I was trolling the aisles of my somewhat local record store the other day when my eyes were drawn to a vaguely familiar name on a very nondescript looking EP priced suspiciously lower than the small gathering of
7 inch records in the stores racks. Whether or not it was the discounted price or odd familiarity that had me take it to the counter along with my much anticipated vinyl reissue of Leeway's "Born To Expire" is unbeknownst to me. I was quickly reminded later that night that it was the band my Hoboken friend Adriano Garcia was fronting with old band mates from the 90's Hardcore act Against the Grain.
The opener "Not Tonight" doesn't really serve as a very good introduction to what turns out to be a generally good first offering from these old timers . "Transporting " follows authoritatively upping the skill level while ranking as my favorite of the five offerings. With "Controllable" following as a close second. Dead Blow Hammer's sound runs in the "Loud Fast Rules" territory of Hardcore. Yet still finds room for some mid paced fun in it's two plus minute warnings.
While Dead Blow Hammer didn't grab me initially. A few thorough listens had me finding more and more to like, appreciate and ultimately win me over. The bass lines of Kabula (Cause For Alarm, Agnostic Front) and the out of the box vocal charge of Mr. Garcia really put their hooks in me. Ultimately, serving serving as the EP's most distinguishing elements. And as I find myself losing interest in Hardcore. It's bands like
Dead Blow Hammer that bring me back due to a slightly different approach and delivery that keep me returning to the fold. James Damion Order it Here
Though New Jersey's contributions to Hardcore often lie in the shadows of
New York's storied history. The garden state's contributions to the genre are just as colorful and numerous as that of their neighbor to the east. While bands like Adrenalin O.D., Underdog, Hogans Heroes, Supertouch, Turning Point, Lifetime and The Bouncing Souls immediately come to mind. Vision was one of the first that connected with me on more than one level. While the band would rightfully find it's place amongst the many NY/NJ Hardcore matinee in the 80's, 90's and beyond.. It was their D.C. / Dag Nasty hooks and melodies that I found inspiring. Decades after I got my first taste of Vision at a CBGB's Sunday matinee. I'm still stuck on those hooks, break and rhythms. In the handful of times I've seen them in recent years. They've never made me regret gassing up the car and making the trip south.
A band that, without a doubt, has stood the test of time.
Debuting the new feature "United By Images" with Vision makes a lot of sense to me.
Having grown up in New York and eventually moving to New Jersey. In some weird way,
I feel I've come full circle. James Damion "You never thought about the consequences. You never thought at all. I never thought you'd be the one to ever take the fall." Falling Apart
Ever since our favorite watering hole and go to place for music Maxwell's closed. Shows in Hoboken have been few and far between. While DC's and Northern Soul offer a place for local musicians to play. They don't seem to come remotely close to what the aforementioned club provided week and week after week. So when I heard that an all ages show was taking place just around the corner from me. I was more than happy to take a walk up that hill to the scenic grounds of Stevens Institute of Technology. Though I had heard about shows taking place there in the past. I never had the chance to attend. My first impressions of 1 Castle Hill Rd. were very good ones. A large, open room with lofty ceilings and plenty of room for the bands, merch tables and lounging. The music of Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbox and other favorites washed over the speakers before the show started and everyone in the vicinity of the building seemed open and friendly. $10 dollars at the door and an X on my hand and I was ready for anything. Here's how the night progressed. James Damion
Loose Ends opened the night and impressed
everyone in attendance. With the size of the room being as large as it was. It was good to see so many people within spitting distance of the band. This was my first taste of this New Jersey Hardcore band. They've got a seven song EP available on Bandcamp available.
Aside from that, I couldn't find much info.
Just prior to the shows late start I bumped into the singer for Brain Slug. At the time, he seemed to be one of the only people in the room old enough to speak to without getting the cuffs put to me. The bands name quickly reminded me of that old smuckers jelly commercial. "With a name like Brain Slug, they have to be good." If that wasn't the understatement of the week, I got nothin' for ya son. Talk about taking things to a new level. As I stood there, I couldn't help but think it might be too early in the show for a band to be this good. The truth is they were. These Noo Yawkers raised the bar pretty high. They even greased it up a bit for anyone that followed. Intense stuff.
