Black M SS
Length Of Time "Approach To The New World 1998" Black M SS
Living Hell "Goat/Lockin Out Logo" Black L SS
Loyal To The Grave "Logo" Camo L SS
Loyal To The Grave "Graffiti Logo" Black M SS
Metallica "Reload" Black M SS
Miles Away "B9 Preorder Shirt" Black M SS
Morrissey "Portrait" Black L SS
No Warning "Ill Blood" Black M SS
Purification "Quiggle Angel" Black L SS
xReflectx "Demo Design" Navy M SS
Sarin "I Think I Hate You" Hunter Green XL SS
Seventh Star "Cro-Mags Ripoff" Black M SS
Shark Attack "Swim At Your Own Risk" Black M SS
Shelter "In The Van Again Tour 2000" Navy XL SS
Spawn "Emblem Records" Teal XL SS
Split Lip "Revisited 2009, Reunion" Brown M SS
Still Here Clothing "Grenades" Black L SS
Still Here Clothing "Planes" Black M SS
Straight Edge "Battle Royale Mock" Black M SS
Straight Edge "Even In Death" Black M SS
Straight Edge "Seventh Dagger Baseball Tee" Grey/Black Sleeves M LS
Straight Edge "XXX Spider" Black M SS
Straight Edge "Tattoo Flash SXE" Black M SS
Straight Edge "666 XXX" Red XXL HS
Straight Edge "Kill Your Local Drug Dealer, Original" Black L SS
Straight Edge "XXX" Brown M SS
Straight Edge “Drug Free” Olive Green XXL SS
Straight Edge "Baseball Tee" Grey/Black Sleeves M LS
Straight Edge "Smoking Is For Losers" Black XXL SS
This Is Hell "Long Island" Grey M SS
To Die For "Metal Logo" Black L SS
Trial "You Can't Kill An Idea" Black M SS
Unconquered "You Say Moderation, I Scream Prohibition" Brown XL SS
Undying "Let It End With Us" Black XL SS
Unholy "New Life Behind Closed Eyes Preorder Design" Black L SS

Hoodies and Zipups
108 "Creation, Sustenance, Destruction" Black M Z
Bad Brains "Logo" Black XL HS
The Banner "Ribcage" Black M Z
Casey Jones "No Smoking" Navy M W
Clear "Lucky 13" Navy XL W
Figure Four "F IV" Black M Z
New Age Records "Watching You Fall..." White XL HS

Basketball Jersey
Vision "New Jersey" Teal Size 44 B

On Bodies - New band featuring members of Terror, Culture, As Friends Rust and more

2011-08-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have heard but I started a band with Rich Thurston (ex-Culture, Terror, etc) and Damien Moyal (ex-Culture, Shai Hulud, Morning Again, As Friends Rust). The band is called On Bodies and we recently recorded a 6 song EP which should be available in October. The band is rounded out as well by Chad Kishick (Know The Score, Shai Hulud) and Julio Marin (Glasseater, Destro, Dance Floor Justice) as well as myself on guitar. Give it a listen, see what you think. We currently have one song up to check out on Bandcamp and should have another up later this week.

On Bodies on Bandcamp

On Bodies on Facebook

Handsome - Waiting 7"

2011-08-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

Handsome were a post-hardcore band of great lineage in the mid 90s. The band was started after Peter Mengede's departure from Helmet and also featured the likes of Jeremy Chatelain (Insight, Iceburn), Pete Hines (Cro-Mags, Murphy's Law) and Tom Capone (Beyond, Quicksand).
This first 7" release from Handsome came out in 1995 on Full City Blend out of New York, and was actually recorded prior to Tom Capone joining the band. Both songs would eventually make their way onto Handsome's full length debut for Sony.

Handsome - Waiting 7"

[Full City Blend - 1995]

http://www.mediafire.com/?brnurs69u74grow

Handsome also released a 7" on Sub Pop in 1995, followed by their one and only full length in 1997. If anyone out there happens to have the European version of the full length with the bonus cd, please get in touch with me, because I've been looking to acquire one for quite a while now. And if Europe regards Handsome the same way that America seems to these days, a bunch of dollar bins are probably littered with copies.

Earth Crisis - All Out War, Conviction Records Longsleeve

2011-08-09T22:43:00.001-07:00

I apologize for the lack of content on my end lately but I've been moving and my time has been split between that and working. Over the course of my move, my collecting has significantly diminished as I have less room than before so I haven't been going out of my way to look for new stuff. One thing I did recently acquire is what is considered the "Holy Grail" of Earth Crisis history. The Conviction Records longsleeve is the rarest tshirt in the band's history and is said to be limited to 24. Guav has said that it was printed and sold at a show in New Jersey in 1992. Very small amount of cracking in the sleeve print and overall in great shape for its age. This was number 1 on my WANT list so to cross it off was a big deal. I hope you guys enjoy this item as much as I do. I promise when I get settled to start updating more frequently.

Jon Huskey (SOS Booking/What We Want We Must Create & It Follows blogs) interview

2011-08-09T07:13:00.000-07:00

How did you get into hardcore?

