A brand new Morning Again track from the upcoming EP, Survival Instinct, has been posted to Revelation Records youtube channel. Stream it below and prepare for its projected November 9th physical release date.
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Friday, September 28, 2018
Posted by xjustinx | File under : Morning Again, Revelation Records
A brand new Morning Again track from the upcoming EP, Survival Instinct, has been posted to Revelation Records youtube channel. Stream it below and prepare for its projected November 9th physical release date.
Monday, March 7, 2016
Mid/Late 90's Miami hardcore legends BRETHREN have announced a second reunion show in April. The line up includes a reunion from Miami's own ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE, rare appearances from MALDITO and THE LOW LIFE, and two of South Florida's best new bands, GUILTY CONSCIENCE and DAY BY DAY. BRETHREN absolutely crushed it at their first reunion appearance last year in South Florida with Morning Again, so if you missed out on that, here's your chance to catch them now!
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Posted by Unknown | File under : As Friends Rust, Bird of ill omen, Culture, Damien Done, Damien Moyal, Morning Again, Shai Hulud, South Florida
Damien Moyal is a verified Florida legend who has been involved with such projects as Culture, Morning Again, Bird of Ill Omen, Shai Hulud, As Friends Rust, etc. I was fortunate enough to catch this interview with him about several of those bands, his early days in South Florida's hardcore scene, and what some of these projects are up to now. This interview originally appeared in Plead Your Case Fanzine issue #13 and is being reprinted in the upcoming Giant Sized Plead Your Case Annual.
Hey Damien. First of all, what was your first hardcore or punk show? How did you get involved with the hardcore scene.
The first show I remember was a local Miami band called The Goods at Washington Square (which was essentially Miami’s CBGBs) in 1990. I was taken there by some older friends, and immediately fell in love with being inside of a filthy, punk club. I was into a lot of thrash/metal stuff at the time, and dabbling in the usual starter kit lot of punk (Dead Kennedys, Sex Pistols, Exploited, GBH, etc.), but my only frame of reference at that point for venues were huge arenas (I had seen some bigger concerts, like Kiss in 1988) so a small, dangerous dive bar made quite an impact on me. Other early shows that stand out were Exploited and Biohazard at the Junkyard, also on South Beach in Miami in like 1991, and Sepultura with Sick Of It All, Sacred Reich and Napalm Death.
Around 1990 I had started slowly getting wise to bands like Agnostic Front and Sick Of It All, either from friends or through reading thank-you-lists on other bands’ releases. I liked it, and appreciated that this was a nice balance between the punk I was listening to and the metal I loved. But I think when I really fell in love with hardcore was when I heard Minor Threat. The sheer relate-ability of the lyrics, the energy and urgency, and – very importantly – the photos that showed a kid (like me!) down in the crowd screaming in the faces of other kids (like me!)… I was sold, and I think that was the moment I understood what really made hardcore different from the pomp and fashion of metal and punk.
Not long after that, I joined up with members of a (very) local band called Midget Stew, who mostly played parties and actually did a lot of Minor Threat covers. They needed a singer and wanted to do something new, so I took the microphone and we called the band US Decline. That was my first band. It was all downhill from there.
What was the hardcore scene like in Florida when you started playing in bands? Are there any particular FL bands from that era that stand out as your favorites?
Miami had some great bands going at the time. Quit, a very skate-y punk band in the vein of Descendents, was incredible, and to this day their LP ‘Earlier Thoughts’ is one of the best things to have come out of Florida. LOAD was another heavy-hitter that you could catch on almost any weekend. The first proper local hardcore I was familiar with were the bands on the ‘Notes From the South’ compilation 7” that Youth Bus released, like Beyond Reason and Ego Trip, and soon after that the scene was brimming with amazing bands like Mindframe, Timescape Zero and Machine. The next wave brought bands like Tension, Brethren and Culture. I’m really focusing on South Florida bands here, as that was where I was from.
The scene was really diverse, and it wasn’t uncommon to have ska bands on hardcore shows, hardcore bands on indie pop shows, indie bands on punk shows, etc. For being a pretty tough, somewhat dangerous scene (I never realized how much so until I started touring to other cities), the Miami scene was incredibly open-minded when it came to new bands and styles, and there was an overarching sense of unity across the entire underground scene. We didn’t have a lot of divisive politics.
Obviously Culture was a very political band in a lot of different ways. 20 years later, do you still feel passionate about the same political ideals that you did at that time?
I still adhere to Culture’s most basic tenet, which was about thinking critically about the status quo, and defying it in areas where you feel it hurts, weakens or threatens free thought and expression. I’m still unapologetically liberal, and still vehemently opposed to oppression by political or theocratic powers. Culture was simplified, perhaps oversimplified, as a vegan and straight edge band, and as far as those topics go, I no longer identify with either. We still have folks in the band that do. But, as you mention, Culture decried a pretty vast array of social and political injustices/issues.
Going from being involved with more "metallic" or heavier bands like Culture, Bird of Ill Omen, Morning Again, etc., did you feel like it was a big change moving on to doing As Friends Rust, which is obviously a different direction musically? Was it strange for you to do a band that was so radically different than other bands you had done prior or was it a natural progression for you?
I think it was a pretty natural progression. While I always loved playing heavy, dark, screamy, metallic hardcore, I listened to far more melodic hardcore off-stage. I had always wanted to do something more along the lines of Dag Nasty, and (in my mind, anyway) As Friends Rust fulfilled that.
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One of my favorite personal Culture songs is "Pimping the Revolution". There has always been a sort of air of mystery around that song since the only recording that seems to be readily available is a live version of it. "Why would the machine mass produce what rages against it?" is a lyric that I have always thought was very cool. Would you care to elaborate a bit on that song and what its meaning was?
That song was really trying to explore the issue of bands with subversive messages signing to major labels. There seemed to be a prevailing theory, and we’ll use Rage Against The Machine as an example since the line you cited addresses them, that subversive bands were “using” the clueless mainstream music industry as a platform to spread insurgent ideas. I started thinking that this was a bullshit justification, and when looking at a band like RATM’s audience – fraught with khaki-shorted Frat guys – I began to question how much of those messages were getting through. On the other hand, I didn’t want to dismiss the potential entirely, because I saw plenty of flaws with hardcore punk’s tendency to keep subversive messages so insular and protected that they couldn’t really being doing very much good in that capacity either. So the song didn’t really end with any conclusion being drawn… It was really about the question itself: Do these messages do more good underground, or above ground? Do they do any good at all? Is anyone listening?
If you were asked to pick 5 hardcore records that you'd consider "essential" or favorites, what would they be?
Off the top of my head, I’ll go with (1) Judge’s “Bringing It Down” which is the perfect balance of introspection and anger, hardcore and metal, sad and pissed, (2) the Downcast 7” because ‘Hate Comes Easy’ is easily one of the best hardcore songs ever written, (3) the Inside Out 7”, (4) the Minor Threat discography and (5) Corrosion of Conformity’s “Six Songs with Mike Singing”
Are there any current or more recent hardcore bands that you're interested in? If not, what kind of music do you find yourself listening to as of late.
As far as newer hardcore goes, I’ve been digging Turnstile, Wisdom in Chains, Expire and Alpha & Omega a lot. Maybe my favorite newer band at the moment is Noy, from Tokyo, whom I’ve had the honor of touring with twice now. They’re amazingly intense live, and give 100% of themselves when they play. Pretty special to watch.
In recent years you've been involved with On Bodies? What's going on with that band currently? What other projects, if any, are you currently involved in?
On Bodies just got back from Japan (last night, actually) where we played a handful of really awesome shows. Cosmic Note Records from Japan released a CD that combines “The Long Con” EP and our (brand new) “Unremarkably Mortal” EP. A similar release will be coming in Europe soon-ish, but on vinyl, and in the US, Irish Voodoo Records will release the “Unremarkably Mortal” EP on 7”. We’re in the process of booking some US dates as well.
Aside from that, I’m doing the occasional As Friends Rust show (two dates this late spring/early summer) and the occasional Culture show. This year is the 20th anniversary of Culture’s “Born of You” LP, so we’re reissuing it with new artwork on Germany’s Demons Run Amok label, and playing the Florida Rules Fest in June.
Your favorite show you ever played with Culture?
My first real show with Culture was with Strife and Sick Of It All. Kind of hard to top that one, considering I was 17 and had been in the band like three weeks. The first reunion show in Miami in 2012 was amazing, and This Is Hardcore 2014 was as well.
Culture has a new 7" coming out this year. Tell me a bit about that 7".