I downloaded their two song EP fromBandcamp this morning. It more than put the fire in this old mans belly. I really can't wait to hear more from this band. It's good to know they're close enough to keep tabs on.
Living Laser, one of the two bands I had any prior knowledge to followed. I first learned about the band from co-blogger Dave G. and his positive reviews. Needless to say, they were one of the key reasons I decided to show up that might. From the first chord to the last note, the band, led by lead singer who can best be described as a human catapult. Forget the trampoline. Jay is his own rocket launcher. The band quickly exceeded my already lofty expectations while leaving me physically exhausted. If Living Laser ever decide to change their name.
I think "Lightning in a "Bottle would be a good choice. In recent years, my experience with Hardcore shows has almost exclusively involved the forty plus crowd. Getting the chance to see a current band as good as these guys convinces me that there's more to the genre than nostalgia and reunions.
Altered Boys, another band I grew fond of through a couple of EP's I pulled from the Grave Mistake Records catalog. One of the intriguing element of Grave Mistake and Sorry State records is that so many of their releases and bands carry somewhat of a mysterious anonymity about them. It's always an added bonus when you can put a face on a band you like by seeing them live. The band delivers a wide array of noise and debauchery. From straight Hardcore to more dark dissonant sounds. The bands sound covers a lot of ground. Lead singer Geoff made the most of the rooms space while engaging the crowd and welcoming the crowd to sing along. Getting to see them live for the first time gave me a sense of closure while opening the doors for future opportunities to catch them live.
As Altered Boys finished their set. I thought of heading home. Tired, hungry and a bit battered. My tank was low. Luckily, a trip to the bathroom for some fresh air was enough fuel to get the engine restarted. Within minutes, it was time for Lovechild to do their thing. Just prior to their set I caught a glimpse of the band and thought to myself. "These guys are quite fashionable." "Could they possibly be that good a band." Thankfully, this Boston area band sound even better than they look. Insanely good Hardcore Punk with an energy and emotive feel that won me over instantly. Throughout their set I found myself hoping they had a ton of EP's at the merch table and were already planning a geographical move to my area code. An inspiring band in every sense of the word. They served as a reward for "Best decision to stick around."
Closing out the night were Code Orange Kids. It had been one of those perfect nights where the energy and momentum grew with each set. an all inclusive event where the crowd ignored the common practices of creating a self imposed force field between themselves and the band. Pennsylvania's Code Orange Kids made their trip north an unforgettable one. The band delivers a raw Hardcore sound that can easily be compared to Black Flag's earliest days. An added metal infusion that immediately had me thinking of one of my favorite bands Kylesa. The band didn't close the show as much as they shut it down. Considering what an amazing night it already was. Code Orange Kids set was one of epic proportions. One that will most likely stay with me for years to come. Thanks to all the people and bands for convincing me I'm definitely not too fucking old for this shit.
Until next time. James Damion
Underdog got their start like so many Hardcore bands at the time. Through a conversation between two friends outside CBGB’s. Richie (Youth of Today guitarist) and Russ (an original member of Murphy’s Law) were the glue. They named the band True Blue before ultimately changing it to Underdog. In 1985 they released their self titled 7 inch on New Beginning records. The four song EP became an instant classic and sent a strong message that mediocrity would no longer be the norm in the genre.. Their full length “The Vanishing Point” still stands as one of the great musical achievements of it’s time. Mixing Hardcore with accents of Reggae and Dub. Lyrics ranging from the personal “Vanishing Point” to the sociopolitical “No Matter What”. They were one of those incredible bands that in a sense stood out and transcended the genre. I interviewed the band outside of CBGB’s after what would be Arthur Smilios’ (Gorilla Biscuits, Token Entry etc.)
last performance with the band. Looking back I realize I did a pretty shitty interview that day. Take into consideration I was high as a kite when I did this. Not the smartest thing to be when you’re about to interview one of your favorite bands. The interview would appear in the first issue of Unite.James Damion
James: Why is Arthur leaving the band?