Growing up my musical influences have been pretty wide open. My parents were into rock of just about any kind and my mom listened to a lot of early Elvis Costello, so that certainly had some small underlying influence. But I was a skater in the late 80's, which meant plenty of exposure to most things fast, heavy, odd, or weird. I remember skating to a diet of Faith No More, Oingo Boingo, Fat Boys, Anthrax, Beastie Boys, & the almighty Suicidal Tendencies. I say almighty, because ST was my gateway. I got "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow" on tape and it opened the door. That was probably like 4th/5th grade. That album and their Self-Titled saw me through a lot. I went through a time of stuff like Nirvana and Pearl Jam (and I will still back both of those bands), but by 8th grade I was coming to punk full blown. And by early high school when Bad Religion/Rancid/Green Day exploded, there was Suicidal Tendencies, still as relevant as ever. As things just progressed, I got into faster stuff, the early DC stuff in my opinion, is required listening whether you align yourself as punk or hardcore or even metal. One thing to another, I was that kid who read thank you lists and found other bands. I also tuned into KSPC 88.7 (Claremont Colleges) a lot and taped the shows. It exposed me to things like Gorilla Biscuits, Straight Ahead, Earth Crisis, Flux of Pink Indians, Nation of Ulysses, Reinforce, Into Another, Parades End, Ten Yard Fight, and tons more. I also had a friend whose brother was ahead of us a few years and way into the Riverside Scene before us and got me into bands like 411 and Strife.

When and why did you decide to go behind the scenes within the hardcore community?

From pretty early on, I wanted to do something. Like lots of people, I always wanted to be in a band. Despite a few short-lived attempts, that never panned out. Some friends and I took a very quick turn at a distro, but most of the time we bought stuff and sold it to ourselves (haha). The more I went to showcase, the more I got to know other people in Southern California and the more I got to know people like Joe Lujan. Joe is THE Joe as in Joecase. Joe has always been an incredible person towards me. From back when I was just another one of the kids going to shows, he remembered my face, got to know me and was just an all around good guy. As I got older and started to help friends bands out Joe was a guy who would give you the time of day to at least give your band a chance. People like that and music like this made me continually want to do something. The exchange of ideas and the fact that in a lot of ways I really found out a lot about myself through this music. Even at its very base, it was a place to scream and have a cathartic moment in an otherwise hectic week, month, year, lifetime.

Discuss your involvement with record labels.

I've been fortunate enough to have done some things with helping a few local bands record and even get some stuff into local shops. I've also been very fortunate to have lived next door to my good friend Andrew Gomez who is the man behind Glory Kid Limited and was extremely fortunate to be the resident test press listener for a lot of releases until GKL relocated to Washington earlier this year. I also consider myself stupendously lucky that at like 15/16 I was able to intern for about a year at Rotten Records who had re-issued DRI's back catalog along with the new record at the time, Full Speed Ahead. They were also the label for Acid Bath, STG, and a local-ish pop-punk band, Kiss the Clown. Their owner Ron was a super nice guy. I guess he had done a ton of booking in the past. He had another guy, Dean, working there who taught me a lot. Dean was in turn, interning at Hollywood Records around the time Seaweed and Suicide Machines put out records on Hollywood, so I ended up with exposure to more than a few bands I might not have at 15-16.

What venue(s) have you booked shows at?

My first experience with booking a proper show was probably Studio S in Hollywood. It was a record release show for the band Drop It! They were a local band and friends of mine. It was them, Fortunate Sun, Eaten Alive, and others who frighteningly escape me at the moment. Overall, it wasn't a bad show. Where Eagles Dare were going to play but couldn't make the trip.

I did start a venue with my friend Nate. At the time, Nate and I both worked for our local YMCA where we had met working as camp counselors. I was also working year round in our Childcare Programs and we had this Store front/Shop type building in an Industrial Strip Mall kind of thing. Basically we only used in when school was out, so it sat a lot of the time. We got the idea to approach my supervisor and ask if we could do shows. Amazingly, she was up for it. I wrote up a small proposal, did a floor plan, and haphazardly, we got the SOS Project off the ground. Our first show was Knife Fight/Mother Speed. Officially, we called the shows "YMCA Fundraisers" and were able to have insurance coverage. We had little to no overhead as the building was covered in rent & utilities and most of the time that something got broken, the person did it accidentally and owned up to it and paid up. We were able to pay the bands quite fairly, kick money back to the Y and still have a few bucks to take volunteers to the local In N Out after most shows. Those In N Out trips are a whole OTHER story. For about a year and a half the SOS was able to do a lot of good shows. We all worked hard for that shit, especially Nate.

Eventually the Y didnt need the property and pretty abruptly, we were done. Nate went on and did another short lived venue in Riverside (Parkview) before he & I met up again, this time with Andy from Glory Kid. Andy had been in touch with a local legened, Tina Bold (seriously, Riverside local scene great) who put us in touch with Joe from Voodoo Glow Skulls. Joe was trying to do some big community type thing and do local shows. We were gunna handle shows. It hit some snags, but he put us in touch with the Pharoah's Den in Riverside and SOS Booking was born. I hung on for 6-10 months, but I just didnt have the time. I was working full time and was just getting pulled in 5 different directions. Eventually I bowed out. Nate, as a lot of people reading this probably know, still does SOS Booking with a core group of dudes who were there in the original SOS days and they do an amazing job of shows when Nate isn't on tour with Xibalba, or busy fighting fires (seriously, great dude, since the day I met him when he was 16).

