95-568: The Cro-Mags are an American hardcore punk band from New York City. The band, which has a strong cult following , has released six studio albums, with the first two considered the most influential. With a Hare Krishna background, they were among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal . Harley Flanagan , who co-founded the Cro-Mags, reached a settlement in April 2019 with former singer John Joseph and former drummer Mackie Jayson. Under
190-602: A band which, apart from Bad Brains , has arguably had the biggest influence on the hardcore punk genre, and whose contributions to the music, ethics, aesthetic, and ethos are still widely acknowledged by hardcore bands of the 2020s. The band used faster rhythms and more aggressive, less melodic riffs than was common at the time. Minor Threat popularized the straight edge movement with its song " Straight Edge ", which spoke out against alcohol, drugs and promiscuity. MacKaye and Nelson ran their own record label, Dischord Records , which released records by D.C. hardcore bands, including
285-530: A devotee. Their next album, Alpha Omega , saw the return of John Joseph and, Doug Holland the Cro-Mags fold, and an even further gravitation towards a metal sound. After the short, sharp bursts of song encountered on their previous album, 1986's The Age of Quarrel , this album saw a complete change of style as Cro-Mags entered the crossover thrash and thrash metal arena, complete with guitar solos. The songs also became longer – averaging around four minutes, whereas over half of Quarrel's songs came in under
380-655: A federal trademark infringement suit against John Joseph and Mackie Jayson in the Southern District of New York. In April 2019, Flanagan announced a settlement wherein he would own exclusive rights to the name Cro-Mags; simultaneously, Joseph announced his recognition of the settlement, and that he and his band would perform as the Cro-Mags JM, having been granted a limited license to use the name in this manner, beginning in August 2019. Later infringement by Joseph in 2022 resulted in
475-530: A free performance from SIR studios, one of the first bands to do so during the pandemic. On March 31, 2020, the band offered a free download of the track, "The Final Test" and announced the June 19 release date of their first studio album in twenty years, In the Beginning . In July 2022, Flanagan announced that the Cro-Mags were working on new material for their next album. Current Former At various times during
570-518: A giant red mohawk and the band continued to wear swastikas , an approach influenced by the wearing of this symbol by 1970s punks such as Sid Vicious . Because of this, the Exploited were labeled by others in the scene as "cartoon punks". Other influential UK hardcore bands from this period included GBH , Anti-Establishment , Antisect , Broken Bones , Chaos UK , Conflict , Dogsflesh , English Dogs , and grindcore innovators Napalm Death . There
665-534: A hardcore scene known as "nardcore" developed with bands like Agression , Ill Repute , Dr. Know , and Rich Kids on LSD . Whilst popular traditional punk bands such as the Clash , Ramones, and Sex Pistols were signed to major record labels, the hardcore punk bands were generally not. Black Flag, however, was briefly signed to MCA subsidiary Unicorn Records but were dropped because an executive considered their music to be "anti-parent". Instead of trying to be courted by
760-673: A hardcore style (shaved head and boots) as being based on needing more functional clothing. Skateboard culture, streetwear, and workwear are also major influences on clothing worn by participants in both past and present eras of hardcore. Music writer Barney Hoskyns attributed hardcore being younger, faster and angrier than punk rock, to adolescents who were sick of their life in a "bland Republican " America. Hardcore punk lyrics often express antiestablishment , antimilitarist , antiauthoritarian , antiviolence , and pro- environmentalist sentiments, in addition to other typically left-wing , anarchist , or egalitarian political views. During
855-417: A parody of conservative bands. Another act from Massachusetts, Vile, were known to insult women, minorities and gay people in their lyrics and would even go as far as putting their albums on the windshields of people's cars. On the other hand, Tim Yohannan and the influential punk rock fanzine Maximumrocknroll were criticized by some punks for acting as the "politically correct scene police", having what
950-757: A permanent injunction granted by the Federal District Court of the Southern District of New York. The rights to the Cro-Mags name now belong exclusively to Flanagan. On June 28, 2019, the Cro-Mags released their first new music in nineteen years, while heading into a 5-show run with the Misfits sharing three new songs "Don't Give In", "Drag You Under", and "No One's Victim", and toured in North America and Europe. The line-up consisted of Flanagan on bass and vocals, Abulurach on guitar, Rocky George on lead guitar and long time drummer Garry "G-Man" Sullivan on drums. At
