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
Sunday, April 13, 2008
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.”
Monday, March 17, 2008
STREET DOGS article for ON TAP Magazine
STREET DOGS at SHAMROCK FEST 2008
Recently signed to a new label and putting the finishing touches on their fourth album, the Street Dogs had a chance to revisit the Shamrock Fest for a second appearance on March 15th. Former vocalist and founding member of Dropkick Murphys Mike McColgan and bassist Johnny Rioux had a chance to talk about the new home at Hellcat Records and the upcoming tour that will bring them back to the 9:30 Club at the end of April.
“Every time we’re in Washington DC, whether we’re playing this festival or we’re playing a smaller venue or whatever it’s just like people are real receptive,” McColgan said. “They have a good time and they go off, so we look forward to playing here as much as we can.
Rioux expressed how playing the 9:30 Club, arguably one of the most historic venues in the evolution of the American punk rock scene, was a childhood dream.
“When you’re a kid growing up in Boston, you think about places like the 9:30 Club,” Rioux said. “You think ‘can you imagine playing the same stage that so many acts have played.’”
The band signed to Hellcat in February, a subsidiary of Epitaph Records. McColgan stated it seemed like the most logical label for a band like the Street Dogs.
“When we made “Fading American Dream” they had expressed interest but we were still under contract to do a record with our old label,” McColgan said. “It’s a great place and they really let you have artistic control and do what you want. That’s big for a band like us because we couldn’t have a suit come in the studio and say ‘play it like this so it can get played on the radio.’ We gotta be able to do what we want to do.”
They expect to release their fourth album in July. It is their second outing with producer Ted Hutt, who worked with them on “Fading American Dream.”
“I feel like it’s gonna be mean,” McColgan said. “There’s a lot going on in there. We grew a little bit collectively, as a band musically, and stayed true to ourselves and what we do. It’s unmistakably us and I feel like you’re going to see eleven or twelve songs that are potent, impassioned, and powerful. It’s going to be a great record.”
The band has not settled on a title, but one of the new tracks has drawn inspiration.
“We have a track on the record called “A State of Grace.” The lyrics in the song express that we’re all searching for a state of grace. That resonates heavily with the group, and I think the songs collectively, so we’re leaning that direction.” Rioux said.
The Street Dogs will be performing at the 9:30 Club on Wednesday, April 30 at 7pm with Anti-Flag, The Briggs, and Fake Problems. Rioux encourages the DC scene to come out and bring down the house.
“We’re gonna continue to up the ante in DC.” Rioux said. “We’re gonna expect more crowd participation and more singing along. If you don’t find your CD before you come see the show at a record store, download that thing, steal the record, learn the songs, sing along, set off the pit, and have fun with us.”
Recently signed to a new label and putting the finishing touches on their fourth album, the Street Dogs had a chance to revisit the Shamrock Fest for a second appearance on March 15th. Former vocalist and founding member of Dropkick Murphys Mike McColgan and bassist Johnny Rioux had a chance to talk about the new home at Hellcat Records and the upcoming tour that will bring them back to the 9:30 Club at the end of April.
“Every time we’re in Washington DC, whether we’re playing this festival or we’re playing a smaller venue or whatever it’s just like people are real receptive,” McColgan said. “They have a good time and they go off, so we look forward to playing here as much as we can.
Rioux expressed how playing the 9:30 Club, arguably one of the most historic venues in the evolution of the American punk rock scene, was a childhood dream.
“When you’re a kid growing up in Boston, you think about places like the 9:30 Club,” Rioux said. “You think ‘can you imagine playing the same stage that so many acts have played.’”
The band signed to Hellcat in February, a subsidiary of Epitaph Records. McColgan stated it seemed like the most logical label for a band like the Street Dogs.
“When we made “Fading American Dream” they had expressed interest but we were still under contract to do a record with our old label,” McColgan said. “It’s a great place and they really let you have artistic control and do what you want. That’s big for a band like us because we couldn’t have a suit come in the studio and say ‘play it like this so it can get played on the radio.’ We gotta be able to do what we want to do.”
They expect to release their fourth album in July. It is their second outing with producer Ted Hutt, who worked with them on “Fading American Dream.”
“I feel like it’s gonna be mean,” McColgan said. “There’s a lot going on in there. We grew a little bit collectively, as a band musically, and stayed true to ourselves and what we do. It’s unmistakably us and I feel like you’re going to see eleven or twelve songs that are potent, impassioned, and powerful. It’s going to be a great record.”
