AWAKE/STRONG RECORDS
Mike from Awake/Strong Records submitted the three releases on his label out of Pennsylvania: a record by My Turn to Win, Fahrenheit 451’s complete discography, and a compilation. I took it upon myself to go through the three and tell you what I thought.
MY TURN TO WIN
“Whatever It Takes”
This seven-song release comes from the South Jersey/Philly based five-piece My Turn To Win. They play a very old-school sounding, straight-forward hardcore style with all the themes intact: loyalty, honor, pride, brotherhood. It’s all covered.
The band is tight, with a good fast pace that finds its heavy moments in all the right places, but mainly flies down the centerline. Good sing-a-longs and breakdowns, the occasional influence of metal for good measure, and frontman Dave Rosney doesn’t throw with the all-too-common cookie monster new school vocals, but a higher-end shredded cry that brings you back to the earlier eras of east coast hardcore.
Good production, good songwriting, and definitely a band I think I’d enjoy seeing live. It’s all there.
FAHRENHEIT 451
“If I Knew Then What I Know Now”
The Complete Discography
Fahrenheit 451 did what so many other bands failed miserably at: they combined urban music and culture with hardcore, and they made it work. Funk, soul, hip hop, latin, just flavor, thrown into a whirlwind supported by solid musicianship and great songwriting. I can’t really think of a band that sounds like this, but many that would like to. F-451 is the soundtrack for the block party you don’t want to miss, where everybody is dancing, smiling, laughing, singing, and nobody gets hurt…well, too badly at least.
The CD includes “The Thought of It,” their first demo, the two songs from the “NY’s Hardest” comp, a bunch of unreleased tracks, as well as a few live cuts from their 2005 reunion show at CBGB’s. The production is flawless, with perfect mixing and editing, and it is just an essential compilation of the body of work from the South Bronx guys.
The bonus to this well-packaged joint is the DVD, which features the 2005 live reunion show at CBGB’s and a documentary, that combines old footage, band interviews, and reactions by people who were around during the band’s reign in the late 90s. A classic slice of life look at Fahrenheit 451 for fans and those new to their material.
Get this one. An essential addition to anyone’s collection. Armando sums it up on the interlude into the cover of Fugazi’s “Waiting Room.”
“Have some fun. Isn’t that what hardcore is all about?”
“MUSIC BY PEOPLE LIKE US”
27-song compilation
Compilations are always scary. Sometimes they have a few good songs mixed with a bunch of bad ones. Sometimes they are all bad. Most times, they are label-driven and just a means to promote their artists, which is fine, but again, as a whole, usually bad and end up collecting dust on untouched shelves.
“Music By People Like Us” isn’t one of those cases. It’s like the good mix tape a friend makes you. The beauty of this one is it features some of the heavy hitters from hardcore (AGNOSTIC FRONT, SICK OF IT ALL, MADBALL, BLOOD FOR BLOOD, DISTRICT 9, KILL YOUR IDOLS, IGNITE, ONE4ONE, SKARE TACTIC) as well as some great newer bands (WISDOM IN CHAINS, BLACKLISTED, MODERN LIFE IS WAR, DEATHCYCLE, BRING OUT YOUR DEAD, ALWAYS UPRISING, 20 BULLS EACH, OLDE YORK, DEATHKILLER, KILLING KINGS) who, as Mike from Awake/Strong states, “get it.” And of course, a couple great tracks from FAHRENHEIT 451 and MY TURN TO WIN. The surprise track was the Raybeez acoustic tribute, “Open Letter” by Walter Schreifels of GORILLA BISCUITS and QUICKSAND fame. An unexpected but very cool surprise in the middle of the comp.
The insert features write-ups for each band by everyday people, like me and you, just sharing and reflecting their thoughts on the bands, what they mean to them, and why the music is relevant. The voice of the “everyman” is rarely heard like this, much less released as part of a record. I thought that a perfect and appropriate touch. I don’t need to sell you this record. It sells itself.
I’ll leave you with one fan’s excerpt about SICK OF IT ALL. I think it speaks for itself…
“I couldn’t relate to the epic stories in the lyrics of Iron Maiden, the hard partying of Motley Crue, or tales of shooting and drugs with N.W.A. One was just as unreal to me as the other, but SOIA, that was real and it spoke to me like I think it can speak to any human being. We all see wrongs in the world, we all are angry at the things we cannot change. Sick of it All truly is such a fitting name, because that’s what I was, and at 32, I still am.”
http://www.awakestrong.com
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
BLACK N BLUE BOWL 2008
NYHC in Brooklyn
by Jason Walsh
4.5.08
The line of kids, grown men and women, and in some cases, grandparents, wrapped down the block in the desolate industrial section of northwest Brooklyn. Just a few streets from the East River, the Chrysler and Empire State buildings peered over the graffitied warehouses and garages, and the only sound on the streets were of the excited fans awaiting the doors of Studio B to open for the Black ‘n Blue Bowl. Formerly known as the Superbowl of Hardcore, the event is in its fourth year now, resurrected from the dead by “Cousin Joe” Cammarato and Freddy Cricien of Madball.
“It’s been a tradition in our scene for many, many years,” Cricien said. “It somehow got lost along the way over the years and my partner, Joe, and myself, we brought it back.”
The Superbowl of Hardcore was an annual event which started back in the mid 80s when the New York hardcore scene was exploding, not only in Manhattan’s lower east side, but in all the boroughs as well. Over time, the event ceased to exist, but those who still felt strongly about the movement decided it was time to give it back to the fans who had stood by through the years and the bands whose resolve never ended.
“Man, it’s crazy. If you would have asked me ten years ago if I would be throwing the Superbowl of Hardcore I would have said you’re fucking crazy,” Cammarato said.
“I approached Freddy years ago because I had the go to do it and Freddy had the music credentials. I knew I needed some help to get this thing off the ground and we came together. It was meant to be.”
In past years, the lineup at the Black ‘n Blue Bowl has encompassed some of the great bands not only from the New York scene, but from across the nation and world as well. This year proved to be no different and arguably the strongest and most representative of the generations of hardcore, both past and present. Agnostic Front. Madball. Breakdown. Bulldoze. Gorilla Biscuits. Fahrenheit 451. These bands are some of the great ambassadors of NewYork. Also on the bill were guests to the city, representing their own individual scenes, such as Terror from Los Angeles, Death Before Dishonor from Boston, and Backfire from the Netherlands.
“It’s important in every way for our scene,” Cricien said. “You see the crowd out there, you see all the bands coming together to be a part of it. It just shows people, y’know, not only in New York and the tri-state area, but on a worldwide level. I mean you see there are cameras everywhere. People are going to see it everywhere. Europe, Japan, they are going to hear about it one way or another. It just reminds people that this scene, which I feel is a very significant part of the roots of hardcore, is still very much alive and kicking and doing its thing.”
Brick by Brick from Troy, NY, were the first band up to bat. They loaded a bus with all their family and friends from upstate not only to play the show but enjoy the event as well.
“For us to be able to play this was a dream come true to me,” said vocalist Rich Roberts. “I grew up listening to these bands. For me to share the same stage is fucking unreal.”
Joe Frustration from Tears of Frustration echoed the same sentiment as well. After an eight year hiatus, when the band was offered the opportunity to play alongside some of their hardcore influences, there was no hesitation.
“I remember I was in junior high school when I saw Agnostic Front live on the Uncle Floyd Show,” said Frustration. “Back then is when I really first got into Agnostic Front and now today I am playing with them.”
One of the more popular bands from the second wave of the New York scene, Fahrenheit 451, were also reuniting once again to play the event.
“This is a New York hardcore staple,” said vocalist Armando Bordas. “We’ve never played a Superbowl in the city and when this opportunity came up I was like, ‘hell yeah.’ It’s a great thing. It’s part of my childhood and our history here. Collectively, you bring everybody together and everybody has a great time and plays a great show.”
Queens based EGH (Everybody Gets Hurt) were also on the bill and bassist Chris Benetos assured that there is more to this event than just some bands playing a show.
“This is our friends. This is our family. We’re all an underground scene over here. We stick together.” Benetos said. “It’s real fun and New York City has never been better.”
Though the audience included fans from Europe, Asia, and even a strong contingent that flew in from Puerto Rico just for the show, only one band in the lineup was from abroad. Backfire from the Netherlands had only been in NYC once previously, playing a show many years ago at the now deceased CBGB’s, and while in country, recorded their last album. Guitarist Wyb Brewer said this also served as Backfire’s release party for their new record, “In Harm’s Way” and was honored to not only be representing their own nation, but the entirety of the European hardcore scene as well.
“I love it, “Brewer said. “I grew up listening to New York hardcore bands and now we’re the only European band on the bill. What more could we wish for? It’s unbelievable.”
Promoters had been hinting at a special guest performance and the buzz was on the streets of who it might be. When the veterans of former renown hardcore bands hit the stage, the crowd exploded, even though it was their first performance ever. Vehement Serenade debut at the Black ‘n Blue Bowl was warmly received, featuring members of such bands as Cold as Life, Sworn Enemy, and Merauder, as well as frontman Karl Buechner of Earth Crisis and Path of Resistance fame.
“It’s amazing this scene and I said that on stage tonight before we played our last song,” Buechner said. “If you told me in high school that I’d be on the same stage as Breakdown, Agnostic Front, and John Joseph, I would have never believed it. It’s awesome to be playing this show and to get the response we did the first time we ever had a set.”
John Joseph, the legendary frontman from NYHC’s forefathers, the Cro-Mags, also was unveiling his new band. Bloodclot also features an all-star lineup, which includes Danny Schuler from Biohazard on drums, as well as former members of the Cro-Mags, Pro-Pain, Merauder, and the Spudmonsters.
“To me, it’s about the live show.” Joseph said. “People getting ahold of the album, knowing the lyrics and what we’re talking about.”
Joseph reminded that the voice of the hardcore movement is what is most important, and in some cases, being lost along the way.
“Some band said tonight it ain’t about the message, it’s about the music and I’m like what fucking scene are you on. It is about the message. It’s always been about the message. It’s always been about revolution and questioning authority. These bands wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for bands like the Bad Brains and the Dead Kennedys and all the bands that stood for something and had a message to say. That’s what keeps me going all the time.”
Bloodclot played many of the new songs from their new album, “Burn Babylon Burn,” but truly ignited the crowd when they ended their set with a Bad Brains cover of “I Against I” and two Cro-Mags songs, which included “Hard Times” as the finale.
“Even when we play live, we still do the Bad Brains and a few Cro-Mags. People expect it. I sang a couple shows with the Bad Brains. That song, the reason we picked that one is, with everything that’s going on in the world, it’s like ‘I against I’ says it all.”