Arthur: (shrugs) Why is Arthur leaving the band?
Russ: Like the guy on the oatmeal commercial says, “It’s the right thing to do.”.
Arthur: The truth is I don’t know.
James: Can you tell me about the recent tour you went out on?
Richie: We did a tour with
Agent Orange and Scream across the country to California. We played in Tijuana with Soulside. Some of our best shows were in Green Bay, Chicago, Kansas City.
Russ: Detroit was good. Seven people showed up. (Insert sarcasm)
Richie: We just started in the Mid West. Went to the West Coast and played a few shows on the way back. It was kind of an abbreviated tour.
James: Do the scenes out there differ much from here in New York? Russ: More Pickets.
Dean: Less Pitbulls
Richie: More people saying, “Y’all are good.”
James: How many songs do you have in your set now?
Richie: Thirteen or Fourteen.
James: Are you playing any covers?
Russ: We haven’t played in a while but it usually varies. We’re going to come up with some new ones. We used to do a Negative Approach cover. Today we did Pressure Drop by the Clash.
James: I heard you had a record deal and a new album on the way.
What's happening?
Richie: The record label was supposed to be bought out by another record company and it didn’t happen so they folded. We’re talking to a lot of labels. Our future plans are to just record the album. It’s going to be called “Over the Edge.”
James: How did the show go for you today considering the bouncers were controlling the stage and not allowing people to stage dive?
Richie: I’ll tell you something. Even after all that happened today, Dennis (infamous CBGB’s bouncer) came up to me and said that we’re his favorite band. He thinks we’re great and he wants a copy of our live off the board tape. He’s not as bad as everyone thinks he is. The bouncers were a little bit better then they have been in the past. No one got punched or anything.
James: From your experience touring, how would you compare the issues with violence at shows with that of New York City?
Russ: I’d say that other towns have a bigger problem with violence at shows than we have here.
James: How has the band changed since the seven inch?
Richie: It’s gotten better.
James: I heard Ernie Parada (Token Entry) was playing with the band for a stretch. How did that go?
Richie: He just filled in for a couple of shows. He did a great job.
James: What ever happened to your old drummer?
Russ: He moved to Florida. He’s in a band called the Doldrums.
James: What bands and styles have had the most influence on Underdog and your sound?
Richie: It’s really hard to answer that question. We’re into so many different types of music.
There’s really no handful of bands we can mention.
James: What situations influence what you write and sing about?
Richie: I try not to get too specifically political. I write songs about whatever is disturbing me. Whatever is moving me or inspiring me. Each song is completely unique.
They’re not written to any specific format.
(At this time Uncle Al from Murphy’s Law sticks his head in to say hello. A strange sound creeps up from Russ’s belly to his throat and makes the van smell of sausage and beer.)
James: What’s next for Underdog.
Richie: I don’t know. Let me look into my crystal ball.
James: There have been a lot of rumors circulating that your breaking up.
Russ: No, we’re just going to record our album.
Foreward; Underdog still play the occasional show. Richie has reformed Into Another.
While Russ fronts the band huge. They both have a show at Brooklyn's St. Vitus.
The bands anthology 'Matchless' and their self titled 7 inch are available at Bridge 9 .
Go scoop it up. James Damion
Born out of the ashes of the band Suspect. Review Here
New Jersey's Ratnip follow a similar musical path while kicking up the musicianship a notch or two. 'Done More On Less'
the bands debut full length delivers twelve songs of guitar driven Punk with elements of Hardcore thrown in here and there.
