Absolution Reunion
By admin on Sep. 22, 2008.
For the first time in a very long time I drove up to this show with my friend John. We hit a ton of rain on the way up but, thankfully, by the time we got to New York City it was gone besides some lightning. John and I caught up on what each other was up to and laughed at the antics of the world around us.
On the way up we listened to Dave K’s 1988-1990 NYHC mix.
Upon arriving in Hoboken and trying to find a parking spot for probably around twenty to thirty minutes I quickly realized why I can’t stand that city. Yuppies and “norms” everywhere going to bars and other social gathering. On the way home we had to watch adults stumble out of bars bombed out of their minds. Pathetic. Thankfully, we went directly to the PATH train and got to 9th street pretty quickly where we met up with our friend Dave.
A cab ride later we were in front of the club. I have seen a variety of bands at The Knitting Factory, from 7 Seconds to Kristin Hersh’s solo act. These days I am not really a people person, even worse than before, so when we got in the club I tried to make my way inside as quick as possible to check out whoever was playing.
We ended up getting inside while Maximum Penalty was setting us, which was fine by me. I had not seen MP in many years (I think the last time was in 1996 with Hogan’s Heroes and Vision…) so I did not know what to expect from them. The records they released in the nineties weren’t too hot but I love their demo from 1989, which is one of the best attempts at combining Bad Brains style hardcore with Alleyway Crew style mosh parts.
Despite some new songs that were a bit on the long side, I thought MP played well enough. They busted out most of the demo plus the songs from the Blackout! compilation. A huge pile on for Acceptance ended their set in excellent fashion.
Now this a reunion I just did not think I would ever see. After that haphazardly put together discography CD in the late 90′s (98? 99?) I perceived bad blood between band members and the chance of a reunion being near zero. I made my way up front and slid off to the side where some friends stood so I would be out of the way of the kickboxing (take it back to the nineties, please) and other jerky bullshit. My original plans had been to dance and dive and generally have fun but after running earlier in the day my stomach never settled (at the time I was a little under the weather) so I decided to pass. Soon enough Gavin came out along with Sergio (Collapse, Quicksand), who was filling in on bass, and their fill in drummer Doug (formerly of Slapshot, Speak 714, and other bands).
After a few minutes of tuning Djinji came out to a rather loud round of applause. Quickly they were flying into As We Are (no intro?!?) and from there they proceeded to play a pretty good set. In the beginning they were a little sloppy but that changed after a few songs. For some reason Gavin’s guitar was really, really, low in the mix for a handful of songs as well. Djinji had great things to say between songs and the band went off hard.
I was hoping on the way out to find Djinji so I could mention how much I appreciate his father’s playing with John Coltrane on the Ascension album, but the band had disappeared into the backstage area. Ascension is one of my favorite Coltrane albums. There is an excellent reissue CD from a few years back which combines both versions (as the story goes, I guess, one version came out but was recalled and the second version was then released in subsequent pressings) onto one CD. I tend to like the second version (they are long suites) more, but you can’t go wrong with either one.
After getting the cold shoulder from a few long time “friends” I decided to go find Dave and John and start heading back to New Jersey. We ended up at the World Trade Center PATH station and from there parted ways and headed home. Absolution and Maximum Penalty are playing ABC No Rio in a few weeks. I don’t think I am going to be able to make it, but I would advise others to check them out while they can. There are rumors of a more organized discography CD in the works as well.
Mental/Mind Eraser/Get Real/Robot Whales/Little Rascals
By admin on Jul. 29, 2006.
Mental/Mind Eraser/Get Real/Robot Whales/Little Rascals
May 6th 2005
Brick NJ
Dave Flynn and I headed up to Brick for this one. We almost bailed upon finding out that Mind Eraser had canceled, but I am glad we still made the trip. Since it was just the two of us, we took my truck to its first hardcore show in a few years. At this point Dave usually drives so it was actually somewhat cool to drive for once. After dealing with the pouring rain, some crappy directions, and a trip to the mighty Santosa’s for vegan Chinese food, we finally found the venue. This is another VFW (I guess?) in Brick. Just how many VFWs does Brick have!? There seems to be at least three or four. I guess we missed the openers so after meeting up with some friends from the shore & Boston, plus the Brick locals, it was time for The Little Rascals to play.
