All this music; Citizens Arrest Vinyl Find

Though I may have stopped in at Singles Going Steady during my first visit to Seattle during my May visit to Seattle. I stopped short of making any purchases due to my fear of return flight and the fear of damage while in transit. A hard choice considering how many friends names, images and personal memories stared me right in the face. Some of whom I've called friends since childhood and my teens. Some of which I've grown to know from social media and reunions. While knowing I'd soon return as a newly transplanted resident.  The chance that those two Citizens Arrest records would be gone were pretty high.

Still in the first days of my new life as a WA resident. I was happy to find out that same record store I visited back in My was a seemingly short walk from my temporary digs on Taylor Ave.I took what tuned out to be a short walk over to Singles Going Steady to see what I could find. From the moment I walked in the door. I felt as if I had been transported to long gone days digging for Hardcore records in New York City. Everything from the Bad Brains "Live at CBGB's 1982" DVD to the many reiusses of classics from bands ranging  from Agnostic Front to Warzone. It wasn't long before I located the two Citizens Arrest records you see below. It wasn't until I brought those records to the counter that I found out the man running the store was a veteran of the early NYHC scene. Before I headed out. We were talking about bands like Reagan Youth and Urban Waste and why we thought their reunions were a joke. In the end. I can definitely see myself sending these back east to an old friend whose photographs are all over these.Only time will tell.

I've posted links to both records, as well as a live set. I highly recommend you checking them out. While the words "Savage" and "Brutal" come to mind. I, myself would have a hard time better describing their approach to Hardcore Punk.

Wardance Records

Citizens Arrest on LastFM

 

 

 

New Breed Tape Compilation 2016 Official Documentary Trailer Has Finally Arrived

The wait is almost over. The New Breed Documentary is slated to premiere in March at Brooklyn's Nitehawk Cinema. Featuring interviews with band members that played on the comp, fanzine editors & record label heads that chronicled this influential period of NYHC's history circa 1987-89. There will be a simultaneous VHS(!), DVD & online release of the documentary to coincide with the screenings.
   A Q&A with the director, John Woods & editor Orlando Arce as well as the creators of the comp, Freddy Alva & Chaka Malik, will take place at Nitehawk.
  We welcome everyone to attend, it's not everyday one sees a full length documentary on such an anachronistic format as a cassette compilation!
Follow the Facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/New-Breed-Documentary-468278020040125/
Look up the hashtag #newbreeddocumentary on Instagram.

• 
  

While We Wait - S/T 7' Inch EP

While the name "While We Wait" might read like the perfect handle for two guys waiting for the next thing to come along. The bond between Andy Guida (Altercation, Supertouch, Absolution...)  and Matt Warnke (Bold) go back to their time together in Running Like Thieves and more recently The Mistaken.

Less Bluesy and more connected to their Hardcore past than
The Mistaken were.
While We Wait's approach to Hardcore is more melodic and for lack of a better description, subtlety pronounced.

The EP opens with
"Kings Ransom". A song so ambitious with it's revved up guitar part, up front drum leads and emotionally drenched vocals.
The epic nature of
the song bring to mind the long lasting effects of Hardcore greats Supertouch and their landmark song "Searching For the Light" (A band for which While We Wait's Andy Guida played. a key role.) To even attempt describing the deep pull of the "Kings Ransom" without mentioning the emotional grip of Guida's backing vocals would be damn near criminal.
"By Now You Should Know Right From Wrong" follows respectfully with similar results before "All the Plans You Made" finishes the three song sample like a statement of purpose. It's all systems go with Matt's deep and soulful vocals belting out lyrics with both authority and purpose. Having listened to this a couple of dozen times  continually over a twenty four hour period is without pause, the highest recommendation I can possibly give.

Released on Freddy Alva's Wardance Records and available through Big Cartel. The record was produced, recorded and mixed by Andy Guida himself at Six III Studio. Matt Warnke wrote the songs, sings lead vocals and plays rhythm guitar while Andy Guida handles the drums, lead guitar, backing vocals.

