New York hardcore
Encyclopedia
New York hardcore refers to hardcore punk
and metalcore
music created in New York City
and to the subculture
associated with that music. New York hardcore grew out of the hardcore scene established in Washington, D.C.
, by bands such as Bad Brains
and Minor Threat
. Hardcore '81
is an album by the Canadian hardcore punk band D.O.A.. It is considered by some to be the first reference to the North American punk scene as hardcore.
New York City played a central role in the development of hardcore. An important scene emerged in 1981 with the emigration of the Bad Brains
from Washington, DC. Roger Miret of Agnostic Front
asserts that "We started using the term 'hardcore' because we wanted to separate ourselves from the druggy or artsy punk scene that was happening in New York at the time." "We were rougher kids living in the streets. It had a rougher edge". The scene has been focused around venues such as the famous CBGBs, ABC No Rio
, A7 and Brooklyn's L'amour. The New York scene was home to most of the early influential bands, such as Agnostic Front
, Beastie Boys
, Cro-Mags
, Heart Attack
, Public Domain, Learn Nothing, Nihilistics, No Thanks, The Psychos, Kraut
, The Mob, The Misguided, Urban Waste
, The Stimulators, Sheer Terror
, Murphy's Law
, Reagan Youth
, Cause for Alarm, Warzone
, and later bands like Sick of It All
, Breakdown
, Subzero
, Hoods, Straight Ahead, Rest in Pieces, Raw Deal, Killing Time, Gorilla Biscuits
, Judge
, Bold
, Underdog,Lower East Side All Stars, Token Entry, Leeway
,Boxbout, Merauder
, Absolution, Awkward Thought
, Side by Side
, Burn, Shutdown, Crown of Thornz, Skarhead, Sworn Enemy
, Irate, Indecision, Vietnom, Cold Front, Dynamo, H2O
and Madball
, *Hatebreed.
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
and metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
music created in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and to the subculture
Subculture
In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.- Definition :...
associated with that music. New York hardcore grew out of the hardcore scene established in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, by bands such as Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
and Minor Threat
Minor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. The band was relatively short-lived, but had a strong influence on the hardcore punk music scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and...
. Hardcore '81
Hardcore '81
Hardcore '81 is an album by the Canadian hardcore punk band D.O.A.. It is considered by some to be the first reference to the North American punk scene as hardcore.-Track listing:#"D.O.A"#"Unknown"#"Slumlord"#"Musical Interlude"...
is an album by the Canadian hardcore punk band D.O.A.. It is considered by some to be the first reference to the North American punk scene as hardcore.
New York City played a central role in the development of hardcore. An important scene emerged in 1981 with the emigration of the Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
from Washington, DC. Roger Miret of Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front is an American hardcore band. The band began playing hardcore similar to their contemporaries, and were thrust to the forefront of the burgeoning New York hardcore scene in the mid-1980s with their widely regarded 1984 classic Victim in Pain before evolving to incorporate thrash...
asserts that "We started using the term 'hardcore' because we wanted to separate ourselves from the druggy or artsy punk scene that was happening in New York at the time." "We were rougher kids living in the streets. It had a rougher edge". The scene has been focused around venues such as the famous CBGBs, ABC No Rio
ABC No Rio
ABC No Rio is a social center located at 156 Rivington Street on New York City's Lower East Side that was founded in 1980. It features a gallery space, a zine library, a darkroom, a silkscreening studio, and public computer lab...
, A7 and Brooklyn's L'amour. The New York scene was home to most of the early influential bands, such as Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front is an American hardcore band. The band began playing hardcore similar to their contemporaries, and were thrust to the forefront of the burgeoning New York hardcore scene in the mid-1980s with their widely regarded 1984 classic Victim in Pain before evolving to incorporate thrash...
, Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
, Cro-Mags
Cro-Mags
Cro-Mags are a hardcore punk turned crossover thrash band from New York City. The band, which had a strong cult following, released many records, their first two considered the most influential...
, Heart Attack
Heart Attack (band)
Heart Attack was an early New York hardcore band, formed in 1980 and active until 1984.-History:Formed in the suburban area of Whitestone, Queens, they were probably the youngest punk band in the NYC area at the time, according to some flyers and fanzines, as the first line up was formed by people...