The reunion shows have been so much fun, and a very cool reminder of how much we (the Born Of You lineup) like playing together. So, on the heels of these reunion shows, we were curious to hear what we might sound like today, after twenty years of change and growth. The two new songs are no indication of any future shit, and while they bear some of the essence of old Culture material, they’re definitely more modern and different. We weren’t all interested in 90s hardcore replication, but I’m sure the traces will be there.
For those who don't know, what's the story behind the "Mike Warden Can Suck It" record, which seems to include a lot of alternate recordings of songs from Born Of You?
Well, it never came out, but was basically just a re-recording of five of the “Born Of You” songs. The idea being that we felt Mike/Conquer The World had been less than honest about his sales and pressings of “Born Of You” so we wanted to re-do some of the songs on a different label, as a limited jab at him, inspired by Judge’s “Chung King Can Suck It” release.
Thank you so much for doing this interview. Any last words or shout outs you'd love to give?
Thanks for being interested! Culture still has a few plans up its sleeve, and we try to post regularly on our Facebook page: facebook.com/bornofyou – Aside from that, keep your eyes peeled for On Bodies, because we’re hoping to turn it up a notch this year: facebook.com/onbodies
Hey Damien. First of all, what was your first hardcore or punk show? How did you get involved with the hardcore scene.
The first show I remember was a local Miami band called The Goods at Washington Square (which was essentially Miami’s CBGBs) in 1990. I was taken there by some older friends, and immediately fell in love with being inside of a filthy, punk club. I was into a lot of thrash/metal stuff at the time, and dabbling in the usual starter kit lot of punk (Dead Kennedys, Sex Pistols, Exploited, GBH, etc.), but my only frame of reference at that point for venues were huge arenas (I had seen some bigger concerts, like Kiss in 1988) so a small, dangerous dive bar made quite an impact on me. Other early shows that stand out were Exploited and Biohazard at the Junkyard, also on South Beach in Miami in like 1991, and Sepultura with Sick Of It All, Sacred Reich and Napalm Death.
Around 1990 I had started slowly getting wise to bands like Agnostic Front and Sick Of It All, either from friends or through reading thank-you-lists on other bands’ releases. I liked it, and appreciated that this was a nice balance between the punk I was listening to and the metal I loved. But I think when I really fell in love with hardcore was when I heard Minor Threat. The sheer relate-ability of the lyrics, the energy and urgency, and – very importantly – the photos that showed a kid (like me!) down in the crowd screaming in the faces of other kids (like me!)… I was sold, and I think that was the moment I understood what really made hardcore different from the pomp and fashion of metal and punk.
Not long after that, I joined up with members of a (very) local band called Midget Stew, who mostly played parties and actually did a lot of Minor Threat covers. They needed a singer and wanted to do something new, so I took the microphone and we called the band US Decline. That was my first band. It was all downhill from there.
What was the hardcore scene like in Florida when you started playing in bands? Are there any particular FL bands from that era that stand out as your favorites?
Miami had some great bands going at the time. Quit, a very skate-y punk band in the vein of Descendents, was incredible, and to this day their LP ‘Earlier Thoughts’ is one of the best things to have come out of Florida. LOAD was another heavy-hitter that you could catch on almost any weekend. The first proper local hardcore I was familiar with were the bands on the ‘Notes From the South’ compilation 7” that Youth Bus released, like Beyond Reason and Ego Trip, and soon after that the scene was brimming with amazing bands like Mindframe, Timescape Zero and Machine. The next wave brought bands like Tension, Brethren and Culture. I’m really focusing on South Florida bands here, as that was where I was from.
The scene was really diverse, and it wasn’t uncommon to have ska bands on hardcore shows, hardcore bands on indie pop shows, indie bands on punk shows, etc. For being a pretty tough, somewhat dangerous scene (I never realized how much so until I started touring to other cities), the Miami scene was incredibly open-minded when it came to new bands and styles, and there was an overarching sense of unity across the entire underground scene. We didn’t have a lot of divisive politics.
I still adhere to Culture’s most basic tenet, which was about thinking critically about the status quo, and defying it in areas where you feel it hurts, weakens or threatens free thought and expression. I’m still unapologetically liberal, and still vehemently opposed to oppression by political or theocratic powers. Culture was simplified, perhaps oversimplified, as a vegan and straight edge band, and as far as those topics go, I no longer identify with either. We still have folks in the band that do. But, as you mention, Culture decried a pretty vast array of social and political injustices/issues.
Going from being involved with more "metallic" or heavier bands like Culture, Bird of Ill Omen, Morning Again, etc., did you feel like it was a big change moving on to doing As Friends Rust, which is obviously a different direction musically? Was it strange for you to do a band that was so radically different than other bands you had done prior or was it a natural progression for you?
I think it was a pretty natural progression. While I always loved playing heavy, dark, screamy, metallic hardcore, I listened to far more melodic hardcore off-stage. I had always wanted to do something more along the lines of Dag Nasty, and (in my mind, anyway) As Friends Rust fulfilled that.
One of my favorite personal Culture songs is "Pimping the Revolution". There has always been a sort of air of mystery around that song since the only recording that seems to be readily available is a live version of it. "Why would the machine mass produce what rages against it?" is a lyric that I have always thought was very cool. Would you care to elaborate a bit on that song and what its meaning was?
That song was really trying to explore the issue of bands with subversive messages signing to major labels. There seemed to be a prevailing theory, and we’ll use Rage Against The Machine as an example since the line you cited addresses them, that subversive bands were “using” the clueless mainstream music industry as a platform to spread insurgent ideas. I started thinking that this was a bullshit justification, and when looking at a band like RATM’s audience – fraught with khaki-shorted Frat guys – I began to question how much of those messages were getting through. On the other hand, I didn’t want to dismiss the potential entirely, because I saw plenty of flaws with hardcore punk’s tendency to keep subversive messages so insular and protected that they couldn’t really being doing very much good in that capacity either. So the song didn’t really end with any conclusion being drawn… It was really about the question itself: Do these messages do more good underground, or above ground? Do they do any good at all? Is anyone listening?
If you were asked to pick 5 hardcore records that you'd consider "essential" or favorites, what would they be?
Off the top of my head, I’ll go with (1) Judge’s “Bringing It Down” which is the perfect balance of introspection and anger, hardcore and metal, sad and pissed, (2) the Downcast 7” because ‘Hate Comes Easy’ is easily one of the best hardcore songs ever written, (3) the Inside Out 7”, (4) the Minor Threat discography and (5) Corrosion of Conformity’s “Six Songs with Mike Singing”
Are there any current or more recent hardcore bands that you're interested in? If not, what kind of music do you find yourself listening to as of late.
As far as newer hardcore goes, I’ve been digging Turnstile, Wisdom in Chains, Expire and Alpha & Omega a lot. Maybe my favorite newer band at the moment is Noy, from Tokyo, whom I’ve had the honor of touring with twice now. They’re amazingly intense live, and give 100% of themselves when they play. Pretty special to watch.
In recent years you've been involved with On Bodies? What's going on with that band currently? What other projects, if any, are you currently involved in?
On Bodies just got back from Japan (last night, actually) where we played a handful of really awesome shows. Cosmic Note Records from Japan released a CD that combines “The Long Con” EP and our (brand new) “Unremarkably Mortal” EP. A similar release will be coming in Europe soon-ish, but on vinyl, and in the US, Irish Voodoo Records will release the “Unremarkably Mortal” EP on 7”. We’re in the process of booking some US dates as well.
Aside from that, I’m doing the occasional As Friends Rust show (two dates this late spring/early summer) and the occasional Culture show. This year is the 20th anniversary of Culture’s “Born of You” LP, so we’re reissuing it with new artwork on Germany’s Demons Run Amok label, and playing the Florida Rules Fest in June.
Your favorite show you ever played with Culture?
My first real show with Culture was with Strife and Sick Of It All. Kind of hard to top that one, considering I was 17 and had been in the band like three weeks. The first reunion show in Miami in 2012 was amazing, and This Is Hardcore 2014 was as well.
Culture has a new 7" coming out this year. Tell me a bit about that 7".
The reunion shows have been so much fun, and a very cool reminder of how much we (the Born Of You lineup) like playing together. So, on the heels of these reunion shows, we were curious to hear what we might sound like today, after twenty years of change and growth. The two new songs are no indication of any future shit, and while they bear some of the essence of old Culture material, they’re definitely more modern and different. We weren’t all interested in 90s hardcore replication, but I’m sure the traces will be there.
For those who don't know, what's the story behind the "Mike Warden Can Suck It" record, which seems to include a lot of alternate recordings of songs from Born Of You?
Well, it never came out, but was basically just a re-recording of five of the “Born Of You” songs. The idea being that we felt Mike/Conquer The World had been less than honest about his sales and pressings of “Born Of You” so we wanted to re-do some of the songs on a different label, as a limited jab at him, inspired by Judge’s “Chung King Can Suck It” release.