What band(s) and/or show(s) are you most proud of booking and why?

The SOS Project pulled down some big shows, a lot of which early on were thanks to Sami Begloo from Judas. There was a Verse/Guns Up! show that I thought was gunna bring the place down. We had the First Step on a week night and maybe 30 people showed. Such a blast to see a band I really like, literally in my backyard. We had a fest very early on, (Not So) Chino Fest- named so because it was supposed to be in Chino. It had a ton of local bands as well as Shook Ones, Ruiner, Sinking Ships. It was great. We had a few shows where we pulled down around a grand at 5-6 bucks a head and were able to kick so much back to the bands. That always felt good, giving a band what they deserved. We did a March Moustache Madness show with Life Long Tragedy, Set It Straight, & Final Fight- that was great as well. Also, a personal favorite was having My Revenge! play. I love that band, plus their drummer wrestled all comers after the show. It was pretty fantastic. Sometimes, the after show antics were as much fun as the show. It was great to have a space, that as long as we took care of it, we could basically hang out, have shows, even have bands crash there. I believe the first Geeks show was also at the original SOS Project. But truly, probably the moment it really sank in what we had been lucky enough to do such a thing, was when Joe from Showcase called me up to ask me about a show. A touring band was hounding him to do a Saturday show but Joe knew they were playing the SOS on Friday and Chain Reaction on Sunday; and he didn't wanna book a show that was basically already going on in the same area twice. To me, that was kind of a "Woah" moment personally because the Showcase, that was where I grew up, that was a Venue.

Discuss your download blogs, What We Want We Must Create and It Follows.

What We Want, We Must Create came purely out of a desire to give back. I had stepped away from SOS Booking almost fully and really wanted to still contribute. It started as a way to share lots of things I had accumulated over the years- records, demos, fliers, etc. I love the digital age and the ability to share and acquire. But I also love vinyl and the discovery of new and unknown things. Other people, such as SITP, were doing that and I wanted to contribute. Talking is rarely something I do little of (three sisters and no brothers I suppose plays a part there), and when it comes to music (or baseball) I can just go on. So, a blog with music from my own collection and a chance to share a little history, it was a nice outlet for me as the workload of my job increased and my SOS participation decreased. What We Want had a distinct 90's slant for most of its reign. Eventually, I wanted to incorporate more than just that, but it didn't feel quite right, so I basically nixed it after a real labor of love, the 411 "Discography".

It Follows started up this year. I'd made one or two stabs at doing another blog, but never got so far. Then I just forced myself to focus and do it. Its gone on fairly steady in 2011 and I have no intentions of stopping. It Follows still goes with the similar formula, but Ive tried to include a bit more of the local flavor and a general Hardcore/Punk/Indie flavor as a whole. The response has been great.

What sorts of criteria do you use when deciding what downloads you're going to post?

Out of print, unreleased, or artist sanctioned only. I won't do leaks and I won't do currently available stuff unless a band or label says its okay.

I love when bands send me their stuff to post- its win-win. I get to hear new music and I get to hopefully give a band at least a little bit of exposure.

I also won't do anything racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise hateful.

I love to pull things that are out of print and scan the covers, rip the songs, and share. It genuinely gives me enjoyment to put something out there, fairly known or obscure, and share it.

I also like to share records that might be somewhat available on a CD or collection, but their original release is lost to that reissue (such as the Justice League "Think or Sink" 7inch).

And, of course, old fliers, interviews, ads, etc. Nothing better than making a public documentation of dating yourself.

Have you posted any downloads that are exclusive to your blogs? If so, what download(s)?

Probably some local stuff for sure.

I did a Former Members of Alfonsin "collection" and called it 'Let's Not Forget the City Burning in the Background". More or less, there was nothing out there and info was supremely limited so I compiled songs and into a format that flowed, re-tagged and ordered everything and posted. Somewhat similar to what I did later with the 411 "discography." There's an Over My Dead Body live set thats all me, same with a Champion live set- I own the masters and was the one that had them recorded from the soundboard.

I've seen quite a few of my own rips/posts turn up in other blogs. I'm always glad to share as long as the blog pays it forward and at least says where they got it. Ive tried to spotlight blogs and even posts of records I love that someone else did, just gotta give that credit where its due. That's not to say Im gunna email someone screaming at them, its just a nice courtesy to not claim other's work. I try to take the time to do a good write up, scan the record, and make a good rip, it does take a little bit of time.

How long have you been Straight Edge and why did you choose to become Straight Edge?

Since I was 17, and I'm 32 now... so what, 15 years. I smoked a little pot in high school, drank vodka maybe 5 times.I giggled, felt groggy. But it never did too much for me. That all happened from about 16-17. In that time, I saw a lot of close friends just dive head first into getting stoned or drunk and just do nothing with themselves. They didn't have money for shows, no money to hang out, and they started to get more into speed and other stuff. Remember, I'm from Riverside/IE in the early/mid-90's, Speed Central. I saw a lot of lives get chewed up fast, even teachers and other people. My own dad hadn't been around for about 10 years because smoking weed and drinking was more important than working and raising my sister and I with my mom. So, it formed a lot of opinions in me. I just remember feeling like, yeah, Straight Edge, that works for me. I never had some mass amount of edge friends, no crew. A majority of friends still drank and smoked, it wasn't some exclusion thing for me. It was just some thing for me. It worked for me and it does work for me. I mean, if someone wants to drink or smoke, that's their deal. For me, this is what's right. A drink isn't going to kill someone by the sheer act of having a glass with dinner. Smoking, I still think cigarettes are a total waste, but I know many smokers who would agree there. We could just go on and on here (haha).

