ABC No Rio to Host A Visual Retrospective Featuring Images and More from 1990 - 1991.

Coming this May, ABC No Rio will be hosting a visual retrospective feature photography, flyers, film and other visuals from 1990-91. The Retrospective will close on Friday May 18th with the screening of vintage footage of Citizens Arrest's 1990 ST. Patricks Day show. Created by Freddy Alva and John Woods. This is sure to be a must see event. 

For More Info

The Problems - 2014 Cassette Demo

The Problems are a side project of sorts featuring former  Hello No frontman John Woods and some friends from Germany. The bands personnel originally crossed paths when John's band Hell No stopped off in Germany during their 1999 European tour. More than fifteen years later these friends have stayed close. Finally deciding to give their friendship a creative edge.

The demo opens with the song Drunk Again and while the opening skit/audio is absolutely unbearable. Problems Faced when Traveling. While Woods handles most of the vocal duties. You can easily detect a second vocalist on these songs.

It quickly moves in the right direction, ultimately winning this listener over with a sound that quickly recalls Soulside's
As for the previous mention of Soulside. There's no Dischord or Revolution Summer revival happening here. The rest of this tape seems to walk a line between the Killed By Death sound and that of early
Black Flag. Simple, raw and quite good. Not bad if you can get it.

Everything from the cassette format to the pedestrian cover art reads "No Frills" while recalling days gone long by and how, as kids of the 80's.
We'd scour our local indie record stores, fanzines and shows to get hold of the latest demo cassette before it was gone. So bust out the tape deck or dust off the old boom box and give this one a shot. James Damion

The Problems  Bandcamp
The Problems  Facebook

Collapse - Apocalyptic Key EP

I first came across the band Collapse back in July of 2013 when I saw their name on a local Hardcore bill. At the time,
I couldn't help but wonder if it was a reunion of the short lived NYHC band featured on
Freddy Alva's New Breed Compilation. After seeing Detroit's Collapse on that sweat drenched July night, I learned different. As luck would have it, they had no relation to the aforementioned band of the same name. After witnessing their emotional and sonically ear shattering set that night and taking home their artfully packaged "Disarm" demo. I was more than happy to find out it wasn't a decades past band trying to relive their salad days.

During the year that has passed. I've heard very little about a band I gained an instant liking to. That was until I noticed a posting from the bands drummer Matthew Cross.

The bands sound reminds me of what would happen if Henry Rollins era Black Flag met up with New York Anarcho Punks Nausea to give Amy (Nausea) singing lessons. Though often sung in a screamo style. Ashleigh's vocals are never over the top or grinding. A trait that often makes so many screamo acts unlistenable. Though the seven songs featured on "Apocalyptic Key" are dark, somewhat dooming and ultimately, apocalyptic. A lot can be said for what's happening musically. Great leads, dark bass lines and punishing percussion more than compliment vocals that are delivered with passion and urgency. With song titles like
"Inside the Monster", "Infimary" and "Skulls". You pretty much know what you're getting in to. My advice is "dig deep and get dirty". This is definitely worth getting dirty over.
James Damion

Collapse Punk  Band Page
Bandcamp  Get it Here

LVXVRIA - Peru Punk 7' 1987 Demo

Fast moving Peruvian Hardcore Punk from the late 80's that had an immediate impact on me. Having no prior knowledge of the band and limited exposure to much south of the border punk, I had no expectations whatsoever as to what I was about to experience.
Surprisingly, despite the language barrier,
(The songs are sung and the lyrics are printed in Spanish.) this little obscurity quickly proved the notion that music has it's very own language and the powers of rage and alienation are universal.

Each of the four songs featured offer something interesting and unique with surprising elements of melody and coherent vocals that have an interesting story telling appeal to them.
While the bands sound can best be summed up as Punk. Elements of Hardcore, Psych and to go out on a limb, Folk can be felt throughout.

Being how latin influenced the New York Hardcore scene was at the time of this recording,
I can easily see LVXVRIA being well received at a
Sunday CBGB's matinee.
The simple fact that the demo itself was recorded over a quarter century ago, somehow elicits the explorer in me. I can't help but want to dig deeper into Peru's early contributions to Punk, Hardcore, Psych and beyond. Released on RockSvb records and brought to me by my favorite archivist Freddy Alva of Wardance records.
This was as much a pleasure as it was a surprise. I highly recommend giving it a spin.
James Damion

Wardance Records Comprar aquí

Looking Back; Talking Trash with Richard Oliver

(Originally posted to Unite Webzine in February of 2011. Just months before the birth of United By Rocket Science.)

For those of you in need an introduction. 
Rich is an ABC No Rio O.G.  He was there to witness the birth of many of the bands you never saw back then but worship today. He sang for 
The Manacled and Antiem and his fanzines 
Right Trash and Marching for Trash were must reads as is his blog 
The Trashman’s Disposable Reader.

