Jose Saxlund (Desperate Fight Records/Abhinanda) sounds off on his 5 favorite Desperate Fight releases

It's no secret that I'm a big supporter of all things foreign (non-US) hardcore. My first exposure to European hardcore was Desperate Fight Records in late 1995. I got a hold of "Senseless" by Abhinanda and was blown away. I tracked down Jose (owner of DFR and vocalist for Abhinanda) and asked him to look back on the DFR catalog and give his opinion on his favorite releases. After so many great releases, it's hard to pick but here's Jose's take.

My favorite Desperate Fight releases:

Wow, this is a hard one! I don't even think I own all the releases anymore! Some of them have been lost along the way, but I'll try. Here are my 5 favorite (and why). Not in order of preference but catalog number:

DFR4: Abhinanda – Senseless
Well, my own band. This record is not included for the music but for everything it meant to me, to us, the scene, etc. For some reason the record sold. A lot! I ripped off the band pretty, pretty, pretty good... They did not get to see any money at all! Everything went to buy a super-computer and fix a real Desperate Fight office. But dont tell the other dudes in the band about it! Well actually, the band never got paid any royalties at all for any record. Everything went back to the label and the other releases. So when sales took off for this record, I realized we had a real label. Thats why this release is so important. It's the one that financed Desperate Fight and helped us to get good distribution deals and set up a “real” label.





DFR6: Final Exit – Teg
Final Exit was supposed to be the Project X of the Umeå hardcore scene. This record is amazing but I kind of like the story behind the recording even better. Refused was doing really well around this time and their record label sent them away to record 2 songs for a cover EP (Refused loves Randy). They did but what their record company never got to know is that after Refused recorded their songs, Final Exit took over the studio and recorded a whole album in just one night. Of course, the bill for the studio went to Refuseds' record company... But shhh dont tell anyone!

DFR9: Straight Edge As Fuck II
We just had so much fun putting together the SXEAF compilations. Everyone singing backups for everyone or just trying to put together the layout for the record (fuck, the cover is awful) was always fun. I never came closer to all this stuff we always sang about, like - unity, pride, or whatever lame cliché you want to come up with, I felt all that when putting together these comps. Everyone working together and for each other.




DFR10: Shield – Vampire songs
Another special one for me. I was so involved in the making of this record. Helped out with lyrics, I was there in the studio everyday, etc. I was young, around my 20´s but I still felt like a father to these kids. Another thing not many people know about is that the singers father helped me and the label out a lot. He had his own company/business as a graphic designer (I think) and he taught me how to run a company, use a computer, etc. I still remember taking the bus during cold Umeå winters to the other side of town and walking all the way to his house/office so he could show me how to handle VAT and taxes while we where doing cd covers for Refused... I guess people (parents) like him and like David Refused parents should get a lot of cred for making everything possible back in the days. I'm not sure the scene would have been the same without their help.

DFR23: Abhinanda – Rumble
I actually have pretty good memories from all the releases. They all took time and hard work to get them done and out there. I could tell you stories about all of them. I would love to include the Purusam albums in this list, or Separation, or the Step Forward comp, or... yeah you get it. But you asked for 5. So the 5th one is another one with my own band. The most important one. The last release on the label. In one way or another the one that broke up the band, made me move from Umeå and closed down Desperate Fight. Well of course it's not just the records fault. There was a lot of other stuff going on. In the band, with the members, in the scene, in town, with the label, etc. Time to use another cliché: Nothing last forever...
I think I wasn't into it anymore. At least not the running a label part of it. Everything had grown so big, so fast. The budget for this record was like for all the other records I had ever released so far, together... (not really, but just so you get an idea). I remember just walking around filled with anguish when making the album. Back then I really hated most of the songs on the record as well (nowadays I appreciate it in a whole different way!). So I felt really bad putting everything at risk on an album that I wasnt that much into with a band that probably was going to break up any second. At the same time we had a couple of releases with other bands that werent doing well sales wise so yeah, I guess I was under more pressure that I could handle. But today, I cant regret anything. I'm really proud of what we did and it's something I'll carry with me for the rest of my life!

Morning Again Reunion, Flyer

Just got this in my email and wanted to put it up so everyone can see this is very much real. If you missed our previous post with the information regarding the Morning Again show, you can read about it here. Looks like everything is on track...if you have any further questions or need information regarding a hotel, leave a comment or shoot me an email at Dancefloorjustice305@yahoo.com

Boiling Point - Voice Of Reality

The debut EP from Germany's junior powerhouse, Boiling Point. In case you missed their full length that was post last year, you can check it out here. I hadn't heard this in a while so I decided to put in while heading to work and to be honest, it still sounds pretty fresh. I know Lost & Found's marketing was the fact that the band members were all about 14 when they released this but honestly, its pretty good for any age. These guys could actually play their instruments and while there are quite a few chug chug parts, there are some nice leads going over them. The recording is great especially for the time and more than likely on a small budget (actually its was recorded at Lost & Found Studios so maybe they didn't have a budget). This record is the band at its most raw and is definitely worth a listen if you haven't heard it or if it's been many years, its still worth going back to. As far as I know, none of the members went on to other bands but I may be mistaken so correct me if I'm wrong. I ripped this as VBR so its nice and loud as well as did a nice high quality scan of the cover. Enjoy!