The instrumental 'This Quality of this Record is Suspect' introduces the album promisingly enough. While 'Big Hooker, Little Room', 'Beer, Food, Dudes', and '973' highlight the record while informing the listener that Ratnip isn't looking to change the world. There are some really good guitar leads, riffs and bass lines on here but I can't help but feel as if I've heard them before. And while 'Done More on Less' definitely has it's moments, overall it doesn't do much to separate itself from the pack or to leave any lasting impression. James Damion
New Jersey's Emotive Drive were a hardcore band that got their start in the late 1980’s and released an 8 song demo in 1989. The band played with acts such as Supertouch and Cause for Alarm at long gone venues such as Connecticut's Anthrax and NYC's legendary CBGB's. At the time, they were a personal favorite of mine, having appeared in my fanzine Unite. I still have the bands WNYU and WNYU's
Crucial Chaos sets along with the two tracks they were to contribute to the "Unite" compilation back in 1990.
For now, you can go to their Bandcamp page and download this 8 song demo for free. They also provide a brief history of the band and it's members.
Go check it out. James Damion
If you're reading this, and I'm sure you are. You most likely know Brian Macko. The former frontman for World Indifference and Voice Or No Voice has been a mainstay on the New York and New Jersey Hardcore scene for ages. Whether he's on stage, in the pit showing his support to his favorite bands during a sing along or at the bar raising his glass to good times and good friends. You can count on Macko and his 6'6 frame to be in the middle of it all. In 2010 we lost one of the good guys when Brian and his beautiful wife moved to South Florida is search of opportunity and a better life. Brian recently returned north for a visit. I was still recovering form surgery and sadly missed out on seeing him when Supertouch played Kearny Irish. I did however manage to send him some questions to see just how well he's adjusted to living in the Florida sun and what he misses most about the Dirty Jerz. Special thanks to Ken Salerno for contributing the amazing shots. I think they more than show off Brian's energy and personality. His contribution to the blog is immeasurable.James Damion
James:
You recently made it up to see Supertouch at Kearny Irish. Was that the key
reason for your visit?
Brian:
Actually, that wasn’t the key reason why I came up to visit, but probably
ranked number three on the list. The main reason that I came up to the Jersey
and NYC area was to go to one of my childhood friend’s wedding reception. He
and his wife live out in Albuquerque New Mexico, so that weekend was the first
time that I
have seen them since they left two years ago. The second reason that I came up
was to see my family, since family has always been a big part of my life while
growing up. The one family member that I made it a point to go and pay a visit
to was my Aunt Martha. The justification of why that I made it a point to go
and see her was just a couple of weeks ago she was admitted into a nursing
home/rehabilitation center located down in the Lower East side. She is the only
other member in my family that has the same hereditary eye disease that I have. This woman has endured such a hard life through countless medical trials and
tribulations starting with her vision loss thirty-seven years ago. Now at the
age of 60 years old, for she is confined to a wheelchair, and is still legally
blind, but still she has that PMA (Positive Mental Attitude).
James:
Do you have fears about the future, with your own sight and not being able to
live as you're already accustomed to? If so, How do you look at it and how do
you deal with the aspects?
Brian: I
lost my vision back in 2001 due to a disease called Leber Hereditary Optical
Neuropathy (LHON). My vision has pretty much stayed the same since
then,
so I really don’t fear myself losing more vision, and this is because
this disease is dormant.
It’s not supposed to progressively get
worse, but you never know what life hands you.
I mean I could walk
out the door tomorrow and get hit by a car, or get clubbed in the head by a
blunt object, and from there I could lose all my vision due to multiple
detached retinas.
What I am pretty much saying is that I try to live
every day “Day by Day.”
There are a couple of things that I learned
after I lost my vision. I now learned that I judge people for who
they are, and not what they look like, and that shit also just comes along with
maturity. I have also realized in my life that there is always
someone else out there that has it much worse off than me, so that self pity
shit doesn’t apply to me anymore, and this is because I have had this vision
impairment for the last ten years. I mean don’t get me wrong there
are days that I get so frustrated that my vision impairment doesn’t allow me to
do certain things, but then again I realize that it is not the end of the
world.
