Hardline Zine: "Forward To Eden: A Guideline To Hardline Viewpoints"

In the past, we've posted a couple of old Hardline zines. I received an email that a few of the old links were down so I'll try and get those fixed. In the mean time, here's a copy of "Forward To Eden: A Guideline To Hardline Viewpoints" from Upstate Hardline. Though it may be considered an outdated radical concept, Hardline was still a part of hardcore history that people either loved or despised. I tend to try and keep my personal opinions aside from what I post but I will say, though I am still straight edge, I do not believe in the Hardline philosophy. That said, click the link below to get a glimpse inside the world of Hardline.

Hardline Zine: "Forward To Eden: A Guideline To Hardline Viewpoints"

Destroy Babylon #2 (Hardline Zine)

In the past, I've said things like "stay tuned for the second part" or "more to come" and then I completely forget to follow through. Well, I'm making a valid attempt to correct that so today I bring you the next issue of Destroy Babylon that I promised. Like the last issue (issue #1), there is no date but based on the content we can assume this was from 1995. This issue goes more the typical zine route as opposed to the first including zine and music reviews, more band interviews (Earth Crisis and Captive Nation Rising) as well as ads for zines, demos and records. Bigger in size, this one features 36 pages. As I stated before, I don't know who scanned this initially so if anyone reading this did, please let me know so I can give you the credit. I have one more issue to upload so be sure to check back (for real this time).

Destroy Babylon #2 Hardline Zine

Destroy Babylon #1 (Hardline Zine)

Photo credit to Last.Fm Hardline Group

These scans have been floating around for a while and I thought it would be good to finally collect them and put them in one place. I don't know who initially scanned them so if any of our readers did, please message me so I can give you credit. Personally, I never agreed with alot of what Hardline stood (stands) for but to each their own. Reading through this, it gives you insight into what they movement was up to and what they were dealing with at the time. The zine gives no indication as to what year it was released but judging by the topics, I'd say 1994 or 1995. I have 2 more issues of Destroy Babylon to upload so until then, enjoy this look back at the Hardline movement of the 1990s.

Destroy Babylon #1 (Hardline Zine)

Hardline Interview with David Agranoff - Value Of Strength zine #5 (1999)

As some of you may know, the Hardline movement was a pretty big part of the early to mid 90s with lots of kids following the ideas but quickly dropping out. Perhaps they changed their opinions or maybe they lost interest. Well David "Count" Agranoff was one who followed the movement for many years and has since become one of our regular readers, on-occasion contributor and friend. Since this interview, David has changed some of his views and when I told him I wanted to post this interview he did, he asked if he could write a sort of epilogue on how he feels about it now. I gladly accepted so please read on. David has a lot to say and its worth your time. He is still vegan straight edge and is currently writing another book as well as a book on the history of Earth Crisis. I scanned this interview from a European zine (Value of Strength) that my friend Ivan sent me. Please understand that the interview is almost 13 years old (when conducted, not published) so things have seriously changed. Read David's explanation before you read the interview.

"Hey Chip allowed me to say something before printing this interview from 13 years ago. During the last half of the 90's I was like a hardline robot totally dedicated like a machine to the ideology proposed in Vanguard#1 which was very much like a bible to me at the time. In 99 the hardline movement split, a minority who viewed hardline to based on muslam ideals copyrighted the name declared many of us ideologically impure. While I still believe they were reading vanguard incorrectly and at the time it was devastating to me. I had devoted everything to hardline for years.
I am not sure I would ever have left if I had been forced out. This kind of ideological headbanging has happened in revolutionary groups forever so I shouldn't be surprised. I still agree with many of statements from this interview. I am still 100% drug free and militantly vegan. But my stepping away from the ideology gave me the freedom to question some of the views I once held.

I don't feel the same way about homosexuality, and support the rights of all to express themselves sexually any way they see fit. I did then too, but now I don't care weather it is natural or not. As far as Abortion goes, that is more complex. I think both sides of the debate are lost. Lives are not for others to choose, and the pro-life movement is anything but. In the end most humans grow up only to be an endless source of death and destruction, so I see no need in defending the life of a fetus that will ultimately spend a lifetime eating animals, consuming wasteful and destructive products. At this point we need less humans, I see that now.
My views have changed but I feel the hardcore kids of today can learn from Hardline. It was movement that grew from hardcore that was truly revolutionary. We were not just kids advocating change we had a total praxis that was rooted in a belief in a deeper meaning to human life. We trained, we fought, and we took ourselves much more seriously than we had any right too. But compared to the lack of activism in the current scene we have a lot to be proud of. There was nothing like hardline ever before."

James Hart interview

In honor of our 700th post, I thought I would break out something from the 'zine vault. This interview comes from BUT STILL I'M JUST SAYIN' zine, which came out of Huntington Beach in what I'd guess was 1995 or 1996.
Battle lines were drawn. It was very clear to everyone that you were either WITH the infamous Monster Crew, or you were AGAINST them. Being old now, I "get" it. But then, I didn't understand where the animosity came from.
But, it wasn't JUST the Monster Crew that got hated on. I remember walking down the street in Newport Beach on 4th of July, to be heckled by Jim Brown with "yeeeeaaaaah what's up, VEEEEEGAAAAN REIIIIIIIICH?"
Anyway, this is a documentation of a crank call with James Hart by members of the crew that hung around 1134, Blackspot, etc. Judging by his responses, it seems legit to me.
Also, I hope these guys got an A+ in art class for the portrait of James with dreadlocks.

Indy Hardline

Interview with Indianapolis Hardline from Anxiety Closet, Issue 6 Summer '95