I had never heard these guys before but quickly, after Gorilla Biscuits and Project X covers, they had my attention. They play heavy NYHC styled stuff just like Brick brother band Get Real. Soon enough they were also busting out a Slapshot cover, which got both Dave and I diving into the crowd and hitting the dance floor. A few more originals and then a Sheer Terror cover to end the set and both of us were sold on these guys! What a pleasant surprise to open the show.
We missed most of Robot Whales’ set to go get something to drink but I did enjoy what I heard. Apparently they intro’d with Electric Funeral. Robot Whales ended with a Quicksand cover. I am very interested in checking out their LP.
Either Get Real played next or before Robot Whales (mental note-stop writing show reviews six months later). They got a pretty crazy reaction. There were tons of people dancing, diving, and seeming like they were having a lot of fun. I really like Shore Style, but even I was surprised by how crazy the reaction was. At one point, Brett got his shorts ripped off, which lead to a lot of laughs. I hit the dance floor for their cover of Life of My Own, after which they played maybe one or two more before calling it a night. Easily this was one of the best sets I have seen all year.
As I said before, we were pretty bummed that Mind Eraser canceled this show. While Mental was setting up, I was sitting on the stage. At one point, I looked over at them and thought, “Man, they should open with a Mind Eraser song.” Well, low and behold, about two minutes later they were tearing through Chewed Up, Spit Out. YES! As that faded out they went right into History 101 (I think?) and tore through a great set. There was no way to really top Get Real’s set, but Mental got a great reaction anyway. A few songs before the end of their set, the power went out and that was the end of the night for all of us.
This was a great show. I was happy to get to eat in Brick and to be able to see a lot of friends I don’t see too often.
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Ten Yard Fight
By admin on Jul. 28, 2006.
I interviewed Clevo from the band Ten Yard Fight in May of 1998 (I think?) for my old fanzine Broken Behind This Wall.
How did you end up in Ten Yard Fight?
That’s a good question. It all started in the summer of 1995. I had gotten out of the Army the summer before and my life just kind of sucked. I had a lot of personal problems and I needed a change. I got back into Straight Edge when I got out of the Army and I started going to shows again now that I had a lot more freedom to do what I wanted. Well, in the spring of 95, my mother was getting transferred to Boston and, like I said, I needed a change in my life so she was like, I could move to Boston with her and live rent free and to go to school up here. So I figured I had nothing to lose, plus I always remembered Boston having a good scene with Slapshot and Wrecking Crew, so I did it. The thing was, while I was in the Army, I kept listening to the hardcore that I loved like Youth Of Today, Judge, Gorilla Biscuits, and stuff like that. When I got home nobody was really playing that anymore. I ended up meeting Rama at school and he told me about Ten Yard Fight being like all the bands that I loved, and through him I met Anthony P. and Sweet Pete, and then I went to a party at the 38 house and met Lacroix and Wrench. So I was hanging out with Lacroix, helping him with Extent, and going to a few shows around here with them, using my mom’s car to take equipment, and selling merch. Then on my twenty forth birthday I went on a road trip to New Jersey with Ten Yard Fight and got to hang out with all of them and I told them that I wanted to go on tour with them, even though they weren’t planning on taking anyone. I went on the first tour, took care of the money and merch, and carried equipment. After we got back I just kept doing that and started handling booking and keeping that shit in order. When John broke his hand last year I filled in on bass for two shows. By the time the summer tour was rolling around we still didn’t have a steady lineup, and the tour was a month away. I was going on the tour anyways, so they decided that John would try out to play guitar and I would have a try out at bass. We already knew that we could all get along, it was just to see if either of us could play. We decided that we would do it with the lineup of me on bass and John on guitar for at least the tour, and when we got back we just kept it.
How long were you in the Army for?
I was in the Army for four years.
What made you go into the Army? Was it a good experience for you?