Maybe it's time we move on from familiarizing ourselves with artists by mentioning or comparing their work to what they accomplished decades ago. Leave your preconceptions of what Hardcore kids can do as adults in the past and just listen. You might like what you here. I know I did. James Damion

Available Here

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

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

Sacrilege - Thoughts are the Dreams till their Effects are Tried

The latest entry in documenting some of the lesser celebrated Hardcore/Punk bands from
New York's now storied history comes to us from what has always been a reliable source of quality in
 Freddy Alva and Wardance Records. Sacrilege, a short lived, mid level band whose activity took place during a time where
New York's Hardcore scene was going through a transitional phase. A time in which many of the old guard of '82 bands had either disbanded or had entered the realm of crossover. (A melding of Hardcore, Metal and Thrash)
A time that seemed like a holding pattern where the streets of the
Lower East Side and the Bowery were sort of tidying things up for the next wave of bands to arrive. It was post Rat Cage / Pre Revelation, so to say.

The short lived band notably featured former and future members of Agnostic Front,
Reagan Youth, Murphy's Law and Nausea. Relations that surely helped the band get on it's share of bills with such better known acts. The records A side features the bands 1985 nine song demo recorded at Don Fury's legendary Demo Demo Studio. While the B side features Bolt Studio demo recorded later in '85. When listened to in sequence the Don Fury sessions trump that of the Bolt session. Overall "Thoughts are the Dreams till their Effects are Tried" is a nice document of a time in New York Hardcore's history that is often overlooked and perfectly depicts a mid level band playing during a time of change and uncertainty in the NYHC scene.

The record includes liner notes from guitarist Victor Venom, bassist Adam Mucci and Wardance Records own Freddy Alva. Each painting an accurate picture of the bands history and what the NYHC scene was like at the time. (It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.) The lyrics, images and old show flyers really add to the overall story.
As I mentioned, I had never seen the band live but the"Halloween Monster Mash" show flyer was one of the countless gems that adorned my wall at the UNITE headquarters back in the late 80's.

Personally, I wasn't sure what to expect from this this. Having never heard their demos or seen them live. Sacrilege seemed like a band that just missed the boat, slipped through the cracks or maybe, just weren't that good to begin with. In the end, I'm glad I had the chance to find out for myself.
James Damion

Wardance Records Bandcamp  Name your price
Wardance Records Support

Don Juan Matus / Oxido - Split Label Split EP

When childhood friend and Wardance Records ambassador of cool Freddy Alva sent this split band/label release. I was thinking about passing it on to the blogs resident Metal expert Dave G. As time passed and Dave and me hadn't crossed paths I realized the task rested solely on my shoulders.

Few splits offer each band the opportunity to display their personal artwork or unique covers.
This split more than accomplishes a sense of individuality by offering a two sided front cover. The artwork for both Don Juan Matus and Oxido are epic in nature and offer a glimpse into what any first time listener is about to experience.

The Basilica Records side features Peru's Oxido "El Angel De La Muerte" (Angel of Death)
A spirited battle cry with it's driving guitars, war machine drums, dark bass and dramatic vocal delivery. Listening to this track had me visualizing a Peruvian Ronnie James Dio riding a horse into a burning forest wearing nothing but a sword and a loin cloth. The songs delivery is just as epic and big as the subject matter. Impressive to say the very least.
The song and the lyrics provided within are in their native language. However, the power provided in the songs delivery does all the translating needed. After just a sampling of this band I immediately headed to the bands site to learn more.

While the Wardance side features a heavy psych, doom Don Juan Matus who slow it down and get downright muddy on the track "Kadath". Punishing riffs matched with dark, haunting drums and bass. Complimented by bluesy, mournful vocals. It's a trip to say the very least.

I never thought I would gain such an appreciation and interest for Metal at this age. If you told me I'd be bowing my head to devilish sounds from the valleys  of Peru; I would have told you to get off the drugs. This record is just the drug I was looking for. Check it out. James Damion

Get it Here

Demo-Lition Exhibition Celebrates Cassette Demo History and Culture

Freddy Alva of Wardance Records and Eric Wielander from the late/great Village Noize Fanzine fame bring us DEMO-LITION which explores the artwork of demo tape/cassette releases from the Hardcore/Punk/Metal music scenes circa 1980s - early 90s. A variety of covers and full-sleeve art will be on display, along with anecdotes from a selection of bands and artists. This NYC exhibit will be featured at L'asso EV Restaurant in the month of June/July, with a preview party held on the night of Thursday May 31st, where requests can be made for special guest DJ's (John Woods from Hell No & Michael Scondotto from Inhuman/The Last Stand) to play the demos displayed. Baldy Longhair Records will also be having a demo tape trivia quiz and giveaways.