What are your thoughts and opinions of Straight Edge hardcore bands whose core members are no longer Straight Edge, particularly those bands who do reunions shows, tours, records, etc.?

I've had different opinions over the years. I think reunions as a whole have to be evaluated carefully in punk/hardcore. Many times you're talking about bands who stood on some kind of principles or platforms, and if they are going to play those songs, it seems they should maybe have some aspect of that still in their lives. I'm also all for bands busting their asses and putting in the time and being rewarded with being able to survive. Like a band like Sick of It All or a person like Ted Leo. These are people who have given their share, my share, and two other people's share of work and effort- they deserve everything the get from their hard work. But if a band that was say, very staunchly Straight Edge wants to reunite and play all the edge classics while none of them are any longer, thats their business, but it isn't for me. I'm not going to shout them down for it, but it just isn't for me. Not because I am still edge, but because I would feel the same way if say, someone like Dick from Subhumans was some kind of corporate shark who vocally renounced everything his band has said, but still wants to tour the Subhumans and make money off it. I don't think anyone should be exactly who they were at 15, when they're 35. There's things we all said then, that should make us cringe now, but if the core of you isn't at least somewhere in line with what you were about then, why just go through the motions of it?

Feel free to shamelessly plug any of your other musical or non-musical endeavors here.

Buy Glory Kid releases (glorykid.com), Andy is a hardworking dude and does great artwork as well (cargocollective.com/andrewgomeziv). Also, his new band (with a lot of other great dudes), Burn Your Life Down, is working on a new ep. Their demo is available on the It Follows Blog. Also, I still work for a YMCA and just did a week of Youth Camp, any of you out there, we're always looking for volunteers for Youth Camps in the summers and even winters. Great weather, great activities, three meals a day, a bed, its a killer experience. I do it, because I feel like it's a great way to help filter many of the things I've learned through Hardcore & Punk into the lives of young minds who might not be lucky enough to be pre-disposed to like loud, obnoxious sounding music. All too often we forget how lucky we really are that we like this and not radio fodder. Seacrest Out!

Mouthpiece video interview at The Glass House in Pomona, CA on 6/5/11

2011-08-06T16:59:00.000-07:00

MOUTHPIECE Part 1 from sergio amalfitano on Vimeo.

MOUTHPIECE Part 2 from sergio amalfitano on Vimeo.

Congratulations to Mouthpiece singer/frontman Tim McMahon and his wife Traci on the August 4th birth of their third child, Travis Michael McMahon!

X Plagued With Rage X - Discography

2011-08-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

While doing some research for Tee Till Death, I came across the complete discography from Buffalo's X Plagued With Rage X. The upload was by Jeremy Smith, former guitar player for the band and includes everything the band recorded including an unreleased demo, comp tracks, a live set and more. I've also included a link to the band's wiki page for a little more in depth look at the band. Check it out!

X Plagued By Rage X - Discography and then some

http://www.mediafire.com/?ntzutaigxwh

Cornerstone Interview from Tension Building Zine #3, 1996

2011-08-04T19:46:00.000-07:00

Here's an interview with CT's Cornerstone form Tension Building Zine #3 from 1996.

Red Tide - Themes Of The Cosmic Consciousness

2011-08-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

Red Tide hailed from Connecticut, and struck me as a very interesting band. I picked up this cd from my friend Matt's distro in 1998, and the influences heard in their sound are quite varied. You can hear hints of old school death metal, hardcore, prog rock and even jazz fusion. Before this self-funded CD, Red Tide released a whopping five demos, and then closed out their tenure with a CD called Type II in 2001. I have never heard any of those other releases, so if anyone has download links for them, please feel free to share.

Red Tide - Themes Of The Cosmic Consciousness

[DIY - 1997]

http://www.mediafire.com/?n35ky8fov9986yv

Interview: The Many Bands of Scott Vogel, Part 1 (Slugfest and Fadeaway)

2011-08-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

While I was packing my CDs up in preparation for my move to my new house, I picked up my Slugfest CD that Initial Records had released back in 1996. The day before, Scott Vogel had emailed us to say how much he liked what we are doing with the site (thanks Scott) and I got the idea of interviewing him about the different bands he had played in. By now, you all know that Scott has been a part of some of the biggest and best bands of the 90s and 2000s but I feel like everyone forgets that he also played in Fadeaway and played drums instead of singing. I wanted to go back and touch on these bands as well as cover the one's you may already know. This is part 1 of a series of short interviews I'm doing with Scott about the bands he's played in that have helped shape the hardcore scene. In this part, we cover the bands Slugfest and Fadeaway.