When I contacted Rich about meeting up to do this interview, it wasn’t to promote a book, a new band or any specific creative endeavor of his. (Though there seem to be many) It was out of pure necessity on my part. Though I had met him more than twenty years ago, seen him at countless shows and even had brief conversations with the man. I really didn't know him at all. And to be brutally honest,
I always felt a bit uneasy around him. 

Years later, as I began to see him more at random reuinion shows and get togethers. 
I knew I wanted to change that. So early one night we met up on McDougal street to share some Spring Rolls and Báhn Mi to wipe the slate clean and start anew. For the first time in more than twenty years I got to experience his warmth, openness and sense of humor.
He was soft spoken and honest. Before I had finished half of that tasty Vietnamese sandwich. I felt myself welcoming a new friend into my life. t I had made a new friend. 
(A BFF for all you texters). James Damion

James: As we sat down to eat you asked me “Why didn’t we ever become friends back in the day?”  It’s funny you brought that up immediately. I actually wanted to address that topic in my first question. My first memories of you go back to 1989. I was selling copies of Unite outside CBGB’s  when I saw this goliath walk by with a yellow covered fanzine called
Right Trash. I almost immediately got this red light vibe from you. Not that of a bully.
It was more in the sense there was this dark aura about you, Like this menacing ogre.
I didn’t feel as if you were welcoming me into your circle.

Rich: That’s the exact image I was trying to give off back then. I was a very sad and lonely young man. A reason why I might have wound up on the lower east side during the late 80’s. You’re dead on with your description. I definitely did give off a menacing vibe. I think that I was a prototypical misfit. I’m sorry that I gave you that impression though.

James: No sorry needed. Back then there were people who welcomed you and there were people who did not. I’m just describing the vibe I got from you. We were also selling our zines on the same block of concrete. Maybe you were just marking your territory.
You used the words “Sad and Lonely”. Why did you feel that way?

Rich: (Laughing) Well, i don’t know if you noticed but I was morbidly obese at the time. I was about a hundred pounds overweight. I’ll put it this way. Having to walk down the hallways of any High School USA was not something I looked forward to. One of the reasons I sought out the sub culture we both found ourselves in. I’d agree I wasn’t giving off a peaceful vibe but it wasn’t my intention. Just the way things turned out. The way things happened to me.
The experiences I had made me that stand offish type of person who wasn’t able to trust. That’s what I was like back then. (Laughs) Now, as you can see. I’m quite well adjusted.

James: It’s funny but that first impression of you is one of the key reasons why I wanted to talk to you. Even recently when I’ve seen you at shows. I felt a sense of coldness about you. We run in the same circles and in a way this was my chance to get to know you better. To feel more comfortable with you. Both inside and outside that circle.

Rich: Awww. If I was to text you right now I’d text you a '< and a 3'. Because a '< and a 3' is a <3. Because I really appreciate that. It’s hard. I accepted, a long time ago that both you and I did not have the conventional high school experience. What we were involved with, (NYHC) for all intents and purposes was high school. You were my high school friend. Freddy Alva was my high school friend. Joe Martin from Citizens Arrest was my high school friend. I actually did go to high school with Joe but we didn’t spend a lot of time in the school itself. The people I went to actual high school with are not significant. They don’t know the things we know. They don’t know the things we did.

James: There’s that common thread that we all shared where we didn’t fit in with the kids in our schools or we weren’t getting what we needed from our families. Hardcore was a place where we fit. Even later, when people were looking forward to their High School and
College reunions. Personally, I didn’t feel any connection with those people.
But when hearing about a GO or Bad Trip reunion I’m all giddy with anticipation.
Okay, so back to you. Considering all these insecurities and issues you managed to front two short lived but very memorable bands in The Manacled and Antiem.
How did you overcome those feelings to do what you did? “Where would we be today if not for Freddy Alva? He’s like the spiritual warrior of this whole thing. He’s just such a great guy.”

Rich: It’s weird but I’ve always had this tremendous ego but incredibly low self esteem. When those two forces are going against each other it can be turned into really interesting art. Some of the greatest stuff I ever did was back then. It was just amazingly creative stuff. Imagine trying to do that again and having all these different forces coming into play now. Jobs, wives, girlfriends, rent, mortgages and more. Back in the day we were able to create this amazing stuff in a small increment of time. I just think I always had this enormous desire to be noticed. Matching that massive ago with the low self esteem and coupling it with ........ I’ve always felt I’ve been possessed with that artistic temperament where I have something to say and I’ll do anything to say it. Sometimes I wish i didn’t have it because it’s been the bane of my existence. I think my life would be so much easier if I didn’t have this desire to create. If you could just have a job, go home to watch American Idol and be happy.

James: Were you able to purge a lot of that anger and insecurity through the music?