Thank you so much for doing this interview. Any last words or shout outs you'd love to give?
Thanks for being interested! Culture still has a few plans up its sleeve, and we try to post regularly on our Facebook page: facebook.com/bornofyou – Aside from that, keep your eyes peeled for On Bodies, because we’re hoping to turn it up a notch this year: facebook.com/onbodies
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Tacoma's Safe And Sound will be releasing a new 7", Embers Still Remain, shortly via Life To Live Records and Assault Records. They've been flying the flag of vegan straight edge in the Northwest for some time now, and have no signs of slowing down, as they plan to tour the full US in March and hope to hit Europe by year's end.
They just put out a video for the track "Dream" that can be seen below. If you're into the likes of One King Down, Burn and early era Morning Again, check it out.
Friday, July 17, 2015
The upcoming Chokehold discography reissues are now streaming via A389 Recordings bandcamp page. Current word is that an exclusive colorway of the triple LP set will be available at This Is Hardcore with any remaining copies being for sale in A389's webstore afterwards.
Catch them at one of the following six shows over the course of the summer:
07/18/15 – Toronto, ON @ S.H.I.B.G.B.S.
w/ Burning Love / Hassler / Pissing Match
07/23/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ This Is Hardcore Fest
w/ Snapcase / Morning Again / Code Orange and more
07/24/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Voltage Lounge
w/ Noisem, Morning Again, Eternal Sleep, Human Animal
08/01/15 – Mesa, AZ @ King Of The Monsters Fest
w/ Groundwork, Crudos, Infest and more
08/28/15 – Hamilton, ON @ Club Absinthe
w/ Grade / F.Y.P.M. / Pissing Match / Ricochet
09/19/15 – Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage
w/ Integrity / God’s Hate / Churchburn / Queensway
07/18/15 – Toronto, ON @ S.H.I.B.G.B.S.
w/ Burning Love / Hassler / Pissing Match
07/23/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ This Is Hardcore Fest
w/ Snapcase / Morning Again / Code Orange and more
07/24/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Voltage Lounge
w/ Noisem, Morning Again, Eternal Sleep, Human Animal
08/01/15 – Mesa, AZ @ King Of The Monsters Fest
w/ Groundwork, Crudos, Infest and more
08/28/15 – Hamilton, ON @ Club Absinthe
w/ Grade / F.Y.P.M. / Pissing Match / Ricochet
09/19/15 – Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage
w/ Integrity / God’s Hate / Churchburn / Queensway
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Morning Again has announced they will play a few shows this summer, the first in South Florida. More will be announced soon.
The band will also be re-releasing their discography on vinyl to coincide with the upcoming shows. Revelation Records will reissue "As Tradition Dies Slowly" and Demons Run Amok Records will release the rest of the bands recorded output.
Follow the band on Facebook to keep up with their whereabouts.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Morning Again will be once again heading overseas, this time to Japan for the first time. The band will be playing this years Bloodaxe Fest which will be held in Kawasaki on September 21. Heaven Shall Burn will be headlining. You can check out the flyer for the fest below.
Also, check out footage of our friends Loyal To The Grave destroying at the previous Bloodaxe Fest.
Also, check out footage of our friends Loyal To The Grave destroying at the previous Bloodaxe Fest.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Florida-based metallic hardcore outfit Blistered has just announced their signing with 6131 Records, a label based out of Los Angeles, California, joining the likes of Strife, Downpresser, Rotting Out, and more. The band has also released a new track, entitled "Rusted", that can be found on the 12" EP "Soul Erosion" coming out in March.
Blistered is heavily influenced by bands like Buried Alive, Morning Again, and Chokehold, and is sure to appeal to fans of 90's metalcore.
Stream the track here:
http://music.6131records.com/album/soul-erosion
Blistered is heavily influenced by bands like Buried Alive, Morning Again, and Chokehold, and is sure to appeal to fans of 90's metalcore.
Stream the track here:
http://music.6131records.com/album/soul-erosion
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
“For fans of”…the classic line that is thrown around in hopes of getting plays, new fans, or especially “likes” in this day and age. I usually tend to overlook things like this, but this particular one I couldn’t ignore. After reading “FFO: Unborn, Arkangel, and Morning Again,” I felt the need to immediately check out the band that was being advertised. That band is xRepentancex, a seemingly random breath of fresh air in the hardcore scene that truly impressed me. When listening to the band’s 2013 demo, entitled “In Violation of Aša,” I couldn’t help but think that it sounded like something straight off the Good Life Recordings “The Way It Is” compilation that came out in 1996. They play a perfect blend of 90s vegan straight edge metalcore that we all know and love. I was able to get a quick interview with Pat, their guitar player, to talk about the band.
Introduce yourself and the band, and explain how xRepentancex came to be.
My name is Pat, I play guitar in xRepentancex. The band consists of myself, Oli on drums, John on vocals, and Robb also on guitar. We are yet to get a solid bassist. I basically wanted to do this band for a number of years. I wrote some songs but couldn't find that many vegan Straight Edge people in the UK scene, especially who could play metal. After searching for a while, my friend Charlie of Abolition introduced me to Oli and we started jamming. The original plan was that I was going to do vocals, but we soon realized we would never be able to play live if so due to the lack of xvx guitarists in the UK. So we got John involved, who does a way better job than I could ever do anyway. We recorded in Nottingham in January just the three of us, then later recruited in Robb and he is great.
Does the name hold a certain significance to you or the message you’re trying to convey?
In a way, yes. Without sounding to cliche, I take it to be uncontroversial that human 'civilization' is in crisis in many significant ways. One of these ways is our arrogant and disrespectful treatment of the planet and the creatures which inhabit it. Until we kill our anthropocentric views, I cannot see anything improving. So in some ways, the name Repentance is relevant in that sense.
I hear fragments of bands known to have a militant stance on veganism and straight edge, like Chokehold and Unborn for example, in your music. Do you think it’s necessary to take this stand when talking about that subject matter? If so, why?
I do not think it is absolutely necessary to always hold a militant stance on these issues. It depends what a band's approach is. Moreover, I do not think Straight Edge and Veganism should be treated in the same ideological manner. Both can be seen as forms of rebellion or valuable in some comparable way, but there are significant differences with regard to their moral and practical interpretation. But with xRepentancex, this band is a chance for all of us to vent our anger and rage at issues in the most precise way. In the UK, there are almost no bands who talk about veganism, so in a reactionary sense, we retain an overt and hard stance on it. A lot of this is done through religious metaphor, using lyrical themes from the Abrahamic and Zoroastrian traditions. None of us are religious, but we find value in conveying our message in these metaphorical terms in order to emphasize its importance.
Recently, there has been an obvious increase in popularity when it comes to 90s influenced hardcore bands, especially here in the States. How is the scene overseas as far as that style goes? Who are some of your favorite current bands playing that style?
I totally agree and it is awesome! It is great to see. Firstly I would say the UK is pretty good for that style right now. Abolition, Natural Order and the recently revived Ark of The Covenant are all great bands. The US has such a huge scene that there is always going to be something awesome going on which is cool.
I noticed that the cassettes sold out very quickly online soon after the demo was released. Were you all surprised at how well received the demo was? Are any still available?
Man, we are all taken back by how fast they went. I knew they were going to sell eventually as people seemed to really like the song we posted and there were only 60 made at first. But to have the first and second press go in a matter of minutes was unreal. We are all so grateful people who want to check us out. I believe they have all gone, but there will be a vinyl version coming shortly.
What do you guys have planned for the future? Any tours coming up?
We have a bunch of shows planned over the next few months. We are all fairly busy with work and/or university so we don't get a lot of time. But we just want to play when we can and maybe do a tour sometime this year. Once the vinyl version of the demo comes out, we will be working on a full length LP.
Thanks a lot for the interview, Geoff!
- Pat
Check out the band and the recently posted demo here: http://xrepentancex.bandcamp.com/
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Posted by xCHIPxSEM | File under : As Friends Rust, Culture, Glasseater, On Bodies, Shai Hulud, Terror
Some of you may have heard but I started a band with Rich Thurston (ex-Culture, Terror, etc) and Damien Moyal (ex-Culture, Shai Hulud, Morning Again, As Friends Rust). The band is called On Bodies and we recently recorded a 6 song EP which should be available in October. The band is rounded out as well by Chad Kishick (Know The Score, Shai Hulud) and Julio Marin (Glasseater, Destro, Dance Floor Justice) as well as myself on guitar. Give it a listen, see what you think. We currently have one song up to check out on Bandcamp and should have another up later this week.