Inhuman is one of the New York bands that has stood the test of time after over a decade and a half, with members who now play in the current Agnostic Front lineup. Frontman Mike Inhuman believes that it is the people who make up the movement that are the important components and not the industry who tries to sell it as a commodity.
“If the mainstream doesn’t want to have anything to do with it, I think that’s great.” Inhuman said. “The mainstream isn’t what keeps it alive, it’s the people who love it that keep it alive, especially the younger kids and the older guys who live it. It’s a lifestyle and extension of their family.”
Inhuman had a special guest appearance perform with them. Lou Koller from Sick of it All took time before beginning the band’s international tour to throw down with some old friends in Brooklyn. He affirmed Inhuman’s opinion about the evils of a shady music industry and praised the folks at Black ‘n Blue for doing the show themselves.
“They actually took a proactive move to bring it back to us instead of relying on bigger corporations or companies to keep hardcore alive,” Koller said. “You know they come in when hardcore is popular in the mainstream fringes and then when it starts to die down they drop you like you’re yesterday’s news.”
Koller’s SOIA bandmate Craig Setari was also pleased to see how the event has changed since its early days.
“The difference now is that it’s in the hands of the people as opposed to the ones that weren’t the people,” Setari said. “It’s even better now because the people running it are the people that make the music so everyone’s getting treated properly and it’s an in-house production, so to speak.”
In charge of marketing and sponsorship for Black ‘n Blue productions is heidiminx who grew up in the New York scene. She believes that its important to ensure that not only the event runs smoothly, but that those involved are protected as well.
“I know where I came from and I know that corporate America is really interested in alternative culture right now,” she said. “I like to make sure that anytime corporate america is interacting with alt culture that they are treating it with respect. I just care that my friends and my family are properly represented and taken care of.”
The evening brought out some of the biggest names in the New York underground world, but none is more recognizable nor notorious than Jimmy Gestapo from Murphy’s Law. Though his band wasn’t playing on this night, he was there in support of his friends.
“It shows the strength over our scene that we never thought would be this big,” Gestapo said. “Kids are here from all over the world, Europe, Germany, Italy, Japan. The media tells people what hardcore music is and we’re the people that show what it really is. This event and the turnout just shows that this music is still very valid and still a very strong scene and getting bigger. I never thought twenty years into Murphy’s Law we’d be at a show this big right now.”
All the way from the West Coast came Terror. In the current circles of modern hardcore they are one of the more popular acts and tonight the fans from the five boroughs showed their love. Frontman Scott Vogel had more to celebrate than just playing alongside some of the bands he admires.
“Madball is my favorite band in the world, I’ve never seen Breakdown, and Agnostic Front is very influential. We’re based out of LA and being so far from New York we don’t get a chance to play here that much. The weather’s great, everything is set up very smooth, they’ve got kegs of beer, and it’s my 35th birthday so what more could you want.”
Madball was one of the most memorable sets from the show. The pit erupted during their performance, bodies flying, fists pumping, sing-a-longs never ending, but sadly they announced drummer Rigg Ross was leaving the band to be able to spend more time with his family, an agreed honorable decision by all. With that Mackie Jayson, formerly of the Cro-Mags and Bad Brains took to the drums and Ross, with mic in hand, took the stage next to his longtime friend and brother in Madball, Freddy, to sing their last song together as a band. The stage filled with an all-star lineup on every available mic, everyone in house screaming the choruses, and even Rev. Paul Bearer from Sheer Terror joined in the melee.
The evening closed with CIV, who threw down some old Gorilla Biscuits tunes, and then finally, the godfathers of the lower east side, Agnostic Front, who did not disappoint with their current lineup of “new blood.” Assuredly, everyone who attended got a true history lesson in the evolution of hardcore, as well as a chance to see the some of the greatest bands from the past three decades. Drummer Steve Gallo continues to remind the younger generation not to forget their roots and where it all came from.
“What’s going on today is these kids are losing their culture,” Gallo said. “Hardcore is not just a style of music. It’s a scene. It’s about a movement and it’s about a lifetsyle and having friends. They’re not having that today and I’m kind of frustrated about that to tell you the truth and that’s why this is good for them to start doing this again.”
Freddy from Madball believes in that philosophy as well. He said they will continue the Black ‘n Blue Bowl for as long as they can because its importance is immeasurable.
“It’s always been that kind of environment, family, friends, and we want to keep it that way. The people that come to these shows have a lot of respect for what we’re doing and for the people behind the scenes. There’s a lot of respect. It brings a lot of different people together to have a good time in New York City. What more can I say?”
Sunday, April 13, 2008
FAHRENHEIT 451 REUNION
by Jason Walsh
photos by Samma Jamma
In the mid-90s, some friends came together in the South Bronx to form a hardcore band called Without A Cause. After recruiting childhood friend Armando Bordas and bass player Kevin Smith, the band’s wide range of influences became apparent, changing the initial straight-forward hardcore sound into a fusion of punk, reggae, hip hop, and latin rhythms. With that, Fahrenheit 451 was born.
However, despite a solid run, the band parted ways in 2000. Now, almost a decade later, when asked to participate in the Black ‘n Blue Bowl, Bordas could not resist.
“This is a New York hardcore staple,” he said. “The Superbowl goes so far back. To be playing it is just an honor. I never played a Superbowl in the city and when this opportunity came up, I was like, ‘hell yeah.’ I definitely wanted to do it.”
Fahrenheit 451 is not planning to get back together on a full time basis, but they have extended themselves past the Black ‘n Blue Bowl.
“We were just going to do this show and now it’s kind of steamrolled itself into a couple other shows,” Bordas said. “We’ve been apart, not been a band, for almost seven years, but we got the reunion fever.”
They will be opening for H2O at the Trocadero in Philadelphia on May 31st and have committed to the “This Is Hardcore Fest” on August 23rd, also to be held in Phily. Bordas says its been great to playing again with his brothers in 451.
“It was like you never left. These are my dear friends who I’ve had forever and I love them. I’m glad to be on the stage with them. It’s fun.”
Bordas has continued to stay active within the hardcore community. With 451 guitarist Lenny Bednarz, he plays in a joke hardcore band called Dominican Day Parade and runs a ‘zine called “C…Rap.”
He was also approached recently by Black ‘n Blue Bowl sponsor, Rockstar Games, to program the Liberty City Hardcore radio station for Grand Theft Auto 4. Rockstar Games founder Sam Houser is a friend of Bordas and a fan of New York hardcore as well. He felt Bordas was perfect for the project. The LCHC station will feature a collection of classic NYHC anthems handpicked by Bordas.
Regardless of what the future might hold for the guys in Fahrenheit 451, being a part of such an important New York hardcore event is truly special to Bordas.
“It’s part of my childhood and part of our history here. Collectively, you bring everybody together, everybody has a great time, and plays a great show. You get to see some of your favorite bands that you grew up on too. Agnostic Front, Madball, Breakdown. It’s like, awesome.”
MADBALL
Freddy “Madball” Cricien
Ambassador of the New York Underground
by Jason Walsh
photos by Samma Jamma
Sometimes in life, people search out and find what it is that defines who they are. In the case of Freddy “Madball” Cricien, hardcore found him. Cricien was born into hardcore royalty, with older brother Roger Miret of Agnostic Front serving as one of the founding fathers of the New York hardcore movement. Miret would bring his younger brother on stage to sing Agnostic Front songs at the tender age of 12, and a year later was instrumental in forming Madball with Cricien in 1989.
Now, nearly twenty years later, Cricien is one of the leaders in the NYHC legacy and co-promoter of Black ‘n Blue Productions, who recently threw arguably the biggest hardcore affair of the year.
“This type of event has existed for years,” Cricien said. “Black ‘n Blue Productions didn’t always run it. It’s been a tradition in our scene for many, many years and it somehow got lost along the way over the years. My partner, Joe, and myself, we brought it back.”
In the early days, the event was dubbed the Superbowl of Hardcore, and in most cases, run by larger corporate sponsors and agencies. Part of the dissolution back then was due to the fact that those who were in charge, were not a part of the underground scene.
“We wanted to make it our own,” he said. “We wanted to brand it with our own thing. It’s important in every way for our scene. You see the crowd out there. You see all the different bands coming together to be a part of it. It just reminds people that this scene, which I feel is a very significant part of the roots of hardcore, is still very much alive and kicking and doing its thing.”
The Black ‘n Bowl is now in its fourth year and showcases some of the biggest names in the world of hardcore, not only from New York, but across the country and Europe as well. However, Cricien says its about more than just the music. It’s about unity.
“It’s always been that kind of environment. Family, friends, and we want to keep it that way. We’ve never had, knock on wood, issues with fights or this and that. The people that come to these shows, they have a lot of respect for what we’re doing and the people behind the scenes.”
Madball just returned from a tour in Australia with Boston’s Death Before Dishonor, promoting their most recent release, “Infiltrate the System.”
“We’re still out there supporting it,” he said. “It’s still sinking in with people. I’m very proud of the record. The whole band is. Thanks to people who can appreciate what we’re doing, we’re moving forward.”
Madball isn’t the only band from the Lower East Side Crew with a new album. Big brother Roger is also on tour promoting the new Agnostic Front record, “Warriors,” as well as headlining the Black ‘n Blue Bowl. Cricien is very proud of Miret’s new release.
“What’s great about their newest record is it captures different times throughout AF’s career,” he said. “I mean it has a little bit of the old ‘Victim in Pain’ stuff, some ‘Cause for Alarm’ flavor, some ‘One Voice’ flavor, and even a little bit of newer flavor that’s still great. It shows you that they are still very in touch with what’s going on in this world. It’s one of my favorites of theirs and I’m a big fan, aside from obviously being family.”
Following the Black n’ Blue Bowl, Madball will be touring Europe this summer, which Cricien says is always a great experience.
“They just embrace what we do,” he said. “There’s a little bit more of an appreciation for what we do. I think America may be a little bit spoiled with everything else going on, y’know, there’s so much going on. Sometimes, hardcore stuff gets lost in the mix. For whatever reason, Europe has consistently supported our movement and its growing and growing. Not to say America doesn’t have its key areas that are still flourishing but overall in Europe it’s consistent. We play anywhere from small clubs to huge festivals.”
Regardless of where they are playing, Madball’s goal has always been to represent the five boroughs the best they can.
“We’re still putting it down for New York. We still fly the flag all over the world for this city.”
SICK OF IT ALL
SICK OF IT ALL
Taking Hardcore Worldwide
by Jason Walsh
One of the bands that are synonymous with New York hardcore is Sick of it All. The guys from the Alley-Way Crew have been touring and putting out inspiring records for over two decades now and have headlined the Black ‘n Blue Bowl in years past. Frontman Lou Koller and Bassist Craig Setari were in attendance this year and talked about why events like this are still an important way of strengthening the scene.