Rich: It’s funny you ask that. I was just thinking about it as you were asking. The Manacled break up was the most foolish decision I had ever made in my life. Honestly and wholeheartedly I wish the Manacled had a slightly more substantial discography.
If we could have played maybe ten more shows because I’d be cashing in right now like nobody’s business. I just have to be honest. I think this renaissance of reunions is very crass to a lot of people but I think it’s wonderful. I really do. It’s been one of the best experiences for me over the last couple of years to see those people again.
For me personally, it all started with the Absolution  reunion in April of 2008. That night I was so absolutely happy to see all those people again. Then with the various networking websites, I was able to reconnect with so many people. It’s just incredible to see pictures of
Jason O’Toole’s (Life’s Blood) daughter and to see what you’re doing everyday. It’s just an amazing world we live in. Made better through Facebook.

James: I always had mixed feelings about the reunion circuit. There were shows that blew my mind while others resembled a Viagra infomercial.  But what it comes down to is the friendship and reconnecting with people we had lost touch with and otherwise would have no occasion to reconnect. I got to reconnect with Freddy Alva through this. Someone I met when I was seven years old, That alone makes it all worth while.

Rich: To speak about one person in particular that you just mentioned. Where would we be today if not for Freddy Alva? He’s like the spiritual warrior of this whole thing. He’s just such a great guy. I liked him a lot back in the day but since I’ve become reacquainted with him I’m just constantly reminded of what a great guy he is. There’s no pretense to Freddy.
He’s just a truly genuine guy.

James: Why would you consider The Manacled more important than Antiem?

Rich: The Manacled was really just one very fat guy and one very tall guy just picking it up and starting a band. Chalie Adamec picked up a bass guitar the same time Joe Martin did. Joe learned to play very well. Charlie not so much. It was just a beautiful thing where two kids from North Eastern Queens could start a band and be playing shows within a few weeks. We borrowed a guitarist. Borrowed a drummer and just did it. Good, bad, indifferent. It was absolutely insane to see this incredibly large man  screaming for fifteen minutes.
I’m blessed and have You Tube videos to relive those moments. Were we any better or worse than a lot of those bands from that era?  Not really. We just had much more shock value. I just wish I wasn’t such an arrogant asshole back then. If we would have just kept the band going for just a little while longer I think it really could have been a wonderful thing.

James; How did you wind up destroying the band?

Rich: I was either in Joe Martin's basement or his kitchen at his parents home in Bayside, Queens.
I was just this arrogant, pompous fool who had all these petty jealousies that some sixteen, seventeen, eighteen year old would harbor. I had the incredibly delusional idea came into my mind that I should just break off with Charlie and just start another band with  Melissa York. I wanted to break away from Hardcore. I was very much into the whole Chicago “Amphetamine Reptile” sound. I was drifting away from Hardcore and was just thinking in terms of an insane man. For lack of a better term I “broke up” with Charlie. Charlie being the laid back hippie that he was just shrugged, picked up his guitar and started
Animal Crackers with
Janis  Chakars. They went on to be quite successful while Melissa and I sort of languished in Nowheresville. Never to be heard from again. (Laughs) Actually Melissa went on to a very successful music career which included Born Against, Sugar Shack, Vitapup, The Butchies and others.

James: What do you think set your experiences apart from your days at CBGB’s to those at ABC No Rio? Up until a few minutes ago I thought we had gotten into Hardcore at the same time. I had no idea you came around so late.

Rich: Because ABC No Rio was mine. There was this stamp of ownership on it. We came, we saw, we conquered, we started it. I was there at the first show. I saw GO! practice in Mike Brombergs Father’s basement amidst his Dad’s dentistry moles. Aaron Kaufman was sitting there as was Charlie Ademac. All of us listening to De La Soul’s first album
“Three Feet High and Rising.” It was an amazing time. On a side note. To be able to admit to another person that I came in so late is something that was very hard for me to admit. Back then it was so important that you had been around for a long time. Back when I got into it in 88’/89’ I would never, ever admit I had just gotten into the scene. “Ah, no! I’ve been around since 86’/87’.”

James: Oh my God. I thought I was the only one who felt that way. I remember how guarded I was. How proud I was when I got that four year patch of honor.
Why do you think that was such a major insecurity for so many people?

Rich: Because your validity was based upon how “True” you were. Your validity was based on how long you’d been there. If you were there since 81’ you were a Buddha. Lying about when you got into Hardcore was like lying about having a girlfriend.

James: The thing that sticks in my mind most was the records. "Cause for Alarm",
"United Blood", "Thou Shalt Not Kill." Even though those records predated us by a few years.
They were the unattainable “Holy Grail”. Those records felt like ancient history.

Rich: Antidote - “Thou shalt not kill”

James: Like I said before,
My first memories of Rich Trash are from your fanzine Right Trash.
There was a certain dry wit and irony about it. How did writing help you escape from those insecurities and pain you were feeling?