My senior year in high school I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, and my best friend had already joined. I asked him about it and he set up an interview with a recruiter for me. The recruiter came to my house and told me all about the benefits and I kinda just joined. About three months later I left for basic training and this was during the whole Iraq thing. I finished basic training and went on to advanced training where you learn your job. I worked in communications and while I was at advanced training the bombing of Iraq started. I had orders to go over there, but the war was over so fast I never had to go. After that, I was sent to Germany for two years which was really cool. I was nineteen years old, right out of high school, and I got to go all around Europe. After that I went to Colorado for the rest of my time in the Army. I got to see a lot of awesome stuff the whole time I was in and I had a lot of fun. It definitely isn’t a life for everyone, and sometimes I’m surprised that I made it through as easily as I did, but it was a really good experience for me.
What is going on with Ten Yard Fight right now?
Well we recently got a new guitar player. His name is Tim and he moved to Boston from Maine just to be in the band. He was the first kid we tried out, and then we went to Europe, and when we got back he was still available. We figured that since he could play the songs and hang out and get along with us he was our man. The sad thing is that not too many people expressed interest in trying out or if they did, they lived a million miles away. It would be hard enough to just pick up and move, but these kids don’t think about a place to live or jobs or anything. Plus they have to come here to try out first and then we’d have to think about it. But Tim is in; he’s working out really well. We weren’t going to play any shows until the end of April but he’s working out so well that we got asked to play at the end of March and we’re doing it. So basically we are just practicing a lot and trying to write new songs. We have a new one we’re gonna play at our next show. We are also trying to get our summer tour plans together for a full US tour and hopefully when we get back we’ll record a seven inch for Equal Vision.
Where do you go to school?
I went to Northeastern University majoring in music industry. I stopped going after the last quarter, it just wasn’t doing it for me anymore. I may go back later on, but Northeastern i so expensive, I really can’t afford it anymore, and a lot of the classes I was taking were not teaching me anything I haven’t learned from being in and around bands.
Recently, this has been on my mind a lot. What do you think of people who talk shit under fake names on the internet? A lot of people talk shit about people like Tim McMahon, Susan Wills, um…me, and occasionally I see it about Ten Yard Fight too.
I’m really glad you asked about that. That is by far the lamest thing you could possibly do, pretend to be someone and try to bring that person down by spreading lies. It is no different than telling lies to anyone within earshot or lying in a fanzine. Actually, it is worse because I think it is easier to access the message boards than it is to get a little fanzine of about one hundred copies. Kids from all around the world can read this shit. I think the internet is an important tool when it is used for its intended purpose: to get information out to a lot of people. But when these fakes use it to gain a little fame from their friends, it is such bullshit.
If you go on and say you are Lacroix, or Tim, or little Jimmy Straight Edge and talk trash about bands or spread lies, you are such a fucking coward. Didn’t those Youth Of Today lyrics you learned so you could impress your friends by showing them how “old school” you are when the Youth Of Today covers get played at the shows. Take a fucking stand. Speak up! Stand up and say what you got to say, don’t hide behind some lame pseudonym or even worse-someone else’s name. I know, I always put posts as The Clevo, but you’ll always see my email address on the EVR board. If I say something that pisses someone off, I expect to hear about it, and will accept the full consequences of my actions if I am called on my shit.
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Black SS/Raining Bricks Split
By admin on Jun. 12, 2006.
Black SS/Raining Bricks
Split EP
Organized Crime Records
After hearing Black SS again I pretty much feel the same way I did previously. These guys are pretty good; they remind me a lot of very early Kill Your Idols. The vocalist sounds a lot like Choke. Yet, I am not really feeling this record. Raining Bricks are very similar. They sort of sound like Black SS. For some reason the first band to come to mind is The Anti Heroes. Huh? This is fast, slightly OI! sounding hardcore that I’m sure will have a captive audience. Mine came on red vinyl.
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Black SS-Self Titled
By admin on Jun. 12, 2006.
Black SS
Self Titled EP
Third Party Records
Black SS has been hyped a lot lately. Hearing a metal free band from Syracuse is quite refreshing. Black SS play 82 inspired hardcore that reminds me a lot of Slapshot and Kill Your Idols. This is straight forward and a little OI! Influenced (ala Slapshot) at times. Ultimately, while this is pretty good, it doesn’t really grab me. I’m curious to hear more though.
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