One of the big positives of
living down here in South Florida is there is a place called the Bascon Palmer
Eye Institute, and this place is the only place that is doing research on my
eye disease. They are doing a study which includes a battery of eye
tests, blood work, and questioning the individual who has the LHON
gene. I got involved in this study last January, and went back for
my second visit last July. I am not getting my hopes up too high
thinking that I am going to get my vision back, but I am keeping my fingers
crossed.
The one thing that I could say about how this vision
impairment has changed my outlook on life is that I have become much more
positive, for I mean I use to be a miserable prick when I had my vision, and
now I am a much more positive person.
James:
How good was it seeing old friends and band mates, one of which was playing
with Supertouch?
Brian: It
was amazing to see all my friends. I got to chill with Mikey Marmo
(played
bass in Voice or no voice) three out of the six days that I was up, so that was
mad cool.
I
didn’t get to hang with
Jon Biviano (guitar in Supertouch/Voice or no voice)
all that much, but was mad psyched to see him play the shit out of that guitar.
There was also another ex-band mate from
World Indifference that actually put
on the show and his name is Ed “Ox” Occhipinti
(also owns and tattoos at Jinx
Proof Tattoo), and it was really good shooting the shit with him since we
really haven’t done that in years. I was extremely stoked to see Alf Bartone
(lead vocals in Ex Number Five/The Fire Still Burns and now
plays bass in Damn
This Desert Air), for it was the first time that I caught their whole set, and
that shit was mad powerful. Last but certainly not least, getting to see
Caught
in a Trap was definitely a treat, and this is because playing so many shows
with those guys, and seeing them play that night brought back so many memories
of Voice or no Voice. It’s pretty funny that when you look at the Caught in a
Trap guys at face value, for you would think here’s a bunch of scary tough guys
from Queens, but in actuality they are just a bunch of nice tough guys from
Queens that play in an amazing band. Overall, the show was a success for me
since I got to see many people
that
I haven’t seen in such a long time, so a big thanks goes out to Ox and Scott
Mayers for putting on the show.
James:
Were you at all surprised or disappointed about Andy no longer playing with
Supertouch?
Brian:
Am I surprised that Andy is not playing in Supertouch? The answer to
that one is “No comment.” I am sorry, but I am not going to be the one
that explains why Andy is not playing in Supertouch, for that question should
be answered by Andy.
Now, you asked if I am disappointed that Andy
is no longer playing in Supertouch, and the answer to that one is
“Yes.” I always like to see bands with their original members, and
this is because the original members’ flavor is so pure to the original
sound. I mean don’t get me wrong Dean on Bass, and Rich on drums are
doing an amazing job, but it is just a totally different dynamic. Andy
is a tremendous drummer, and an incredible person, so I knew it wouldn’t be
long before he was playing in another band. I was lucky enough to
see Andy play in the legendary NYHC band Absolution at the Black N Blue Bowl
this past year.
He sounded awesome like always, and I can’t wait to
hear the new stuff that they recorded.
James:
Should we start expecting more frequent trips up North in the future?
Brian:
I really can’t give you a solid answer on that one, and that is because if I am
able to attain a job in the very near future, for then I won’t make it up as
much as I want to.
I would totally want to make it up as much as possible, but
financial restraints are what keep me down here. It’s weird, if I have no job
then I have no money and tons of time. If I have a job then I have the money
but no time to do anything. So, all I could say is we will take it as it comes.
James:
Tell me about the move and what prompted you to move where a lot of people go
to die.
Brian:
Well, the actual move took place on 10/20/10 at 7:00am in the morning. My wife
and I got on the road at 7:00am in the morning to head down to Virginia, and
this was because we had to check in with Amtrak’s auto train at noon. We
arrived on time to check in, and get some food; in addition we were able to
rest up a little bit before getting on the train. The train actually left at
4:00 pm, and
by 5:30 pm we found ourselves drinking some Sam Adams beers in the lounge
car. We
were served dinner at 7:00 pm which wasn’t all that good, but it did suffice to
fill me up for the time being. Dinner was over for us at 8:00pm, so that pretty
much meant that we were headed back to our seats for a ten hour toss and turn
type of sleep in these undersized train chairs. These chairs weren’t really
that undersized, but for my 6 foot 6 inch ass everything seems to be
undersized. The last call for breakfast was at 7:00am, and that is when we
decided to get our aching asses down to the dining car. Again, the meal they served
was not memorable, but did serve its purpose to fill me up.