Rich: That sense of humor just developed. It was how I coped until better things came along.
It was just the thing that helped me to survive and deal with the world. I became the funny man.
Sarcasm is my most eloquent language.

James: What was behind the name? It sounds so self deprecating.

Rich: The name was suggested by someone else. I originally had a co-editor who didn’t do anything at all really. He was the one that suggested the name. He said that “This music we listen to is pretty trashy. We’ll just listen to the Right Trash.” Right Trash lasted two issues.
Then came “Marching for Trash” which is a Crucifucks song. The name was perfect.
 It picked up just where I left off. It seemed like the perfect name fro a new scene and attitude.

James: You’re also a comic book nerd. What did you collect? D.C. or marvel?

Rich: Marvel, exclusively.

James: I’ve had this conversation before. I always thought the D.C. superheroes were weak.
Even as a kid they seemed to wilt when compared to those of Marvel comics.
What character in particular did you most identify with?

Rich: I loved the Hulk. He was a monster and I felt I was a monster. he just wanted to be left alone. I feel that character is deep down inside of me. He’s the guy.

James: Looking back I think that may have been the reason I never reached out to try and be your friend. There was that wall. What do you think made you become that person?

Rich: I have untold amounts of mental illness and substance abuse in my family. It’s something that’s deep in my DNA.

James: You went through some very dark times with Alcoholism yourself. What was it that sent you over the edge?

Rich: Once again, it’s that overwhelming propensity for arrogance. You have to remember. I was straightedge during my Hardcore days. When I made that decision to reject all the people I was hanging out with. I just wanted to have a new experience. Part of that was I wanted to experience all those things I was denying myself of. So it wasn’t like it got me. I went out and found it. I sought it. I wanted to experience the things I hadn’t done. “What’s this all about?”

James: What brought you out of it?

Rich: Thirty Years old and not able to make my way in this thing called life.
Desperately wanting to figure it out.

James: How did spirituality help you out of it?

Rich: I know it’s very prickly and controversial with a lot of people. Coming from a person who was so opposed to this stuff. There was no bigger proponent to the Anti-Krishna thing when that was in vogue. Sam McPhetters put it perfectly in his “Dear Jesus” Anthology.
The cover of the second issue Marching For Trash depicting the Savior of two billion people doing horrible, self gratifying things to himself. So I’m obviously coming from the opposite side of the spectrum. But when your desperate enough to do anything to get better, you will be willing to take a look at those belief systems that have not served you very well.
I desperately needed to acquire some belief systems that would work. So far, for eight years,  this has worked and I’m very happy in what I believe. It’s allowed me to have an amazing life.

James: It’s so hard for me to grasp or understand. Considering I’ve never felt God in my life. Can you tell me how this manifested itself?

Rich: I was in the hospital because I needed to be separated from the chemicals that I was addicted to. On the third day in what was for all intents and purposes was a mental hospital. I went outside in an enclosed, fenced in treatment area. It was my third day at about
6:00 AM. I’m in this area when I heard Bob Marley’s “three little birds.” I had heard that song countless times before. But when I heard that song that morning. I just knew that everything was going to be okay. I walk around this planet now. The same one I used to hate.
The place where I hated everyone. I know, since having him in my life. Everything is going to be okay. When I wanted him to come into my life. He did. Let’s just say for the sake of argument. Let’s just say that the day I die through some unseen way or reason that it didn’t really have anything to do with him or it or any power. Be it sun, moon, light....whatever. What if I find out that it really was just the power of positive thinking? You know what? That’s good enough for me.

James: With all that you’ve been through and what you’ve overcome.
Do you find it easier to love others now that you’ve started to love yourself?

Rich: My life is unbelievable. I’m a high school drop out who became a high school teacher? How is that possible? All I had to do was stop fighting the world. Was it really that easy?
I remember one of my early experiences in sobriety. I had been in the hospital for a couple of days, following the rules. After thirty years I was following the rules. After two days they came to me and said “You’re following the rules.: “You can have an extra privilege."
“You get a cigarette break.” It was like a fucking acid moment. I was like,
“You mean to tell me, all I had to do these thirty years was follow the rules and I could get free stuff?” I swear to God. It was revolutionary to me. That’s how I lived my life for thirty years. Just going against the grain. Where did it get me?

James: It’s good to see you’re on a positive path. I, myself, could learn a lot from your experience.
So forward to the present. You’re heading into the studio with Todd Lung
(former Fit of Anger drummer) to record new music. What are you doing?
Your almost forty years old? Is this sponsored by Viagra or what?