“It’s definitely great,” Koller said. “It’s one of the reasons I’m here. Not only to support my friends in Inhuman, but to support Freddy, Cousin Joe, and everybody at Black ‘n Blue.”
Koller also took the stage tonight with the guys from Inhuman, which features current Agnostic Front members Steve Gallo and Joseph James. He thinks the way that “Cousin Joe” and Freddy Cricien have kept the show independently run is part of its success.
“They actually took a proactive move to bring it back to us instead of relying on bigger corporations or companies to keep hardcore alive,” he said. “You know they come in when hardcore is popular in the mainstream fringes and then when it starts to die down they drop you like you’re yesterday’s news.”
Setari is a long-time member of the New York underground, previously a member in such outfits as Agnostic Front, Youth of Today, and Straight Ahead. He agreed that the guys in Black ‘n Blue have taken the D.I.Y. ethic to a whole new level.
“Over twenty years they’ve been having hardcore Superbowls,” he said. “The difference now is that it’s in the hands of the people as opposed to the ones that weren’t the people. It’s even better now because the people running it are the people that make the music so everyone’s getting treated properly and it’s an in-house production, so to speak.”
Growing up in the scene, Setari is not phased by the aggressive pits that erupt at such venues. What appears to be chaotic mob violence is just a way of self expression and liberation. To him, the message of hardcore is much deeper.
“It’s all about people coming together and getting along,” he said. “I know from the outside in, hardcore looks like it’s pretty rough sometimes, but the reason that happens is because it’s a place to release your emotions. The bottom line is it’s positive to take your frustrations out through music as opposed to violence or crime. Hardcore, I think, is a great thing for kids to get into, as long as they keep their individuality and keep themselves together and not get lost.”
Koller said the show is a throwback to the old days, when the scene was first emerging, but as they have all grown older, they have grown wiser as well.
“That’s the beauty of it. It’s like the way it was in the earlier times, like the late 80s, early 90s, but now it’s at a different level. We know more about the business end because back then we didn’t give a damn about business. It’s a smarter way of having things done.”
Following the show, Sick of it All heads to Europe to tour for a month. They have toured Europe dozens of times and Koller said he always looks forward to crossing the water to see the friends and family he’s made over the past two decades.
“Europe is like a second home to us,” he said. “It’s actually where we are a bigger band than we are in the States. We have a great following over there and they’ve stuck with us. It’s great to see in Europe, where you see people like my age in their late thirties, to people bringing their kids, and their kids are really into it. It’s not like they’re being dragged to the show and forced. They’re really into coming to see us, and bands like Madball and Agnostic Front.”
After a month in Europe, they return to the States for a short break, then continue on to Asia and Africa. They will be hitting some new destinations they have never played before, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Israel, and Russia. Finally, they hook up with the Dropkick Murphys in Australia. Koller said after the worldwide whirlwind of touring ends, they are going to concentrate on a new album.
“We started writing,” he said. “We gotta start working on the next record more seriously.”
Setari said life on the road isn’t easy, especially on a tour of this scale, but at the end of the day, what they do as a band outweighs being away from home for such long stretches.
“Yeah, it’s hard as in, you’re a little dirty and sometimes you sleep in a bumpy ride, but I’m living out my dreams, so I can’t complain. People are actually paying attention to what I create so it’s really a great thing. A little bit of discomfort is really nothing when you compare it to working for the man, let’s say.”
Taking Hardcore Worldwide
by Jason Walsh
One of the bands that are synonymous with New York hardcore is Sick of it All. The guys from the Alley-Way Crew have been touring and putting out inspiring records for over two decades now and have headlined the Black ‘n Blue Bowl in years past. Frontman Lou Koller and Bassist Craig Setari were in attendance this year and talked about why events like this are still an important way of strengthening the scene.
“It’s definitely great,” Koller said. “It’s one of the reasons I’m here. Not only to support my friends in Inhuman, but to support Freddy, Cousin Joe, and everybody at Black ‘n Blue.”
Koller also took the stage tonight with the guys from Inhuman, which features current Agnostic Front members Steve Gallo and Joseph James. He thinks the way that “Cousin Joe” and Freddy Cricien have kept the show independently run is part of its success.
“They actually took a proactive move to bring it back to us instead of relying on bigger corporations or companies to keep hardcore alive,” he said. “You know they come in when hardcore is popular in the mainstream fringes and then when it starts to die down they drop you like you’re yesterday’s news.”
Setari is a long-time member of the New York underground, previously a member in such outfits as Agnostic Front, Youth of Today, and Straight Ahead. He agreed that the guys in Black ‘n Blue have taken the D.I.Y. ethic to a whole new level.
“Over twenty years they’ve been having hardcore Superbowls,” he said. “The difference now is that it’s in the hands of the people as opposed to the ones that weren’t the people. It’s even better now because the people running it are the people that make the music so everyone’s getting treated properly and it’s an in-house production, so to speak.”
Growing up in the scene, Setari is not phased by the aggressive pits that erupt at such venues. What appears to be chaotic mob violence is just a way of self expression and liberation. To him, the message of hardcore is much deeper.
“It’s all about people coming together and getting along,” he said. “I know from the outside in, hardcore looks like it’s pretty rough sometimes, but the reason that happens is because it’s a place to release your emotions. The bottom line is it’s positive to take your frustrations out through music as opposed to violence or crime. Hardcore, I think, is a great thing for kids to get into, as long as they keep their individuality and keep themselves together and not get lost.”
Koller said the show is a throwback to the old days, when the scene was first emerging, but as they have all grown older, they have grown wiser as well.
“That’s the beauty of it. It’s like the way it was in the earlier times, like the late 80s, early 90s, but now it’s at a different level. We know more about the business end because back then we didn’t give a damn about business. It’s a smarter way of having things done.”
Following the show, Sick of it All heads to Europe to tour for a month. They have toured Europe dozens of times and Koller said he always looks forward to crossing the water to see the friends and family he’s made over the past two decades.
“Europe is like a second home to us,” he said. “It’s actually where we are a bigger band than we are in the States. We have a great following over there and they’ve stuck with us. It’s great to see in Europe, where you see people like my age in their late thirties, to people bringing their kids, and their kids are really into it. It’s not like they’re being dragged to the show and forced. They’re really into coming to see us, and bands like Madball and Agnostic Front.”
After a month in Europe, they return to the States for a short break, then continue on to Asia and Africa. They will be hitting some new destinations they have never played before, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Israel, and Russia. Finally, they hook up with the Dropkick Murphys in Australia. Koller said after the worldwide whirlwind of touring ends, they are going to concentrate on a new album.
“We started writing,” he said. “We gotta start working on the next record more seriously.”
Setari said life on the road isn’t easy, especially on a tour of this scale, but at the end of the day, what they do as a band outweighs being away from home for such long stretches.
“Yeah, it’s hard as in, you’re a little dirty and sometimes you sleep in a bumpy ride, but I’m living out my dreams, so I can’t complain. People are actually paying attention to what I create so it’s really a great thing. A little bit of discomfort is really nothing when you compare it to working for the man, let’s say.”
Jimmy G
TALKING SHOP WITH JIMMY GESTAPO
Murphy’s Law Frontman Tells Tales of the Present and Future
interview by Jason Walsh
4.5.08
JW: First and foremost, let me take you back a couple years. Drinking beers in the parking lot of the Pit Surf Shop in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
JIMMY: Oh, yeah, North Carolina…I love that place.
JW: We miss you down there, man. We need to get you back down there again.
JIMMY: I don’t think they have shows there anymore. I love it there. I know the last time we played there I purposely got the band trapped on Ocracoke Island.
JW: And that’s a good place to be trapped.
JIMMY: Yeah, the place where they got Blackbeard.
JW: Yeah, and once the ferry stops you can’t get the hell off there.
JIMMY: And you know what sucks. Nobody told me it was a dry island. We went to this pirate bar and I was like “let me get a bottle of rum” and the lady was like “oh, you didn’t know?” and I was like “oh, no, no.” All they had was beer and wine.
JW: Ah, you got to prepare before you go down there.
JIMMY: I was drinking Zinfandel all night. It was pretty rough.
JW: So, why is this event (Black ‘n Blue Bowl) important? Why is it important to have these bands out here? We have three generations of New York hardcore in the house.
JIMMY: It shows the strength of our scene that we never thought would be this big. Kids are here from all over the world. Europe, Germany, Italy, Japan….
ENTER DIRTY DOM
DOM: The media tells people what hardcore is and we’re the people that show what it really is.
JIMMY: That’s Dirty Dom, my brother. But, y’know, this event and the turnout just shows that this music is still very valid and still a very strong scene, and getting bigger. It’s amazing. I never thought twenty years into Murphy’s Law that we’d be at a show this big.
JW: It has held up over the course of time and we’re in like a third and fourth generation of kids starting up bands.
JIMMY: Easily. Now, there’s hardcore friends of mine who have their kids here.
JW: And those kids will be in bands soon.
JIMMY: Let’s hope so. It’ll perpetuate the maniacs.
JW: So what brings you out here? It’s got to be a good time for you. You come to see friends and make new friends.
JIMMY: My best friend and partner with the tattoo shop, New York Hardcore Tattoos, Vinnie Stigma is playing in Agnostic Front tonight. I mean the majority of all my best friends are here, and my closest friends. Why wouldn’t I? I mean I have to be here and I can drink for free and have a good time and be loved. I haven’t hugged so many people in a long time.
JW: It’s a reunion of sorts.
JIMMY: Yup.
JW: And a place to meet new friends too.
JIMMY: No doubt.
JW: So what are you doing? What’s the future holding for you?
JIMMY: I just did the Grand Theft Auto. I was the DJ on that and I’m working on a new record for Murphy’s Law and going on a summer tour. We’re doing some shows with Rancid and playing I think in June in North Carolina for the injured troops in the Army and Marines.
JW: Very cool. You coming to Virginia?
JIMMY: Yeah, Virginia Beach, we’re playing with Rancid.
JW: This isn’t the Warped Tour.
JIMMY: No, no, no. I won’t do the Warped Tour. (leans into tape recorder) I WON’T DO THE WARPED TOUR!!!
JW: You heard it here first.
JIMMY: Every time they put a New York hardcore band on there we get thrown off.
DOM: They won’t put New York hardcore bands on there after we got thrown off. They do not like hardcore music.
Murphy’s Law Frontman Tells Tales of the Present and Future
interview by Jason Walsh
4.5.08
JW: First and foremost, let me take you back a couple years. Drinking beers in the parking lot of the Pit Surf Shop in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
JIMMY: Oh, yeah, North Carolina…I love that place.
