Alone In A Crowd — Self Titled Reissue

Alone In A Crowd was a short-lived band from the late-80s NYHC scene, with members of Side By Side, Judge, Raw Deal, Breakdown, and Uppercut. You can read the full bio below, but long story short they were really only around long enough to record an EP and play one show. This is pure spontaneity: four songs and a cover (how many bands do I know that have done that? How many bands have I been in?); that kind of impermanent catharsis that hardcore is better than any other genre at producing, and it really comes out in their sound. This reissue of their 7" includes the live recordings from their single show (the conversation between songs is some of the best I've ever heard), so basically it's the same thing twice. But that's good, because it's two different versions of "When Tigers Fight," the hardest song ever written. Also "Teenager In A Box," a cover from Government Issue, an under-appreciated early DCHC band. This is what hardcore should be. Enjoy.

Alone In A Crowd — Self Titled Reissue (1989)

Track Listing:

1. Is Anybody There?
2. Commitment
3. Who You Know
4. When Tigers Fight
5. Teenager In A Box (Government Issue)
6. Is Anybody There? (Live)
7. Commitment (Live)
8. Who You Know (Live)
9. When Tigers Fight (Live)
10. Teenager In A Box (Live)

Reissue Bio: "Although 1988 was just the beginning of Punk Rock & Hardcore for many, for Alone In A Crowd it was their last chance to say what they wanted to, a farewell to a scene they held in such high regard. New York Citys Side By Side had just broken up, it was early 1988 and Jules Massey (vocalist) wanted to form another band. Lars Weiss, who played bass in Side By Side and Uppercut, was the first to be asked, he was to play guitar. Howie, an old friend of Jules, came in to play second guitar. He was later in an early incarnation of Moondog (which later evolved into Quicksand). Lars recruited ex-Breakdown guitarist Carl Porcaro to play bass, who was then playing in Raw Deal (later known as Killing Time). Weiss also brought in Rob Sefcik, who was drumming along side Lars in Uppercut. Songs were written. Soon after the band recorded their debut release at the legendary Don Furys studio. With vocals that were reminiscent of those on the Antidote EP, the same bottom heaviness of The Abused and Negative Approach, and that Don Fury drum sound, this record was a classic from the start. A 7 ep was released on Rhode Islands Flux Records in 1989. Two pressings sold out very quickly and it was never re-issued. Finally, 15 years later, it has been re-issued for the first time on cd with additional studio and live recordings and a video of their only show."

http://www.myspace.com/aloneinacrowdnyhc

Chronic Sick — Cutest Band In Hardcore E.P.

Chronic Sick might well have been the first American punk band to go the direction of full-on irony. I think they were really trying to out-punk the punks. See, they caught a lot of flak in their day for dressing like fuckups (punk), flirting with with swastikas and other ignant symbology (really punk), and writing lyrics that pissed of the burgeoning hardcore scene across the land (PUNX). Mostly it was the first tune off this LP that caused the real controversy, "There Goes the Neighborhood," about some new folks moving to town — "oh my god they're black!" But here's the thing, rather than being an actual racist anthem, these dudes were pointing out the ignorance embodied by bigotry. And in that light — impersonating people you disagree with to point out their flaws (think Colbert) — they're actually a brilliant band (The Landlords had a similar song about rape — in the liner notes they annotated it with "some people actually think like this!"). The rest of the tunes follow similar lines; rather than saying precisely what they mean (a la early Minor Threat, say) you might have to flex your head a bit to get what's going on.

Not only that, but they play some mean riffs. Today, this might be considered pop-punk, or at least going that direction. At the time they were probably just more influenced by 70's punk more than Black Flag, so it comes out really melodic and approachable — ironic, considering the title this EP claims for them. Anyway, sound quality's pretty good considering its age, and the content is just as applicable today. This is a real gem of a record.