If you have other old Lost & Found releases and are interested in selling them, please shoot me an email at Dancefloorjustice305@yahoo.com

Boiling Point - Voice Of Reality

http://www.mediafire.com/?xj36eg7vbtay27a

Backlash - Through Different Eyes review

For those unaware, Backlash was a hardcore band from the armpit of the United States (New Jersey) that lasted from 1991 - 1997. They didn't fit any of the typical molds of mid 90s hardcore, in that they weren't a straight edge band, nor were they an East Coast tough guy band. Backlash were kind hanging out in the middle ground, just playing great, mostly mid-paced hardcore.
This 28 song, double LP discography encompasses the band's entire existence, but also doesn't lose itself by adding any mediocre live recordings. I've owned backlash recordings via a few comps and a 7", and they always sounded really good, but the recordings sound even better now thanks to a re-mastering job. The bass tones come through exceptionally big and clear, and the high end has no screech factor. Aside from the music, one of the stars of this discography is the packaging. The double LP set comes in a beautiful gatefold package with high gloss overlays. The records also come in a few different colors, so head over to myspace to check out a few tracks, and then make your way over to the 1124 Records webstore to pick up a copy, or 3.

Commemoration Auction w/RARE Get The Most and ON records

From the REACT! Records message board:

A couple of weeks ago, a friend and former coworker of mine died in a car wreck on the way home from a weekend of camping with some of her dear friends. She and I worked together for a number of years at a group home for children who had experienced severe abuse and neglect and were placed in Washington State's foster care system. A couple of years ago, she went to work for another group home for foster and homeless youth nearing the age of emancipation from the system, a real critical moment in the life of a foster youth, let alone any youth. Although we weren't close over the last couple years, we kept in touch and exchanged stories occasionally about the work with which we were involved.

At her memorial service a couple weeks ago, all of her clients from the group home where she worked were in attendance. It's hard to express what it felt like for me to see kids that have been fucked over their entire lives go through the process of losing yet another important role model and loved one. She lived for them and it broke my heart to see them try and find the words or emotions to deal with it.

I've worked in the foster care system a long time so I have a natural soft spot for the youth she served. Her family requested that any donation be sent to the Cocoon House to be put in a NBF (No-Bullshit Fund). This money will be used to pay for the discretionary shit that you cannot buy using most philanthropic or public funding sources. I am auctioning a bunch of my bands' records and am going to donate 100% of the proceeds to the Cocoon House.

http://shop.ebay.com/benjaminjsb/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

Record Review: Distressed - What's Been Handed To Us

If there is one thing I appreciate, its a band who puts effort into their releases. Whether it's a demo or a label release, the effort a band puts into the release shows me how dedicated they are and how much they care about what they are doing. Distressed has shown me (for the second time) that they are a band with an agenda and a message that they want to spread. The band is the only band that has actually sent me physical copies of their releases twice to review which shows me that they are passionate and believe in what they say, something that goes a long way with me. The band released this themselves on both CD and 10 inch format. I have yet to see the 10 inch but the CD looks great coming in a cardboard type digipak, silk screened on both the inside and out as well as on the actual disc. As before, the lyric sheet includes explanations of what the songs are about.
If you missed my review of their demo a few months back, click here to go back and read it. The band has made leaps and bounds in progressing their style of 90s influenced hardcore. The band kicks off the first track, "What's Been Handed To Us", with a solid build up into an Excessive Force influenced chug with a Culture lead. The band's chug style also reminds me alot of some of the newer bands like Gather or Seven Generations. As the record progresses, I hear so much of a Culture influence coming through. The recording again is top notch with the levels being topped off at what seems to be just right.
Lyrically, the band continues dealing with topics they feel strongly about including the government but the fact they included a song about racism is something that made me happy. I have felt that racism has made its way back into the hardcore scene, whether it be joking or not, and should be addressed on a grand scale. Its nice to see the band standing up for something that I agree with.
My only gripe with this is its only four songs, one being an instrumental. This is what happened with the demo and it left me wanting more. I really don't know why they haven't been picked up by a label yet because I see them doing big things in the future. Overall, a great second effort and I'm very excited to see what the band has in store next.

Distressed on Myspace

EDIT: A few people asked where they could pick this. Here's a contact email for the band...that would be your best bet.

Distressed Email

Coming 11/9/10 from Revelation Records...

Pre-order info coming soon.

Mean Season - Bleed To Me 7" with limited edition cover and Strife - My Fire Burns On 7" on red and pink vinyl "77 Pressing" now available

Mean Season - Bleed To Me 7" with limited edition cover

ONLY 47 MADE

http://www.newagerecords.com/webstore/vinyl/na14_lim.html

Strife - My Fire Burns On 7" on red and pink vinyl "77 Pressing"

ONLY 77 MADE

http://www.newagerecords.com/webstore/vinyl/na11.html

Anderson Bradshaw (Another Victim) discusses the upcoming Another Victim shows

When it comes to reunions, many people are split on the idea including members of the bands that participate. One such is Anderson Bradshaw, ex singer of Another Victim who will be reuniting to play Bloodaxe Festival this weekend in Japan. He wrote up a little something discussing the reasons for the reunion and why he is a part of it. Interesting read and worth checking out.