, Public Domain, Learn Nothing, Nihilistics, No Thanks, The Psychos, Kraut
Kraut (band)
Kraut was a New York band who started playing in 1981. Their very first performance was opening for the Clash at Bonds in NYC . Members Include: Davey Gunner , Doug Holland Don Cowan , and Johnny Feedback , and Ryk Oakley, producer...
, The Mob, The Misguided, Urban Waste
Urban Waste
Urban Waste was a hardcore punk band that was part of the New York renaissance of hardcore punk in the early 1980s. Much more raw, visceral, and overtly confrontational than their New York punk predecessors, they were contemporaries of Reagan Youth , the earliest incarnation of the Beastie Boys,...
, The Stimulators, Sheer Terror
Sheer Terror
Sheer Terror was an American hardcore punk band from New York City. The band was one of the first to combine elements of heavy metal with a hardcore punk base, pioneering a heavier style of hardcore that would become popular in the following decades. Formed in late 1984, the band, stayed together...
, Murphy's Law
Murphy's Law (band)
Murphy's Law is an American hardcore band from New York City, New York, formed in 1982. While vocalist Jimmy Gestapo remains the only founding member of the band, the line-up has consisted of former members of bands such as Skinnerbox, Danzig, The Bouncing Souls, Mucky Pup, Dog Eat Dog, Hanoi...
, Reagan Youth
Reagan Youth
Reagan Youth is an American punk rock band formed by singer Dave Rubinstein and guitarist Paul Bakija in Queens, New York in early 1980. They are known for introducing the style of hardcore punk to the East Coast punk scene, but were also a part of the peace punk movement...
, Cause for Alarm, Warzone
Warzone (band)
Warzone was an American hardcore punk band formed on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1982. The band helped develop the New York hardcore sound, the hardcore skinhead style and the youth crew subgenre...
, and later bands like Sick of It All
Sick of It All
Sick of It All is an American hardcore punk band from Queens, New York. Formed in 1986, the band consisted of brothers Lou Koller on vocals and Pete Koller on lead guitar, Rich Cipriano on bass, and Armand Majidi on drums. There have been only two member changes since their inception, with Max...
, Breakdown
Breakdown (band)
Breakdown was started in 1986, during the resurgence of the hardcore scene. Despite being a NYHC band, being based in Yonkers Breakdown didn't have the Lower East Side Crew-mentality of Warzone and Agnostic Front. By a similar token, unlike some of their other contemporaries like Gorilla Biscuits...
, Subzero
Subzero (band)
Subzero was an American New York hardcore/metalcore band from New York. The band was started in 1989 by Richie Kennon of Breakdown and Jim Eaton of Up Front hooked up with Louis Dibella and Lawrence Susi whom had played together in various local bands...
, Hoods, Straight Ahead, Rest in Pieces, Raw Deal, Killing Time, Gorilla Biscuits
Gorilla Biscuits
Gorilla Biscuits are a New York City-based vegan straight edge hardcore band consisting of Anthony "Civ" Civarelli, Walter Schreifels, Arthur Smilios, Alex Brown and Luke Abbey. The band is currently signed to Revelation Records.-Early career:...
, Judge
Judge (band)
Judge was a New York-based straight edge band; formed in 1987 by Youth of Today guitarist, John "Porcell" Porcelly, and former Youth of Today drummer, Mike "Judge" Ferraro.-History:...
, Bold
Bold (band)
Bold is a late 1980s youth crew hardcore band from Westchester County, New York, which along with bands like Youth Of Today and Side By Side were a part of the Youth Crew, and an influence in the late 80's straight edge hardcore scene...
, Underdog,Lower East Side All Stars, Token Entry, Leeway
Leeway (band)
Leeway is a crossover thrash band formed in Astoria, New York, USA in 1984 by guitarist A.J. Novello and vocalist Eddie Sutton under the name The Unruled. They played alongside groups such as Crumbsuckers, Prong, Ludichrist, Bad Brains, and Sick of It All at the predominantly hardcore punk-oriented...