JW: We miss you down there, man. We need to get you back down there again.
JIMMY: I don’t think they have shows there anymore. I love it there. I know the last time we played there I purposely got the band trapped on Ocracoke Island.
JW: And that’s a good place to be trapped.
JIMMY: Yeah, the place where they got Blackbeard.
JW: Yeah, and once the ferry stops you can’t get the hell off there.
JIMMY: And you know what sucks. Nobody told me it was a dry island. We went to this pirate bar and I was like “let me get a bottle of rum” and the lady was like “oh, you didn’t know?” and I was like “oh, no, no.” All they had was beer and wine.
JW: Ah, you got to prepare before you go down there.
JIMMY: I was drinking Zinfandel all night. It was pretty rough.
JW: So, why is this event (Black ‘n Blue Bowl) important? Why is it important to have these bands out here? We have three generations of New York hardcore in the house.
JIMMY: It shows the strength of our scene that we never thought would be this big. Kids are here from all over the world. Europe, Germany, Italy, Japan….
ENTER DIRTY DOM
DOM: The media tells people what hardcore is and we’re the people that show what it really is.
JIMMY: That’s Dirty Dom, my brother. But, y’know, this event and the turnout just shows that this music is still very valid and still a very strong scene, and getting bigger. It’s amazing. I never thought twenty years into Murphy’s Law that we’d be at a show this big.
JW: It has held up over the course of time and we’re in like a third and fourth generation of kids starting up bands.
JIMMY: Easily. Now, there’s hardcore friends of mine who have their kids here.
JW: And those kids will be in bands soon.
JIMMY: Let’s hope so. It’ll perpetuate the maniacs.
JW: So what brings you out here? It’s got to be a good time for you. You come to see friends and make new friends.
JIMMY: My best friend and partner with the tattoo shop, New York Hardcore Tattoos, Vinnie Stigma is playing in Agnostic Front tonight. I mean the majority of all my best friends are here, and my closest friends. Why wouldn’t I? I mean I have to be here and I can drink for free and have a good time and be loved. I haven’t hugged so many people in a long time.
JW: It’s a reunion of sorts.
JIMMY: Yup.
JW: And a place to meet new friends too.
JIMMY: No doubt.
JW: So what are you doing? What’s the future holding for you?
JIMMY: I just did the Grand Theft Auto. I was the DJ on that and I’m working on a new record for Murphy’s Law and going on a summer tour. We’re doing some shows with Rancid and playing I think in June in North Carolina for the injured troops in the Army and Marines.
JW: Very cool. You coming to Virginia?
JIMMY: Yeah, Virginia Beach, we’re playing with Rancid.
JW: This isn’t the Warped Tour.
JIMMY: No, no, no. I won’t do the Warped Tour. (leans into tape recorder) I WON’T DO THE WARPED TOUR!!!
JW: You heard it here first.
JIMMY: Every time they put a New York hardcore band on there we get thrown off.
DOM: They won’t put New York hardcore bands on there after we got thrown off. They do not like hardcore music.
TERROR
MORE STAGEDIVES IN THE MONITORS
A few moments with Terror from Los Angeles
by Jason Walsh
The fourth annual Black ‘n Blue Bowl in Brooklyn saw many of New York’s finest hardcore bands, both old and new, converging on Studio B for a day of organized chaos. However, with all the groups from the five boroughs, there was one who flew in to represent the West Coast scene. Terror from Los Angeles played a flawless set to a receptive crowd that nearly tore down the building.
”I think it’s awesome to be the only West Coast band that’s playing mainly with all New York hardcore bands,” said guitarist Martin Stewart. “I think it says a lot. It’s an honor to be asked to come all the way out here to play with all these legendary New York bands.”
Frontman Scott Vogel was excited to not only be playing the formerly dubbed Superbowl of Hardcore, but to be among some of his favorite bands as well as childhood heroes.
“Madball is my favorite band in the world,” Vogel said. “I’ve never seen Breakdown. Agnostic Front is very influential.We’re based out of LA, being so far from New York we don’t get a chance to play here that much. The weather’s great, everything is set up very smooth, they’ve got kegs of beer, and it’s my 35th birthday so what more could you want.”
Having played many big festivals, the guys said sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t and something like the Black ‘n Blue Bowl could spin out of control very quickly. However, they tipped their hats to the promoters, saying that the guys really have the event under control.
“It’s crazy because it’s so professionally done, but done by people that do what we do,” Stewart said. “As professional as it is, it’s not just some big-time promoter doing this and that. It’s all run by, well, I wouldn’t call them kids, they’re definitely not kids, they’re all grown men. It’s people coming from what we all come from. They’re doing everything so perfect, so right.”
The Black ‘n Blue show kick starts Terror’s European tour with Ignite, Strung Out, and Death Before Dishonor. This marks their 9th time on the road in Europe and Vogel expressed that he enjoys hanging with his brothers and sisters across the water.
“I think one really cool thing about Europe is at a Terror show you still get skinheads, punk rock kids, drunks, hardcore kids, and straight-edge kids. You get a good mix. When I first started going to shows, that’s the way it was. Over here in the U.S. now you really don’t see that too much.”
Vogel said that the hardcore scene in Europe is still very pure and alive, something that sometimes tends to be lacking in the States.
“I’m not the judge and jury of what’s hardcore and what’s not, but a lot of stuff that’s labeled hardcore these days, I’m not attracted to it, I don’t understand it,” Vogel said. “Over there, I think, in Europe, they still really respect the roots of hardcore, the sound, and still support the older bands like Agnostic Front and Sick of it All. They do great over there and then in the U.S., bands that have never even heard of them that have been around for a year draw three times as many people as them, which is kind of odd to me, but it is what it is.”
The European tour has Terror seeing some destinations they’ve never played. One of those is Russia.
“I’m seen some videos and talked to bands that went there,” Vogel said. “They said it’s really, really crazy so we’re ready.”
Terror just finished their new record, “The Damned, The Shamed,” which will be released in June of this year. They were back in the studio with long-time friend and producer, Zeuss, who has also worked with the likes of Hatebreed and Shadows Fall. Terror also recently signed under a new label, Century Media, and are happy with not only the new home, but the new record as well.
“I can’t be more satisfied with it, but you hear that from everyone in a band when they record their own record,” Stewart said. “It’s not like they’re going to sit here and say ‘Yeah, we recorded a record. It sucks.’ We all think it’s awesome, of course. It was fun recording it.”
Vogel says that this is not just another Terror record and fans will have something to look forward to hearing.
“There’s definitely some elements on it that are going to catch some people off guard,” Vogel said. “I think people have Terror labeled as this straight up hardcore band. Every song sounds like A+B=C. There’s definitely some elements in there that are going to catch people off guard. I think it’s the first time we wrote a full record from start to finish. It’s an album, not just a bunch of Terror songs.”
A new term has evolved in the vocabulary of the hardcore scene. Vogel is well known for his on-stage antics and humorous banter in between songs. A website has arisen with tons and tons of these quips (www.vogelisms.com) and it was not only my obligation, but my duty to ask him what are “vogelisms?”
JW: Before I came up here, my friend Steve at Def-Star, made me check out this website, and I was clicking and clicking and clicking and just laughing my ass off. You know where this is going?
Martin: (laughing) Vogelism.
JW: Yes, sir, and I gotta tell you, the one that just killed me the worst was…
Scott: Gonna be not true. Whatever you’re going to say is not going to be true.
Martin: (laughing harder) You should let me answer this question.
JW: Maybe I should, but the one I saw I told it to people at my work and they didn’t get it, but it was “Hey sound guy, can I get more stagedives in the monitors?”
Scott: That actually is true.
Martin: That is a true one. I think I know him well enough to speak for him now.
Scott: Thank god.
Martin: It’s obviously not serious in any way but…
JW: I got that…but it’s kinda funny…Is it a fan site?
Martin: I still haven’t been able to find out who does it because I’ve wanted to contact them and submit some of my own. I’ve read a ton of them on there and some of them I don’t remember him saying and I don’t think he would say but I know for a fact that there’s been nights…well, four out of five of us in the band, we drink, sometimes before we play, and sometimes too much before we play, so there’s nights where it’s kind of cloudy of what went on throughout the set. It could be we’re reading them and not remembering that they happened. That could easily be the case.
Scott: There’s definitely certain things on there, just words I would never use, but I mean sometimes when we play we have a very serious vibe, sometimes when we play we have a very, you know, “have a fun time” vibe.
Martin: I think it’s cool. I think we could work with this person . I mean because someone could hear about it and check it out and maybe put like a banner for the new record up on there.
Scott: Get some money or something…
Martin: Yeah, maybe some money or copyright the word “vogelism.”
JW: Gonna be in the dictionary…
(Laughter ensues and the interview ends…Fade to Black.)
http://www.terrorhc.com/
http://www.myspace.com/terror
http://www.vogelisms.com/
A few moments with Terror from Los Angeles
by Jason Walsh
The fourth annual Black ‘n Blue Bowl in Brooklyn saw many of New York’s finest hardcore bands, both old and new, converging on Studio B for a day of organized chaos. However, with all the groups from the five boroughs, there was one who flew in to represent the West Coast scene. Terror from Los Angeles played a flawless set to a receptive crowd that nearly tore down the building.
”I think it’s awesome to be the only West Coast band that’s playing mainly with all New York hardcore bands,” said guitarist Martin Stewart. “I think it says a lot. It’s an honor to be asked to come all the way out here to play with all these legendary New York bands.”
Frontman Scott Vogel was excited to not only be playing the formerly dubbed Superbowl of Hardcore, but to be among some of his favorite bands as well as childhood heroes.
“Madball is my favorite band in the world,” Vogel said. “I’ve never seen Breakdown. Agnostic Front is very influential.We’re based out of LA, being so far from New York we don’t get a chance to play here that much. The weather’s great, everything is set up very smooth, they’ve got kegs of beer, and it’s my 35th birthday so what more could you want.”
Having played many big festivals, the guys said sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t and something like the Black ‘n Blue Bowl could spin out of control very quickly. However, they tipped their hats to the promoters, saying that the guys really have the event under control.
“It’s crazy because it’s so professionally done, but done by people that do what we do,” Stewart said. “As professional as it is, it’s not just some big-time promoter doing this and that. It’s all run by, well, I wouldn’t call them kids, they’re definitely not kids, they’re all grown men. It’s people coming from what we all come from. They’re doing everything so perfect, so right.”
The Black ‘n Blue show kick starts Terror’s European tour with Ignite, Strung Out, and Death Before Dishonor. This marks their 9th time on the road in Europe and Vogel expressed that he enjoys hanging with his brothers and sisters across the water.