Rich: You know I had to do it. Like I told you before. That drive I have. After that Absolution show in 2008 I had just graduated college. I had gone back in 2005 for my degree in English. After that show I wanted to do something so bad. I put an ad on Craig's List. A“Old School Hardcore guy looking for...”I went through the proverbial cattle call. One guy happened to be  from Ultraviolence. But eventually, they got back together. The project became like the barstool with two legs. It just couldn’t stand up.Then I was working with another guy a year and a half ago. It was just the two of us  and we were able to make a few demos.
I just wanted to get something done. (joking)It’s just so hard because of these damn jobs getting in the way. So I sent Todd an email just before New Years. I started this whole Facebook rumor mill to create a buzz... We had our first practice a few weeks ago and we hope to see it through. We’ll see what happens. No expectations.

James:  (Joking/Gossip) Basically what you’re saying is there will be a 7 inch on Wardance records this Spring?

Rich: The good thing about this is it’s not Fit of Anger 2011. It’s not The Manacled 2011.
It’s something new and different.

The Trashman's Disposable Reader

An Interview with Chris Wynne of In Effect Hardcore

1988 was a really big year year for me. I had just graduated from High School, moved back to my old neighborhood and had managed to get a sweet apartment with Civ, Walter (Gorilla Biscuits) and Alan (Beyond). I had a good job,
a somewhat dependable motor vehicle and had immersed myself in the New York Hardcore Scene. Fanzines like New Breed, The Village Noize, Yes Zista and my zine Unite documented a music culture that was so underground, you risked breaking a sewer main every time you went to a show. It was the year In Effect fanzine released it's first issue. During two decades and twelve issues In Effect Fanzine covered the NYHC scene with a fervor and dedication not seen since or before. After resurrecting Unite Fanzine as a web presence in 2008.  I met up with Chris and talked about old times and in particular In Effect. At the time, it seemed that a return to glory wasn't in the cards. Fast forward four years and In Effect Hardcore is back with the same dedication, determination and hard headedness he's always brought to the table. I recently had a chance to catch up with Chris again . Here's what transpired. James Damion


James: What made you decide to bring back In Effect after all this time?

Chris: The actual making or production and distribution of the printed zine was a time killer. Everything involved from the interviews to gathering info from the bands, checking the
PO Box and mailing out promos etc… time consuming beyond belief. I loved doing it all but after 12 issues it really burnt me out. I saw a website as an easier way to do this in that there is no physical product to go out and have to drop off or sell or hold on to a consignment sheet for months while the store sells what you gave them. I saw a commercial for a web server pushing a very easy to use way to make your own website and the wheels in my head started turning. Once that starts it is all over as I get very determined once I want to do something. That is just the way I am wired and probably the reason why I will burn myself out down the road as well.

James: With your history and reputation I can imagine there was a lot of excitement and buzz involved.

Chris: I initially did not want to call it In Effect. I didn’t want to be looked at like a re-union band in a way. Being old and not as good as you used to be!  (LOL) I wanted a fresh start and if it ended up looking like crap it would be easier to walk away and it wouldn’t have messed with what In Effect had accomplished already. I couldn’t come up with any good names since almost every dot com name you can think of is already taken and on advice of some friends caved in and decided to use In Effect. Even that was taken so I became In Effect Hardcore. The first 2 weeks saw 3600 visitors to the site which is pretty good considering my advertising is me posting on Facebook and handing out In Effect stickers at shows from time to time. We just hit our 5 month mark as an up and running site and we are closing in on 32K visitors. That number to me is pretty impressive and I never thought it would get that kind of response when I started.

James: You have an excellent group of contributors adding content to the site. How did you go about seeking out the core contributors?

Chris: When the site went up and running it was just me and my wife Bridget who knows her way around a computer a lot better than me. I did the writing and she did the layout.
Things that surprised me are that there have not been that many submissions by bands or labels of things to review. I almost have to chase them to send new releases and the other part of that is the labels hardly ever send physical content. Everything is digital downloads which saves them a ton of money in shipping. Anyway, for writers I got Freddy Alva who got me my start as a zine dude when we both worked on his New Breed Zine
back in 1773 (Jokes), Brett Hardware who was one half of Hardware Zine, a very well put together and informative zine out of NJ, Tim Edwards from the UK  who contacted me via email saying he would like to contribute and backed it up by doing great reviews each time and Brian White who is a local scenester who books shows here on LI, takes photographs at shows, and has done a few reviews, a good guy to have around and has a lot of contacts since he helps books shows with Howie Fightback. Jason Patton from Jersey is another contributor but doesn’t write. He is an old school fan of the zine and takes photos at like every show. He has provided some great updates in that he goes to a show and at 4am I will get 40 pics from a show that just ended and within an hour of me waking up there is an update of a Bold re-union show that just ended maybe 8 hours earlier. That is one aspect of a website that blows away the printed version of the zine. These folks that I mentioned plus a gang of photographers from all over make In Effect tick these days.

James: When you set out did you have a grasp of how many of the bands you were covering twenty years ago were still active or even making new records?