Stuck In The Past: How did Slugfest form?
Scott: Me and my brother Jay had been messing around with bands for a bit, more punk stuff I guess although I was never really into punk. We were just kind of finding out about underground stuff and the different directions and scenes etc. I was playing drums and he was playing guitar. When we were first introduced to hardcore, I think both of us were hooked. We went to any show we could find, bought records and kind of spun our lives in that direction as much as possible for 14 year old kids from the suburbs of Buffalo. The club most shows were at in Buffalo then was called the River Rock Cafe. Me and my brother went there a lot. We became friends with the owners son Jon who ran the place and did sound. He played drums so we talked about starting a band. We practiced at the venue and Slugfest was born. We picked up our crazy friend John Gibe and Jon brought in his friend named "Fuck Em". This dude was older, played in a Kiss tribute band and breathed fire so in the early days we would cover God of Thunder and he would do the same at a Slugfest show. I’m pretty sure this is why all the Clevo bands liked Slugfest. Anyways, no one was close to sxe and it was a very interesting mix of characters. We didn’t care if we fit in. We got the name from a Simpsons episode where Bart is playing a game called Super Slugfest. It was just fun times and learning how to write songs and lyrics and getting on stage every time was an insanely new adventure. Our first show was with Judge and we played with Zero Tolerance, Slapshot, Integrity, Upfront and all sorts of cool bands.

SITP: How did you guys hook up with Structure Records to release the “Buried Alive” 7 inch?
Scott: I can’t really remember how it happened but Chris, the singer of Chokehold, booked us up in Hamilton. Ont. Canada. It may have been one of our first road trips. We played a floor show in a hall. The vibe was real cool I remember. Kids knew our words and we were on a natural high. At this point, Tim Redmond was in the band who went on to play in Snapcase. I remember Chris told us he lost money but didn’t care because he loved hardcore and the show so much that it didn’t matter. Me and Tim always talked about how cool this was. So Chokehold and Slugfest became friends and Chris and Jeff started a label releasing the Slugfest EP and a Bloodlet EP. The Slugfest record recording came out great for the time and talent we had. I still remember getting that thing in my hands…so fucking cool.

SITP: Give us some of your more memorable moments in the band.
Scott: Slugfest was just a party band. We would always be in the van drinking 40s with our friends that didn’t even listen to hardcore before our shows. We would practice at Tim’s and it was a long drive. We would smoke weed and stop at Mighty Taco and then go try to write songs or learn covers. We got to play in Detroit with Earth Crisis. A few shows in Erie and Syracuse and stuff like that…care free days. No talk of money or labels and bad mouthing other bands.

SITP: What caused the band to break up initially?
Scott: I didn’t know any of this was going on at the time but Snapcase asked Tim to join their band. Our record had just came out. We were getting mail from Europe and shit, shows were getting better and Tim just left us to play with them. I was bitter at the time. Me and Tim, I kinda felt like we were a team, a team that didn’t really have much in common with Snapcase but I was wrong. When I think about it now, I kinda understand. Tim was sxe and more laid back and had his shit together a bit more than the rest of us. He saw a good opportunity and took it. He left and the band died.

SITP: At what point did you join Fadeaway?
Scott: Fadeaway was a cool band that was coming up in Buffalo towards the end of Slugfest. They had a good style and their front man Rob was on point. Their drummer Phil was a dude that played in a lot of bands but seemed to always be leaving or quitting or whatever. So when he left Fadeaway, they asked me to do it. Again, just a cool time. 5 hardcore kids writing songs and hanging out, simple stuff. Practice, go to Dennys and drink coffee, act weird. make fanzines. Good times.

SITP: Had you played drums in a band before Fadeaway? I don’t think many people know that you played drums for the band.
Scott: Yeah I wasn’t the best either. I could play a good fast beat and do enough of the rest to get by. I played drums in Against All Hope for a bit. That is a really underrated ahead of their time band from buffalo…kinda on a dag nasty tip but with a Buffalo edge to it.

SITP: How did the Slugfest discography that Initial Records released come about? Was that the reason you guys did the reunion show in 1997?
Scott: Despair was doing records with Initial Records at the time. Andy Rich was a really cool kid and was always treating us more than fair. He must have brought up the idea and we went for it. I spent a few years really being against Snapcase but I guess me and Tim must have talked and decided let’s do this. Slugfest had some cool songs that never got recorded and I think we even maybe wrote a new one for this release?? So we put this thing out with a very horrible cover photo. What were we thinking? A weird tree? What the hell did that have to do with anything? ha ha ha. We also did that reunion show. Slugfest just stopped out of nowhere. One day we were playing and the next it was just over. So I think there was a small demand for a last show. We put together a cool line up, played one more time and recorded it and put out the live EP.

SITP: Will Slugfest ever play again?
Scott: I highly doubt it. I think about 60 kids in the world know those songs. Not really something that needs to happen.