“I think one really cool thing about Europe is at a Terror show you still get skinheads, punk rock kids, drunks, hardcore kids, and straight-edge kids. You get a good mix. When I first started going to shows, that’s the way it was. Over here in the U.S. now you really don’t see that too much.”
Vogel said that the hardcore scene in Europe is still very pure and alive, something that sometimes tends to be lacking in the States.
“I’m not the judge and jury of what’s hardcore and what’s not, but a lot of stuff that’s labeled hardcore these days, I’m not attracted to it, I don’t understand it,” Vogel said. “Over there, I think, in Europe, they still really respect the roots of hardcore, the sound, and still support the older bands like Agnostic Front and Sick of it All. They do great over there and then in the U.S., bands that have never even heard of them that have been around for a year draw three times as many people as them, which is kind of odd to me, but it is what it is.”
The European tour has Terror seeing some destinations they’ve never played. One of those is Russia.
“I’m seen some videos and talked to bands that went there,” Vogel said. “They said it’s really, really crazy so we’re ready.”
Terror just finished their new record, “The Damned, The Shamed,” which will be released in June of this year. They were back in the studio with long-time friend and producer, Zeuss, who has also worked with the likes of Hatebreed and Shadows Fall. Terror also recently signed under a new label, Century Media, and are happy with not only the new home, but the new record as well.
“I can’t be more satisfied with it, but you hear that from everyone in a band when they record their own record,” Stewart said. “It’s not like they’re going to sit here and say ‘Yeah, we recorded a record. It sucks.’ We all think it’s awesome, of course. It was fun recording it.”
Vogel says that this is not just another Terror record and fans will have something to look forward to hearing.
“There’s definitely some elements on it that are going to catch some people off guard,” Vogel said. “I think people have Terror labeled as this straight up hardcore band. Every song sounds like A+B=C. There’s definitely some elements in there that are going to catch people off guard. I think it’s the first time we wrote a full record from start to finish. It’s an album, not just a bunch of Terror songs.”
A new term has evolved in the vocabulary of the hardcore scene. Vogel is well known for his on-stage antics and humorous banter in between songs. A website has arisen with tons and tons of these quips (www.vogelisms.com) and it was not only my obligation, but my duty to ask him what are “vogelisms?”
JW: Before I came up here, my friend Steve at Def-Star, made me check out this website, and I was clicking and clicking and clicking and just laughing my ass off. You know where this is going?
Martin: (laughing) Vogelism.
JW: Yes, sir, and I gotta tell you, the one that just killed me the worst was…
Scott: Gonna be not true. Whatever you’re going to say is not going to be true.
Martin: (laughing harder) You should let me answer this question.
JW: Maybe I should, but the one I saw I told it to people at my work and they didn’t get it, but it was “Hey sound guy, can I get more stagedives in the monitors?”
Scott: That actually is true.
Martin: That is a true one. I think I know him well enough to speak for him now.
Scott: Thank god.
Martin: It’s obviously not serious in any way but…
JW: I got that…but it’s kinda funny…Is it a fan site?
Martin: I still haven’t been able to find out who does it because I’ve wanted to contact them and submit some of my own. I’ve read a ton of them on there and some of them I don’t remember him saying and I don’t think he would say but I know for a fact that there’s been nights…well, four out of five of us in the band, we drink, sometimes before we play, and sometimes too much before we play, so there’s nights where it’s kind of cloudy of what went on throughout the set. It could be we’re reading them and not remembering that they happened. That could easily be the case.
Scott: There’s definitely certain things on there, just words I would never use, but I mean sometimes when we play we have a very serious vibe, sometimes when we play we have a very, you know, “have a fun time” vibe.
Martin: I think it’s cool. I think we could work with this person . I mean because someone could hear about it and check it out and maybe put like a banner for the new record up on there.
Scott: Get some money or something…
Martin: Yeah, maybe some money or copyright the word “vogelism.”
JW: Gonna be in the dictionary…
(Laughter ensues and the interview ends…Fade to Black.)
http://www.terrorhc.com/
http://www.myspace.com/terror
http://www.vogelisms.com/
INHUMAN
THE DREAM IS NOT DEAD
Inhuman Continues to Strive Forward after 13 Years
by Jason Walsh
Mike “Inhuman” Scondotto is no stranger to the New York hardcore scene.
“This is my twentieth anniversay of hardcore in 2008,” Scondotto said. “I grew up going to see Sick of it All, Agnostic Front, Breakdown, and now I call those people my friends. It’s just come full circle for me in particular.”
He’s no stranger to festivals like the Black ‘n Blue Bowl either.
“I grew up going to the Superbowls from Rock Hotel in the late 80s, early 90s, and for the longest time, almost a ten year stretch, there were no Superbowls in New York. It’s good that they’ve come back now as the Black ‘n Blue Bowl.”
And this year, Inhuman had the opportunity to be a part of the fifteen band bill, which featured a special set where they brought long-time friend, Lou Koller of Sick of it All to the mic. Their presence at the Black ‘n Blue Bowl did not go unnoticed.
It was the summer of 1995, when Mike started Inhuman, with its dark, aggressive sound that fused elements from all the music that inspired him. It has continued to be a passion for him after well over a decade.
“Inhuman has been going for like thirteen years,” he said. “We’re serious about it, but it’s not like a job. It’s more for fun and we love doing it.”
Aside from himself and Hank Hell on bass, the band also features current members of Agnostic Front, Steve Gallo and Joseph James. Mike says their commitment to Agnostic Front doesn’t affect this project.
“The thing is we know what Agnostic Front is doing months ahead of time. Joey and Steve are the professional musicians in the band. We know their schedules and we just kind of work around it.”
Inhuman has just released their fourth full-length album and debut on the Netherlands based, I Scream Records. “Last Rites” was recorded by Dean Baltulonis, better known for his work with Sick of it All and Most Precious Blood.
“I think it’s the best album we’ve ever done,” Inhuman said. “I’m just really proud of it. It’s a really diverse kind of mix of hardcore, punk, and metal, with a dark twist that Inhuman is known for.”
“Last Rites” is undoubtedly a hardcore masterpiece that will take listeners on a twenty-year ride through all the different eras of hardcore. From straight-forward, blinding speed throw downs to timeless sounding anthems to Misfits-inspired horror punk nightmares, the album is a true walk through every variation within the historical timeline of underground music.
There is no formula. There is no genre. There is just sheer diversity, and it works.
Inhuman is putting together a European tour for the band in the fall, their first since 2003. Mike says he is excited about getting back the Old World.
“The thing about touring Europe is that there’s usually more kids at the shows for hardcore bands. The bands get paid better, they get treated better, and the touring agencies are just better for hardcore bands.”
From his past experience touring there, Mike says fans in Europe seem to have a more loyal appreciation for hardcore than in the States.
“I think there’s less of a turnover ratio in Europe with kids. It’s maybe a little less trendy and a little less like a phase. It’s more of a lifestyle for people out there and something that they’re a part not just for three or four years but for fifteen or twenty years. It’s just a different animal.”
Although, the band is signed to a label, they still maintain a D.I.Y. ethic and Mike believes that the hardcore scene is about the people who believe in it.
“If the mainstream doesn’t want to have anything to do with it I think that’s great. The mainstream isn’t what keeps it alive, it’s the people who love it that keep it alive, especially the younger kids and the older guys who live it. It’s a lifestyle and extension of their family.”
http://www.inhumanlegion.com
http://www.myspace.com/inhuman
Inhuman Continues to Strive Forward after 13 Years
by Jason Walsh
Mike “Inhuman” Scondotto is no stranger to the New York hardcore scene.
“This is my twentieth anniversay of hardcore in 2008,” Scondotto said. “I grew up going to see Sick of it All, Agnostic Front, Breakdown, and now I call those people my friends. It’s just come full circle for me in particular.”
He’s no stranger to festivals like the Black ‘n Blue Bowl either.
“I grew up going to the Superbowls from Rock Hotel in the late 80s, early 90s, and for the longest time, almost a ten year stretch, there were no Superbowls in New York. It’s good that they’ve come back now as the Black ‘n Blue Bowl.”
And this year, Inhuman had the opportunity to be a part of the fifteen band bill, which featured a special set where they brought long-time friend, Lou Koller of Sick of it All to the mic. Their presence at the Black ‘n Blue Bowl did not go unnoticed.
It was the summer of 1995, when Mike started Inhuman, with its dark, aggressive sound that fused elements from all the music that inspired him. It has continued to be a passion for him after well over a decade.
“Inhuman has been going for like thirteen years,” he said. “We’re serious about it, but it’s not like a job. It’s more for fun and we love doing it.”
Aside from himself and Hank Hell on bass, the band also features current members of Agnostic Front, Steve Gallo and Joseph James. Mike says their commitment to Agnostic Front doesn’t affect this project.
“The thing is we know what Agnostic Front is doing months ahead of time. Joey and Steve are the professional musicians in the band. We know their schedules and we just kind of work around it.”
Inhuman has just released their fourth full-length album and debut on the Netherlands based, I Scream Records. “Last Rites” was recorded by Dean Baltulonis, better known for his work with Sick of it All and Most Precious Blood.
“I think it’s the best album we’ve ever done,” Inhuman said. “I’m just really proud of it. It’s a really diverse kind of mix of hardcore, punk, and metal, with a dark twist that Inhuman is known for.”
“Last Rites” is undoubtedly a hardcore masterpiece that will take listeners on a twenty-year ride through all the different eras of hardcore. From straight-forward, blinding speed throw downs to timeless sounding anthems to Misfits-inspired horror punk nightmares, the album is a true walk through every variation within the historical timeline of underground music.
There is no formula. There is no genre. There is just sheer diversity, and it works.
Inhuman is putting together a European tour for the band in the fall, their first since 2003. Mike says he is excited about getting back the Old World.
“The thing about touring Europe is that there’s usually more kids at the shows for hardcore bands. The bands get paid better, they get treated better, and the touring agencies are just better for hardcore bands.”
From his past experience touring there, Mike says fans in Europe seem to have a more loyal appreciation for hardcore than in the States.
“I think there’s less of a turnover ratio in Europe with kids. It’s maybe a little less trendy and a little less like a phase. It’s more of a lifestyle for people out there and something that they’re a part not just for three or four years but for fifteen or twenty years. It’s just a different animal.”
Although, the band is signed to a label, they still maintain a D.I.Y. ethic and Mike believes that the hardcore scene is about the people who believe in it.