Andy on the Another Victim reunion

Loyal To The Grave Member Changes, New Song and Bloodaxe Festival 2010

I got an email from both of my dudes in Loyal To The Grave, Koba and Hiro, letting me know that they had a new song posted. I was pretty excited because after years of playing bass for Loyal, Koba had moved to vocals. He had previously been the singer for Unboy and while I do enjoy the band, that style wasn't the same as Loyal. Needless to say, his voice is killer and I'm real excited to hear the new material. The song is only a demo version so the quality isn't incredible but it shows the progression of the band as well showcases Koba's vocals. Someone needs to get these guys over to the US already. Check out the new song "Weakness" by clicking here: Loyal To The Grave on Myspace.
While I'm on the subject of Loyal To The Grave, this coming weekend in Tokyo is Bloodaxe Festival 2010, the yearly festival that the guys put together. This year's headliners are Heaven Shall Burn, Another Victim and Thick As Blood. The fest is SOLD OUT so congratulations to my friends for putting this whole thing together and continuing to put Japanese hardcore on the map.
If you enjoy what you hear from Loyal To The Grave, check out the Stuck In The Past webstore and pick up a copy of their most recent full length.

Outspoken's A Light In The Dark LP on yellow marble vinyl and "77 Pressing" now available

Also, Hartsfield HAS finally started shipping orders!

Outspoken - A Light In The Dark LP on yellow marble vinyl

ONLY 38 PRESSED

Outspoken - A Light In The Dark LP "77 Pressing"

ONLY 77 PRESSED

http://newagerecords.com/out_allmerch.html

Kurt Schroeder (Catalyst Records) Sounds Off On His Top 5 Catalyst Records Releases

Recently, I asked Kurt to tell me what his 5 favorite releases are for his label, Catalyst Records. Here's what he had to say:

Five of my personal favorite releases, in no particular order.

- CR14 Point of No Return : Sparks
This was a band and release that had some special meaning for me, partially because I was introduced to Point of no Return (through the "Voices" Brazilian hardcore compilation CD) at a time when the hardcore scene in the US seemed to be at the pinnacle of it's backlash against meaningful or message-oriented hardcore. Seemingly out of nowhere comes this bad ass band from South America (which I had no idea even had a thriving hardcore scene at the time) with a ton of passion and a really sweet mix of influences. Although the whole three-singer thing has become pretty cliche at this point, but PONR pulled it off in a way that really worked. In addition, they were a group of older guys (in the context of the average age of people involved in the hardcore scene), and they were just super dedicated, intelligent and sincere.
What really sealed the deal with me for this band was first having the pleasure of hanging out with a couple of the members independently (one visited me in Indiana, and I spent time with another in Europe), and then accompanying them on a European tour. It was a really awesome experience, and was an awesome learning experience for me, interacting with hardcore kids from another continent, and really experiencing what they meant when they labeled themselves as "Third World" hardcore.
I did three releases with Point of No Return, and I loved all of them, but Sparks is definitely my favorite out of the three, both musically and lyrically.


- CR26 Anchor : The Quiet Dance
There are bands and people that I meet up with and just immediately feel an awesome connection, and become friends with within minutes. Anchor, much like Point of No Return was one of those bands. Though I had met a couple of them in person very briefly before we started working on their record, I really didn't spend any face to face time with any of them until I met them to join up with their tour somewhere in Western Germany. It was another of those times when I felt an immediate connection, everyone in the band was just fun and easy to get along with.
In addition I just love Anchor's approach and message. The music is energetic, and heavily influenced by more early 90's hardcore bands that were experimenting on the traditional/ youth crew style, and the lyrics dealt with important themes, but in a less typical and still passionate way.


- Day of Suffering : The Eternal Jihad
This release will always be a favorite of mine. I saw Day of Suffering play in Indianapolis when they were still called Falling Down, it was a super small show in the middle of nowhere, but the guys hung out with us for a couple of days before heading off to their next show. Just cool down to earth people. That's not really what makes this one of my all time favorites though, it is that this record is just so fucking good from start to finish. DOS was ahead of the curve when it came to playing some awesome metal with a hardcore mentality. I wasn't sure what to expect when I received the master CD for the recording, but as soon as I put it on I was just blown away. Totally different than anything I had released up until then, as well as being the first full-length Catalyst released. It's still pretty amazing the amount of influence this band had, especially on future bands, given the relatively little touring they did.


- Gather : Beyond the Ruins
Gather is one of those bands that came along when I was really getting jaded about hardcore and the hardcore scene in general, and their energy and passion was really a big part of what snapped me out of just being bummed about the direction of the US hardcore scene at the time. It was another band that I basically made friends with immediately, and some of them remain some of my best friends to this day. There were so many things I loved about Gather, the music they put together is just authentic, and represents some of my favorite elements of hardcore musically. They were totally dedicated to their message, and always did their best as a band to live up to their message, which is a rare thing. I was also happy to help promote a band that talked about atypical issues, or at least ones that had been receiving little attention in the modern hardcore scene such as feminism. Awesome band, great release, great friends.


- Extinction : Hypocrisy Breeds Traitors
Honestly Extinction kind of came out of nowhere. Around the time Indianapolis and Chicago had just started making some connections, and I knew Jim and the other guys from playing shows in Chicago or previous bands they had been in that had played in Indianapolis. It didn't take long for Extinction to become one of my favorite bands to see live, they did such an awesome job of capturing energy and intensity in their songs, and combining what would seem to be incompatible influences like youth crew bands and Damnation AD. This choice should be a no-brainer just looking at the other bands that members went on to play in. Totally underrated.

Rich Thurston (Culture, Blood Has Been Shed, Terror, etc) Interview: Part 3

Here's part 3 of my interview with Rich Thurston. In this installment, we discuss the break up of Culture, One Nation Under, Toybox Records and his move to Ohio. We've still got one more session to post so enjoy this third installment of my interview with Rich. 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.

Rich: So I wanted to add something to what we talked about last time.

Stuck In the Past: Okay.