L'Asso is located at 107 1st Ave. in NYC and will take place on Thursday, May 31st at 8:00pm.  

Demo-Lition  Event Page

Johatsu - Demolition

I'm not exactly sure what's going on but with more and more tape releases popping up I'm beginning to think there is some diabolical plan being devised to trick us into re-investing our hard earned cash in outdated technology. Lucky for me, only a few days after receiving this archeological gem in the mail. I was lucky enough to haggle my way towards an old school turntable/tape deck stereo at a flea market down by Asbury Park. Upon listening to this, my twenty dollar investment made me feel like a Wall Street wiz.

Johatsu, which is Japanese for "Evaporated people" or "One who abandons life in society". (Ask my wife, she's from Tokyo.) Johatsu features Rich and Aaron, best known for their work in NYHC bands All For One (Recently added to the New Breed Tape Compilation) and Hell No. Both bands that kicked around before a lot of you had pubes.
With all respect to those bands, Johatsu's rookie release "Demolition" is a different beast altogether. After hearing some early demos I was intrigued but wasn't really sure the project would ever get the wings it needed to take flight. Here they deliver ten songs that immediately leave a mark. This was the first time my blog partner Dave and Me actually sat down together to listened to a new submission. I couldn't help but feel that overall, the tape really exceeded my already heightened expectations. Seeing Dave's ears perk as he looked over at me inquisitively was a little surprising being that we don't always share the same taste in music. Think New York Hardcore meets Amphetamine Reptile Records and gets stuck in the mud on the way to a Metal show.

The sound is heavy, ferocious and relentless. Mix that with some muddy production that may or may not be intentional but definitely works as a benefit to the songs. Are Johatsu covering Joe Jacksons "Biology" or mutilating it for their own consumption? It's hard to tell. You make the decision. So, is this a demo? An LP wrapped in a cassette, wrapped in a riddle? I'm not sure. Regardless, I'd like to see this one get the vinyl treatment. I also eager to hear more. James Damion

Wardance Records Order it Here

Johatsu  Facebook Page

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

U.B.R.S. Presents; The Very Best of 2011.

James and I decided that we would do a top ten lists for 2011 because we are super cool and know more about good music than you do (insert sarcasm). Dave G.

Well, Here is my 2011 best of list (Dave)…

• Void - Sessions LP (Dischord)
• Video - Leather Leather (Play Pinball Records)
• Night Fever - New Blood (released in 09 but new to me in 11)
• The Nolan Gate - Alchemy (self released)
• Night Birds - The Other Side of Darkness (Grave Mistake)
• Deep Sleep - Turn Me Off (Grave Mistake)
• Dark Ages - Can America Survive ( Sorry State Records)
• Omegas - Blasts of Lunacy ( Parts Unknown Records)
• Iroha - "End of an Era" (2011) Denovali Records
• Bad Influence - Wars No Fun 7" (reissue of 1983 demo on Who Cares Records)
• New Breed Tape Compilation Lp - (Wardance Records) 
• Double Negative - Hardcore Confusion Volume 1 and 2 - Sorry State Records 2011 
• American Dream - s/t Lp - (America Records 1984 - new to me in 2011 - reissue coming in 2012) 
• Foo Fighters - Wasting Light (good solid record all the way through - true professionals) 
• Blessed Offal ( best unsolicted demo submitted for review on my blog) 
• Bazillion Points Books for bringing us a steady stream of incredible books. 
• Hot Snakes - Live @ Maxwells Hoboken NJ ( Reiss and Fork what else could I ask for) 
• Chronic Sick Reissues on No Way Records - yeah they came out towards the end of 2010 but so what this is my list. 
• Killing Horse Records and Dromedary Records for supporting our local bands and releasing some damn fine records in 2011.

Label to soon celebrate its second anniversary.

Here's my shot at the title. James D.