On Bodies on Bandcamp
On Bodies on Facebook
Saturday, July 23, 2011
In the late '90s, a lot of bands around Europe took inspiration from bands like Arkangel and Morning Again, some good some bad. Here's a pretty good one which doesn't get mentioned all that much, Envision from Parma, Italy. The band started out in 1998 and after a 4-song demo they recorded the 'The Season Of Indifference' MCD, which was released on Next Sentence Recordings in 1999. Next Sentence btw was a label run by one of the guys in Negate, a Belgian metalcore band from the French part of Belgium. This MCD rules from start to finish. While Envision didn't break any new grounds on this MCD, it's well-executed and is just plain damn solid metalcore. The band was (partially, I think) veggie/vegan sXe and supported all kinds of socio-political, enviromental and animal rights groups, something which also reflected itself in the lyrics.
After the release the singer left and Nicola, one of the guitarists took over vocal duties while still playing guitar. In 2002 their full-length album 'Ecoillogical Babel' was released on NoBrain Records out of Italy. It had a slightly different sound, leaning more towards modern metal with some nu-metal influences. It's not something I'm into all that much, but it's again well-executed and the band knows how to write songs and play them. The nu-metal influences kills it for me tho, I definitely prefer the MCD. But in this style it's a solid release.Afterwards the band went thru some line-up changes and recorded a demo for a follow-up release, but the release never happened and the band ended sometime in late 2004/early 2005. After the band folded, singer/guitarist Nicola 'Busso' Bussoni joined Hidea, an Italian hard rock band. No idea what the other band members did after Envision folded.
Envision - The Season Of Indifference MCD
Envision - Ecoillogical Babel CD
Monday, April 25, 2011
Posted by xjustinx |
http://xjustinx.limitedpressing.com/
Barrit - s/t 7"
Bumfights vol. 1 DVD
Despair / New Day Rising split 7"
Eyelid - Bleeding Through 7" [green]
Fucked Up - Let Likes Be Cured By Likes [clear]
Fucked Up - Litany [white]
Hatebreed / Neglect split 7" [red]
Isis / Pig Destroyer split 7" - unplayed!
Megadeth - Killing Is My Business LP
Misery Index / Bathtub Shitter split 7" - unplayed
Monster X - To The Positive Youth 7" [grey marble]
Morning Again - Martyr [brown of 200]
Morning Again / 25 Ta Life split 7" [blue of 500]
My Dying Bride - As The Flower Withers LP [first press w/poster] unplayed!
Overcast - Begging For Indifference 7" [clear]
Overcast - Stirring The Killer 7"
Pray Silent - The Golden Flag 7" [clear blue]
Restrain - Armageddon 7" [pre-Coalesce]
Second Coming - Wake 7"
Sektor - Ultimate Threat 7"
Sworn Vengeance - The Blood & The Chaos 7" - unplayed
Sworn Vengeance / All Bets Off split 7" - unplayed
Unbroken - Circa '77 [original New Age press]
http://xjustinx.limitedpressing.com/
Barrit - s/t 7"
Bumfights vol. 1 DVD
Despair / New Day Rising split 7"
Eyelid - Bleeding Through 7" [green]
Fucked Up - Let Likes Be Cured By Likes [clear]
Fucked Up - Litany [white]
Hatebreed / Neglect split 7" [red]
Isis / Pig Destroyer split 7" - unplayed!
Megadeth - Killing Is My Business LP
Misery Index / Bathtub Shitter split 7" - unplayed
Monster X - To The Positive Youth 7" [grey marble]
Morning Again - Martyr [brown of 200]
Morning Again / 25 Ta Life split 7" [blue of 500]
My Dying Bride - As The Flower Withers LP [first press w/poster] unplayed!
Overcast - Begging For Indifference 7" [clear]
Overcast - Stirring The Killer 7"
Pray Silent - The Golden Flag 7" [clear blue]
Restrain - Armageddon 7" [pre-Coalesce]
Second Coming - Wake 7"
Sektor - Ultimate Threat 7"
Sworn Vengeance - The Blood & The Chaos 7" - unplayed
Sworn Vengeance / All Bets Off split 7" - unplayed
Unbroken - Circa '77 [original New Age press]
http://xjustinx.limitedpressing.com/
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Posted by xCHIPxSEM | File under : Morning Again
Yes, its finally here. Ive gone through everything and have it up in the store. All items will be available to purchase on Thursday at 12 NOON EST. If you left your email in the comments last months, I have emailed you to let you know. All purchases will begin shipping on Monday morning, Janury 31st. Thanks for your patience everyone.
Morning Again Merch Available on Thursday at 12 NOON EST
Monday, January 24, 2011
Posted by xCHIPxSEM | File under : Blood Has Been Shed, Culture, Diecast, One Nation Under, Still Crossed
Rich and I had been trying to coordinate schedules for quite some time to finish up this interview. We finally we're able to get down and finish it so here we have the final part of my 4 part interview with Rich Thurston. Thanks for your patience. Again, I want to preface this by stating that the opinions expressed belong to Rich and do not reflect Stuck In The Past as a whole.
Stuck In The Past: How did you end up joining Terror?
Rich Thurston: Well I had known Scott Vogel for years and years. Culture played a bunch of shows with Despair. I almost joined Despair right after I was "relieved" of my duties in Culture. Ha. Anyways...I was playing in One Nation Under and we played Hellfest with Terror that year. I was blown away. Later on, ONU played Furnace Fest with Terror again. I was already just about done with ONU so I was just talking to Scott about it. He told me they were about to need a new bass player. The rest is history.
Stuck In The Past: Did you move out to LA or were you commuting?
Rich: I would meet them at the beginning of tours in certain cities, Kansas City or somewhere. I had plans to move out there after we did the Reach the Sky final show.
Stuck In The Past: But you didn't?
Rich: Todd Jones and I started butting heads. He was very hard to be in a band with. I eventually couldn't keep my mouth shut about it. Finally it was him or me and since he wrote all the music it was me.
Stuck In The Past: How long were you in the band then?
Rich: Like 6 months maybe. I recorded the Lowest Of The Low CD which is by far the bands best shit. I loved that band. It was an amazing time. I was crushed when I was
done. It hurt but such is life
Stuck In The Past: Are you still friendly with any of the guys in the band?
Rich: Well I was accepted as friends on facebook with Scott and nick so in cyber world yes. Ha. I haven't talked to any of them in years.
Stuck In The Past: So what did you do after Terror? Did you work on any projects?
Rich: Yeah. I started Still Crossed immediately after
Stuck In The Past: You did the full length on Indecision?
Rich: Yeah. I had a great time writing and playing that music. It was a lot of fun. Like all good things it came to an end
Stuck In The Past: Were you just over playing in the band? Just not into anymore?
Rich: Well during that band I was in Courage Crew. For those that don't know what that is it, is a SxE Crew here in Ohio and in other parts of the country. Well I had been drifting apart from them. Just didn't have the same thought process anymore. Eventually I was kicked out so to speak. That put a lot of stress on the rest of the band. I was getting threatened and all that. I went to Europe with Walls Of Jericho to be their fill in bass player and while I was gone, the band kicked me out. It was a bitch move but I guess I don't blame them.
Stuck In The Past: Did you ever patch things up with the Courage Crew guys or are you still at odds?
Rich: Its always a crap shoot. Ha. Sometimes its fine, sometimes I hear its not. I don't care either way. I am 37... 38 in January. Its been like 6 years or something. It makes no difference to me whatsoever.
Stuck In The Past: So what are you up to now?
Rich: Well..... Once I got back from Europe I started taking Jiu Jitsu. Then I got into Muay Thai. I have been fighting since 2003. I teach Muay Thai here in Cincinnati at JG MMA ACADEMY. I love it.
Stuck In The Past: Do you compete professionally?
Rich: Yes sir. I am 1-1 as a pro. I teach a lot more then fight now. I am getting older and its not so much a priority anymore. Although... I am possibly fighting a Muay Thai fight in Paris, France and London, England.
Stuck In The Past: Wow, that's awesome.
Rich: Yeah... I got a few left in me. Might as well make them memorable and travel a little bit.
Stuck In The Past: So are you doing anything musically now?
Rich: I still write. I am planning on recording some stuff soon. It will see the light of day. I have been friends with Mr. Eulogy John Wylie for a very long time. I had a heart to heart with him recently. I think, as long as he likes it, it may be out on Eulogy
Stuck In The Past: Very cool. You had mentioned a project you were working
on with Damien...
Rich: Yeah. He's a bitch and backed out. Ha Ha Ha. No he is just real busy I guess. I had hoped to do it with him because he hands down still has one of the best HXC vocals of all time. When he sang Culture's "Deforestation" I shit my pants.