The band has not settled on a title, but one of the new tracks has drawn inspiration.
“We have a track on the record called “A State of Grace.” The lyrics in the song express that we’re all searching for a state of grace. That resonates heavily with the group, and I think the songs collectively, so we’re leaning that direction.” Rioux said.
The Street Dogs will be performing at the 9:30 Club on Wednesday, April 30 at 7pm with Anti-Flag, The Briggs, and Fake Problems. Rioux encourages the DC scene to come out and bring down the house.
“We’re gonna continue to up the ante in DC.” Rioux said. “We’re gonna expect more crowd participation and more singing along. If you don’t find your CD before you come see the show at a record store, download that thing, steal the record, learn the songs, sing along, set off the pit, and have fun with us.”
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
last state of the union...
the applause rang through Capitol Hill,
not as much as throughout the country, the small towns, the inner cities,
the deserts far away...
it is his last words,
and we know that's what's best for this country...
he looks worn out...
I hope so...
I hope every night he goes to sleep he sees the faces of all those thousands who have died in the name of oil.
A word that has been misconstrued as freedom.
Al-Qaeda wasn't a dominant force in Iraq.
Saddam didn't make the twin towers fall,
nor all the people who departed that day in September.
He makes jokes.
The rich laugh.
The poor and those who lost do not.
Their resolve is in his departure.
He stumbles as he tries to say "veto."
He is going to cut $18 billion in programs,
but these programs are not mentioned.
Who will they affect?
Yes...
You...
A standing ovation
again from the rich on Capitol Hill...
and another,
and another,
and...another.
He's said much, but as always,
nothing.
In the desert soldiers cry,
for those they lost.
In Washington,
politicians clap, and clap, and clap,
because they never been in the desert.
They've never watched their brothers and sisters,
sons and daughters,
die.
Stop clapping you bastards.
You sheep,
you overprivileged lackeys.
The devil will leave the building.
It's up to us not to put another one in,
but unfortunately,
with an electoral college,
and interest gropus,
and campaign donations from highly funded corporations,
the choice we had, the choice we bled for,
was lost long ago...
He speaks of democracy.
A term he never knew in his two terms.
Government in which the supreme power is retained by the people and exercised either directly.
We gave that away long ago...
We are a republic.
A state in which the sovereign power resides in a certain body of the people and is exercised by representativesb elected by, and responsible to them.
Them...
they are the corporations...
they are the industry...
they are no longer us.
not as much as throughout the country, the small towns, the inner cities,
the deserts far away...
it is his last words,
and we know that's what's best for this country...
he looks worn out...
I hope so...
I hope every night he goes to sleep he sees the faces of all those thousands who have died in the name of oil.
A word that has been misconstrued as freedom.
Al-Qaeda wasn't a dominant force in Iraq.
Saddam didn't make the twin towers fall,
nor all the people who departed that day in September.
He makes jokes.
The rich laugh.
The poor and those who lost do not.
Their resolve is in his departure.
He stumbles as he tries to say "veto."
He is going to cut $18 billion in programs,
but these programs are not mentioned.
Who will they affect?
Yes...
You...
A standing ovation
again from the rich on Capitol Hill...
and another,
and another,
and...another.
He's said much, but as always,
nothing.
In the desert soldiers cry,
for those they lost.
In Washington,
politicians clap, and clap, and clap,
because they never been in the desert.
They've never watched their brothers and sisters,
sons and daughters,
die.
Stop clapping you bastards.
You sheep,
you overprivileged lackeys.
The devil will leave the building.
It's up to us not to put another one in,
but unfortunately,
with an electoral college,
and interest gropus,
and campaign donations from highly funded corporations,
the choice we had, the choice we bled for,
was lost long ago...
He speaks of democracy.
A term he never knew in his two terms.
Government in which the supreme power is retained by the people and exercised either directly.
We gave that away long ago...
We are a republic.
A state in which the sovereign power resides in a certain body of the people and is exercised by representativesb elected by, and responsible to them.
Them...
they are the corporations...
they are the industry...
they are no longer us.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
beer on the porch
the beer was on my porch when I came home from work.
Staring blankly at me as it leaned against the door.
She was gone as I had expected.
Her Saturday was on Monday
and I knew the party that never ends
had found her.