1045-568: A radio show featuring hardcore called Capital Radio, hosted by Brad Morrison, beginning in February 1979 and continuing weekly until late 1983. In New York City , Tim Sommer hosted Noise The Show on WNYU . By 1984, the Ramones , one of the original New York punk bands, were experimenting with hardcore, with two songs, "Wart Hog" and "Endless Vacation" on their album Too Tough To Die . Minneapolis hardcore consisted of bands such as Hüsker Dü and
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#17328523698551140-579: A radio show in 1977, but branched out into a fanzine in 1982. While not as large as the scene in Los Angeles, the hardcore scene of the early 1980s included a number of noteworthy bands originating from the San Francisco Bay Area , including Bl'ast , Crucifix , the Faction , Fang , Flipper , and Whipping Boy . Additionally, during this time, seminal Texas -based bands Dirty Rotten Imbeciles ,
1235-506: A shaved head and think 'This kid is hard... let's bring him into the band.' Then I would end up tolerating some horrible, talentless person for however long it took Harley to realise that the guy had no talent". Joseph left the band soon after to live in Puerto Rico and then Hawaii, and was replaced by Eric Casanova. One Cro-Mags lineup from this time consisted of Flanagan on drums, Mayhew on guitar, Todd Youth on bass and Casanova on vocals. By
1330-511: A shift into hardcore. Similar to Black Flag and Youth Brigade, Dead Kennedys released their albums on their own label, which in DK's case was Alternative Tentacles . The scene was helped in particular by the San Francisco club Mabuhay Gardens , whose promoter, Dirk Dirksen , became known as "The Pope of Punk". Another important local institution was Tim Yohannan 's Maximumrocknroll , which started as
1425-459: A style of dance in which participants push or slam into each other, and stage diving . Moshing works as a vehicle for expressing anger by "represent[ing] a way of playing at violence or roughness that allowed participants to mark their difference from the banal niceties of middle-class culture". Moshing is in another way a " parody of violence", that nevertheless leaves participants bruised and sometimes bleeding. The term mosh came into use in
1520-408: Is "usually associated with the further evolution of California's L.A. Punk Rock scene", which included young skateboarders. A September 1981 article by Tim Sommer shows the author applying the term to the "15 or so" punk bands gigging around the city at that time, which he considered a belated development relative to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Blush said that the term "hardcore"
1615-556: Is also a reference to the sense of being "fed up" with the existing punk and new wave music . Blush also states that the term refers to "an extreme: the absolute most Punk". Kelefa Sanneh states that the term "hardcore" referred to an attitude of "turning inwards" towards the scene and "ignoring broader society", all with the goal of achieving a sense of "shared purpose" and being part of a community. Sanneh cites Agnostic Front 's band member selection approach as an example of hardcore's emphasis on "scene citizenship"; prospective members of
1710-469: Is important in hardcore. Noisey magazine describes one hardcore band as "an all-encompassing, full-volume assault" in which "[e]very instrument sounds like it's competing for the most power and highest volume". Scott Wilson states that the hardcore of the Bad Brains emphasized two elements: "off-the-charts" loudness which reached a level of threatening, powerful "uncompromising noise" and rhythm, in place of
1805-472: Is one of hope and optimism. The Cro-Mags do see better days ahead—even if one has to go through various reincarnations in order to find them. Of course, a headbanger doesn't have to embrace Hinduism in order to appreciate Best Wishes—whatever one's spiritual beliefs, this is a band that rocks without hesitation." Writing for The Pensive Quill, Christopher Owens summed the record up as "...a perfect example of crossover done correctly. It's heavy enough to appeal to
1900-434: Is supposed to be. It's its own form." According to AllMusic , the overall blueprint for hardcore was playing louder, harder and faster. Hardcore was a reaction to the "cosmopolitan art-school" style of new wave music . Hardcore "eschew[ed] nuance, technique, [and] the avant-garde ", and instead emphasized "speed and rhythmic intensity" using unpredictable song forms and abrupt tempo changes. The impact of powerful volume
1995-546: Is the second album by the New York hardcore band Cro-Mags . It was released on April 26, 1989 via Profile Records and was subsequently re-released via Another Planet – along with the band's debut album, The Age of Quarrel , on the same disc. The album's cover reflected the band's interest in the Hare Krishna religion which started with previous singer John Joseph and then carried on through Harley Flanagan who also became