Chris: Yup, most definitely. A misconception from some of my friends is that I was not into this music after I stopped doing the zine. After I stopped doing the printed zine I actually enjoyed everything more because I could just relax and not listen to an album with my mind thinking about what I wanted to write in a review. I applaud the bands that get back together and write new music and question the ones that get back and just play their old songs over and over.

James: When we spoke last you mentioned how much stress and pressure you put on yourself in the days when you were working on the zine. How you became this lunatic when it came closer to printing each issue. Has that changed being online now? or are you still the head case you were back then?

Chris Wynne and Nick B. (Grandpa) Back in the day

Chris: It is easier doing In Effect this way, no doubt. I love that I have nothing to sell. My overhead costs are the webserver fees which are not much and I made a shitload of the old In Effect “Grandma” logo stickers which I mail out for free to other countries for friends to hand out where they live… That’s about it so it is stress free on that end. There are no deadlines in the hardcore community. You send a band questions for an interview and they may or may not answer you 2, 3, 4 months later? Some things never change and it has been like that for as long as I have been into this stuff. “Our 7” will be out in 3 weeks” and there you are 8 months down the road and you see it come out. I personally need to get some of that mentality in me to do this long term. My work ethic is one where if I am not doing something to make the zine/site move forward then I am being lazy in my mind. I am still a head case and the head case will be let out of the cage eventually. I see myself burning out again eventually and making a comeback 10 years later well into my 50’s. (LOL) I will still listen to the Breakdown demo in my 50’s by the way.

James: What kind of goals and expectations do you have in bringing it back?

Chris: The expectations are the same with when I started doing the printed zine and that is to help bands and help the hardcore music scene. Everyone knows the big name bands and I like to help the smaller bands even more. I am a huge fan of No Redeeming Social Value and have helped them in the zine over the years and they have always thanked me and told me how much mail they would get saying people read about them in my zine. To me that is why I do this. I see a band and ask why more people aren’t into that particular band and I try to make it change and get their name out there more. The new name now is BroLoaf from Arizona. Look ‘em up, they have Todd Hamilton from District 9, Warzone and are really good. As far as goals go it’s just what I can come up with on the fly, I haven’t changed much. The website has been fun to put up and see the reaction and as long as it is fun I will keep it going and hopefully along the way people reading it find some new bands, some new music and maybe some of the readers will start their own site, maybe a zine and keep this hardcore shit going for years to come.

James: I feel as if the dye is set. Good luck brother.

In Effect Hardcore

"Demo-Lition" Opening Night Images and Thoughts

Last night Freddy Alva and Eric Wielander celebrated the opening of their installment of the "Demo-Lition" Exhibit with a packed house at the East Village's L'Asso. Featured were a collection of demos and demo art from the colorful 80's, early 90's Hardcore and Punk scene. Featured were demos from such classic bands as The Cro-mags, Breakdown, Violent Children, Sheer Terror, Born Against, NYC Mayhem, Youth of Today and many, many more. The entire show was put together with the greatest of care and looked impressive to say the very least. There were also demo art from many of Hardcore's the less than household names including Our Gang, All For One and Stand Proud. Some of the demos were accompanied by anecdotes by the bands. Something that added a especially personal touch to the whole affair.

Stand Proud guitarist Andrew Monseratte also created the cover  for Unite Fanzine's 2nd issue.

Familiar faces that included Rich Derespina and Ed Sayago (All For One), Hobi & Carol Klapuri and Lew Dimmick (Our Gang), Al Gaydos (Dog Tired, The Deviators), Brian Musikoff (Stuyvesant) and
Eric McGuire made my intention of stopping by for a few minutes to sticking around for a few hours. Running into John Hiltz (Born Against, GreyHouse) after almost twenty years and talking about his infamous basement shows was one of many highlights of my night. Congratulations to Eric & Freddy for a job well done. The work and thought that went into this really showed.  Now get your ass down to  L'Asso's before it's gone.
James Damion

Al & Brian 

Left to Right; Eric, Kristine, Brian

Left to Right; Hobi, John, Rich 

New Breed Tape Compilation - CD/Vinyl Re-issue

Sometimes it takes a little time to really allow the epic nature of a release wash over you before putting your two cents in .         The New Breed Compilation is without a doubt the best example I can site. The fact that I've been friends with the comps creator since grade school and was present when some of the bands excitedly submitted their tracks and artwork when the original project in 1989 started taking shape didn't allow for much of a bipartisan review. The truth of the matter is this long over due re-issue has more than lived up to the excitement that it's resurfacing had created.

Originally released to in 1989. The New Breed Tape Compilations legend far overshadowed the scant 700 copies that were released. At the time New York Hardcore seemed to be arriving at its Mount Everest of creativity. Freddy Alva and Chaka Malik (Burn, Orange 9mm) were able to coral the NYHC's  best and brightest names along with some of it's most promising prospects. When comparing to the many to the recorded documents of NYHC at the time, New Breed fits nicely between Revelation Records "The Way it is" and Blackout's "Where the Wild Things Are". Pretty good company if you ask me.