“If the mainstream doesn’t want to have anything to do with it I think that’s great. The mainstream isn’t what keeps it alive, it’s the people who love it that keep it alive, especially the younger kids and the older guys who live it. It’s a lifestyle and extension of their family.”
http://www.inhumanlegion.com
http://www.myspace.com/inhuman
BRICK BY BRICK
THE BOYS FROM TROY ROAD TRIP TO NYC
Brick by Brick Play Their First Black ‘n Blue Bowl
By Jason Walsh
Road trips are an essential part of being in a D.I.Y. band. You load the gear, fill up the tank, check the map, and hit the road. In the case of Troy’s Brick by Brick, for the Black ‘n Blue Bowl in Brooklyn, they chartered a bus and filled in with thirty-something of their friends, family, and fans from upstate.
“Just getting out of our hometown, playing anywhere else, that’s fun in itself,” said Guitarist Mike Valente. “Road trips, again, that’s a second level of fun. Playing a killer show like this, it’s great.”
This was Brick by Brick’s first time playing the B ‘n B Bowl, and for frontman Rich Roberts, it was an incredible honor.
“For us to be able to play this was a fucking dream come true for me,” said Roberts. “I’m only 27. I grew up listening to these bands. For me to share the same stage is fucking unreal.”
Bassist Sean Green has been in the crowd for many of these shows. To be on stage alongside some of his childhood influences was a once in a lifetime experience.
“I’ve been coming the past three years and to play this is amazing,” said Green. “You just look around and you see everybody. It’s just amazing.”
Growing up in the hardcore scene, fans can be overwhelmed at a young age by some of the shows they get the opportunity to see. When they then decide to start their own bands, these experiences become a direct influence on what they create. For Drummer Rory O’ Brien, this came full circle.
“I feel great about the whole thing,” said O’ Brien. “One of my first shows was back in 1988. It was Sick of it All and Agnostic Front in Saratoga Winters. I met those guys and I was twelve years old, y’know. This is like a lifelong dream.”
Brick by Brick has been around since 2004 and call themselves “a straight forward, no holds barred, street hardcore assault machine in which even the breakdowns have breakdowns.” They have released two records, “Wings of Angels” and “Pull the Trigger,” on Spare Change Records, a primarily death metal label out of Connecticut. They are currently working on their third release.
“We just started writing,” Valente said. “We got six or seven songs written already. Probably going to go in the studio around fall and release something for 2009.”
Valente explained that there is no pressure on the third release and because of that, the band has the opportunity to concentrate on the songwriting.
“We’re going to take our time, a little bit,” Valente said. “We have more time coming in the studio this time, rather than going ‘hey, we’re going to record.’ This time we’re actually going to sit down, take our time, relax, not stress about the whole thing and have fun with it. That’s what it’s about.”
One of the biggest obstacles for independent bands is the high price of studio time. Roberts is about to get married and when asked ‘why not build a home studio in his dining room’ he replied that it could be a problem with his domestic harmony.
“I wish I could,” he said. “I don’t think my wife would appreciate it. My daughter wouldn’t have anywhere to play either.”
Brick by Brick Play Their First Black ‘n Blue Bowl
By Jason Walsh
Road trips are an essential part of being in a D.I.Y. band. You load the gear, fill up the tank, check the map, and hit the road. In the case of Troy’s Brick by Brick, for the Black ‘n Blue Bowl in Brooklyn, they chartered a bus and filled in with thirty-something of their friends, family, and fans from upstate.
“Just getting out of our hometown, playing anywhere else, that’s fun in itself,” said Guitarist Mike Valente. “Road trips, again, that’s a second level of fun. Playing a killer show like this, it’s great.”
This was Brick by Brick’s first time playing the B ‘n B Bowl, and for frontman Rich Roberts, it was an incredible honor.
“For us to be able to play this was a fucking dream come true for me,” said Roberts. “I’m only 27. I grew up listening to these bands. For me to share the same stage is fucking unreal.”
Bassist Sean Green has been in the crowd for many of these shows. To be on stage alongside some of his childhood influences was a once in a lifetime experience.
“I’ve been coming the past three years and to play this is amazing,” said Green. “You just look around and you see everybody. It’s just amazing.”
Growing up in the hardcore scene, fans can be overwhelmed at a young age by some of the shows they get the opportunity to see. When they then decide to start their own bands, these experiences become a direct influence on what they create. For Drummer Rory O’ Brien, this came full circle.
“I feel great about the whole thing,” said O’ Brien. “One of my first shows was back in 1988. It was Sick of it All and Agnostic Front in Saratoga Winters. I met those guys and I was twelve years old, y’know. This is like a lifelong dream.”
Brick by Brick has been around since 2004 and call themselves “a straight forward, no holds barred, street hardcore assault machine in which even the breakdowns have breakdowns.” They have released two records, “Wings of Angels” and “Pull the Trigger,” on Spare Change Records, a primarily death metal label out of Connecticut. They are currently working on their third release.
“We just started writing,” Valente said. “We got six or seven songs written already. Probably going to go in the studio around fall and release something for 2009.”
Valente explained that there is no pressure on the third release and because of that, the band has the opportunity to concentrate on the songwriting.
“We’re going to take our time, a little bit,” Valente said. “We have more time coming in the studio this time, rather than going ‘hey, we’re going to record.’ This time we’re actually going to sit down, take our time, relax, not stress about the whole thing and have fun with it. That’s what it’s about.”
One of the biggest obstacles for independent bands is the high price of studio time. Roberts is about to get married and when asked ‘why not build a home studio in his dining room’ he replied that it could be a problem with his domestic harmony.
“I wish I could,” he said. “I don’t think my wife would appreciate it. My daughter wouldn’t have anywhere to play either.”
Everybody Gets Hurt
EGH
by Jason Walsh
It was 1996 when former members of D-Mize, 25 ta Life, Setback, Fit of Anger, and Outburst came together to form the Queens based Everybody Gets Hurt. EGH has been rolling along strong since, independent and underground, and have found themselves playing the Black ‘n Blue Bowl for a second time. Bassist Chris Benetos said the event is more than just a show.
“This is our friends. This is our family. “We’re all an underground scene over here. We stick together. It’s real fun. New York City has never been better.”
Frontman “Vato Rob” Cullin appreciates what the guys from Black ‘n Blue have done to get the scene in New York alive and energized.
“Cousin Joe brought the New York Superbowl back which was the key,” he said. “All the other bands they come from all over, but New York’s got its own scene, and he’s real big that all the New York bands get their time. He puts it out for a lot of young guys too. He’s a real good dude. It’s a great event. Hardcore.”
The success of EGH lies in their resolve to take all matters that pertain to the band into their own hands. Their current new release, “It Is What It Is: Born to Lose, Live to Win,” is just an example of that D.I.Y. ethic.
“It’s self released,” Benetos said. “We’re an underground hardcore band. We’ve toured the whole world already. Summertime, we should be going back to Europe, but we’ve done the whole world independently. It’s been incredible.”
EGH has used their own contacts and promotional skills to tour the world. In 2002, they released their first full-length album, “The Dark Seeds of Man,” and with the American and Japanese profits, they funded a European tour. “Vato Rob” said you have to be strategic when planning such an endeavor.
“The best time to go is when nobody’s there,” he said. “Summertime, you’ve got such an influx of foreign bands and they throw these monster festivals. By the time you get to the kids, they’re gonna buy their Slayer shirt, they’re gonna buy their Pantera shirt, whomever the big band is, and it’s like trickle down. When your own your own and you do your headline tour in October when there’s no big festivals, or maybe one or two, you do real well when people come to see you. They don’t necessarily go to see a giant festival. You do a lot better.”
He said one of the highlights of their adventures was in the land of the rising sun.
“Japan? Forget about it. Unbelievable over there. They get naked, dance around the tour bus. It’s fucking insane.”
Declining sales in the music industry and shady dealings by major labels have kept the band clear of signing any contracts with the corporate machines. “Vato Rob” believes that all the help they need to succeed as a band can be found within the band itself.
“The record industry is dying,” he said. “Everybody knows that and we were kind of hip to that ten years ago. As soon as the internet came out with the Ipods and the downloading and all this other shit, the writing was on the wall. People were offering you $5000 for a record that took you two years to make. It’s ridiculous and then they’re going to give you tour support, this, that, and the other thing, but at the end of the day, you don’t get paid because you gotta pay all that shit back.”
He preaches self reliance and the basic, age-old hardcore ethic of do it yourself.
“You don’t need a record label. You just gotta be busy. You just got to want it. You want it, you go get it, no problem.”
by Jason Walsh
It was 1996 when former members of D-Mize, 25 ta Life, Setback, Fit of Anger, and Outburst came together to form the Queens based Everybody Gets Hurt. EGH has been rolling along strong since, independent and underground, and have found themselves playing the Black ‘n Blue Bowl for a second time. Bassist Chris Benetos said the event is more than just a show.
“This is our friends. This is our family. “We’re all an underground scene over here. We stick together. It’s real fun. New York City has never been better.”
Frontman “Vato Rob” Cullin appreciates what the guys from Black ‘n Blue have done to get the scene in New York alive and energized.
“Cousin Joe brought the New York Superbowl back which was the key,” he said. “All the other bands they come from all over, but New York’s got its own scene, and he’s real big that all the New York bands get their time. He puts it out for a lot of young guys too. He’s a real good dude. It’s a great event. Hardcore.”
The success of EGH lies in their resolve to take all matters that pertain to the band into their own hands. Their current new release, “It Is What It Is: Born to Lose, Live to Win,” is just an example of that D.I.Y. ethic.
“It’s self released,” Benetos said. “We’re an underground hardcore band. We’ve toured the whole world already. Summertime, we should be going back to Europe, but we’ve done the whole world independently. It’s been incredible.”
EGH has used their own contacts and promotional skills to tour the world. In 2002, they released their first full-length album, “The Dark Seeds of Man,” and with the American and Japanese profits, they funded a European tour. “Vato Rob” said you have to be strategic when planning such an endeavor.
“The best time to go is when nobody’s there,” he said. “Summertime, you’ve got such an influx of foreign bands and they throw these monster festivals. By the time you get to the kids, they’re gonna buy their Slayer shirt, they’re gonna buy their Pantera shirt, whomever the big band is, and it’s like trickle down. When your own your own and you do your headline tour in October when there’s no big festivals, or maybe one or two, you do real well when people come to see you. They don’t necessarily go to see a giant festival. You do a lot better.”
He said one of the highlights of their adventures was in the land of the rising sun.
“Japan? Forget about it. Unbelievable over there. They get naked, dance around the tour bus. It’s fucking insane.”
Declining sales in the music industry and shady dealings by major labels have kept the band clear of signing any contracts with the corporate machines. “Vato Rob” believes that all the help they need to succeed as a band can be found within the band itself.