Stuck In The Past: I really hope that happens...I would love to hear how that would have come out.
Rich: Get on his ass about it. I mean I am writing all the music and recording it. All he has to do is lay vocals.
Stuck In The Past: haha Ill get in touch with him. Okay lets get a little general...what are you top 5 favorite hardcore records.
Rich: Top five records or top five bands?
Stuck In The Past: Let's do bands.
Rich: Ok. 1. Gorilla Biscuits 2. Judge 3. Cro Mags 4. Dag Nasty 5. Minor Threat. To be honest so many bands can fit in that category but Gorilla Biscuits is always #1.
Stuck In The Past: Okay how what about 90s bands?
Rich: Earth Crisis.... Chokehold.... Buried Alive.... Strife (before... well you know)... Snapcase...again so many fall into that category.... EXC is probably the most influential to me personally.
Stuck In The Past: Thats a good list. Buried Alive is still my favorite Scott Vogel band
Rich: Terror take it for me but damn it when I got that Buried Alive demo tape I fucking shit myself.
Stuck In The Past: Yup. So aggressive and angry.
Rich: I was almost in that band too. Ha
Stuck In The Past: I notice and continue streak of "almosts".
Rich: Yeah... I have been in a lot of important bands and almost in just as many ha
Stuck In The Past: Well its nice to know that people at least thought about asking if you'd be interested in helping out.
Rich: Yeah. I made a lot of friends in the last 20 years. Some I still talk to some I haven't in years. Lots of great great times and memories, some shitty ones too. The Hardcore scene is so fragile and fickle at times
On a final note, Rich had this to say:
So I have written this thing a few times now. Each time I think I covered everything and then I read it only to find holes that need filled. This time around I just decided to write what I am feeling. I don’t think it has to be in any type of order or anything to get my point across. Hardcore is my life. For over two decades now hardcore has played a crucial roll. It has allowed me to see the world and meet some amazing… and not so amazing people. It has taught me lessons and shown me beautiful things. I remember my first show like it was yesterday. 1988… Cameo Theater Miami Beach, FL. GBH and The Exploited. I was petrified and stoked at the same time. I was hooked. Second show…. Same place… Cro Mags. I have seen so many shows that trying to remember them all would be futile. Some of the most memorable would be Shelter at Washington Square, SOIA and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones also at Washington Square. I remember all the people from South Florida that were around when I was coming up. Some I haven’t spoken to in years. It hurts my heart to think back sometimes. I miss it so much. Some of you may ask… why interview this asshole? I’m sure plenty of you either don’t know who I am and could give a fuck for that matter. Some of you have heard rumors… others were there. I’m not writing this for any of you. It’s for me. I needed to do this. Hardcore music and the hardcore scene has given me great joy and shown me humiliation over the years. On the flip side of that, I feel like not only myself but the bands I was involved with had a very huge impact on not only the South Florida scene but the US and European scenes as well. There would be no Morning Again if Culture didn’t happen first. There would be no “24” if Culture didn’t
happen first. I feel to this day that Culture, along with a few other bands, paved the way for a lot of “metalcore” bands. I am very proud of that. I am extremely pleased something I felt so strongly about and put so much effort into found so many kids. That’s the biggest thing I think that has changed. Hardcore used to be so personal. Face to face. I remember checking the mail everyday for that new shirt or package of records. It gave you a sense of pride walking around in your new Judge or Slapshot shirt. It was like you were part of something bigger. You were separated from the masses. It was yours and it was special. Now you have Hot Topic selling sxe t shirts and 15 year old kids wearing Black Flag belt buckles. It’s disgusting. We are all at fault for letting it slip away. If you are over the age of 30 and still into it… shame on you. Shame on me. I remember sitting at Kinko’s until 4 am cutting and pasting some shitty zine together with my friend Anthony. It was such a gratifying feeling. Now you can click your fucking mouse and find out anything you want to know about any band anywhere. More importantly any keyboard warrior can make up anything they want to and for some reason people believe it. Its crazy. The personalization of it is gone. I might be jumping from topic to topic but I got a lot on my mind. Now I’m not gonna sit here and give you this image of unity and togetherness. I have witnessed and partaken in some fucked up shit over the years. I am not proud of some of the things I have done. I feel like an apology is long over due. I don’t think it will change anything but I know I am a different person today… a much better person today… because of some of the horrible decisions I made in the past, I lost some good people in my life and missed out on some amazing opportunities. Those are things I have to deal with. I still write and play music but its for me now. I still need the outlet. I still have things to say. I got some new stuff in the works that John Wylie and I have discussed. I am hoping it sees the light of day soon. I guess what I want people that read this to know is remember who you are and what got you there. The good, the bad and the ugly. I would like to thank Gorilla Biscuits for changing my life. I would like to thank South Florida Hardcore for the memories. This “manifesto” could go on and on but I’m sure you are over reading anymore. I will leave you with this…. “Look at the person next you. That’s the person you will be punching in the face during this next song.” Jamie Jasta.
Stuck In The Past: How did you end up joining Terror?
Rich Thurston: Well I had known Scott Vogel for years and years. Culture played a bunch of shows with Despair. I almost joined Despair right after I was "relieved" of my duties in Culture. Ha. Anyways...I was playing in One Nation Under and we played Hellfest with Terror that year. I was blown away. Later on, ONU played Furnace Fest with Terror again. I was already just about done with ONU so I was just talking to Scott about it. He told me they were about to need a new bass player. The rest is history.
Stuck In The Past: Did you move out to LA or were you commuting?
Rich: I would meet them at the beginning of tours in certain cities, Kansas City or somewhere. I had plans to move out there after we did the Reach the Sky final show.
Stuck In The Past: But you didn't?
Rich: Todd Jones and I started butting heads. He was very hard to be in a band with. I eventually couldn't keep my mouth shut about it. Finally it was him or me and since he wrote all the music it was me.
Stuck In The Past: How long were you in the band then?
Rich: Like 6 months maybe. I recorded the Lowest Of The Low CD which is by far the bands best shit. I loved that band. It was an amazing time. I was crushed when I was
done. It hurt but such is lifeStuck In The Past: Are you still friendly with any of the guys in the band?
Rich: Well I was accepted as friends on facebook with Scott and nick so in cyber world yes. Ha. I haven't talked to any of them in years.
Stuck In The Past: So what did you do after Terror? Did you work on any projects?
Rich: Yeah. I started Still Crossed immediately after
Stuck In The Past: You did the full length on Indecision?
Rich: Yeah. I had a great time writing and playing that music. It was a lot of fun. Like all good things it came to an end
Stuck In The Past: Were you just over playing in the band? Just not into anymore?
Rich: Well during that band I was in Courage Crew. For those that don't know what that is it, is a SxE Crew here in Ohio and in other parts of the country. Well I had been drifting apart from them. Just didn't have the same thought process anymore. Eventually I was kicked out so to speak. That put a lot of stress on the rest of the band. I was getting threatened and all that. I went to Europe with Walls Of Jericho to be their fill in bass player and while I was gone, the band kicked me out. It was a bitch move but I guess I don't blame them.
Stuck In The Past: Did you ever patch things up with the Courage Crew guys or are you still at odds?
Rich: Its always a crap shoot. Ha. Sometimes its fine, sometimes I hear its not. I don't care either way. I am 37... 38 in January. Its been like 6 years or something. It makes no difference to me whatsoever.
Stuck In The Past: So what are you up to now?
Rich: Well..... Once I got back from Europe I started taking Jiu Jitsu. Then I got into Muay Thai. I have been fighting since 2003. I teach Muay Thai here in Cincinnati at JG MMA ACADEMY. I love it.
Stuck In The Past: Do you compete professionally?
Rich: Yes sir. I am 1-1 as a pro. I teach a lot more then fight now. I am getting older and its not so much a priority anymore. Although... I am possibly fighting a Muay Thai fight in Paris, France and London, England.
Stuck In The Past: Wow, that's awesome.
Rich: Yeah... I got a few left in me. Might as well make them memorable and travel a little bit.
Stuck In The Past: So are you doing anything musically now?
Rich: I still write. I am planning on recording some stuff soon. It will see the light of day. I have been friends with Mr. Eulogy John Wylie for a very long time. I had a heart to heart with him recently. I think, as long as he likes it, it may be out on Eulogy
Stuck In The Past: Very cool. You had mentioned a project you were working
on with Damien...Rich: Yeah. He's a bitch and backed out. Ha Ha Ha. No he is just real busy I guess. I had hoped to do it with him because he hands down still has one of the best HXC vocals of all time. When he sang Culture's "Deforestation" I shit my pants.
Stuck In The Past: I really hope that happens...I would love to hear how that would have come out.