I decided to do what I do when I feel down
as my daughter penned it
"to pick up heavy things and put them back down again."
The gym
A church of mine for many years now.
A place to try and align my body with
my failing mind and spirit.
I walked into church, said my prayers,
and blew out my lower back almost instantly.
I felt the tendons and muscles fail
and I limped away quietly
to not show my weakness.
I drew a scalding bath and sat in it long enough to where the pain numbed everything
reading an old friend
sipping a beer, smoking a cigar
until I couldn't stand the heat any longer.
I found my couch
more beer, more smoke
empty, alone, and now broken
more now than I had been when I found the beer on the porch.
I wanted what I couldn't have.
I knew it wasn't what I wanted.
And I'd added a new pain on top of the old.
I smiled.
As I limped across the cabana to the refrigerator for a fresh, new bottle,
the stinging in my back never let me think of her.
Staring blankly at me as it leaned against the door.
She was gone as I had expected.
Her Saturday was on Monday
and I knew the party that never ends
had found her.
I decided to do what I do when I feel down
as my daughter penned it
"to pick up heavy things and put them back down again."
The gym
A church of mine for many years now.
A place to try and align my body with
my failing mind and spirit.
I walked into church, said my prayers,
and blew out my lower back almost instantly.
I felt the tendons and muscles fail
and I limped away quietly
to not show my weakness.
I drew a scalding bath and sat in it long enough to where the pain numbed everything
reading an old friend
sipping a beer, smoking a cigar
until I couldn't stand the heat any longer.
I found my couch
more beer, more smoke
empty, alone, and now broken
more now than I had been when I found the beer on the porch.
I wanted what I couldn't have.
I knew it wasn't what I wanted.
And I'd added a new pain on top of the old.
I smiled.
As I limped across the cabana to the refrigerator for a fresh, new bottle,
the stinging in my back never let me think of her.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
the words...
I am a journalist. I work as a photojournalist in the television industry to earn a living, but my true passion is writing. I've always wanted to have a forum for my views; a place I could display my writings and works.
Thus, this site has given me that opportunity
Below are some of the writings I have posted on this site along with some journal entries I will do periodically.
Be forewarned, this sailor drops a few f-bombs from time to time....so if offended easily, pass on...
Reality is only as brutal as you see.
-summer 2005
I've been writing all my life. For as long as I can remember. It's just one of those things I've always done. From the storytelling to abstract journal writing to songs and prose, I've just done it as long as I can rmemeber. I have stacks and stacks of journals, notebooks, song books, from all over covering all the different eras and epochs of my life.
I'm not saying I'm any good. Hell, most of the crap I read back is that...crap. But, it's been my most consistent outlet for creativity and emotion and whatever may be ailing me at that particular moment.
It's therapeutic and enjoyable and become more than just a hobby. It's a mission...
Over the last few years, I've started to share some of my work with friends, family, acquaintances, and beyond and have gotten some cool, positive feedback.
"You should do this for a living..." I keep hearing. However, freelance writing is a tough, poverty ridden lifestyle that I, with two children, can't afford to afford. My job is steady work, pays the bills, and supports the little ones...
But I keep on...
I've gotten a bunch of short pieces compiled that I want to release as a chapbook collection called "The Third Summer." It's a collection of journal entries, stories, and tales from my third summer on the beach in Willoughby in 2005. It's a period where I was writing a great deal more than usual and produced a high number of pieces, the most since my days of working on the university newspaper in Missouri.
I've continued to fill journals, more intermittently now, and started a novel last year, that I've recently started working on again.
The novel is a fiction-based on reality kind of piece, collecting stories and experiences over my last five years living on this peninsula in Virginia. It's going to be a five-act story, where each act is a month of summer, from May to September, of course with an epilogue in October...
This is my attempt at the "first great" novel, my attempt at a "The Rum Diary" kind of piece, which is my inspiration. Old Uncle Hunter is hopefully looking down proudly one me.
So welcome to my words and enjoy your visit and reads...I hope some of my stories entertain you and I would love to hear your feedback about what you read.
The more I write, the more I will add, and I'll be digging through some old journals as well, hopefully finding many lost gems I'd forgotten about from days passed.
Again, welcome
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cedar park, tx summer 2010
the Exorcist stairs
georgetown, washington d.c.
and the emmy goes to...
winner in willoughby, 2007