Now,
after breakfast we had a little bit of time to rest until we arrived in Sanford
Florida at 9:00 am. Once we got off the train and into our car, for we had a
bright idea to call our travel agent back in New Jersey. We asked her to book
us five days at Disney World since we were only a town away and also because
the moving company that we used wouldn’t be down in South Florida for another
ten days. We arrived in our Disney resort room a little after 11:00 am, and we
were in Magic Kingdom by noon. I am not going to get into great detail about
the time spent at Disney World, but let me just tell you when they have the
food and wine tasting at Epcot, for it is a fucking blast.
Our
last day at Disney World was spent hitting up some rides and getting some
food.
We
left the park at 1:30pm, and probably got on the Florida Turnpike at 2:00pm. Our destination was to get to my Uncle’s house in Cooper City by 6:30pm, but we
didn’t actually get there until around 8:00 pm. Fast forward 2 months and some
change later, for its 1/11/11 and my wife and I purchase a town house a town
over from my Uncle’s house.
You
asked why I would move down to the place where most people move to just before
they die, for the answers are love and money. Financially having a mortgage in
New Jersey was draining the both of us, so moving down to South Florida made
perfect sense. What I mean by this is we were able to buy a place out right
without having to get a mortgage, and that alone has relieved a lot of tension.
The second reason I mentioned was love. What I mean by this is my wife is a
huge fan of South
Florida, so since she loves it down here, for then I will learn to love it too.
Don’t get me wrong, I
also chose to move down here, because we could have probably gone anywhere in
the U.S, but
I chose here out of result of having two Uncles down here. Even though I moved
away from my home, family and friends, for I still needed to be around some
family, so hopefully that explains the justification for the South Florida
relocation.
James:
What was the adjustment like? We're there any moments of anxiety or moments
where you thought, "What the hell have I done?".
Brian:
To be completely honest I wake up every day thinking to myself was this the
right choice.
Some
days I think that it was, and some days I think it wasn’t. I think that when I
get a job and settle into the job, for then I will be a little more adjusted in
living down here. Right now being unemployed makes me feel like I am in limbo,
so once I attain a job then that feeling will fade. As
far as living in a new environment goes, for this place has its pros and cons.
Some of the pros are: I
live near mad stores, so my blind ass can walk to all of them if I have to. We
live only 20 minutes away from the beach, airport, and the down town area.
The
transportation service that they have down here for the handicap is pretty damn
dependable. Now, the cons are: Things are close, but I would much rather have
them closer like they were in New Jersey. Some days the heat is really fucking
unbearable, so that keeps my ass indoors as much as possible. Now when it comes
to the bus system and the Tri-rail, for they both stop running at around
11:00pm, so if you’re late just a little bit then you are fucked. If you are
late a little bit then you have to wait around for the next bus or train at
4:00am, so
that shit definitely blows.
James:
What do you miss most since the move?
Brian:
I miss my family and friends the most.
I
definitely miss New York City, from going to shows, or just walking around
Manhattan.
I
miss the food without a doubt. New York and New Jersey hands down have the best
pizza and bagels. Clifton has the best hot dogs at the
Hot
Grill, so whenever I come up for a visit that is the first place I like to hit
up.
James:
Have you managed to find any music or scene to grab hold of since you've been
down there?