“The record industry is dying,” he said. “Everybody knows that and we were kind of hip to that ten years ago. As soon as the internet came out with the Ipods and the downloading and all this other shit, the writing was on the wall. People were offering you $5000 for a record that took you two years to make. It’s ridiculous and then they’re going to give you tour support, this, that, and the other thing, but at the end of the day, you don’t get paid because you gotta pay all that shit back.”
He preaches self reliance and the basic, age-old hardcore ethic of do it yourself.
“You don’t need a record label. You just gotta be busy. You just got to want it. You want it, you go get it, no problem.”
EZEC
LORD EZEC a.k.a. DANNY DIABLO
interview by Jason Walsh
Queens-bred Lord Ezec, former frontman of Crown of Thornz and Skarhead, is one of the most infamous members of the New York Hardcore scene and the DMS crew. He currently has been fronting his new hip hop project, under the moniker Danny Diablo, and took a moment to talk about the Black ‘n Blue Bowl, as well as his current projects.
JW: So, man, what are you doing out here today? This is a huge deal, you got your family around you, how do you feel about that?
EZEC: I am very proud of the Black ‘n Blue guys, Cousin Joe and Freddy “Madball” for putting this together, showing that hardcore is a big movement, and still very strong in New York City. I came out here to give support to the bands, see all the fans, and to see what’s going on. I’m also selling a whole bunch of merch…hahaha…
JW: See that’s what everybody does. They come out here and they sell the schwag. So, what’s been going on with you? What have you been doing?
EZEC: I did a video yesterday in the Bronx with Chris from the Ruff Ryders. I played a show yesterday in the Bronx with Cee Kay, who was in the Shotblockers and DMS. We all just went down to the Bronx and had a good time, but it was really funny because we had a shirt with DMS and Ruff Ryders together. You would never have thought that would ever happen, but we’re merging the hip hop and hardcore scenes together.
JW: They both come from the same world. There has been that variance where it’s splitting off, hip hop obviously becoming way too commercial, and hardcore, music from the streets, I mean they grew up together and it grew up in New York.
EZEC: Yeah, yeah…so, I just came back from tour with Necro and Psycho Realm and we did a whole Canada and northeast states and it was great. The kids are loving it, the mixture of the two genres, and sometimes in instances in the past both mixtures have been done terribly, but nowadays, with the roots, we do it from the heart, so it’s pretty good. It’s not candy coated or anything.
JW: Why are events like this important?
EZEC: Hardcore is D.I.Y., do it yourself. The kids come out here and they really love the music. We have loyal fans and the fans will always support you. You come out here, say hello to the fans, and give something back to the fans. I come out here, I give free CDs out, talk to the kids out here, from Virginia, from Argentina, Puerto Rico, all over the world, and they love to talk and see that I’m a human being.
JW: And it’s got to be good to be surrounded by your family and then you come here and meet new friends.
EZEC: Yeah. That’s what it is. That’s what it’s all about. Muisc is for everyone. There’s only two types of music, good and bad.
interview by Jason Walsh
Queens-bred Lord Ezec, former frontman of Crown of Thornz and Skarhead, is one of the most infamous members of the New York Hardcore scene and the DMS crew. He currently has been fronting his new hip hop project, under the moniker Danny Diablo, and took a moment to talk about the Black ‘n Blue Bowl, as well as his current projects.
JW: So, man, what are you doing out here today? This is a huge deal, you got your family around you, how do you feel about that?
EZEC: I am very proud of the Black ‘n Blue guys, Cousin Joe and Freddy “Madball” for putting this together, showing that hardcore is a big movement, and still very strong in New York City. I came out here to give support to the bands, see all the fans, and to see what’s going on. I’m also selling a whole bunch of merch…hahaha…
JW: See that’s what everybody does. They come out here and they sell the schwag. So, what’s been going on with you? What have you been doing?
EZEC: I did a video yesterday in the Bronx with Chris from the Ruff Ryders. I played a show yesterday in the Bronx with Cee Kay, who was in the Shotblockers and DMS. We all just went down to the Bronx and had a good time, but it was really funny because we had a shirt with DMS and Ruff Ryders together. You would never have thought that would ever happen, but we’re merging the hip hop and hardcore scenes together.
JW: They both come from the same world. There has been that variance where it’s splitting off, hip hop obviously becoming way too commercial, and hardcore, music from the streets, I mean they grew up together and it grew up in New York.
EZEC: Yeah, yeah…so, I just came back from tour with Necro and Psycho Realm and we did a whole Canada and northeast states and it was great. The kids are loving it, the mixture of the two genres, and sometimes in instances in the past both mixtures have been done terribly, but nowadays, with the roots, we do it from the heart, so it’s pretty good. It’s not candy coated or anything.
JW: Why are events like this important?
EZEC: Hardcore is D.I.Y., do it yourself. The kids come out here and they really love the music. We have loyal fans and the fans will always support you. You come out here, say hello to the fans, and give something back to the fans. I come out here, I give free CDs out, talk to the kids out here, from Virginia, from Argentina, Puerto Rico, all over the world, and they love to talk and see that I’m a human being.
JW: And it’s got to be good to be surrounded by your family and then you come here and meet new friends.
EZEC: Yeah. That’s what it is. That’s what it’s all about. Muisc is for everyone. There’s only two types of music, good and bad.
Tears of Frustration
THE RESURRECTION OF TEARS OF FRUSTRATION
by Jason Walsh
Four guys came together in the mid 90s in Bergen County to play music that they believed spoke out against all that they felt was wrong in the nation. Growing up in Jersey, they were heavily influenced by the neighboring New York hardcore scene. Vocalist Joe Frustration said it was bands like Agnostic Front and the Cro-Mags that developed his passion at an early age.
“I remember I was in junior high school when I saw Agnostic Front live on the Uncle Floyd Show,” Frustration said. “Back then is when I really first got into Agnostic Front and now today I am playing with them.”
Now more than ten years later, Tears of Frustration are playing the biggest hardcore event of the year, the Black ‘n Blue Bowl, not only alongside their peers, but those who played a big part in influencing them as a band. Guitarist Justin “Smoky” Rowand attributes the strength of the scene to those who strive to keep it alive.
“The first Superbowl of Hardcore I think was in like 1988,” Rowand said. “It’s twenty years later and they’re still having them and that speaks for itself to me. There’s still people involved who care and who are still keeping it going. It’ll never die. I don’t think it’ll ever die.”
The night’s performance also marks the band’s first show together with the core lineup in eight years.
“This is basically our first show back with our original bass player, Chris, since 2000,” Frustration said. “This is like our reunion.”
The band did play a show a few years ago, minus Chris O’ Brien, in Manhattan.
“We did one show at CBGB’s, but with a different bass player, in 2006, a couple months before it closed,” Rowand said. “This is the first show where everybody that’s been a part of the band for a long time is together again.”
They state that even after the Black ‘n Blue Bowl, they will continue to play together and are looking to record a new CD. However, as an independent band, they rely on themselves and not a label commitment to complete such a project.
“What we usually do is we usually record it, front the money, and then pass it out and say ‘if you want to put it out you can put it out, if not we’ll do it ourselves.’” Frustration said. “That’s how we do it.”
Frustration cites that although the band is important to all of them, they realize they won’t be quitting their day jobs anytime soon.
“This isn’t something for our careers. We all work our own specific jobs. We play music because we enjoy it. We don’t do it for a career.”
Drummer Joe “Foot” Calvito echoed the sentiment. As a longshoreman, he relies on that income to continue his passion of playing in the band.
“I can’t afford to quit my job to do this,” Calvito said. “There really isn’t enough money in this to do it full time. In fact, my job usually pays for my recording.”
Tears of Frustration has been on numerous compilations, released several 7” records, and a couple CDs. Most of these obscure releases are hard, if not impossible, to find. Their last release, “Lost Identity,” is still available from On The Rise Records. They aren’t worried about big label deals or contracts. They do this because to them, it is still fun.
“I don’t like to worry about the whole business aspect of music,” Frustration said. “I think that takes away from the artistic integrity of the music.”
They were all very excited about being a part of such an important event. Frustration said that some of the problems of the past in the NYHC scene are no longer an issue today.
“This scene has had a lot of violence in it,” he said. “It seems everybody’s kind of grown up a little bit. You don’t really have to worry about that much anymore which is good.”
Rowand had one final word to add that summed it all up.
“Three generations of New York hardcore and it’s still going strong.”
by Jason Walsh
Four guys came together in the mid 90s in Bergen County to play music that they believed spoke out against all that they felt was wrong in the nation. Growing up in Jersey, they were heavily influenced by the neighboring New York hardcore scene. Vocalist Joe Frustration said it was bands like Agnostic Front and the Cro-Mags that developed his passion at an early age.
“I remember I was in junior high school when I saw Agnostic Front live on the Uncle Floyd Show,” Frustration said. “Back then is when I really first got into Agnostic Front and now today I am playing with them.”
Now more than ten years later, Tears of Frustration are playing the biggest hardcore event of the year, the Black ‘n Blue Bowl, not only alongside their peers, but those who played a big part in influencing them as a band. Guitarist Justin “Smoky” Rowand attributes the strength of the scene to those who strive to keep it alive.
“The first Superbowl of Hardcore I think was in like 1988,” Rowand said. “It’s twenty years later and they’re still having them and that speaks for itself to me. There’s still people involved who care and who are still keeping it going. It’ll never die. I don’t think it’ll ever die.”
The night’s performance also marks the band’s first show together with the core lineup in eight years.
“This is basically our first show back with our original bass player, Chris, since 2000,” Frustration said. “This is like our reunion.”
The band did play a show a few years ago, minus Chris O’ Brien, in Manhattan.
“We did one show at CBGB’s, but with a different bass player, in 2006, a couple months before it closed,” Rowand said. “This is the first show where everybody that’s been a part of the band for a long time is together again.”
They state that even after the Black ‘n Blue Bowl, they will continue to play together and are looking to record a new CD. However, as an independent band, they rely on themselves and not a label commitment to complete such a project.
“What we usually do is we usually record it, front the money, and then pass it out and say ‘if you want to put it out you can put it out, if not we’ll do it ourselves.’” Frustration said. “That’s how we do it.”
Frustration cites that although the band is important to all of them, they realize they won’t be quitting their day jobs anytime soon.
“This isn’t something for our careers. We all work our own specific jobs. We play music because we enjoy it. We don’t do it for a career.”
Drummer Joe “Foot” Calvito echoed the sentiment. As a longshoreman, he relies on that income to continue his passion of playing in the band.
“I can’t afford to quit my job to do this,” Calvito said. “There really isn’t enough money in this to do it full time. In fact, my job usually pays for my recording.”