Threadbare - Live 9/10/95 [video]

2011-07-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

Torchbearer (members of For The Love Of, Ensign and Nora) New LP Info

2011-07-25T13:41:00.000-07:00

Our friend Chris Ross recently hit us to let us know that his band, Torchbearer, just finished recording tracks for a brand new LP. The record will be released on August 30th via All Ears Music. You can check out the press release below:

New Jersey’s Torchbearer have posted two new songs from their pending full-length “The Dirty Swagger” as well as an internet-only bonus track. The songs can be found at https://www.facebook.com/TorchbearerNJ
“The Dirty Swagger” was recorded at CDR studios, and was mastered by Carson Slovak (Century, Armsbendback) at Atrium Audio . The record is currently scheduled for a digital release on August 30th via All Ears Records, with a limited pressing on vinyl to follow.
The full-length is the follow-up release to 2009’s “The Worst is Yet to Come” 7-inch on Soul Rebel records, and sees the band (which features current and ex-members of Nora, Ensign, and For the Love of) expanding upon their own personal blend of Deadguy-inspired metalcore to incorporate new influences from the entire spectrum of hardcore, metal, noise, thrash and beyond."

You can check out tracks from the upcoming release by clicking here: Torchbearer

Acacia - Untune The Sky

2011-07-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

Acacia came out of Ontario, Canada and unleashed this EP called "Untune The Sky", which I have always felt is one of the most criminally underrated releases in the early canon of Goodfellow Records. They had a chaotic sound akin to early Botch, but with more prevalent metal undertones. Aside from this EP and a track on The Difference Between Us comp, I'm not aware of anything else Acacia recorded and put out, so if anyone has physical copies or mp3s, please get in touch.

Acacia - Untune The Sky

[Goodfellow Records - 1998]

http://www.mediafire.com/?f2rd4saaddstbt2

Envision (Italy)

2011-07-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

In the late '90s, a lot of bands around Europe took inspiration from bands like Arkangel and Morning Again, some good some bad. Here's a pretty good one which doesn't get mentioned all that much, Envision from Parma, Italy. The band started out in 1998 and after a 4-song demo they recorded the 'The Season Of Indifference' MCD, which was released on Next Sentence Recordings in 1999. Next Sentence btw was a label run by one of the guys in Negate, a Belgian metalcore band from the French part of Belgium. This MCD rules from start to finish. While Envision didn't break any new grounds on this MCD, it's well-executed and is just plain damn solid metalcore. The band was (partially, I think) veggie/vegan sXe and supported all kinds of socio-political, enviromental and animal rights groups, something which also reflected itself in the lyrics.

After the release the singer left and Nicola, one of the guitarists took over vocal duties while still playing guitar. In 2002 their full-length album 'Ecoillogical Babel' was released on NoBrain Records out of Italy. It had a slightly different sound, leaning more towards modern metal with some nu-metal influences. It's not something I'm into all that much, but it's again well-executed and the band knows how to write songs and play them. The nu-metal influences kills it for me tho, I definitely prefer the MCD. But in this style it's a solid release.

Afterwards the band went thru some line-up changes and recorded a demo for a follow-up release, but the release never happened and the band ended sometime in late 2004/early 2005. After the band folded, singer/guitarist Nicola 'Busso' Bussoni joined Hidea, an Italian hard rock band. No idea what the other band members did after Envision folded.

Envision - The Season Of Indifference MCD
Envision - Ecoillogical Babel CD

Ebay Auction

2011-07-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

My friend Mike is selling some records on Ebay...he's got some pretty good stuff so if you have a chance, check it out

http://shop.ebay.com/mwar5409/m.html?_trksid=p4340.l2562

Philippe Arama (Remission/Invierno) interview

2011-07-21T14:03:00.000-07:00

As you xStuck In The Pastx regulars no doubt already know, I (Andrew Jacobs) am quite a big fan of Chilean singer/frontman Philippe Arama's band Remission and have done quite a few posts for them because of that. What can I say? I've always been and always will be a sucker for hook-laden and catchy as hell hardcore. And naturally, I'm a big fan of Arama's indie rock band Invierno as well. Enjoy the interview. - Andrew Jacobs

Photo taken by Gary Go

How did you get into hardcore?

I first heard hardcore music through skateboarding videos. Bands like Minor Threat, Dag Nasty and 7 Seconds all sounded cool to me, though it took me a while to investigate and explore what they were all about. I liked classic heavy metal and it wasn't until I met two of my best friends that I made the switch to hardcore. They were punk rockers who had a light notion of hardcore and together, we started buying cassettes & CDs and checking out their thank you lists (to discover more bands) and all that kind of stuff. It was very exciting at the time and I've been hooked for 10 years now. Today's excitement comes in different forms but it's still there.

Although your band Remission has been around since 2008 and is quite prolific in terms of the number of records that you've either released or appear on, you have yet to tour either the United States or Europe. Why exactly is that?

Bad timing and money but we expect that to change. In September, we are going to the U.S. west coast to play as many shows as we can for two weeks' time. We wish to do the whole stretch, from San Diego to Seattle. This tour has been planned for almost a year now, so a lot of saving has been done and we couldn't be happier right now. I think travelling is any band's dream and soon, that'll become a reality. If we ever want to go to Europe (which we do), then we'd like to at least wait out another year to save up plane money for starters and secondly, we want to put out a new LP with React! Records.

What are some of your favorite Remission songs and why?

The song "Remission", because of it's pace and aggression; "Love" for it's words and guitar solo; "Burden Of Shame", because it defines us as a left-wing group; the entire Winds Of Promise 7", especially "Isolation" as it's the painful narration of what my father must have felt the three months he spent in prison. And finally, "Empty Glass", since it picks up on a heavier and angrier style of hardcore which we sort of drifted away from by throwing in so much melody on the latest songs.