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#17328523698552090-804: Is the true spirit of punk, because "all the poseurs and fashionistas fucked off to the next trend of skinny pink ties with New Romantic haircuts, singing wimpy lyrics" and the punk scene now consisted of people like Minor Threat, Bad Brains , Black Flag , and Circle Jerks , dedicated to the DIY ethics. Other writers have also attributed hardcore to a reaction against artsy and mellower sub-genres that punk grew into, such as post-punk and new wave . Hardcore punk additionally broke with original punk rock song patterns and visuals, favoring lower-key aesthetics. According to Eli Enis of Billboard magazine , hardcore shows are known to be violent. In 2002, during an interview with Nardwuar , Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra
2185-727: The Kensington Market neighbourhood of Toronto , Ontario , formed in November 1983 as a response to "a local war with glue huffing Nazi skinheads". In Montreal , The Asexuals helped fertilize a scene that became a necessary tour stop for punk and hardcore bands headed to the Northeast. In the United Kingdom , a fertile hardcore scene took root early on. Referred to under a number of names including "U.K. Hardcore", " UK 82 ", "second wave punk", "real punk", and "No Future punk", it took
2280-673: The Minutemen , with whom they shared a practice space until both bands were evicted, as well as the Circle Jerks (which featured Black Flag's original singer, Keith Morris ). From Hollywood , two other bands playing hardcore punk, Fear and the Germs , were featured with Black Flag and the Circle Jerks in Penelope Spheeris ' 1981 documentary The Decline of Western Civilization . By the time
2375-481: The Outpatients , both of whom would come to Boston to play shows. From nearby Manchester , New Hampshire, was G.G. Allin , a solo singer who, contrary to straight edge, used large amounts of drugs and alcohol, eventually dying of a heroin overdose. Allin's stage show included defecating on stage and then throwing his feces at the audience. The New York City hardcore scene emerged in 1981 when Bad Brains moved to
2470-457: The far-right Proud Boys during their sedition trial for their role in attacking the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. While the early hardcore scene was mostly young white males, both onstage and in the audience, there are notable exceptions. Black musicians include Bad Brains, Fred "Freak" Smith of Beefeater , Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro , and Scream bassist Skeeter Thompson . Numerous Black and Latino members have been in
2565-554: The 1980s, the subculture often rejected what was perceived to be " yuppie " materialism and interventionist American foreign policy. Numerous hardcore punk bands have taken far-left political stances, such as anarchism or other varieties of socialism , and in the 1980s expressed opposition to political leaders such as then US president Ronald Reagan and British prime minister Margaret Thatcher . Reagan's economic policies, sometimes dubbed Reaganomics , and social conservatism were common subjects for criticism by hardcore bands of
2660-444: The 1990s and 2000s, Flanagan and Joseph simultaneously led separate versions of the Cro-Mags with completely different lineups. The groups billed themselves as Cro-Mag Jam, Street Justice, Age of Quarrel, FVK (Fearless Vampire Killers) or Cholo-Mags. Timeline Footnotes Citations Hardcore punk Hardcore punk (commonly abbreviated to hardcore or hXc ) is a punk rock subgenre and subculture that originated in
2755-411: The Circle Jerks were so far from that. We looked like the kid who worked at the gas station or sub. shop." Henry Rollins stated that for him, getting dressed up meant putting on a black shirt and some dark pants; taking an interest in fashion as being a distraction. Jimmy Gestapo from Murphy's Law describes his own transition from dressing in a punk style (spiked hair and a bondage belt) to adopting
2850-402: The Cro-Mags name with other established hardcore musicians such as Craig Setari from Sick of It All on bass and A.J. Novello from Leeway on guitar. In an October 2010 interview, Joseph revealed that they were planning to release a new album in 2011. This album never happened, as Joseph did not have the legal right to release music using the trademarked name Cro-Mags. In 2018, Flanagan filed
2945-452: The Cro-Mags' early hardcore roots. Many songs were comparable to those on The Age of Quarrel , although some featured a more melodic/punk rock style. The release of Revenge and its subsequent tour resulted in yet another break up, which caused lasting resentment between Mayhew and Flanagan. In 2001 Flanagan asked Joseph to join him once again, but the short-lived reunion ended in 2002. In 2008, John Joseph and Jayson began playing shows under
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3040-506: The Cro-Mags, whose Best Wishes rocks ferociously while expressing a very Hindu viewpoint. The CD's cover contains some distinctly Indian art, and songs like 'Age of Quarrel,' 'Crush the Demoniac,' and 'Days of Confusion' were clearly inspired by the Bhagavad-Gita and other Hindu scriptures. The New Yorkers may see the violent, chaotic world around them as a living hell, but their overall message