Chronic Sick — Cutest Band in Hardcore E.P. (1982)

Track Listing:

1. There Goes The Neighborhood
2. Dress Code
3. Public Suicide
4. Man-Rape Blues
5. Mucho Macho
6. Pain For Profit

From Last.fm: "Chronic Sick were Bobby The “K” (music, lyrics, lead guitar, backing vocals), Greg Gory (Vocals), Arnie Barrs (bass, backing vocals) and Joe Albano (drums). Formed in 1981 in New Jersey, this hardcore punk band had two releases on Mutha Records : “Cutest Band In Hardcore” 12” (Mutha 002), and a self-titled 7” EP (Mutha 008) between 1982 - 83’."

Avail — Reaching Out

Avail's other demo from before they moved to Richmond. More cool upbeat tunes from back when they were all young, and Tim Barry on drums. Apparently there was a thriving little scene in Reston in the late 80s, although Avail is the only one that made it out of there. Anyway, to a lot of people this is where Avail first became known, and is actually a favorite album. I can see why; it isn't exactly the Avail that was touring the country a few years later, but it's still an incredibly innovative band, doing things no one else ever did. Now, this was only released on tape, and the rip is a little grainy, but that's sort of the point of a good demo, isn't it? These are some killer tunes, catchy without being poppy. Also, considering the date, this was right at the forefront of post-hardcore. Not to rave too much, but this is one hell of a band.

Avail — Reaching Out Demo 1989

Track Listing:

1. Blue Smokes
2. Self Inflicted
3. Regulation '89
4. Take The Time
5. Keeping Up
6. No Fixed Address
7. Done Lost
8. Shine
9. Back To The Start
10. Look At Me
11. Observations

Excerpted from Jade Tree Records: "What some may not realize about AVAIL is that, like most bands, they came from humble beginnings in suburban Reston, VA. They were just like any other kids rocking in their parents’ garage, but instead of ripping out covers or aping their heroes, AVAIL were defining their unique sound at a very early age. By the time Joe Banks (guitar), Tim Barry (vocals) and Beau Beau (cheerleader / uber-roadie) moved the band to Richmond in 1990, the group had already almost honed their effortless blend of the classic Southern rock and protest folk that was in their veins with the melodic skate punk that constantly filled their ears. The backdrop of everyday life in Richmond, though, proved to be the key ingredient in solidifying the band’s immediately recognizable sound. Barry’s tales of everyday struggle and triumph became inextricably tied to the life (and death) of his hometown, at once creating blue-collar anthems that are often not just highly personal, but also highly political. It’s this ability to seamlessly streamline both sonic and lyrical content (along with a relentless touring bug) that has truly made the songs of alienation, travel and anti-establishment triumph… legendary."

http://www.myspace.com/availrva
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avail

Four Walls Falling — Demo '87

4 Walls Falling put out this demo before anything else, way back in 1987. For those who don't know, they were one of the most energetic and politically and environmentally conscious bands ever to come out of Richmond, hitting a national audience by the early 90s. All of these tunes (except the last, untitled one) reappeared on the Culture Shock LP a year later, which is in my opinion their best release. But by Culture Shock the songs were in a different form with altered song structures, so it's kind of cool to hear them in this more stripped down style. As far as I can tell these tracks were ripped off an old cassette, so the sound's a little shaky, but alright overall. I'm digging this demo, especially as it compares to Culture Shock.

Four Walls Falling — Demo 1987

Track Listing:

1. Greed
2. I Witness
3. Search
4. Price Of Silence
5. Filled
6. Untitled

From Last.fm: "Four Walls Falling was an American political hardcore band from Richmond, Virginia from members of Unseen Force and Pledge Allegiance. Known as one of the greatest hardcore bands from the Richmond scene, the band had major success in the hardcore community, recording four 7-inches & an EP. They played their first show with 7 Seconds and Justice League in 1987 and toured the United States in 1992. The band broke up while touring Europe in the summer of 1995. They continued playing many times after including a reunion show at St. Andrews in College Park, Maryland."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Walls_Falling

http://www.myspace.com/fourwallsfalling

M.N.P. — Mindecision Demo '85

Surprisingly good 80s hardcore from right nearby in ol' Virginy. Apparently Roanoke actually had a thriving little scene back in the day, and these dudes (M.N.P. – what that stands for I don't know) were one of the better bands. Vaguely reminiscent of the Landlords, but that has more to do with the style of punk at the time and recording style than anything else. But it's fast tunes, snotty vocals, political lyrics, and played by highschool kids. All pretty impressive. More of a full-length than a demo really, and the song structure on some of these is really tight. You need this if you care about southern hardcore at all.