Rich: Get on his ass about it. I mean I am writing all the music and recording it. All he has to do is lay vocals.
Stuck In The Past: haha Ill get in touch with him. Okay lets get a little general...what are you top 5 favorite hardcore records.
Rich: Top five records or top five bands?
Stuck In The Past: Let's do bands.
Rich: Ok. 1. Gorilla Biscuits 2. Judge 3. Cro Mags 4. Dag Nasty 5. Minor Threat. To be honest so many bands can fit in that category but Gorilla Biscuits is always #1.
Stuck In The Past: Okay how what about 90s bands?
Rich: Earth Crisis.... Chokehold.... Buried Alive.... Strife (before... well you know)... Snapcase...again so many fall into that category.... EXC is probably the most influential to me personally.
Stuck In The Past: Thats a good list. Buried Alive is still my favorite Scott Vogel band
Rich: Terror take it for me but damn it when I got that Buried Alive demo tape I fucking shit myself.
Stuck In The Past: Yup. So aggressive and angry.
Rich: I was almost in that band too. Ha
Stuck In The Past: I notice and continue streak of "almosts".
Rich: Yeah... I have been in a lot of important bands and almost in just as many ha
Stuck In The Past: Well its nice to know that people at least thought about asking if you'd be interested in helping out.
Rich: Yeah. I made a lot of friends in the last 20 years. Some I still talk to some I haven't in years. Lots of great great times and memories, some shitty ones too. The Hardcore scene is so fragile and fickle at times
On a final note, Rich had this to say:
So I have written this thing a few times now. Each time I think I covered everything and then I read it only to find holes that need filled. This time around I just decided to write what I am feeling. I don’t think it has to be in any type of order or anything to get my point across. Hardcore is my life. For over two decades now hardcore has played a crucial roll. It has allowed me to see the world and meet some amazing… and not so amazing people. It has taught me lessons and shown me beautiful things. I remember my first show like it was yesterday. 1988… Cameo Theater Miami Beach, FL. GBH and The Exploited. I was petrified and stoked at the same time. I was hooked. Second show…. Same place… Cro Mags. I have seen so many shows that trying to remember them all would be futile. Some of the most memorable would be Shelter at Washington Square, SOIA and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones also at Washington Square. I remember all the people from South Florida that were around when I was coming up. Some I haven’t spoken to in years. It hurts my heart to think back sometimes. I miss it so much. Some of you may ask… why interview this asshole? I’m sure plenty of you either don’t know who I am and could give a fuck for that matter. Some of you have heard rumors… others were there. I’m not writing this for any of you. It’s for me. I needed to do this. Hardcore music and the hardcore scene has given me great joy and shown me humiliation over the years. On the flip side of that, I feel like not only myself but the bands I was involved with had a very huge impact on not only the South Florida scene but the US and European scenes as well. There would be no Morning Again if Culture didn’t happen first. There would be no “24” if Culture didn’t
happen first. I feel to this day that Culture, along with a few other bands, paved the way for a lot of “metalcore” bands. I am very proud of that. I am extremely pleased something I felt so strongly about and put so much effort into found so many kids. That’s the biggest thing I think that has changed. Hardcore used to be so personal. Face to face. I remember checking the mail everyday for that new shirt or package of records. It gave you a sense of pride walking around in your new Judge or Slapshot shirt. It was like you were part of something bigger. You were separated from the masses. It was yours and it was special. Now you have Hot Topic selling sxe t shirts and 15 year old kids wearing Black Flag belt buckles. It’s disgusting. We are all at fault for letting it slip away. If you are over the age of 30 and still into it… shame on you. Shame on me. I remember sitting at Kinko’s until 4 am cutting and pasting some shitty zine together with my friend Anthony. It was such a gratifying feeling. Now you can click your fucking mouse and find out anything you want to know about any band anywhere. More importantly any keyboard warrior can make up anything they want to and for some reason people believe it. Its crazy. The personalization of it is gone. I might be jumping from topic to topic but I got a lot on my mind. Now I’m not gonna sit here and give you this image of unity and togetherness. I have witnessed and partaken in some fucked up shit over the years. I am not proud of some of the things I have done. I feel like an apology is long over due. I don’t think it will change anything but I know I am a different person today… a much better person today… because of some of the horrible decisions I made in the past, I lost some good people in my life and missed out on some amazing opportunities. Those are things I have to deal with. I still write and play music but its for me now. I still need the outlet. I still have things to say. I got some new stuff in the works that John Wylie and I have discussed. I am hoping it sees the light of day soon. I guess what I want people that read this to know is remember who you are and what got you there. The good, the bad and the ugly. I would like to thank Gorilla Biscuits for changing my life. I would like to thank South Florida Hardcore for the memories. This “manifesto” could go on and on but I’m sure you are over reading anymore. I will leave you with this…. “Look at the person next you. That’s the person you will be punching in the face during this next song.” Jamie Jasta.
Posted by xCHIPxSEM | File under : Morning Again
The other day, I was editing the final part of my interview with Rich Thurston (expect that in the next few days) when I received a message from Kevin. He told me that he had just read my interview with John Wylie and he wanted to address two topics. One, the subject of an alternate recording of "As Tradition Dies Slowly" and two, a comment made by one of our followers regarding the second Morning Again lineup and a stolen amp. Here's what he had to say:
"There was a first recording of "As Tradition...", recorded before a Euro trip. John thought the recording was too fast so we re-recorded it after the tour. I was sick on the record, could barely talk and that's why my vocals are really strained, especially on some songs you can tell the difference. Also, there's a comment on the Erie show. Our at the time guitar player did steal a dual rectifier head. I did the next day, unlike the comment said, call Dave Steele and tell him who had it and made Aaron send it back. He said we all played dumb. I realized after we got back to town and tried to resolve the problem asap. I had no part in it. That was why the second Morning Again broke up, because I knew Aaron ruined the name. I would like the air cleared on that. I don't want the Erie kids to think I would support something like that."
If you would to go back and read the interview with John, you can do so by clicking here.
"There was a first recording of "As Tradition...", recorded before a Euro trip. John thought the recording was too fast so we re-recorded it after the tour. I was sick on the record, could barely talk and that's why my vocals are really strained, especially on some songs you can tell the difference. Also, there's a comment on the Erie show. Our at the time guitar player did steal a dual rectifier head. I did the next day, unlike the comment said, call Dave Steele and tell him who had it and made Aaron send it back. He said we all played dumb. I realized after we got back to town and tried to resolve the problem asap. I had no part in it. That was why the second Morning Again broke up, because I knew Aaron ruined the name. I would like the air cleared on that. I don't want the Erie kids to think I would support something like that."
If you would to go back and read the interview with John, you can do so by clicking here.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Last week, I received an email from Peter (guitarist of Bird Of Ill Omen) telling me about his current project, Gators. When I wrote him back, I told him that I would it if he would write up the history of Bird Of Ill Omen seeing as how the band still gets mentioned and there really isnt much information on the band to be found. He agreed and a few hours later, this is what I received. I really appreciate Peter taking the time to write this and for all the members giving this thumbs up. I hope you all enjoy reading this. -Chip
"When Chip asked me to write a piece on bird of ill omen's history i had to figure out how and where to start. since i joined a few months after the bands inception, i think it's best to do it two segments. bird of ill omen with damien moyal and bird of ill omen with shane post. so let's get started.
Damien Moyal had since left Morning Again and i was about 15 years old, playing bass for them at the time when i first learned about BOIO. i knew tom rankine from shows and his distro, indian burn (if there are any people still owed monies from this distro, i urge you to please call the BBB and file a claim. AHAHAHAHA). i knew he was in a band with fed up frank (he had a zine called fed up) called burning strong. i had no idea of any other bands he was involved with. i din't know much about the bird until i saw them for the first time at cheers, might have even been their first show, i think. the line up was george rios on drums, tom rankine on bass, jose (?) on guitar, joe simmons on lead guitar, and damien on vocals of course. they blew me away that night. the music was so heavy, dark and emotional. they really pulled the crowd in... literally. i remember damien grabbing some kid with a sepultura shirt from the audience that was up front by the stage. not sure what prompted this, but by the end of the song the kid was being strangled by damien with the microphone cable a
nd the kid was loving it! that was the kind of vibe bird was emitting at these shows. i was with jerry v. at this show and we just looked at each other with equal parts amazement, disbelief, and pure delight. i was listening to all sorts of types of HC at this time. anything i could get my hands really, but i had never really SEEN anything like them. i was an automatic fan.I continued playing bass with MA for a bit, but i was really just into playing guitar, so i always had many projects going with various people (night of broken glass was one of these bands, but i wanted to write heavy shit, so i would play with whomever was into it. at one point chad gilbert, kevin bauers, and some others.. -i think maybe jerry on bass?- had some songs written but never really went anywhere). Morning Again was getting pretty serious and John mentioned how he was going to book a tour in europe for the upcoming summer. Now, I was still 15 and even though i had done a small US tour with them, i knew there was no way my parents would allow me to take off with these guys for a month long tour to a bunch of foreign countries. I mean, i had a hard time convincing them to let me go out with them for the 7 days we did a few months prior. So i had to tell MA that they would have to find someone else.