3135-797: The Dicks , Dirty Rotten Imbeciles (D.R.I.), Really Red , Verbal Abuse and MDC were from Texas . Portland , Oregon, hardcore punk bands included Poison Idea and Final Warning , while north of there, Washington state included the Accüsed , Melvins , the Fartz , and 10 Minute Warning (the latter two included future Guns N' Roses member Duff McKagan ). Other prominent hardcore bands from this time that came from areas without large scenes include Raleigh , North Carolina's Corrosion of Conformity . D.O.A. formed in Vancouver , British Columbia in 1978 and were one of
3230-682: The Dicks , MDC , Rhythm Pigs , and Verbal Abuse all relocated to San Francisco. Further out of the Bay Area, Sacramento 's Tales of Terror were cited by many, including Mark Arm , as a key inspiration for the grunge movement. The first hardcore punk band to form on the East Coast of the United States was Washington, D.C.'s Bad Brains . Initially formed in 1977 as a jazz fusion ensemble called Mind Power, and consisting of all African-American members, their early foray into hardcore featured some of
3325-584: The F.U.'s , the Freeze , Gang Green , Jerry's Kids , Siege , DYS , Negative FX , and SS Decontrol . Members of the latter three bands were influenced by D.C.'s straight edge scene, and were part of "the Boston Crew", a mostly straight edge group of friends known to physically fight people who used alcohol or drugs. Members of the Boston Crew would later go on to form the band Slapshot , and also included future Mighty Mighty Bosstones singer Dicky Barrett , who
3420-704: The Faith , Iron Cross , Scream , State of Alert , Government Issue , Void , and D.C.'s Youth Brigade . The Flex Your Head compilation was a seminal document of the early 1980s D.C. hardcore scene. The record label was run out of the Dischord House, a Washington, D.C., punk house . Henry Rollins , who would come to prominence as the lead singer of the California-based Black Flag, as well as his own later Rollins Band , grew up in Washington, D.C., singing for
3515-462: The Los Angeles scene from 1981 to 1984, and it included show reviews and band interviews with groups including D.O.A., the Misfits, Black Flag, Suicidal Tendencies and the Circle Jerks. Shortly after Black Flag debuted in Los Angeles, Dead Kennedys were formed in San Francisco. While the band's early releases were played in a style closer to traditional punk rock, In God We Trust, Inc. (1981) marked
3610-553: The Misfits "crucial to the rise of hardcore." New York hardcore had more emphasis on rhythm, in part due to the use of palm-muted guitar chords, an approach called the NY hardcore "chug". The New York scene was known for its tough ethos, its "thuggery", and club shows that were a chaotic "proving ground" or even a "battleground". In the early 1980s, the New York hardcore scene centered around squats and clubhouses. After these were closed down,
3705-557: The Peppermint Lounge performance because he thought the name they were performing under was not serious enough. The band's debut album The Age of Quarrel was released in 1986, which was mostly written by Parris Mayhew and Flanagan, some songs being based on a four track demo that Flanagan had recorded solo in 1982 while on the West Coast. Joseph parted ways with the band again after The Age of Quarrel , leaving Flanagan to sing on
3800-612: The Replacements , while Chicago had Articles of Faith , Big Black and Naked Raygun . The Detroit area was home to Crucifucks , Degenerates , the Meatmen , Negative Approach , Spite and Violent Apathy . From Ohio was Maumee 's Necros and Dayton 's Toxic Reasons . The zine Touch and Go covered this Midwest hardcore scene from 1979 to 1983. JFA and Meat Puppets were both from Phoenix , Arizona; 7 Seconds were from Reno , Nevada; and Butthole Surfers , Big Boys ,
3895-472: The State of Alert, and was influenced by the music of Bad Brains and the bands of his childhood friend Ian MacKaye. The tradition of holding all-ages shows at small DIY spaces, has roots in the early Washington, D.C., straight edge movement. It emerged from the idea that people of all ages should have access to music, regardless of if they're old enough to drink alcohol. Seminal Boston-area hardcore bands included
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3990-526: The United Kingdom. Hardcore has spawned the straight edge movement and its associated sub-movements, hardline and youth crew . Hardcore was heavily involved in the rise of the independent record labels in the 1980s and with the DIY ethics in underground music scenes. It has also influenced various music genres that have experienced widespread commercial success, including grunge and thrash metal . Although
4085-409: The album with the return of Doug Holland and a new rhythm guitarist, Gabby Abularach. The album, Near Death Experience was released in 1993, after which the group disbanded for several years. They began touring again in the late 1990s with Flanagan on vocals and bass and Mayhew returning to the fold. Eventually, the band released Revenge in 2000. For many fans, this album signified a return to