Rich: Just a little statement really. The most important thing to remember about the scene back then was it was so incredibly chaotic. Constant scheming and craziness. You never really knew who was your friend or who was out to get you. No one hardly ever made good decisions. Did I do alot of shady shit? Absolutely. My middle name was bad decision. However...I took alot of blame and heat for shit that everyone else was doing too. Thats all I'm gonna say about that.

Stuck In the Past: Okay I wanted to pick up with you guys signing to Goodlife.

Rich: Alright.

Stuck In the Past: How did you guys end up signing with Goodlife?

Rich: Well the band relocated to Gainesville. Josh and Gordon and some of our friends from the area moved up there. Steve Looker made his Culture debut there as well. He moved down from Ohio. We were just starting to write new music and all that when I got some huge ass package from Goodlife. A bunch of cds and all that. In the letter that came with it, Edward expressed his interest in us.

Stuck In the Past: Was there a specific reason for the move to Gainesville?

Rich: Just a move we wanted to do. South Florida had run its course. I, for obvious reasons, was ready to move. It just sort of happened.

Stuck In the Past: So you guys moved and Edward began to express interest. Who's idea was the re-release of Born of You?

Rich: That happened during a discussion in Edwards kitchen. It was the last day of tour in Europe and we were just discussing the future, That came up

Stuck In the Past: Did you guys have a record out in Europe at that time?

Rich: We had the split with Kindred and the Heteronome ep. It was funny.... I remember sitting there writing those songs like it was yesterday.

Stuck In The Past: For those 2 releases?

Rich: Well the songs on the split were the first new Culture songs in two years at the time. It was a big deal to me coming off the court stuff and the drama. It was an accomplishment.

Stuck In The Past: How was the band received when you guys went to Europe?

Rich: Like Rockstars. Ha. Apparently we were some kind of a big deal. Ha. Morning Again was there at the same time as we were which was funny. No matter how much we tried to play it down, we were in constant competition.

Stuck In The Past: How so?

Rich: We always wanted to do better, be bigger, etc etc. I think if we helped each other instead of trying to beat each other we all would have been better.

Stuck In The Past: Was it just a friendly competition type thing? You guys werent out trying to sabotage each other were you?

Rich: No, nothing malicious. The occasional shit talking and this and that. Overall it was friendly. Speaking of Europe and friendly competition, I have a comment about this upcoming Morning Again European tour.

Stuck In The Past: Alright

Rich: About 5 months ago or so, Damien and I toyed with the idea of maybe writing a couple of new songs for Culture and trying to do a European tour. We asked Mr. John Wylie about it. He said it was a bad idea because the Euorpean kids would be pissed because we used to all be vegan and sxe and arent one or the other now. At the time it made sense. Fast forward to now.... Morning Again is gonna go. Were they not sxe? Were they not Vegan? Just seems funny to me... but whatever.

Stuck In The Past: True but in Morning Again's defense they weren't as vocal about veganism or straight edge as Culture was. The band was vegan straight edge but I dont think they ever dealt with either topic in their lyrics...thats just an outside looking in perspective.

Rich: They had three x's in their logo. They were just as sxe and vegan as us. Vocal or not. They were a bit more artsy about their lyrics but just like us nontheless.

Stuck In The Past: Fair enough. Where does Toybox Records fit into all of this?

Rich: You know whats funny about Toybox? I have no idea how it fits in. I really dont. Ha. I can't remember. I dont think we ever did a thing with them. Ha.

Stuck In The Past: Well you guys did at least 2-3 shirts designs and the "Mike Warden Can Suck It" record which never saw the light of day.

Rich: Yeah... I meant music-wise.

Stuck In The Past: Sean Bonner ran the label right?

Rich: Yes sir. Solid dude.

Stuck In The Past: Whats the story behind the "Mike Warden Can Suck It" session?

Rich: Well we were on a "ripping off Judge phase". We made the Judge rip off shirt. We hated Mike so we figured what a perfect idea. Ha.

Stuck In The Past: You guys even recorded a cover of "Fed Up"

Rich: I wasnt in the band anymore at that point. I don't think they did though. I wish they had.

Stuck In The Past: They did record it. I can send it to you if you want it.

Rich: Please do! I didn't know they did. I just saw them play it live one time in Cincinnati

Stuck In The Past: Tell me about your leaving the band.

Rich: I was kicked out. Ha. Europe, aside from playing the shows and seeing the sites, was a nightmare. Didn't get along with anyone. Classic case of too many chiefs, not enough indians. We were so immature. It really was bad. I came to Ohio right after the tour and while I was gone the band kicked me out. I was the last remaining original member.

Stuck In The Past: Were you real bitter about it? You said you saw them play the Judge cover in Ohio.

Rich: I was pissed only because they did it when I wasn't around. I didnt even get to argue my case or anything. I was bitter at first. I was really pissed actually. I saw all of MY hard work wasted. I busted my ass. I started that band and in my mind it was stolen from me. Later on, I came to not care as much. The band broke up and that was that. Its kind of like when you break up with a girl you love. Hurts like hell until you find a new one.

Stuck In The Past: So the band ended up calling it quits and you were living in Ohio?

Rich: Yeah. I stayed in Gainseville for a bit but I needed to leave Florida. I had enough of that place. The band broke up after a few more lineup changes and I think one more European tour. I think.

Stuck In The Past: Did the band do the member switch with Morning Again (Joe and Steve) while you were still in the band?

Rich: No. I was out.... then Steve went to Morning Again after a bit. Thats really where he always wanted to be I think anyways.

Stuck In The Past: Okay so you moved to Ohio...did you start a band right away or just kinda chilled out for a bit?