Best releases of 2011

• Night Birds - The Other Side of Darkness (Grave Mistake)
• Double Negative - Hardcore Confusion Volume 1&2 (Sorry State Records)
• Those Mockingbirds - Fa Sol La (Star Beat Music)
• The Foo Fighters - Wasting Light (Nirvana who?)
• The Horrible Crowes - Elsie (SideOneDummy Records)
• ¡No Pasaran! - Porter in the Making (KillingHorse Records)
• The 65's - Strike Hard (Dromedary Records)
• Stuyvesant - Fret Sounds (Dromedary Records)
• My Rifle - S/T EP (Wardance Records)
• Invisible Lines - Wise Up (KillingHorse Records) (Released in 2010 but new to my ears.)
• Rival Schools - Pedals (Photo Finish Records)
• Holy City Zoo - S/T EP
• Ben Franklin - Urgency (KillingHorse Records)

Strike Hard!

Re-issues/Discography's

• New Breed Tape Compilation LP - 2X LP (Wardance Records)
• Void - Sessions (Dischord Records)
• Faith - Subject to Change (Dischord Records)
• Archers of Loaf - Icky Mettle (Merge Records)
• Resurrection - I am Not Discography (Deathwish Records)

New Breed's 1989 tape comp. Re-issued on Vinyl 

Shows;

• The Rye Coalition at Maxwells 02/19/11
• Seaweed at the Belle House 04/22/11
• Night Birds @ Kearny Irish 07/21/11
• Brick City Sound Riot Music Festival 09/16/11 - 09/18/11

The Rye Coalition at Brick City Sound Riot Music Fest 

Notables:

• The return of Wardance Records.
• The support of labels such as Killing Horse, Dromedary and Wardance.
• Working with Jim Testa and Jersey Beat.
• The Rise of the Tiny Giants Artist Collective.
• Double Decker Records (nuff said).

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?

Add caption

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

My Rifle - Self Titled EP

The long awaited, highly anticipated debut release of 

My Rifle's self titled 7 inch EP is finally here.
For those of you not familiar with My Rifle, the bands personnel read like a New York Hardcore 

Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

(Featuring former members of Life's Blood, Our Gang, Supertouch and Altercation, 

just to name a few.) 
The record really made a quick and lasting impression on this listener.

The songs are marked by excellent musicianship and production. None of which erase any of the songs raw energy. Though My Rifles sound is firmly planted in the band's hardcore routes.

They don't rely on old tricks or safe avenues to achieve their sound. Mixing Hardcore with Metal while adding different elements and angles that deliver powerful results.

The record opens up with "Fall On Your Sword", which has a fast, straight up, menacing hardcore sound. For someone who hasn't been involved in music for more than twenty years, Jason's voice hasn't lost any of the venomous appeal he originally displayed with the band Life's Blood. 

Lews dark and murky bass lines really shine on the track and Andy Guida show why he's one of the most sought after drummers in Hardcore.

The next track "By the Grave of God" slowly grinds the listener under heal. The sound is dark and ruthless with its twists and turns, highlighting Hobi-One's guitar prowess.

Side two opens with "Stars" a short, too the point burst of power that's done nicely.

Storming the Gatekeeper", my first taste of the bands sound, is still my favorite.

They seriously click on all cylinders here. Showing the bands musical range and ability to take chances. The guitar work on here is Maidenesque. I was just floored.

Recorded by the bands drummer Andy Guida with Artwork by the legendary Sean Taggart. The record comes on clear vinyl. My Rifle's debut also marks the return of Freddy Alva's Wardance Records.

It just doesn't get better.

Wardance Records  Buy it here
Related Interviews:
My Rifle  United By Rocket Science
Freddy Alva/Wardance Records  Unite 

My Rifle - "This is my Gun."

When former members of Life's Blood (Jason O'Toole), Our Gang (Hobi Klapuri and Lewis Dimmick) got together to start My Rifle it inspired Freddy Alva (The New Breed Compilation) to restart his Hardcore label Wardance Records. 
Needless to say, the possibilities for something incredibly special were pretty high. Add drummer/engineer Andy Guida (Supertouch, Altercation and currently Absolution) 
to the mix and  you've got all the elements for something Epic.
With a record on the way and the return of Wardance records on the horizon I asked Jason and Lewis a few questions about the band and the upcoming release. I greatly appreciate their feedback.  James Damion


James: Give me a little background on the band?
What brought you together and what was it that made things click for you as a unit?