Tears of Frustration has been on numerous compilations, released several 7” records, and a couple CDs. Most of these obscure releases are hard, if not impossible, to find. Their last release, “Lost Identity,” is still available from On The Rise Records. They aren’t worried about big label deals or contracts. They do this because to them, it is still fun.
“I don’t like to worry about the whole business aspect of music,” Frustration said. “I think that takes away from the artistic integrity of the music.”
They were all very excited about being a part of such an important event. Frustration said that some of the problems of the past in the NYHC scene are no longer an issue today.
“This scene has had a lot of violence in it,” he said. “It seems everybody’s kind of grown up a little bit. You don’t really have to worry about that much anymore which is good.”
Rowand had one final word to add that summed it all up.
“Three generations of New York hardcore and it’s still going strong.”
AGNOSTIC FRONT
NEW BLOOD
Young Guns Perpetuate the Legacy of Agnostic Front
by Jason Walsh
For my family, for my friends, for those that we've lost I sing.
This is a message, this is for you,
never forget the lower east side crew.
-“For My Family”
The band that started it all headlined the biggest underground show of the year. Following a successful outing at the Black ‘n Blue Bowl in Brooklyn, they then begin a daunting worldwide tour that will span the remainder of the year in support of their ninth full-length studio release. After nearly three decades of pounding the pavement, Agnostic Front proves they still have the resilience to remain one of the premiere hardcore acts of the day.
Roger Miret and Vinnie Stigma, the seminal founders of Agnostic Front, are legends in the New York hardcore scene and the true godfathers of the movement that began in the early 80s. But now, the current lineup of young blood has revitalized the band, not only in its evolution of their music, but also by ensuring its legacy will continue. Guitarist Joseph James grew up listening to Agnostic Front and now finds himself a proud member.
“The opportunity to join Agnostic Front is like a dream come true for anybody who has been a part of this and plays music,” James said. “I don’t take it for granted for a second. I try to do the band justice, give them my input and my all to make the band better than they ever were and I hope that we’re accomplishing that.”
When he first joined the band, James said in the middle of their set, it would hit him who were on stage next to him.
“In the beginning, it was really all the time that I was doing that,” he said. “Now we’ve become so tight, we know each other so well, I feel like they’re my family and I’ve kind of gotten over that and I look at them as peers. But then, there’s those instances once in a while when you see them in their element and you say ‘wow, this is a living legend.’ It’s something very cool to be a part of.”
Drummer Steve Gallo and his brother, Mike, who plays bass, represent the rest of the youthful infusion that makes up the band’s powerful rhythm section. Steve had the AF logo inked in his skin long before he joined the band.
“I got blessed,” he said. “What am I gonna say? It’s a dream come true. I got the boots on my back before I even met them.”
The new album, “Warriors,” is a return to the more metal-themed style of hardcore that began on “One Voice.” Gallo says it revisits these earlier eras in the band’s career.
“I love it,” he said. “We all had a lot to do with it. It was something that, individually, everybody in the band had a big part in writing. I’m more proud of that record than anything in my life. It’s my favorite thing in the world. I’m so proud of it.”
Stigma also had a very tongue-in-cheek appreciation for the new record.
“I’m so glad I got this new record,” he joked. “It’s my best record, I swear to God. I finally learned how to make a record after all these years. Usually, it’s a mistake and it comes out great.”
The album contains straight-forward, hyper-speed, hardcore tracks as well as anthemic breakdowns like “For My Family,” of which the band recently premiered a new video. However, there are songs like “Dead to Me,” which focuses on coping with betrayl.
“I’ll tell you, it’s funny,” Gallo said. “I wrote that and I was still with her and now we’re broken up and I listen to the song and I’m like ‘YEAH!’ There’s a whole new meaning.”
The Black ‘n Blue Bowl proved to be a very successful event, not only for the bands and promoters, but for the fans who attended as well. Gallo says that the youth involved in the scene need to continue to experience shows like this.
“It’s important for the kids to see this shit,” he said. “It’s just very important for everybody right here, for these kids to see what’s going on, to see this whole unity right now. When I pulled up the line was like 1500 people long and I’m thinking this is what it’s about.”
Gallo and James are also members of Inhuman, who played this year’s Black ‘n Blue Bowl. James hasn’t missed the festival since they restarted it back in 2005.
“I’ve been to every one,” he said. “This is probably the most packed one, the biggest promoted one, the most tickets sold, the biggest one they’ve had in New York. I’m really happy to be a part of it. I played twice, with Inhuman and with AF later.”
In the more recent times, Gallo believes that the kids are missing out on what the scene is all about and that events like Black ‘n Blue Bowl instill that sense of pride and heritage.
“What’s going on today is these kids are losing their culture. Hardcore is not just a style of music. It’s a scene. It’s about a movement and it’s about a lifetsyle and having friends. They’re not having that today and I’m kind of frustrated about that to tell you the truth and that’s why this is good for them to start doing this again.”
Following the show, Agnostic Front will spend the rest of the year on their world tour, hitting Europe with The Hoods, followed by a West Coast tour that winds north into Canada, continuing on to dates in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, and South America.
Gallo says sometimes the huge European festivals can be a little intimidating for a guy from Long Island.
“We did the Full Force Festival in Europe. We did that twice and it usually ranges somewhere around forty to fifty thousand people. I was playing for years before I did that, and let me tell you something, you get up and look at that fucking sea of people you just take a second and think ‘oh, wow.’ It’s amazing. There’s nothing in the world like it. If I could die right after doing that, I’d be covered.”
The new lineup for a band of the ages has not only rejuvenated Agnostic Front but shows they will survive the test of time. James is proud to be a member of the Lower East Side Crew.
“I’m happy to be a part of it and I’m happy that they include me. We all work really hard to make this band continue their legacy as one of the supreme New York hardcore bands.”
Young Guns Perpetuate the Legacy of Agnostic Front
by Jason Walsh
For my family, for my friends, for those that we've lost I sing.
This is a message, this is for you,
never forget the lower east side crew.
-“For My Family”
The band that started it all headlined the biggest underground show of the year. Following a successful outing at the Black ‘n Blue Bowl in Brooklyn, they then begin a daunting worldwide tour that will span the remainder of the year in support of their ninth full-length studio release. After nearly three decades of pounding the pavement, Agnostic Front proves they still have the resilience to remain one of the premiere hardcore acts of the day.
Roger Miret and Vinnie Stigma, the seminal founders of Agnostic Front, are legends in the New York hardcore scene and the true godfathers of the movement that began in the early 80s. But now, the current lineup of young blood has revitalized the band, not only in its evolution of their music, but also by ensuring its legacy will continue. Guitarist Joseph James grew up listening to Agnostic Front and now finds himself a proud member.
“The opportunity to join Agnostic Front is like a dream come true for anybody who has been a part of this and plays music,” James said. “I don’t take it for granted for a second. I try to do the band justice, give them my input and my all to make the band better than they ever were and I hope that we’re accomplishing that.”
When he first joined the band, James said in the middle of their set, it would hit him who were on stage next to him.
“In the beginning, it was really all the time that I was doing that,” he said. “Now we’ve become so tight, we know each other so well, I feel like they’re my family and I’ve kind of gotten over that and I look at them as peers. But then, there’s those instances once in a while when you see them in their element and you say ‘wow, this is a living legend.’ It’s something very cool to be a part of.”
Drummer Steve Gallo and his brother, Mike, who plays bass, represent the rest of the youthful infusion that makes up the band’s powerful rhythm section. Steve had the AF logo inked in his skin long before he joined the band.
“I got blessed,” he said. “What am I gonna say? It’s a dream come true. I got the boots on my back before I even met them.”
The new album, “Warriors,” is a return to the more metal-themed style of hardcore that began on “One Voice.” Gallo says it revisits these earlier eras in the band’s career.
“I love it,” he said. “We all had a lot to do with it. It was something that, individually, everybody in the band had a big part in writing. I’m more proud of that record than anything in my life. It’s my favorite thing in the world. I’m so proud of it.”
Stigma also had a very tongue-in-cheek appreciation for the new record.
“I’m so glad I got this new record,” he joked. “It’s my best record, I swear to God. I finally learned how to make a record after all these years. Usually, it’s a mistake and it comes out great.”
The album contains straight-forward, hyper-speed, hardcore tracks as well as anthemic breakdowns like “For My Family,” of which the band recently premiered a new video. However, there are songs like “Dead to Me,” which focuses on coping with betrayl.
“I’ll tell you, it’s funny,” Gallo said. “I wrote that and I was still with her and now we’re broken up and I listen to the song and I’m like ‘YEAH!’ There’s a whole new meaning.”
The Black ‘n Blue Bowl proved to be a very successful event, not only for the bands and promoters, but for the fans who attended as well. Gallo says that the youth involved in the scene need to continue to experience shows like this.
“It’s important for the kids to see this shit,” he said. “It’s just very important for everybody right here, for these kids to see what’s going on, to see this whole unity right now. When I pulled up the line was like 1500 people long and I’m thinking this is what it’s about.”
Gallo and James are also members of Inhuman, who played this year’s Black ‘n Blue Bowl. James hasn’t missed the festival since they restarted it back in 2005.
“I’ve been to every one,” he said. “This is probably the most packed one, the biggest promoted one, the most tickets sold, the biggest one they’ve had in New York. I’m really happy to be a part of it. I played twice, with Inhuman and with AF later.”
In the more recent times, Gallo believes that the kids are missing out on what the scene is all about and that events like Black ‘n Blue Bowl instill that sense of pride and heritage.
“What’s going on today is these kids are losing their culture. Hardcore is not just a style of music. It’s a scene. It’s about a movement and it’s about a lifetsyle and having friends. They’re not having that today and I’m kind of frustrated about that to tell you the truth and that’s why this is good for them to start doing this again.”
Following the show, Agnostic Front will spend the rest of the year on their world tour, hitting Europe with The Hoods, followed by a West Coast tour that winds north into Canada, continuing on to dates in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, and South America.
Gallo says sometimes the huge European festivals can be a little intimidating for a guy from Long Island.
“We did the Full Force Festival in Europe. We did that twice and it usually ranges somewhere around forty to fifty thousand people. I was playing for years before I did that, and let me tell you something, you get up and look at that fucking sea of people you just take a second and think ‘oh, wow.’ It’s amazing. There’s nothing in the world like it. If I could die right after doing that, I’d be covered.”
The new lineup for a band of the ages has not only rejuvenated Agnostic Front but shows they will survive the test of time. James is proud to be a member of the Lower East Side Crew.
“I’m happy to be a part of it and I’m happy that they include me. We all work really hard to make this band continue their legacy as one of the supreme New York hardcore bands.”
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