Rich: I started a band ASAP. It was called Elijahs Message. Nothing religious or anything. I had some stuff I had starting writing before my stay with Culture ended so I wanted to get it recorded.

Stuck In The Past: And did you?

Rich: Yeah. 3 songs I think. I have the cd downstairs. Ha.

Stuck In The Past: Is that the band that became One Nation Under?

Rich: No. That was a whole different band.

Stuck In The Past: Well I think you need to send me those Elijah's Message tracks for us to post haha.

Rich: That's fine. I can do that.

Stuck In The Past: Did you guys play any shows?

Rich: A couple here and there. The only out of town show we played was in St. Louis. Ha

Stuck In The Past: What did you do after that?

Rich: Well that band just sort of stopped. I didnt do anything for about a month or so then my friend JC called me. He had moved to CT to play guitar for Blood Has Been Shed. They needed a bass player. I was packing my bags.

Stuck In The Past: How long did you do that for?

Rich: I was in BHBS for a little over a year.

Stuck In The Past: Did you record with them?

Rich: Yeah. I recorded the first full length on Ferret. I credit that band for making me a million times better as a musician.

Stuck In The Past: Yeah they were pretty technical.

Rich: Nothing like I had ever done. The bass parts werent that hard. They had some weird timing. When I switched over to guitar easy turned to hard. Ha

Stuck In The Past: hahaha

Stuck In The Past: Why did you leave BHBS?

Rich: Well Corey's (guitar player) dad had cancer. Corey had to basically take over the family landscaping business. We were playing a show here or there but I wanted more. Plus, we were totally different people.

Stuck In The Past: So there was no bad blood?

Rich: Not really. I feel like they wasted my time a little bit but whatever. That was so long again. I do cherish that band though.

Stuck In The Past: Did you move back to Ohio?

Rich: Yep. Thats when One Nation Under started. We started off as a real metal band.

Stuck In The Past: I've had a few people ask me to go in depth about One Nation Under.

Rich: Well lets do it.

Stuck In The Past: How did you guys get started?

Rich: Well when I decided I was moving back, I immediately started finding people to play with when I got back. I knew I wanted to keep playing music. I wanted it to be metal like BHBS but a bit more structured. I found some guys and got started. The first name of the band was BROKEN GLASS EVERYWHERE. Later it was changed to One Nation Under and Broken Glass Everywhere became a song.

Stuck In The Past: Did you record a demo as Broken Glass Everywhere?

Rich: Yeah.... it was real rough and never mixed. It had no vocals either. Ha. Just the basic music.

Stuck In The Past: Where'd the name come from?

Rich: Broken Glass Everywhere was just a rough ass name. Ha. No real meaning behind it. One Nation Under was like a statement. The nation is under attack from drugs and alchohol. Its under attack by the media and big business. We were trying to make a statement. Open some eyes.

Stuck In The Past: Do you feel like you were able to make that statement with the band?

Rich: I do. I wrote the lyrics and music. I was in control. I handled all band business. It was my band. I had a lot of anger and alot of aggression building up in me and I feel like I could voice that in the band.

Stuck In The Past: How did you end up signing with Alveran?

Rich: Well we played the second Hellfest. The one where Earth Crisis "broke up". Ha. To me, that was the best Hellfest. Anyways... John was there and I wanted him to check us out. I remember it like it was yesterday. We played the first day like 5th. The four bands before us were boring annoying crybaby emo nonsense. Right before we played Matt Dunn got on the mic and started with one of his now famous speeches. He introduced the band. From the first note all hell broke loose. It was sick. John was into it. Eulogy and Alveran were working together.

Stuck In The Past: That was a great year.

Rich: I loved it man. Those days are long gone. People dont give a shit like that anymore.

Stuck In The Past: Hellfest was THE fest you looked forward to.

Rich: Yup. Furnace Fest was decent but didnt compare. I went to the first Super Bowl Of Hardcore in NY. That was just scary. Ha

Stuck In The Past: Do you recall anything specific about recording the record?

Rich: We went to Mike Hasty (Walls Of Jericho) to record in Detroit, MI. He knew what we wanted to do. We all were friends with him so it was easy. When we were done, I felt like we had done something great. Maybe not original, but great. Listening to the recording now I would love to go back and do some things different but I think any band can say that i'm sure.

Stuck In The Past: I remember when that record came out. South Florida was way into it

Rich: Wish we would have played down there. I think alot of people were into it. Some people wouldnt support it because I was in it but I guess that is to be expected.

Stuck In The Past: How long was the band together for?

Rich: Ya know i'm not really sure. Probably like 2 years

Stuck In The Past: Was that full length the only thing you guys recorded?

Rich: We recorded three songs for a split with a band from here that never came out.

Stuck In The Past: I think we need those as well.

Rich: I am not even sure if I have them. I think I have like one of the three.

Stuck In The Past: Why did the band break up?

Rich: I was really tired of doing everything. At the same time I didn't want anyone else to do it. I was just getting tired of playing with those guys. This is around the time that we played with Terror at Furnace Fest. I had known Scott Vogel for years and years. Culture played shows with Despair a bunch. He told me that the bass player they had was on his way out. I wanted in so thats how that started and ONU ended really. I told ONU they could keep going but without me doing everything they were lost.

Stuck In The Past: Didn't they change their name to Against and then Still Crossed?

Rich: No I started Against and Still Crossed after I was done in Terror.

Remain - Die Alone (Link Fixed)

Someone requested a re-up of the Remain "Die Alone" CD. That has been re-upped to mediafire and is now available once again. You can check it out here if you missed it.