Lewis: Facebook brought us together. Hobi and I hung out at a couple of 
Life's Blood rehearsals. (Back in the day.)
We thought they were a great band but weren't close friends with them or anything like that. All these years later we started talking to Jason on Facebook and the idea of doing a record came up.
We went through two drummers before finally having Andy from 
Altercation / Supertouch / Absolution get the job done. Things clicked with him, I think, because he has the same point of view. He's from the same scene, influenced by the same bands.

James: What made you decide to add different elements and sounds as opposed to doing a straight up Hardcore band?


Jason: My voice has changed considerably over the years, as I have lived in Texas, 
Louisiana, and here in Georgia for many years. There’s an unmistakable twang in my vocals now. It’s funny how one’s ear changes over time. New Yorkers now sound nasal and gruff to me, and I don’t notice the softer, Georgia accent at all, as it’s what I’m accustomed to in my home. I plum disremembered how to speak Yankee. So, you have my country and blues influence on the music – which is subtle on the EP but the careful listener will notice elements of Old Hank, Jerry Lee, and Leadbelly in my lyrics and vocals.
Then you have the more obvious metal influences, which one should expect from men who grew up listening to Iron Maiden. The LP we have planned will be more musically diverse. It’s still going to be very much hardcore, but we hope to record a really amazing song Hobi wrote which is nothing short of his masterpiece, more of Lew’s metal-worshipping bass, and I may even play guitar on the punk-blues-blasphemous-gospel songs that seem to come to me in my dreams down here.

Lew: We're just trying to play music that we'd like to hear, drawing on all the music that's influenced us throughout our lives, in this case mostly hardcore and metal. We're all experienced musicians and we set out to do something that was absolutely not half-assed.

James: What led you to choosing Freddy Alva's resurrected label Wardance? What are some of the bands future plans?

Lew: Freddy made the offer and we accepted immediately because he's not only an old friend, but one that has made a lot of value contributions to the NYHC scene.

Jason: The rebirth of Freddy Alva’s NYC based Wardance Records and the formation of MyRifle are really one and the same. Freddy is as much as part of the band as any of us. One of the reasons it has taken us so long to deliver this EP is that we knew it would take a lot of work to be worthy of being a Wardance record.
The cover artwork for our EP, which will be reproduced for t-shirts available from Wardance, is by none other than Sean Taggart. Wes Harvey, who illustrated the Life’s Blood “Defiance” cover has been drafted to come up with something amazing for the LP. Friends of ours who work in film and television are at work on videos for our songs, which should manifest in the usual places, YouTube, Facebook, and possibly this new Google +.

James: Jason, you mentioned an LP. How far down the line are we talking?

Jason: We have never stopped working on songs and easily have enough material for an LP. It is just a matter of everyone finding the time to rehearse and record. 
I am planning on recording with the band for the LP and may play some backing guitar as well.

Lewis: We've got some music we'd like to work on at some point but it's impossible to predict if or when we'll ever complete an LP. We might work on some new tunes with Andy in the fall / winter.

James: It's been years since you've recorded. The digital age has brought a lot of changes to how we record. How is Andy helping to bring it all together?

Lew: I'm no expert on recording analog vs digital. But Andy, as I mentioned before, has the same influences, the same point of view, so we were pretty comfortable with him right away, and that allowed us to not settle for anything with which we were not completely happy. For a bunch of stuff that Hobi and I play on the record, we weren't even in the studio on the same day. Jason wasn't even in the same state when he did his vocals. He did them later in Georgia. But that kind of thing can be done with either analog or digital, so like I said I'm no expert.

James: What have been some of the stumbling blocks you've faced along the way? The cancellation of your show with Agnostic Front comes to mind.

Lew: Things not working with our first drummer. Things not working with our second drummer.
Being older, having more responsibilities, struggling to find time that each person could dedicate to the music, rehearsing, recording. We got booked on that AF show without truly realizing how long it would take, when the band lived in NY and our singer lived in Georgia, to get songs together. We weren't able to play that show and feel we were ready to make a strong impression.

James: In closing, is there a date on the release? How will you be distributing it and in what format will it be available?

Lew: The EP shouldn't be too far away. Test presses will arrive soon. Shouldn't be terribly long after that. Freddy, aka the mack daddy, will be taking care of distribution. It's gonna be a 7" EP.


MyRifle - Bandcamp


Wardance  Label