Brian:
There really hasn’t been much luck of finding any type of seen down here, but I
really can’t say that I been looking that hard either. There are three
clubs/venues that are pretty close to me in Fort
Lauderdale. A small club called the Poorhouse caters to the local bands, and is
probably comparable in size to Dingbatz in Clifton. The next venue that is
stepped up in size is the
Culture Room, and you could have touring bands play here, and for example the
Misfits are coming through here in a couple of months, but that shit isn’t
really the Misfits to me. The third venue is called Revolutions, for I haven’t
even seen this place yet, but I know that bands like Thrice are playing here
very soon. There is also the Bank Atlantic Center located in Sunrise where I
went to see Rush, and
that place reminded me of the Meadowlands in Jersey. There is a place that has
a lot of promise that is located down in Miami, and is called Churchhills. It’s
not a big club at all, for it has a decent size stage, Premier League Soccer on
all the flat screens, and a very good selection of beverages. The
one knock on this place for me is that it is a little too far for me to get to,
especially since I don’t drive due to my blindness.
James:
Is there any chance you'll be coming up to play a
Voice
or no Voice reunion show anytime soon?
Brian:
I would love to play a reunion show with those guys, but I highly doubt it. That question should definitely be asked to Andy and Biv. If I had total
control over us playing a reunion show, for our asses would definitely be
playing a reunion show. I did Joke around with Ox about playing a World
indifference reunion show, and he said anything is possible, so maybe you’ll be
hearing about that.
James:
What are you listening to these days?
Brian: To
be completely honest with you I have been listening to my Ipod on shuffle, and
sports talk radio (790AM The Ticket ESPN Radio) If I had to give you five bands
that I have been listening too since I moved down here, and their albums. This
is in no particular order of how they are listed.
Supertouch,
their new
songs that they put out on Reaper Records, and all their old stuff. I got stuck
on a Supertouch kick since out of the 9 months that I have been down here, for
I have been up to see them twice.
The
Wait, I
have been listening a lot to their demo CD with my wife, and that CD reminds me
so much of home. That CD is mad catchy, and those guys are the nicest guys
around. I use to play mad shows with them when they had Paul on drums, and they
were called Endgame. When Paul left the band they wanted to continue playing
music, but they wanted to change up their sound, so I told them that I knew a
guy named Sergio Spina. Sergio use to play in a band with me and Mikey back in
the late 90’s called Deny Victoria. He also played in True Zero, My Favorite
Citizen, No love lost, Run like Hell, and Scary Hours, so you could definitely
say Sergio is an experienced drummer. I am only telling you this because I
would like to think that I had little part in a good band coming together.
Rival
Schools
new album, Pedals. The new Rival Schools album is fucking amazing. Their first
album “United by Fate” was phenomenal, and this album is becoming a close
second. The last time this band put out a album was close to ten years ago, and
in that year I spent most of my time in South Florida. Why did I spend a lot of
time in South Florida during that year was because my girlfriend now wife was
living down here. Now, its 2011 and Rival Schools puts out another album,
furthermore my ass is back in South Florida, so does this seem coincidental?
Hmmmm.
Rush
- The Best of Rush. Lately I have been listening to a decent amount of Rush. I guess
that kind of seems weird hearing that I am listening to Rush being that I sang
in a hardcore band. I guess it has to do with the fact that my brother in law
bought tickets for my wife and I to go see Rush while he was down here in late
March. I was totally psyched after seeing them perform, and this is because I
really wasn’t into them that much, but afterwards I realized that those guys
are an amazing bunch of musicians. Listening to them play live totally reminded
me of playing with Mikey, Biv and Andy, so that is what made me appreciate them
even more.
Sick
of it All - Everything. This band will always be playing on my Ipod or my walkman. I’ve
been listening to this band since I was 12 years old, and shit is not gonna
change any time soon. The first time that I seen this band was September 1993
at City Gardens in Trenton. They headlined that show, for Into Another played
an amazing set second, and Rancid kicked the door down to open the show. They
ended up putting that show out on Lost N Found Records named “Live in a World
Full of Hate”. If you look in the insert you could see me and Mikey with our
arms stretched out, and my arm looks like its ten feet long. Now, that was the
first time that I’ve seen them, and the most recent time that I caught them was
at the 2011 Black N Blue Bowl this past Memorial Day weekend. Almost 18 years
later and they are still killing it. That’s why they are built to last.