Remain - Die Alone

Outspoken at the Che Cafe in San Diego, CA on 10/23/10

DON'T KNOCK IT 'TIL YOU TRY IT.

Youth Of Today 2010 reunion tour in Europe dates

From RevelationRecords.com:

09.16.10 Lyss, Switzerland Kulturfabrik
09.17.10 Saarbrucken, Germany Garage
09.18.10 Hasselt, Belgium Muziekodroom
09.19.10 Den Bosch, Netherlands W2
09.20.10 Koln, Germany Burgerhaus Stollwerck
09.21.10 Amsterdam, Netherlands Melkweg
09.22.10 Hannover, Germany Faust
09.23.10 Berlin, Germany So36
09.24.10 Essen, Germany Jze
09.25.10 Leipzig, Germany Conne Island
09.26.10 Prague, Czech Republic Lucerna Music Bar
09.27.10 Wien, Austria Szene

Unity HxC and their "Focus On Covers Artwork", Updated

While I can't read everything posted on their site, Unity HxC is a great site that shares the same love for all things 90's that we do. They also have a great section depicting the original artwork that many of the 90s bands used for their album covers and inserts. For some reason, I feel like I may have reported on this in the past but in going back, I couldn't find anything so Im putting it up again just in case. They just added more images so its worth going back checking again. They are also in process of changing the rest of the site to English so be patient. Overall, a very nice and interesting part of 90s hardcore history when biblical imagery ruled the layouts.

Madball to release a 7 inch with Reaper Records

One of my favorite labels, Reaper Records, will be releasing a brand new 7 inch for one of my favorite bands, Madball. Heres the scoop from our dear friend Patrick Kitzel:

We are proud to announce that legendary NYHC band MADBALL has joined forces with REAPER RECORDS to release an exclusive 7" entitled "The Real American HC".

The 7" will feature 2 songs from their upcoming LP "Empire" to be released on GoodFight Entertainment. Side A will have "R.A.H.C.", one of their most in your face songs ever and Side B will have "All Or Nothing" which, without any doubt, will be going into the books as another all-time Madball classic.

Pre-orders will start
Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Vinyl breakdown will be;

200 on gold vinyl
400 on blue vinyl
400 on black vinyl
1,000 on black & blue mix Vinyl

This will be a one time press of 2,000 copies, so don't sleep on this one!

Check out the Reaper Records site for additional info.

Morning Again Reunion, Confirmed! A Stuck In The Past Exclusive

I just got off the phone with John Wylie and he confirmed the Morning Again reunion. The show will take place at Churchill's Pub in Miami on Saturday, December 11 2010. More details will be released later this week but the following bands are scheduled to play:

Morning Again
Kids Like Us
All Hell Breaks Loose
Remembering Never
Knock Em Dead
Homestretch
Harbinger

The lineup for the band will be John and Steve on guitar, Jerry on bass, Kevin on vocals and Matt on drums. If you are interested in traveling down for the show, shoot me an email at Dancefloorjustice305@yahoo.com and Ill try and get you some info on hotels that are relatively close. Again, this is 100% confirmed by John. If you have any further questions, leave a comment or shoot me an email and Ill do my best to field them until John releases more info. No word yet on whether or not the band is going to make merch for the show (crossing my fingers that they will) but check out the Eulogy Outlet store. They had a few shirts up but quickly sold out. There are still loads of boxes to go through so it's possible there are more so be patient. This is something I've been bugging John about for years and its finally happening. As soon as we have more info, it will be posted.

"Love Is Never Wrong...."

Dave Smalley photo by Ken Salerno and Dave's letter on education eBay auction

A signed copy of the letter below will be included with the photo of Dave taken by acclaimed photographer Ken Salerno available for purchase here - http://cgi.ebay.com/Dave-Smalley-Photo-All-DYS-Dag-Nasty-Ken-Salerno-/320577333775?pt=Art_Photo_Images#ht_1172wt_930


"My name is Dave Smalley. I’m a punk rock singer, screamer, songwriter, guitarist and general tattooed misfit. And I can sometimes be an idiot. But I’m also not a total idiot, for the most part -- and the thanks for that go to some really, really wonderful teachers over the years. And my really, really wonderful parents.

If you’re reading this, that means you get it. You get the big picture – that we can’t raise the next generations of poets, scientists or punk rock singers without great schools, great teachers who are infused with enthusiasm for helping kids reach their highest potential.

For me, it all started with Mrs. Carolyn Zolbe at Jamestown Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia. It was really Mrs. Zolbe who is responsible for all those albums I’ve made over the years – without her, there would be no “Can I Say,” no “punkrockacademyfightsong,” no “Brotherhood” or “Allroy for Prez.” Because Mrs. Zolbe saw in me not just the young rebel/dork that I was, but also someone who had a gift for music. And she developed it in me. When we did plays or musical skits, she told me to sing, so I did. And I found that I loved it.

And I’ve never looked back since then. She gave me confidence, put me on the path. Without her, who knows what I’d be right now.

But it wasn’t just me. She did the same for all the kids. Kids with special needs got special attention. Kids with gifts for sports were encouraged to get out there and play hard. Kindness was encouraged. I remember she made me one of the tutors for a couple of the kids who had challenges with reading, and I was so honored to do that, that it made me realize the importance of helping others. That has influenced my view of punk rock, and what it means to be a musician. See, despite my absolute love for the Sex Pistols, I never was into the whole anarchy idea – instead, I saw punk rock as a chance to make the world a better place. Tear down the bad, leave the good, and improve the rest, including ourselves. Go for ALL!