M.N.P. — Mindecision Demo (1985)

Track Listing:

1. Aftermath
2. Assassination
3. Bloody Slaughter
4. Danse Macabre
5. Ending Faster
6. First Impressions
7. Hand In Action
8. Mindecision
9. No Return
10. Silent Screams
11. Sorrow
12. What's War For

From The Roanoke Times: "Мир was a South Roanoke-based foursome of politically conscious high school kids possessed of a rare degree of musicianship for a Roanoke punk band in those days. They were perhaps Roanoke's first touring punkers, playing shows in Richmond and Raleigh. They disbanded in 1985 when three members left for college, and one for prep school."

The band doesn't really have a website, but someone from The Roanoke Times made this interesting site about the punk scene there in the 1980s. Pretty cool stuff. Check it out here: http://www.roanoke.com/extra/punk/mnp.html

Lackey Die — S/T

Another classic from Charlottesville in the early 80s. My buddy Sam Richardson, of Got Myself Zine (and a shit ton of bands) fame, started a record label partially just to release this. Long story short, these dudes were all locals, and while they recorded twice (in 1984 and 1985) nothing ever got released — until now. These songs are all textbook examples of early hardcore: simple songs, high energy, a great mix of humor and anger. There's nothing too original about the music, but it's well written and so sincerely played that it's hard not to get into it. Big support to Sam for doing this, records like this should never be forgotten.

Lackey Die — S/T 7" 

Track Listing:

1. Get Rich Plan
2. No Choice
3. Mercy Killing
4. You Better Run
5. Puberty
6. Fantasy Island
7. Nuclear Employment
8. Never Change

From Feel It Records: "Lackey Die was the first hardcore band from the small city of Charlottesville, Virginia. Starting out in 1982, they played furious, no-bullshit hardcore. During this time they recorded two studio sessions, one at Floodzone Studios (White Cross, Unseen Force) and another at the now-famous Inner Ear Studios (Minor Threat, Bad Brains, etc.) The band broke up in late 1985, leaving behind only some local fans and a couple mentions in MRR scene reports. 25 years later, the master tapes have been re-discovered and remastered for vinyl. You'll see why Lackey Die would fit in perfectly on an old Southern hardcore mixtape alongside bands like C.O.C., early HONOR ROLE, BEEF PEOPLE, LANDLORDS, NEON CHRIST, etc. This release is fully authorized and is limited to 500 copies w/ hand-screened sleeves."

http://feelitrecords.blogspot.com/

Avail — Each Other Demo 1988

It looks like this is an SHZ exclusive! I can't find any record of this online, but it's nevertheless definitely early Avail. If the 1988 is true, this would be one of the first things the band ever recorded, when they were still a bunch of kids based in Reston, Virginia, up near DC. It's likely that Tim Barry isn't even on this record, or if he is he's probably on drums. But the music is still that brilliant blend of roots rock'n'roll and impressive lyricism with all the energy of hardcore. It sounds like this is probably a rip off of a cassette, with a few stutters, but overall sound quality is pretty good. Most of the songs appear to be original and don't ever appear elsewhere, with the exceptions of "Bob's Crew," which resurfaces on Satiate (their first LP), and the music of "Who Agrees," which was reworked into "Armchair" on 4AM Friday almost a decade later. It also has "Hope," a weird acoustic song that also reappears on Satiate, but actually closes out the record really well. It's a solid early effort by an incredibly important Virginian band, even before they were in Richmond.