4180-474: The all-Latino punk band Manic Hispanic , which also featured Efrem Schulz from Death By Stereo . There are also notable women such as Crass singers Joy de Vivre and Eve Libertine , Black Flag bassist Kira Roessler , and Germs bassist Lorna Doom . Several documentaries, including 2003's Afro-Punk and 2016's Los Punks , chronicle these subcultures within American punk and hardcore. As of 2019,
4275-493: The anti-Bush political activist group PunkVoter. A minority of hardcore musicians have expressed right-wing views, such as the band Antiseen , whose guitarist Joe Young ran for public office as a North Carolina Libertarian . Former Misfits singer Michale Graves appeared on an episode of The Daily Show , voicing support for George W. Bush, on behalf of the Conservative Punk website, and in 2023 testified on behalf of
4370-581: The band Suicidal Tendencies , including Mike Muir , Rocky George , R.J. Herrera, Louiche Mayorga, Robert Trujillo , Thundercat , Dean Pleasants , Ra Díaz, Dave Lombardo , Eric Moore, Tim "Rawbiz" Williams, David Hidalgo Jr. , and Ronald Bruner Jr. Other Latinos in early hardcore bands include Black Flag members Ron Reyes , Dez Cadena , Robo , and Anthony Martinez, Agnostic Front singer Roger Miret , his brother Madball singer Freddy Cricien , Adolescents guitarist Steve Soto , and Wasted Youth drummer Joey Castillo . Soto would later form
4465-463: The band changed their name to the Cro-Mags. However, Flanagan claims in his 2016 autobiography Hard-Core: Life of My Own that he and Mayhew met in 1980 after being introduced by Paul Dordal, they began writing music together soon after and formed the band with vocalist Eric Casanova, who only performed with the band twice. Following this, they would go on hiatus as Flanagan went to California then Canada, during which time he wrote and recorded demos for
4560-492: The band were chosen based on being part of the local hardcore scene and being regularly in the moshing pit at shows, rather than based on a musical audition . Michael Azerrad states that "[by] 1979 the original punk scene [in Southern California] had almost completely died out" and was replaced by punk music boiled down to its essence, but with faster tempos, which became known as "hardcore". Steven Blush states that
4655-642: The band's first performance was at the Peppermint Lounge opening for the Stimulators the same year. He thought the band was not ready to debut using their real name, so instead performed as Disco Smoothy. After this performance, the group disbanded and in 1982–1983, Flanagan recorded four tracks in Songshop Studios in New York City with Denise Mercedes of the Stimulators , the tracks set to be released by Rat Cage Records but issues regarding management prevented
4750-499: The city from Washington, D.C. Starting in 1981, there was an influx of new hardcore bands in the city including Agnostic Front , Beastie Boys , Cro-Mags , Cause for Alarm, the Mob , Murphy's Law , Reagan Youth , and Warzone . A number of other bands associated with New York hardcore scene came from New Jersey , including the Misfits , Adrenalin OD and Hogan's Heroes . Steven Blush calls
4845-409: The community. Largely inspired by early labels like Dischord Records , Alternative Tentacles , Epitaph Records , SST Records , Revelation Records , and Touch & Go Records , record labels are usually run on DIY ethic, collaboration, financial trust, and an emphasis on creative control. Labels within hardcore are seldom large, profit-making operations, but rather collaborative music partners with
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#17328523698554940-541: The crowd was singing the lyrics so loud they could be heard over the PA system. Hardcore vocal lines are often based on minor scales and songs may include shouted background vocals from the other band members. Hardcore lyrics expressed the "frustration and political disillusionment" of youth who were against 1980s-era affluence , consumerism , greed, Reagan politics and authority. The polarizing sociopolitical messages in hardcore lyrics (and outrageous on-stage behaviour) meant that
5035-446: The dream is now 35 years old, so they can go fuck themselves." Steven Blush states that the Vancouver -based band D.O.A. 's 1981 album, Hardcore '81 , "was where the genre got its name". This album also helped to make people aware of the term "hardcore". Konstantin Butz states that while the origin of the expression "hardcore" "cannot be ascribed to a specific place or time", the term
5130-421: The drummer should have listened to a lot of hardcore, so that they can understand the "raw emotions" it expresses. Lucky Lehrer , the drummer and co-founder of the Circle Jerks in 1979, was an early developer of hardcore drumming; he has been called the "Godfather of hardcore drumming" and Flipside zine calls him the best punk drummer. According to Tobias Hurwitz, "[h]ardcore drumming falls somewhere between