,Boxbout, Merauder
Merauder
-History:The group formed in 1990, establishing itself on the eastern U.S. hardcore/metal scene through frequent touring and a few demo releases. In 1995, the band released an EP after vocalist Jorge joined, and toured with Biohazard...
, Absolution, Awkward Thought
Awkward Thought
Awkward Thought is a New York hardcore punk band that formed in the 1990s.After numerous compilation appearances and two demo tapes, Awkward Thought released their first full length CD/LP titled Mayday on a US label, Blackout Records, in 2000. It also came out the same year on CD only on I Scream...
, Side by Side
Side By Side (band)
Side By Side was an American hardcore punk band on Revelation Records. They were a band from NY of youth crew persuasion. Recorded output was limited to a single 7", You're Only Young Once... Their 7" was the fifth record released by Revelation Records....
, Burn, Shutdown, Crown of Thornz, Skarhead, Sworn Enemy
Sworn Enemy
-Biography:The band formed in 1995 as "Downfall" and later on as "Mindset", a product of the extremely expansive and influential New York Hardcore scene...
, Irate, Indecision, Vietnom, Cold Front, Dynamo, H2O
H2O (American band)
-Prologue:Prior to the formation of H2O, in the early-mid-1980s, Todd Morse and Rusty Pistachio were part of the speed punk band "Roadside Petz". This band featured Wayne Williams on drums...
and Madball
Madball
Madball is a New York-based hardcore band that originated in the late 1980s, as a side-project of Agnostic Front .- History :Madball was founded in 1988 and featured most of Agnostic Front's members...
, *Hatebreed.
See also
- A7 (bar)A7 (bar)A7 was a club in New York City, United States. From 1981 to 1984, it was the unofficial headquarters of the New York hardcore scene. The tiny space was located on the southeast corner of East 7th Street and Avenue A in Manhattan's East Village. Many bands which later became hardcore icons began at A7...
- U.S. ChaosU.S. ChaosU.S. Chaos are an American punk rock band from New Jersey, formed in 1981. They were one of the first American bands to play in an Oi!/street punk style....
- Blackout RecordsBlackout RecordsBlackout! Records was an independent record label which specialized in the hardcore punk genre.It was formed in 1988 by Bill Wilson – now forever known as "Bill Blackout" – and, together with friend Jim Gibson, the label released its first record – a New York hardcore compilation...
- CBGBCBGBCBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
- Crossover thrashCrossover thrash__FORCETOC__Crossover thrash, often abbreviated to crossover, is a form of thrash metal that contains more hardcore punk elements than standard thrash. The genre lies on a continuum between heavy metal and punk rock...
- Hardcore dancing
- Hatecore
- List of New York hardcore bands
- MetalcoreMetalcoreMetalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
- Music of New York CityMusic of New York CityThe music of New York City is a diverse and important field in the world of music. It has long been a thriving home for jazz, rock and the blues...
- New York City Hardcore:TogetherNew York City Hardcore:TogetherNew York City Hardcore:Together is a record that was released as a seven-track 7" in 1987 as Revelation Records #2.The tracks were later re-released on the 18-track CD New York City Hardcore: The Way It Is, also on Revelation Records....
(1987) 7" compilation - New York ThrashNew York ThrashNew York Thrash is a hardcore punk compilation album released by ROIR in 1982.Considered a definitive document of the early New York hardcore scene, New York Thrash features rare and otherwise unreleased recordings, including the first recorded material by the Beastie Boys, as well as material by...
(1982) compilation album - No WaveNo WaveNo Wave was a short-lived but influential underground music, film, performance art, video, and contemporary art scene that had its beginnings during the mid-1970s in New York City. The term No Wave is in part satirical word play rejecting the commercial elements of the then-popular New Wave genre...
- Youth crewYouth crewYouth crew is a music subgenre of hardcore punk attributed to the band Youth of Today who were primarily active during the early to mid-1980s particularly during the New York hardcore scene of 1988...
- Vision of DisorderVision of DisorderVision of Disorder is a hardcore punk band from Long Island, New York, US. Vision of Disorder disbanded in 2002, but reunited from time to time over the next six years. In October 2008, they announced that they would record a new studio album...
External links
- Spiritribe webzine interviews and photos