So thanks for supporting this auction. Thanks for giving of yourself to help kids who really are at those critical points in life. What you’re doing, right now, by buying this and reading it, means you, me, all of us together, can be part of something bigger than ourselves. It proves that punk rockers and punk fans are, once again, the greatest group of people I’ve ever been honored to associate with. And it proves that even a tattooed misfit can do something worthwhile – all because of a teacher, an education, and some serious heart.

Cheers!
Dave Smalley"

Eulogy Outlet Store Now Open

A few weeks back, I went up to Ft. Lauderdale to see John Wylie. While there, we went through the Eulogy Recordings warehouse and came across about 40-50 boxes of old Eulogy merch. We started going through the boxes and decided to open a store through Limited Pressing to sell these items at a discounted price. Theres still about 40 boxes to go through but this is the first batch of what we found so have a look and see if there might be something you like.

Eulogy Outlet Store

Hardcore for Education summer 2010 eBay auction is a GO! (pun absolutely intended)

From HelpGoldenEmpire.com:

After a few bumps getting our non-profit paperwork processed by eBay and MissionFish, we are a go. The auction has started live on eBay as of about 9:30 PM Pacific Time on Aug 15. Items are going for ten days. Note that more items shall be added in the next few days as well. Please visit the auction page for direct links to the eBay listings.

Keep up to date on this website or via Facebook

Record Review : Losing Vision - Damnation

I met the guys in Losing Vision through the old Florida message board I used to post on. They were relatively young at the time (I'd guess around 18 or so) and being the guy that I am, I checked out the demo they had on their Myspace. Needless to say, I wasn't that impressed. They sounded like they had potential but they had yet to find their direction. Jump ahead to last year, about this time in Philadelphia. The band was on tour and hanging out at This Is Hardcore. I hadn't met the guys in the band until that weekend but they were nice kids and were real excited to be out on tour. TJ, the singer, told me about the plans they had for the band in regards to touring. Again, I hadn't heard anything new. Fast forward one more time. Last month I saw the band play in Pembroke Pines with Crucified and I could tell they really had gotten their shit together. After they played, I told them I thought they played very well and they gave me a copy of their current release, Damnation.
The current trend over the past year or two is cassette tapes. Bands are releasing cassettes again. It blows my mind when I can't sell CDs that bands are releasing tapes...either way, this was released by Double Or Nothing Records and did include a download card for the 5 tracks. The cover of the release reminds of the Disney cartoon "Fantasia" and its excellent segment "Night on Bald Mountain". I'm all in favor of bands thinking outside of the hardcore box so thumbs up for going a different route.
Musically, Losing Vision reminds me alot of Integrity. They aren't trying to reinvent the wheel in any way, shape or form but they found their niche by channeling their inner Melnick's. The band includes solo's (with wah pedal) in just about every song, something I was very happy to hear. A good solo (and obligatory divebomb) can break up the usual verse/chorus repetition so its nice to hear that the band isn't afraid to show that they can shred. This release would fall somewhere in between "Systems Overload" and "Humanity Is The Devil" in terms of musical style. Vocally, TJ reminds me of Craig Mack from Living Hell. Gruff, hoarse yelling with lyrics dealing with apocalyptic visions. My favorite tracks were Eternal Sin and Oblivion (which has its fair share of metal parts and double bass) though the entire release is solid.
My only real gripe is I wish the mastering were a little better. The release is a little low but I understand its a cassette so it's not a big deal. Just something to think about in the future. Bottom line is the band is helping to put Florida hardcore back on the map and doing a fine job. Im looking forward to their next release, what ever it may be.

Refused - This Is The New Deal MCD

Here is the first release (after 2 demo's) by Swedish hardcore 'legends' Refused. Hailing from Umeå, Sweden, they began in 1991 and played their final show in 1998. I'm not going to write down a biography or anything like that here, just check the Wikipedia page or google around. For me, their finest hour came with the 'Everlasting' EP (one of the best European hardcore records from the '90s IMHO), and not with the subsequent full-lengths, 'Songs To Fan The Flames Of Discontent' and 'The Shape Of Punk To Come', which are generally seen as their best records. Maybe I just prefer the more straight-forward and less pretentious Refused. Either way, it's hard to deny they had a huge impact on the Swedish hardcore scene, especially in their hometown Umeå, and to some extent outside of Sweden as well. I've seen them live several times, and they definitely rocked. But yeah, their later stuff just rubs me the wrong way. So to counter that, here's their first proper record, the 'This Is The New Deal' MCD. Recorded in 1993 on Burning Heart Records it features a far more old school Refused. Great fast hardcore with already fairly socially aware & politically motivated lyrics. Good stuff.

Refused - This Is The New Deal MCD

Vocalist wanted in the Los Angeles area

Alex Barreto and Paul Hertz aka Frosty (Chain of Strength etc), Andy Alvarez (Pushed Aside, Mindwar, etc.) & Shaun Ross (Excel) are on the lookout for a vocalist in the Los Angeles area to complete this lineup for a new hardcore/thrash project that has been in the works for a few months. Influences include Void, Negative Approach, BL'AST! & Black Sabbath... Serious inquiries to singerinfo@gmail.com for more info.