Avail — Each Other Demo 1988

Track Listing:

1. Bob's Crew
2. Aim To Reach
3. Who Agrees
4. One Half
5. Then And Now
6. Have They Won
7. 1 Divided By 2
8. Always
9. Make It Stop
10. Hope

Excerpted from Jade Tree Records: "What some may not realize about AVAIL is that, like most bands, they came from humble beginnings in suburban Reston, VA. They were just like any other kids rocking in their parents’ garage, but instead of ripping out covers or aping their heroes, AVAIL were defining their unique sound at a very early age. By the time Joe Banks (guitar), Tim Barry (vocals) and Beau Beau (cheerleader / uber-roadie) moved the band to Richmond in 1990, the group had already almost honed their effortless blend of the classic Southern rock and protest folk that was in their veins with the melodic skate punk that constantly filled their ears. The backdrop of everyday life in Richmond, though, proved to be the key ingredient in solidifying the band’s immediately recognizable sound. Barry’s tales of everyday struggle and triumph became inextricably tied to the life (and death) of his hometown, at once creating blue-collar anthems that are often not just highly personal, but also highly political. It’s this ability to seamlessly streamline both sonic and lyrical content (along with a relentless touring bug) that has truly made the songs of alienation, travel and anti-establishment triumph… legendary."

http://www.myspace.com/availrva
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avail

The Landlords — Our Favorite Songs!

The Landlords return with this 7"! After their impressive LP, The Landlords faded somewhat and focused on other projects (like the Happy Flowers), but they did manage to release this in 1987. It's all covers, presumably each band member picked their favorite song and recorded it. But the quality is good, and the songs are all very interesting.  For some reason the tracks on the vinyl and the cover aren't in the same order, but I'm going with what was on the 7". Anyway, these are all cool tunes by a really awesome band. Go listen.

The Landlords — Our Favorite Songs! EP

Track Listing:

1. The Night Chicago Died (Paper Lace)
2. Suzanne (Leonard Cohen)
3. Lies (The Knickerbockers... see comments)
4. He's Waiting (The Sonics)

Around the same time as Minor Threat was getting things going in DC, the Landlords were playing to the sleepy hippie town of Charlottesville. Somehow there was actually a reasonably scene in 'Ch-ville' in the early 80's, played mostly by UVA kids and a few townies. The Landlords were sweet, and put out an awesome, if unknown LP, and this 7".

http://www.myspace.com/landlordsva

Honor Role — 1982 EP

This is the first recording by Richmond's Honor Role. It was originally from a split tape with Graven Image, but has since been remastered into its present condition. It sounds sweet, kind of somewhere between The Landlords and Bad Brains with both raucous 80s speed and irony. Shin Kick even covered I'm A Nerd like every show we ever played ever. This is important, check it out.

Honor Role — 1982 EP

Track Listing:

1. Livin' In The 60s
2. Bowling For Bibles
3. War
4. Southern Lifestyle
5. I'm A Nerd
6. Uptown
7. Infanticide
8. Profit Prophets
9. Cap & Gown

Honor Role were a surprisingly influential band from Richmond in the 1980s. They started off as pretty straight-forward hardcore of the day, but over the years turned into one of the first post-hardcore bands and hung out with Fugazi a lot. Their sound has changed hardcore in many ways, both their frantic early efforts, and their artier later work.

The Landlords - Hey It's A Teenage House Party! LP

Hey It's A Teenage House Party! is really, really solid, especially considering it came out in like 1982 from bumfuck Virginia. It was released by singer John Beers' Catch Trout Records, and has enjoyed some underground fame as one of the best unknown 80's hardcore records. It has that same ironic vibe as like Angry Samoans or early Reagan Youth. Plus Dave Smalley of DYS / Dag Nasty fame did back-up vocals on 'Nuns in Black Leather' so you know it's good. Anyway, get into it.

The Landlords — Hey It's A Teenage House Party! LP

Track List:

1. Exogamy
2. Every Day's A Holiday
3. Girls
4. Bathroom Bigot
5. Parent's Weekend
6. No Good Woman
7. Kids
8. My Monotony
9. Termination
10. Nuns In Black Leather
11. Let's Be Negative
12. More Guts Tonight
13. 99th Floor (Moving Sidewalks)
14. School For The Deaf/Lets Go!
15. Washington Post
16. I Hate School
17. Amputee
18. Mutant Hangout
19. The Pain Isn't Over
20. Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

Around the same time as Minor Threat was getting things going in DC, the Landlords were playing to the sleepy hippie town of Charlottesville. Somehow there was actually a reasonably scene in 'Ch-ville' in the early 80's, played mostly by UVa kids and a few townies. The Landlords were sweet, and put out an awesome, if unknown LP.