5225-485: The early 1980s American hardcore scene in Washington, D.C. A performance by Fear on the 1981 Halloween episode of Saturday Night Live was cut short when moshers, including John Belushi and members of a few hardcore punk bands, invaded the stage, damaged studio equipment and used profanity. Many North American hardcore punk fans adopted a dressed-down style of T-shirts , jeans or work chinos , combat boots or sneakers , and crew cut -style haircuts. Women in
5320-742: The early Los Angeles hardcore scene increasingly became sites of violent battles between police and concertgoers. Another source of violence in L.A. was tension created by what one writer calls the invasion of "antagonistic suburban poseurs " into hardcore venues. Violence at hardcore concerts was portrayed in episodes of the popular television shows CHiPs and Quincy, M.E. . In the pre-Internet era, fanzines, commonly called zines , enabled hardcore scene members to learn about bands, clubs, and record labels. Zines typically included reviews of shows and records, interviews with bands, letters, ads for records and labels, and were DIY products, "proudly amateur, usually handmade. A zine called We Got Power described
5415-550: The end of 2019, they released "From the Grave" featuring former Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell on lead and slide guitar. A three-song 7-inch EP of the same name was released on December 6, 2019, in various colors and have the tracks "PTSD" and "Between Wars" included. The band was set to perform with Body Count in New York City on March 15 at Webster Hall. The show was postponed due to the COVID-19 virus. The band decided to live stream
5510-506: The established music industry and "anything similar to the characteristics of mainstream rock " and often addresses social and political topics with "confrontational, politically charged lyrics". Hardcore sprouted underground scenes across the United States in the early 1980s, particularly in Los Angeles , San Francisco , Washington, D.C. , Boston , and New York , as well as in Canada and
5605-431: The fastest tempos in rock music . The band released its debut single, " Pay to Cum ", in 1980, and were influential in establishing the D.C. hardcore scene. Hardcore historian Steven Blush calls the single the first East Coast hardcore record. Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson , influenced by Bad Brains , formed the band Teen Idles in 1979. The group broke up in 1980, and MacKaye and Nelson went on to form Minor Threat ,
5700-520: The film was released, other hardcore bands from Los Angeles County were also making a name for themselves including Bad Religion , Descendents , Red Kross , Rhino 39 , Suicidal Tendencies , Wasted Youth , Youth Brigade , and Youth Gone Mad . Neighboring Orange County had the Adolescents , Agent Orange , China White , Social Distortion , Shattered Faith , T.S.O.L. , and Uniform Choice , while north of Los Angeles, around Oxnard , California,
5795-511: The fingers, some bassists use a pick. Some bassists play fuzz bass by overdriving their bass tone. Hardcore drumming, typically played fast and aggressively, has been called the "engine" and most essential element of the genre's aggressive sound of "unrelenting anger". Two other key elements for hardcore drummers are playing "tight" with the other musicians, especially the bassist (this does not mean metronomic time; indeed, coordinated tempo shifts are used in many important hardcore albums) and
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#17328523698555890-599: The first bands to refer to its style as "hardcore", with the release of their album Hardcore '81 . Other early hardcore bands from British Columbia included Dayglo Abortions who formed in 1979, the Subhumans and the Skulls . Nomeansno is a hardcore band originally from Victoria , British Columbia , and now located in Vancouver . SNFU formed in Edmonton in 1981 and also later relocated to Vancouver . Bunchofuckingoofs , from
5985-477: The first hardcore record to come out of the West Coast was Out of Vogue by the Santa Ana band Middle Class . The band pioneered a shouted, fast version of punk rock which would shape the hardcore sound that would soon emerge. In terms of impact upon the hardcore scene, Black Flag has been deemed the most influential group. Azerrad calls Black Flag the "godfathers" of hardcore punk and states that even "...more than
6080-665: The flagship band of American hardcore", they were "...required listening for anyone who was interested in underground music." Blush states that Black Flag were to hardcore what the Sex Pistols and Ramones were to punk. Formed in Hermosa Beach , California by guitarist and primary songwriter Greg Ginn , they played their first show in December 1977. Originally called Panic, they changed their name to Black Flag in 1978. By 1979, Black Flag were joined by another South Bay hardcore band,