Unbroken at the Che Cafe on 9/3/10

Pre-sale tickets available here - http://tickets.frontgatetickets.com/choose.php?a=1&lid=46107&eid=53253

The 90's, Straight Edge and JNCOs

If you were part of the straight edge scene in the 1990's, theres a good chance you owned a pair of JNCO's. Be it jeans or jean shorts, JNCOs were all the rage and (most) everyone wore them. Im not sure who was the first to start wearing them and influence an entire generation of kids to wear enormous pants but I'd really like to find out. I never wore the pants because to be quite honest, living in Miami I can wear shorts year-round. To this day I only own 4 pairs of jeans. But I did wear my JNCO shorts into the ground, to the point they literally fell apart and by that time, JNCOs were on their way out so replacements were never purchased.
If you're reading this and saying "JNCOs? The hell is he talking about?", well let me give you the Cliff's Notes version. Denim pants and shorts that used an awful lot of fabric and had designs stitched into the back. You can read up on the history of JNCOs here. The shorts I liked but the pants I couldnt get down with. I hate stepping on my jeans and with JNCOs, they ALWAYS dragged on the ground and left the denim tassels following behind. Either way, somebody or some band brought them to the scene and transformed a generation of kids for the next few years. With the end of the 90s came the end of the JNCO fascination as "fashioncore" set in. Kids traded in their baggy pants for tighter ones and JNCOs became something that kids joked about as often goes in the hardcore scene.
Often times, companies choose not to associate themselves with the people that are buying their product (i.e., Faygo and Juggalos) but JNCO embraced the straight edge scene and even put out a pair of shoes for the straight edge kids. I had no idea they made these until our friend Brian Murphy of Hows Your Edge and Tee Till Death dropped them on TTD yesterday. I wish I had some info on them but some of the comments state that they were made in 1997 and sold at Journey's. This particular pair is up on Ebay right now with about 6 hours left so if you want to go after them, you still have time. If anyone has anymore info on them, drop us a line and let us know so we can do a follow up. Check the pics below. JNCO was definitely onto what was going on in the scene at the time with the image of baggy clothed wearing X'ed up kids on the soles of the shoes. Maybe they had hardcore kids working there at the time because seriously, take a look at the original tag that the seller included which states that the shoes are "hardline approved" and are the "rebirth of hardcore pride". 18 year old Chip would have been over the moon about this. I really hope someone scoops these up and can give us more info on them.
As we've seen, things go in cycles and now that 90s hardcore has generated interested again, is it possible that JNCOs and tulasi beads will make their comeback as well? Will JNCO jeans become sought after collectors items like records? Only time will tell.


-Note: All info regarding the shoes is from Teetilldeath.com and all credit to them.

Josh Grabelle (Trustkill Records) on his top 5 Trustkill Releases

I got in touch with Josh Grabelle from Trustkill Records/Bullet Tooth to look back on his catalog of releases and tell us what his 5 favorite releases have been.

Bullet For My Valentine “The Poison”

This one is pretty obvious to me as a choice. This was one of those signings that EVERY label or A&R person wishes they could score. The band was unheard of, from overseas (Wales), never been to the US, no manager or agent, etc. When I showed them to my friends and dudes in my other bands I got back comments like, "Dude, these guys are fags, don't sign them" or "They have gay tribal tats and wear shorts on stage, fuck these guys." Fast forward 2 years and this album has sold well over 1 million copies worldwide, and over 500,000 in the US, and the band deserves all their success as they are great guys and really hard workers.

Poison The Well “The Opposite Of December”

Most people point to this record as a major turning point for Trustkill, which is true. In 1999 Shai Hulud were recording a few songs for me for a split EP (w/ Another Victim) and Matt Fox called me from the studio and said, "Hey dude, you GOTTA check out the new PTW album they are recording here." The band were supposed to release this album on Good Life but when I heard it, we talked, and we released it on Trustkill in early 2000. In the summer of 2000 was the infamous Hellfest and when thousands of kids were singing along to the new PTW songs, I knew we had something special.

Eighteen Visions “Vanity”

I had seen 18V in Orange County in the summer of 1996 when I was on tour with Endeavor and Harvest. James was a little kid with a HUGE Hardline tattoo on his neck, so I wrote him off immediately. Ha Ha. I signed the band in early 1999 and released a 7" and the "Until The Ink Runs Out" album. I flew the band out to play Hellfest 1999 and that was a HUGE turning point for the band, and the scene really. Nobody looked like them at the time, and they turned a lot of heads. We released "Vanity" in 2002 and it was my first album through a major distributor, as well as a HUGE change in sound for the band. This album kicked off the new revival of the "Orange County scene" which saw great albums from Throwdown, Bleeding Through, Atreyu, A7X, and more.

Bleeding Through “This Is Love, This Is Murderous”

Brandan from Eighteen Visions (and Throwdown) told me he had started a "death metal" band and I probably rolled my eyes at him. Ha Ha. It wasn't until I saw them play at Furnace Fest in 2002 that I was sold. They DESTROYED that place and Brandan was an undeniable front man. I signed the band and released this album in 2003 and it was the first Trustkill album to break 100,000 sales, which is pretty huge. It's also pretty well known that when the band delivered the album I didn't really like it. However, it grew on me after a while and quite enjoy it now.

Various Artists “Saw VI Soundtrack”

This was one of those projects that I could only dream about, and something I ALWAYS wanted to do. A major motion picture soundtrack, with full studio support, DVD release, and I was given 100% control over it. With only 3 weeks to put the entire soundtrack together (the film business is even less organized and last minute than the music business I discovered), I think I put together a pretty awesome album with great music and artwork. Working with bands like Hatebreed, Converge, Every Time I Die, Shadows Fall, Chimaira, and more was a lot of fun.