One of the classic BOIO shows i saw was the infamous Club Q show where Damien had made a John Wiley mask and had a song about how he wanted to "trash your face", no doubt a
reference to the MA lyrics he had written for "god framed me". the place went ape shit. projectile bar stools, people hanging from the rafters, just kids letting some steam off. it didn't help that the venue was run by a bunch of racist assholes, so a small scale riot ensued. it was a mess, but fun. i spoke to john about it after the show and he was actually really cool about damien pulling a stunt like that. he was actually really flattered and thought it was awesome. hahahai must have been 16 by this point, and i was hanging out with the coral springs crowd and/or miami people at this time, so i would find myself at different practices and whatnot. that's what we did back then. hang out outside of denny's after shows and go to band practices that our mutual friends were having, 'cause well, there was nothing else you'd rather do, and they were playing music you loved. i really don't remember the details of why or how jose left the band, but i think he was planning on moving to tampa or something, so bird was looking for a replacement. i was hanging out one night at bird's practice space, which was relatively close to my house. after jose left practice, tom rankine pulled me aside and asked me if i wanted to play in the band. i was so honored and really excited to get a chance to play with them, so of course i said yes. i do remember some sort of pranking/hazing thing happened during that conversation, like when there's that back and forth, "just kidding", "no i am serious". i think tom would have to way weigh in on this, since all i remember is driving off and him chasing me down, pounding on my window, and then finally telling me i was in the band. he was such an asshole. ahahahaha.
so along with my new guitar duties in the band, i ended up becoming the band's practice chauffeur. i was starting to wonder if the only reason i was even in the band was 'cause i had a car. hahahaha
we played with this line up for a few months, ended up on some sweet bills and everything was good. we wrote some new material as a band and it was all sounding great. at one practice i remember rob augman (dead patriot) being there to try and be our second singer, an idea that tom and damien had, i think. we wrote a song called scratch that night, which later became several different parts for other songs after damien and joe left. the best memory i have of that line up was this one old school house day fest /show. there was just this awesome vibe and atmosphere in the air where full moon hung around lighting the wooded outdoors. lot's of kids from vero/ftpierce/wpb area having fun and mingling with the ftl/mia crowd that drove up in large numbers. the highlights from that night included chad's first show with shai hulud (he was so nervous/out of breath after the first song he leaned over the open window and puked. after that, he basically ruled it), discount (with alison mosshart reading her own lyrics off a paper with her back to the crowd), but the one that will live in infamy was to take place during our set.
i remember plugging in my guitar, tuning, the lights going off and starting our newest song, scratch with this "acapella " screaming trade off between damien and i. that's basically the only memory i have of playing that night. it was a mystical feeling. almost like an out of body experience. joe and i have talked about this night and we've both agreed how we've never experienced a sensation or energy like that again. i would learn later from these pictures (i will include some of these if you haven't seen them already chip) that the place erupted and everybody just having a great time dancing and going nuts. now, the reason people still talk about this show, is that because during our set this kid eric (we'll call him ostrich since that was kind of his nickname after this day forward) kept turning the level down on damien's vocal mic. damien would go back to the PA and turn himself up again. this went on for several songs until ostrich was caught red handed fucking with the volume fader. damien went after him and the lights went on, pulling me back from the ether. screaming and fighting ensued. the fight was broken up and damien was walked outside to "cool down". not even a minute goes by and damien appears from outside the open window behind the drums and like spiderman just lunges on top of the ostrich. it was fucking insane and hilarious and one of my favorite memories of playing music.
several months later tom approached me with the idea of getting a replacement for joe. i think he was jealous of the time that joe was spending with the MA again guys and questioned his dedication to our band. i was opposed to the idea, but tom at that time was getting his way pretty regularly. i am sure he had a replacement in mind before he even suggested this move, and after several talks i just went along with it, 'cause it was the path of least resistance. when damien got word of all this in gainesville, where he was already spending a lot of time there doing his other band culture, he understandably quit.
turns out the guitar player tom rankine had in mind the whole time was a childhood friend, andrew logan. i later learned that most of the original bird songs were in fact songs written by a band andrew, tom, the original guitarist of bird jose (?), george rios and bundy had before called , crestfallen. i had met andrew a few times before, but didn't know him until the day i went to his house to "teach" him songs he already knew! ha
you have to understand how incestuous our scene was back then. it was com
monplace for these sort of things to take place, as i am sure it was everywhere. hardcore bands were more like baseball teams, trading members and making moves to reach the majors....so we there we were with this odd falling out with our former members, but it turns out that tom was half way right about joe anyway. he ended up joining MA right after and helped write their first record for rev records, and being a principal member for a long while. i think he was bummed, but i do believe he was a better fit with them and he went on to do a lot of great bands.
now we had a big task ahead of us finding a replacement singer. those were not easy shoes to fill, so we did what any band does in a situation like this. we held auditions (blegh). we shared a warehouse space with makeshift and brethren in north miami beach. we basically had an open call there. i remember scene vet coach, maybe alex from makeshift, rob augman, and a few others showing up. one of those people was a guy named shane we didn't know at all who was recommended to us by this guy ryan who at the time i think was playing guitar in MA. those two knew each other from the cleveland area and both had recently moved down to SoFLa. the "audition" was sort of like a cattle call. we didn't have any recorded material at this point (except an off the soundboard tape that jorge had), so we didn't expect anyone to know our songs enough to "try out". we had a few new musical ideas so we would play them as each contender would come in and take a swing at the mic. this was only an experiment to get a feel for the screaming voice each person had. one by one, as the others stood outside listening, we churned out our tunes, with each hopeful singer taking a crack at itt. after a few of the guys went, we were realizing how finding a suitable replacement could be harder than initially thought. we kept going that night. i think shane post went last. we started our drop D mayham jam and he let out this fucking growl that almost made me stop playing. tom and i looked at each other smirking in relief. before we even discussed it, we pretty much all knew he was the man for the mic. and it was like that how we settled upon the voice you hear on the recordings.
tom and i would drive up to lighthouse point where shane lived at the time and teach him the lyrics to the songs we already had and to get to know him a bit better. he was a few years older than all of us, worked as a mechanic, and he and his friend/roommate had moved from ohio together under dubious circumstances. we would joke behind his back that he probably a serial killer or something and shit just got too heated and he had to flee. i think there might have been some legalities involved with his buddy, but at this point it's all speculation and doesn't really matter.
we played a few shows with our new singer and he was well received. we were excited to be a full band again. around this time john wylie was thinking of starting his label, eulogy recordings, and asked us if we would like to go in to a studio to record for his first release. we did just that. a few weeks later we found a place in north miami called mad hatter studios. i have no idea why or how we found this studio. i assumed we'd be recording this is at studio 13, jeremy staska's joint. maybe he was booked, or we got a better deal through these guys, but john came by the studio and dropped off the money for the 2 day session. the studio was way pro. it had a huge live room where we ended up setting the drums up in the middle off and the guitar cabs on each end of the room. i was literally like 25-30 feet away from andrew's rig. the bass might have been DIed or maybe the bass rig was in an isolation booth, not sure. the control room was equally as nice with ADATs and equipment in racks everywhere. this is before i had any idea about recording what so ever. we recorded the main tracks in those two days, but we still needed to track some over dubs and all of the vocals. we had ran out of money and asked john to provide us with a bit more so we could finish it. he might have given the studio a little bit more, but then john stated that he wasn't going to put up any more money for the recording. we ended up bartering some stuff with the studio for some more time. i think i "stole" an extra VCR from my parents' house that wasn't being used, and some of the other guys came up with some cash. we were still trying to work out the final touches on some of the lyrics to a new song, might have been "manaquin". time was running out, but we made it happen. i am not sure if those jokers even spent the time to mix it, but we were all more than pleased with the outcome and got out of there with the masters. the artwork was compiled by tom and myself, using images we though were cool from god knows where, and some photos that stefanie jones had shot of us playing live. we send that off to sean from immigrant suns records with some notes and we waited. this was all still new to us. i remember having to download the layout for approval. this meant going to my mom's office after hours and waiting for HOURS to print and see the images. oh dial up, how cute you were back then.