6175-515: The genre garnered no mainstream popularity. In hardcore, guitarists frequently play fast power chords with a heavily distorted and amplified tone, creating what has been called a "buzzsaw" sound. Guitar parts can sometimes be complex, technically versatile, and rhythmically challenging. Guitar melody lines usually use the same minor scales used by vocalists (although some solos use pentatonic scales). Hardcore guitarists sometimes play solos , octave leads and grooves , as well as tapping into
6270-511: The genre is still overwhelmingly represented by white males. However, as sonic diversity has increased in the genre, so too has its fanbase. This has helped bring greater attention to inclusivity within the scene. Bands like War On Women , Limp Wrist , Gouge Away , and G.L.O.S.S. have helped bring attention to subjects like women's rights, transphobia, rape, mental health, queer rights, and misogyny. Record labels in hardcore are often DIY endeavors, run by musicians or participants within
6365-427: The hardcore scene typically wore army pants, band T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts. The clothing style was a reflection of hardcore ideology, which included dissatisfaction with suburban America and the hypocrisy of American culture. It was essentially a deconstruction of American fashion staples—ripped jeans, holey T-shirts, torn stockings for women, and work boots. The style of the 1980s hardcore scene contrasted with
6460-422: The intent to document and release music for the underground community. Ian Mackaye , co-founder of Dischord Records claimed, "We don't use contracts, lawyers, any of those kinds of things. We are partners – they make the music, and we make the records. From the beginning of this label, people have said that the way we do things is unsustainable, unrealistic, idealistic, and we were just dreaming", he said. "Well,
6555-486: The late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk scenes in San Francisco and Southern California which arose as a reaction against the still predominant hippie cultural climate of the time. It was also inspired by Washington, D.C. , and New York punk rock and early proto-punk . Hardcore punk generally disavows commercialism ,
6650-461: The look that was common in the San Francisco hardcore scene as consisting of biker-style leather jackets, chains, studded wristbands, multiple piercings, painted or tattooed statements (e.g., an anarchy symbol) and hairstyles ranging from military-style haircuts dyed black or blonde to mohawks and shaved heads. Circle Jerks frontman Keith Morris wrote: "[Punk] was basically based on English fashion. But we had nothing to do with that. Black Flag and
6745-450: The major labels, hardcore bands started their own independent record labels and distributed their records themselves. Ginn started SST Records , which released Black Flag's debut EP Nervous Breakdown in 1979. SST went on to release a number of albums by other hardcore artists, and was described by Azerrad as "easily the most influential and popular underground indie of the Eighties." SST
6840-427: The microphone instead of singing, while we blasted out these new songs. He was making excuses that our massive PA system wasn't loud enough to hear him when it was just that he was hiding, stalling and making excuses for his inability to find a melody...John was simply a bully and a jerk and his problematic uncooperative pose was getting old. I told him 'the band is moving on without you.' It was that simple.″ Flanagan's
6935-602: The more provocative fashion styles of late 1970s punk rockers. Siri C. Brockmeier writes that "hardcore kids do not look like punks", since hardcore scene members wore basic clothing and short haircuts, in contrast to the "embellished leather jackets and pants" worn in the punk scene. Lauraine Leblanc, however, claims that the standard hardcore punk clothing and styles included torn jeans, leather jackets, spiked armbands, dog collars, mohawk hairstyles , DIY ornamentation of clothes with studs, painted band names, political statements, and patches. Tiffini A. Travis and Perry Hardy describe
7030-651: The music genre started in English-speaking Western countries, notable hardcore scenes have existed in Italy , Japan and Brazil . Hardcore historian Steven Blush credits Minor Threat 's Ian MacKaye with starting a "die-hard mindset that begat almost everything we now call Hardcore", which was virulently anti-music industry and anti- rock star . An article in Drowned in Sound argues that late 1970s/early 1980s-era hardcore
7125-473: The previous punk sound and added the incessant, heavy drumbeats and heavily distorted guitar sound of new wave of British heavy metal bands, especially Motörhead . Formed in 1977 in Stoke-on-Trent , Discharge played a large role in influencing other European hardcore bands. AllMusic calls the band's sound a "high-speed noise overload" characterized by "ferocious noise blasts." Their style of hardcore punk
7220-416: The project to come to fruition. He then recruited Eric Casanova on vocals, before meeting Parris Mayhew in 1983, who then joined as guitarist, along with drummer Mackie Jayson. This final story by Flanagan is supported by John Joseph in his 2007 autobiography The Evolution of a Cro-Magnon , however Joseph instead states the band formed in 1981 and that he was the band's vocalist prior to Berry but left prior to