As a singer and a frontman, who/what are some of your influences and why?

Who: Chris Jones, Dave Smalley, Ian MacKaye and Rob Pennington, to name a few.

What: feelings, observations, discontent and the need to express myself.

In addition to Remission, you also sing in a Texas Is The Reason-influenced indie rock band called Invierno. For the gringos like myself reading this, what does Invierno mean in English?

Invierno means winter in Spanish. It's the name we went for since that was the present season when looking for a name. Plus conceptually, it's pretty emo, right?

Does Invierno have any plans to record a full length? If so, please discuss. If not, why not?

We've been jamming all year to record an LP. We're finally done writing the songs, so I'm guessing it'll be out by October. 8 new songs we're very pleased with. I'm actually so glad it's almost over because since Invierno is made up of almost all of Remission's members, it has been the main reason for us being on hiatus. We never jam anymore unless it's for an hour and it’s the day before playing a show. This year, Remission has only played five times, which bums me out. I'm really hoping that after we record the Invierno LP and we return from the U.S. trip, we can get things moving much quicker than we have in the past.

How are you effectively able to juggle two bands and your personal & professional lives?

It works out fine because music has become a weekend thing from the shows we play. During the week, we jam sometimes but at night, after our more serious duties have been handled, like working or going to college. I no longer have a girlfriend who can get pissed off at me for having too many shows during the month, plus we don't take music very seriously and have learned to balance out everything.

How long have you been both Straight Edge and vegetarian?

Straight Edge for 10 years and vegetarian for 4 months.

Why have you chosen to be Straight Edge and vegetarian?

At first, Straight Edge was an ideal that appealed to me because it reinforces individual choices, free from pressure and tradition. Add to that being a teenager who disliked seeing his friends drunk and saying & doing things they normally wouldn't. Also, having divorced parents who would ocassionally fight and argue because of my father's heavy drinking for some years. I have no interest in alcohol or smoking as I feel that it would alter my natural condition and damage my health. Being Straight Edge makes me feel good and natural. Vegetarianism has been around me for a long time but I didn't make the choice until very recently. I guess it came from soul searching and it has everything to do with ethics. If you consider yourself to be compassionate and humane, then try to apply it to almost everything, including your food supply.

Living in South America, is it difficult to maintain a vegetarian diet? Why or why not?

Chile may not have as many vegan products sold in supermarkets but there are specialized stores where we can get our products. I think South American vegetarians stick more to lentils, beans and salads for that reason. The North and South Americas are pretty even on the cultural level since it remains a minority within the population and there's obesity and people into junk food & barbeques everywhere. I don't think it is difficult at all to maintain this ideal/diet, it just takes some figuring out, like what can I eat at what places? Simple as that.

Feel free to shameless plug any of your other musical or non-musical endeavors here.

Thank you for the questions Andrew and for doing this blog with your friends. You guys have been very supportive towards Remission by reposting our news and releases. Like I said before, look out for the U.S. west coast shows from mid to late September, primarily React! Records' Showcase on September 23rd and 24th. You can pick up our 7" EP from React! or our LP and split 7" with Police & Thieves from Amendment Records by checking out the sites I'll include in the bottom of this entry. I'll just say we love our closest friends and appreciate the support & interest from the global hardcore community. We'll keep the ball rolling and reactivate soon.

Listen: http://remissionhc.bandcamp.com

Labels: www.itstimetoreact.com // www.amendment-records.com

Contact: www.facebook.com/remissionhc // remissionhc@gmail.com

seeking the simple (vinyl blog)

2011-07-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

seeking the simple is a painstakingly detailed vinyl blog created by Kyle Whitlow. There's not much else I can say that isn't extremely well documented in the blog by Kyle himself via photos and text, so click below to have your vinyl hound mind completely blown. - Andrew Jacobs

http://www.seekingthesimple.com/vinyl

"After collecting punk vinyl for 15 years, I am calling it quits. More and more I’m coming to realize the aged truism: we don’t own our possessions, our possessions end up owning us. It’s time for me to pass on a lot of this for others to enjoy, who will eventually pass on to another, etc etc. This is just the natural cycle of collectors of any kind, and I think it’s a fun thing to be a part of. I’ve enjoyed compiling several different collections; so much so, that I’m taking the time to document many of my favorite “sub-collections” here in photographs. I’ve also included little stories about each photo regarding little fun facts about how I came to own some of these, etc. I don’t have a specific time table for any of this, and I’m not selling everything. I’ll be keeping one copy of every single release I own, because I do want the artwork and the music! I just don’t need multiple copies of the same release anymore. That means I won’t be selling my one original Antidote 7″ or my only copy of Victim In Pain, etc. I’ll also be keeping all of my Minor Threat, Youth Of Today, Carry On, Champion, and Rivalry releases – these are all bands that had a significant influence on me and/or I was involved with the bands. I will post things for sale at my own pace, in no order other than “whatever is easiest to part with first”. First and foremost this is just a visual documentation of my collection. Not everything you see in photos will be for sale, though much of it will be. I’ll make separate “sale posts” when I identify pieces that are ready to sell. Enjoy the stories and photos!" - Kyle Whitlow

Hitman - '90s hardcore from Serbia

2011-07-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

Interview with Hitman bassist Radomir Jankovic coming soon!