After more than twenty years of bootlegs, reminiscing and talk the original cassette compilation has been officially resurrected and remastered on both CD digi pack and Vinyl for the first time. 

Highlighted by tracks from Absolution, Beyond, Breakdown, Life's Blood, Outburst and Raw Deal. The comp also features upstarts such as Collapse, (one of my favorites) Discipline and Fit of Anger.

Available as a CD digipac and vinyl. Bonus tracks from All for One and Life's Blood (live) and an almost haunting sound bite from CBGB's Dennis the Bouncer. (A man who once banned me from CBGB's for excessive stage diving.) This is a piece of our history. If you were there you were very lucky to be a part of something unique. If you weren't but still love Hardcore music this is a chance to see how us old men used to dish it out. I was lucky enough to be personally handed #1 of 200 limited edition airbrushed "Wild Style" Vinyl version. It was a moment I will not soon forget. James Damion

Wardance Records  Buy it Here

Freddy Alva shares his thoughts on the upcoming Re-Issue of the New Breed Compilation.

In 1989 Freddy Alva and 
Chaka Malik of New Breed Fanzine unleashed an epic tape compilation that featured an astounding 
thirty-five songs from twenty of 
New York's very best established and up and coming Hardcore acts. After more than twenty years, a fair share of bootlegs and a very active Facebook page dedicated to it's memory; Freddy's recently reborn label is giving it a much deserved and proper re-issue. (For those of you that just went on Ebay to find a tape recorder, not to worry. The re-issue will be available in both Vinyl and CD formats.) As the days to it's release near I got in touch with my old friend to share some thoughts on the epic nature of it's release. Here's what he had to share. James Damion


James: There's been a lot of nostalgia and bootlegs regarding New Breed through the years. When did the decision to make it official happen?

Freddy: I've been thinking about doing a proper reissue for a while, ever since putting it up as a free download in '08. I felt that the compilation deserved a better fate than just an MP3 download & even though I included tons of memorabilia on the website/facebook page for the comp; an actual physical release would put it in its proper context. This all happened to coincide with me re-starting my old label up again. I decided to bring an old friend, Ryan Sikorski from Lush Life, in on the project. 
I wouldn't feel comfortable with anybody else but us doing it, not that I'm a control freak, but this had to done just right. Myself & the people that worked on it, knew that we had to get a certain look & feel to it & I think we did justice to it: the final product is a fitting tribute to how NYHC (& our youth) was in the late '80s.


James: What about the choice to make it a vinyl release?

Freddy: From day one vinyl was the preferred format. Another old friend, Daryl Kahan (who sang for a band on the comp), did an incredible re-mastering job that begged for analog reproduction, so the Lp format was the way to go. He also did an amazing layout for the Lp & Cd. We are including the original full-size 20-page booklet that came with the tape plus a photo collage/liner notes. It all just looks better full-size, not to take anything away from the digipak cd version, but the lp will also include 4 extra tracks not on the original comp plus a "surprise" voice over from a CBGB's regular that some of you might remember.


James: Had there been any other label interest along the way? Or was this a Wardance release from its inception?

Freddy: Several labels approached me in the past couple of years about putting it out, but to be honest, 
I just couldn't give this up to anyone else. Something that is, for all intents & purposes, my baby. 
I know how to put out records & luckily I found the backing to fund this project, along with the technical know-how from good friends to do a quality release. Ryan Lush Life is incredibly supportive, he basically said: "Freddy, this is your vision & we'll do whatever it takes [or costs) to get it done". This whole thing is costing a pretty penny, but the end result far outweighs the decision not to outsource the compilation to any other label.


James: Will Chaka Malik be involved in any way?

Freddy: I got in touch with Chaka about 3 years ago about my plans to put up the comp for download & a possible reissue somewhere down the line. He was cool with the website/download, but was hesitant with the reissue. His argument being of how hard would it be to track down all the bands for approval & how will they be compensated plus the logistics of dealing with a record label; his past major label involvement (being in a band that got signed) had soured him on the whole music business. I let it go at the time, but then at the beginning of the year, when it looked like I could realistically do the LP. I sent him an e-mail refuting all his doubts: 1) I am in touch with all the bands on the comp, they are all more than enthusiastic for the thing to come out. 2) I'll make sure everyone on the comp gets a copy 3) I am putting it out so the buck stops with me. I got his new e-mail, through a mutual friend, & sent him my reasonings. I never heard back , so I can assume he doesn't care/is ok with it or he never received my e-mail. I sure hope it's the former, as he was the co-creator of the comp back in '88. Hopefully we'll be in touch soon & I can send him copies of this testament to an incredible time & place that we were lucky to be a part of.