at the same time john was booking a MA 2 or 3 week long east coast tour and wanted us to join the whole way through. not sure if we had any shirts or other merch on that tour, but we did end up dubbing a bunch of tapes/demos of two songs off that recording session. i believe we used "sharpshooter" and "now ruin is". we borrowed my dad's jeep cherokee and attached a hitch for a rented u-haul trailer. it was rather tight like that, so we were lucky that MA had a good sized van and one of us would jump in there for a bit to break up the long drives. we d
rove up 24 hours straight to to the first show, which was in staten island at some center of sorts. maybe like a knights of columbus type of thing. the bill was coalesce, the vorhees, MA and us. i might be missing some other bands, but i was totally stoked to be playing with coalesce. they killed it. some highlight shows from that tour were the first hell fest in syracuse, a few hatebreed shows, legion of doom in columbus OH, some toronto dates with New Day Rising, and indianapolis fest, where i broke my toe and guitar. what can i say; i had a lot of pent up frustration at the time. i had to play a few shows after that sitting down and did not make for good live performances, but we weren't about to quit the tour, that was for sure. our last show on that tour was at 403 chaos in tampa with Cave In, i think.Several months after we got back, Eulogy ended up putting out red letter day's CD first because it was more ready i suppose, but we were in fact the Eulogy Recording 001 release. a few months later, with the help of erica scull and alexxx kenny we had pressed a simpler version of the vynil on thinktank records.
During that summer tour, tensions between George (aka lil' jorge) and the rest of the band could not be overlooked any more, and we decided to replace him with Jose(?) from the band Mendacity. Since he had long black hair and was somewhat similar to our old drummer, i think we called him little george. We played some shows with him and wrote some newer material, but never got a chance to record any of it. As the Christmas break approached (i was still the only member still in school) we decided to book another two week tour up the east coast, including Canada. We wanted a better suited vehicle for this trip and started looking for a van. We ended up renting a recreational van from some guy in Pompano. i have no idea how we hooked this deal up, but it was way cheaper than the van we were looking to buy so we went for it. I will never forget Andrew getting dropped off in Bubba C's (escape pod) car with a plastic bag consisting of an apple, a toothebrush, a pair of socks and 2 tshirts. i had to remind him that we were touring in the winter time in the north. along for the ride was Jose's friend and guitar player in Mendacity, Ralph. Nice, but quiet guy. so we piled in all our equipment in the back in such a way that you could lay down pretty comfortably and we were off. i dont remember a lot of the shows on the way up to Canada, but i will never forget the way back down south. we played a few shows in toronto and london ontario, with brutal truth that were pretty awesome. I think we had some new york shows booked up after those dates and were excited to get there and hang out in the big apple. i think tom had set up a radio show too. driving back in through the us boarder we were stopped and searched. next thing we know our drummer Jose was taken into custody and boarder patrol was looking to detain us for "aiding an illegal immigrant". we were confused to say the least. it was quite the fiasco. turns out that Jose's student visa (he was from ecuador) had run out months prior to the tour and didn't extend it. we didn't know any of this. we had no idea that he even had a visa. after much explanation the boarder patrol said that we were free to go, but jose would not be allowed back into the U$. They released him to the canadian side and we drove into Niagara Falls area and got a hotel room. After hanging out a few days we had no choice but to leave Jose behind and we were off back home, with our final stop being gainesville, where we were supposed to play the Alexxx Kenny fest on the YMCA campgrounds, near Micanopy. Turns out Jose an
d his girlfriend had secretly married a few months back and he was hopeful that he would be back soon after the legal stuff came to light. Jose had some family in montreal where he ended up staying for a few months. After his time there, his situation was still not resolved, so he ended up moving to spain. We hadn't heard from him for a long time after that.Shane had met his future wife in Canada on that tour, so shortly after getting back to florida he moved back to Ohio for a few to be closer to her i think. Needles to say we all took a nice break from the band. During this time Tom, Andrew, and Bubba C started the band dead man's theory. I would fill in on bass once in a while, but the bird void was growing too big. Andrew and i would still get together and write for bird of ill omen stuff that would be placed on the back burner, but we also started giving more attention to our melodic punk band project from years past called the springfields.
We ended up meeting Nahuel who played drums in Milkshed, and after Tom convinced us that he could be put to task on playing our style of metal hardcore, we scheduled a few practices with him in hopes of reviving the band and recording the unreleased material. Middle George, as Nahuel would be referred as, was a phenomenal drummer and really let us hone in on our sound. He was actually perfect for the stuff we were trying to write and i think he liked the change of pace and maybe even viewed the stuff as a challenge. Either way, we were clicking and it was sounding great. We were practicing, sans shane who was still out of state, in this tiny room in Andrew's house in Miami Springs. His mom Rita, who we were all very close with, was diagnosed and was battling cancer during this time and stress inevitably arose. We booked some time with Jeremy Staska at his deerfield beach Studio 13 this time, and called Shane to come down and record. He might have been living back down there at the time even, i don't quite remember. Either way, we ended up recording the 4 songs that would end up on our second and last release. We never played a show with our new line up and after we got done recording we decided to take another break as Shane was going back up to Ohio to be a married man and Andrew's mom's condition hadn't improved. Around the same time i got offered to play with As Friends Rust and go on tour for 5 weeks with them and Discount, so i would gladly go up to Gainesville to rehearse with them. Eventually i got my GED and went up to GVL to start the tour.
I fell in love with Gainesville and felt it was time for me at the tender age of 17 to move there, but i was eager to have my bird buddies come up with me so we could continue doing the band. They did not come and understandably so, as andrew needed to stay home and deal with his family situation. We never had a conversation about the future of bird of ill omen again. We just kind of drifted apart i suppose. A whirlwind of stories, experiences shared and memories are what shapes lives. it has certainly shaped mine. Those times in bird of ill omen had it's ups and downs but it was a hell of a ride. I don't think we intended to break up, but it certainly happened. Nothing in life is promised, but i am super grateful to have lived that little piece of my life, and more importantly that other people liked our music enough to give a shit. i never really thought much about our impact, if any, on the hardcore community, but i am happy that we left behind some great memories for all of us to share. I moved up to NYC about 7 years ago now, and every so often i'll meet somebody who is not from florida that has not only heard of our slightly insignificant band but remembers us fondly. that's what is so great about this community. it transcends labels and fashion while reaching all who care enough to truly be a part of it. thank you for giving our flash in the pan efforts significance."
EDIT: Cover scan of "Self Dare You Still Breathe" by Alexandre Julien.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Posted by xCHIPxSEM | File under : As Friends Rust, Bird of ill omen, Culture, Gators, Morning Again
I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays from all of us here at Stuck In The Past and hope that you all have a safe and happy holiday season. I received an email from Peter (ex-guitarist for Bird Of Ill Omen) who told me that he had put together a Christmas compilation featuring his band, Gators, as well as some other bands featuring members of Culture, Morning Again, As Friends Rust and more. Its a free download so if you have the time, check it out. Also, Peter has agreed to write up the history of Bird Of Ill Omen so expect that in the near future. Thanks for all of your continued support and have a great holiday.
Homesick Holidays: A Sorrowful Christmas Compilation
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Posted by xCHIPxSEM |
The response to the left over merch has been overwhelming and Im doing my best to stay on top of it. Ive spoken to John and we are currently figuring out a way for me to get the merch from him so we can put it up for sale. I want to get this going as much as all of you do so Im hoping that after the holiday we should have everything ready for sale. Im going to call him today and see if we can nail down a definite day to get this ball rolling. Thanks for your patience.
Chip
Chip
Monday, December 13, 2010
Posted by xCHIPxSEM | File under : Morning Again
I just spoke to John and he said he has some stuff left. Not sure of the sizes yet but Im trying to find out at least who might be interested in picking something up. Leave a comment if you are interested so I can forward it to him. There should also be posters left too...here's the designs. The first 2 (God Framed Me and We Can't Always Rebuild...) were also made as hoodies in a limited number so they might be available as well.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Posted by xCHIPxSEM | File under : Morning Again
To be quite honest, this shirt is a little bit of a head scratcher for me. Yes its legit, I bought it from the band after the release of the "My Statement Of Life In A Dying World" record. I don't remember them selling it after I purchased it and I haven't seen it for sale since (on Ebay I mean). The front has the standard XXX logo but only a one color, more simplistic version, not the usual 2 color that we tend to see. The back has a picture of a young girl holding a gun with one hand and covering her eyes with the other. The lyrics next to her are from the song "Stun The Evolution". Perhaps the design didn't do as well as the band expected so it was discontinued? Strange...I still haven't seen it since I picked it up. Other color variations besides the heather grey? No clue..but I really do dig the simple logo on the front.
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