From Hitman's Facebook and Reverbnation pages:

Hitman is a hardcore punk band from the Balkans (Belgrade, Serbia). We started this whole thing in 1994 as a side project along with our original bands (Definite Choice, Wipe Out, Shackle Me Not) back then. In the past 17 years, we made the foundation of the hardcore scene on the Balkans stronger by connecting all the scenes between the countries from the Balkan area and we made our voice be heard all over the globe!!!

We believe that the true spirit of this whole thing we are in is based on the friendships we make along the way! We also believe in a positive attitude towards every part of our lives!!!

We shared stage with bands like: Murphys Law, Sick Of It All, Strech Arm Strong, Napalm Death, Municipal Waste, Agnostic Front, Madball, Adolescents, Movement, The Business, DRI, Pro-Pain, Max Cavallera, Misfits, Intesinty, Manifestation, Suicidal Tendencies and, of course, with many of our good friends from the Balkan hardcore scene!

FRIENDSHIP, UNITY, RESPECT

We have four releases until this day:

(1998)"stories we tell" - Tape
(2000)"...and what about the flame we use to feel..." - Tape
(2000)"stories we tell about the flame we use to feel" - CD/containing both tapes
(2004)"Balkan hardcore split 2004" - Split CD with Last Hope (Sofia Bulgaria)
(2010)"Overstand" - CD SWELL CREEK - SUPERHERO RECORDS

We also appeared on the following Samplers:

(1996)"Witness of the first Discussion" - CD Sampler of Serbian Hardcore, Metal, Industrial, Grind
(1999)"This is the light" - Serbian Hardcorepunk Sampler - Tape
(2004)"All from the Heart" - CD Serbian Hardcore Sampler

http://www.facebook.com/pages/HITMAN/130275900320144

http://www.reverbnation.com/hitmanhc

http://www.myspace.com/hitmanbhc

Mike Judge & Old Smoke geekery

2011-07-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

Mike Judge & Old Smoke guitarist Todd Schwartz was kind enough to take a picture of himself giving me a shout out in front of his mounted Sights LP on clear vinyl (yeah, it's a big deal). And if that wasn't cool enough, Mike Judge himself alerted me to the fact that 4 previously unreleased Mike Judge & Old Smoke songs are up on the band's Myspace for all to hear, so click here and enjoy. Well, I'LL enjoy anyway. - Andrew Jacobs

Harvest - Years of Defiance review and pre-order

2011-07-11T19:41:00.000-07:00

If my last.fm charts from the last month are any indication, the new "Years of Defiance. Years of Disgust" 7 inch from Harvest is hard to put away. In the few weeks that I've had it, the tracks have received well over 100 plays on my computer, phone and in the car.
With this new 7", Harvest were presented with a bit of a challenge. Members of the band live in Minneapolis, Toronto, and Sau Paolo, Brazil, which means that each member had to complete their tracks and then forward them along the line so that another member could complete their tracks. Given the years that Harvest spent playing together in the 90s, the chemistry still shines through in this recording despite the challenge presented to them.
The record kicks off with two brand new songs that build upon the sound Harvest became synonymous with during their tenure in the heyday of metallic staccato rhythms. One of those tracks, "Our Legacy", can be heard over at NoiseCreep. None of the instruments take up too much space in the mix, yet the songs still remain heavily guitar driven. The bass sounds fluid and smooth, but still presents the right amount of grit to keep it a little dirty. Dave's vocals are in a more raw form than of most previous Harvest recordings, and I'm a big fan of them. I always tend to be disappointed when a singer's voice is buried under studio effects, and much prefer to hear a representation closer to live show vocals, which is how they sound on this 7 inch.
Following the two new songs is a track that Harvest had written and played live just prior to breaking up, called "Torture Inhibition." Although it was written over 11 years ago, it fits in perfectly with the new songs that Harvest has crafted, and also provides a perfect bridge to the songs that follow. In the 90s, Harvest appeared on a few compilations with songs that were recorded on a 4 track, and two of them have been re-recorded to round out "Years of Defiance. Years of Disgust". First is "Soul Burn", which originally appeared on The Difference Between Us cd comp on Goodfellow Records. Following it on the digital version only is a re-recording of "Conditioned", which can originally be found on the Twin Cities Hardcore 7" comp, and of course, the Transitions cd on Trustkill. Although I loved the power of the original recordings for those two songs, it's great to hear them achieve their full potential with a crisp recording.
Overall, this is as solid of a comeback record as one could possibly hope for. Although most of their contemporaries have gotten softer over the years, Harvest return as angry as ever with a powerful burst of metallic hardcore.

Pre-orders are currently available for "Years of Defiance. Years of Disgust" via Goodfight Entertainment, which includes a 7"/t-shirt bundle, or the 7" on its own.

http://goodfightentertainment.merchnow.com/search/?q=harvest

There is also a show exclusive color for the vinyl version that will be available at Harvest's comeback show, which also serves as the final show for Disembodied on July 16th in Minneapolis. Harvest also have several other shows coming up on the West and East Coasts, and you can get information about them on their Facebook page.