James: Are all the original tracks going to be featured? 
Any new surprises ?

Freddy: All the original 35 songs are re-mastered on the Lp & Cd. The only difference is that the Lp will have 4 extra tracks: 2 by All For One, a band that was supposed to be on the comp, who says you can't rewrite the past? as well as 2 live tracks from Life's Blood with Sean Murphy singing @CBGB's in '88. As well as the aforementioned "surprise" voice-over. We are also doing an alternate silk-screened Lp cover (200 made) with the New Breed logo in Wild Style graffiti letters.


James: How hard was it to track down all of the bands? Were their any permission or legal issues involved?

Freddy: Like I said earlier, I am in touch with all the bands, at least 1-2 members of each band. I talked to Bill Willson from Blackout records, who's a lawyer now, about his opinion on if I should get contracts or any other legalities drawn up. He basically said that is such a minimal pressing (1,200 lp's/ 1,000 cd's) & I am doing everything out in the open; there's no need at this level to do any of that stuff. The whole thing is costing a lot of money, of course we hope to recoup, but the main thing is that it comes out the way we envisioned it.


James: Aside from Wardance, how will you be distributing the record?

Freddy: Right now, the 2 main distributors that we'll be dealing with is Revelation Records & Phantasm Imports. Mailorder will be through Wardance & Lush Life. The postage is gonna be ridiculous to send a 2X12" plus 20-page booklet, especially to Europe, so we are encouraging people to get it wholesale from those distributors. I can also do smaller quantities, so any DIY distributors can contact me.


James: Judging from the fact that the New Breed comp was basically launched due to your wanting to do something with the band Absolution. Will Wardance be releasing their future LP?

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Freddy: Well, I can thank Absolution for (once) again inspiring me. Their '08 reunion shows encouraged me to start talking about the comp, then putting it up online, starting my record label up again... all the way to what we're talking about now, the reissue. They are in the midst of recording an Lp now for a really cool label, don't know if I'm supposed to mention the name, but you'll hear all about it once it's ready. I talked to them about the possibility of doing a 7" with new songs & they're into it, but now all the focus is on the upcoming Lp. I would be more than honored to do the 7", especially since recently interviewing Djinji & Gavin for the upcoming New Breed documentary that I'm working on with my friend John Woods. It's amazing how they can put everything in perspective, about things that happened 20-odd years ago, & the impact it had on our lives. Everything we're doing is not retro or nostalgia 'cause it comes from a place that's real. Djinji had a great quote when I saw him last: "Those days were great, I don't want to live in the past, but it's good to know we can revisit them & take what we need for the persons we are today".


James: You mentioned John Woods and the documentary. How did that opportunity come along? Who are some of the people you talked to? When can we expect the doc to be issued. Do you plan on having a screening at John's Nitehawk Cinema?


Freddy: The New Breed Documentary came about from talking to John Woods about having a record release party at his newly opened cinema in Brooklyn called Nitehawk. He suggested: "why don't we throw some live footage from the bands on the comp up on the screen?". That quickly escalated into hey, why don't we interview some of the band members that are still around & people that participated in the scene at that time. At present, we're trying to make a full-fledged documentary incorporating the interviews/live footage/photo & flyer collages plus a narration. Kinda ambitious, but we're trying to edit a workable rough cut to screen for people. The plan is that if we can get some backing down the line, we'll aim for a professional DVD release.

We did about 12 interviews so far with people like Djinji Brown, Gavin Van Vlack, Dave Stein, Carl Killing Time, Brendan Bad Trip, Bill from Blackout Records, Chris in Effect 'zine plus 5 others. It's a good mix of people that played on the comp back then, some did record ran labels/fanzines or just hung out & supported the scene in those times. We got some great material & I don't think there's been a NYHC documentary that's so specific to the years of '87 to '89. I know there's footage from the early 80's scene around & there's a NY documentary from the mid-90's. I think this illuminates an era that for many was a key turning point when CBGB's stopped having HC matinees & the scene splintering into various factions, at which point many people started choosing sides or left the scene altogether.

We were hoping for a mid-November screening date, but the reality of doing hours of editing while holding down full-time jobs/family obligations has revealed itself. We are trying just get it done & not stress out about a deadline. Like I said earlier, it will be a rough cut, until we can the find proper backing; hint, hint! Irregardless, we are committed to see this through; the stuff we've shot is golden & deserves to be preserved & documented. Once everything is in place, we will have the screening at Nitehawk Cinemas with Guest DJ's/Record Giveaways/Drink specials like the Raw Deal Dirty Martini or the Life's Blood Orange Mimosa! Keep an eye out for the invite on Facebook….


Wardance Records  Order Here
New Breed Tape Compilation  Facebook Page


Related Interviews:
My Rifle Interview
The Return of Wardance Records
Freddy Alva