7315-415: The same book, other people involved in the New York hardcore scene suggest that the band formed under the name Mode of Ignorance, with an original lineup consisting of Dave Hahn on drums, Mayhew and Dave Stein on guitar, John Joseph on lead vocals and Flanagan on bass. During its early existence, the band went through frequent lineup changes. Mayhew explains that this was because "Harley would see some kid with
7410-545: The scene was emanating in a small after-hours bar, A7 , on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and later around the famous bar CBGB . For several years, CBGB held weekly hardcore matinées on Sundays, but they stopped in 1990 when violence led Kristal to ban hardcore shows at the club. Early radio support in New York's surrounding Tri-State area came from Pat Duncan, who had hosted live punk and hardcore bands weekly on WFMU since 1979. Bridgeport , Connecticut's WPKN had
7505-451: The second Cro-Mags album, Best Wishes (1989), which had a more heavy metal-influenced sound. The next album, Alpha Omega (1992), saw the return of Joseph singing along with Flanagan. According to cofounder Parris Mayhew, he wrote most of the album with guitarist Rob Buckley. However, neither Mayhew or Buckley played on the actual recording, and the writing has been disputed by Flanagan and others. The Cro-Mags disbanded but later recorded
7600-415: The songs "Everybody's Gonna Die", "Don't Tread On Me", "By Myself" and "Do Unto Others". After returning to New York in 1983, he regrouped the band and he, Mayhew and Casanova began writing again, using his demo tracks as a basis. Flanagan also claimed in a 2018 interview with Blabbermouth.net that he formed the Cro-Mags in 1980 with guitarist Dave Stein, drummer Dave Hahn and vocalist John Berry and that
7695-430: The starting point. In the vein of earlier punk rock, most hardcore punk bands have followed the traditional singer/guitar/bass/drum format. The song-writing has more emphasis on rhythm rather than melody . Blush writes "The Sex Pistols were still rock'n'roll...like the craziest version of Chuck Berry . Hardcore was a radical departure from that. It wasn't verse-chorus rock. It dispelled any notion of what songwriting
7790-470: The straight-ahead rock styles of old-school punk and the frantic, warp-speed bashing of thrash." Some hardcore punk drummers play fast D-beat one moment and then drop tempo into elaborate musical breakdowns in the next. Drummers typically play eighth notes on the cymbals, because at the tempos used in hardcore, it would be difficult to play a smaller subdivision of the beat. The early 1980s hardcore punk scene developed slam dancing (also called moshing),
7885-467: The terms of the agreement, Flanagan retained exclusive rights to the Cro-Mags name, while Joseph and Jayson would continue performing under the name Cro-Mags"JM". How the Cro-Mags formed is disputed by the band's founding members. In Tony Rettman's 2014 book NYHC: New York Hardcore 1980-1990 , guitarist Parris Mayhew states that the band formed after he had put up a number of posters around New York in search of band members, to which Flanagan responded. In
7980-443: The time the band played their first live performance, Youth had been replaced by Roger Miret , however soon after Casanova was kicked out of the band due to the birth of his son interfering with scheduling. By this time, Joseph had returned to New York and so rejoined as the band's vocalist. Youth briefly rejoined the band after Miret's departure, at the same time Robb "Nunzio" Ortiz joined as an additional guitarist. A few months later,
8075-862: The time. Jimmy Gestapo of Murphy's Law , however, endorsed Reagan and even went as far to call then former president Jimmy Carter a "pussy" in a 1986 New York Magazine cover story. Shortly after Reagan's death in 2004, the Maximumrocknroll radio show aired an episode composed of anti-Reagan songs by early hardcore punk bands. Certain hardcore punk bands have conveyed messages sometimes deemed " politically incorrect " by placing offensive content in their lyrics and relying on stage antics to shock listeners and people in their audience. Boston band The F.U.'s generated controversy with their 1983 album, My America , whose lyrics contained what appeared to be conservative and patriotic views. Its messages were sometimes taken literally, when they were actually intended as
8170-474: The two-minute mark. There were two line-up changes from the previous album – most notably, John Joseph's departure paved the way for Harley Flanagan to take up both bass and vocal duties. According to guitarist Parris Mayhew: ″The songs that made it infinitely apparent John couldn't do it were 'The Only One', and 'Death Camps' (all lyrics Harley wrote) you could hear and see that John was holding back vocally, struggling with melody and rhythm, mumbling quietly into
8265-467: The typically focused-on elements in mainstream rock music, harmony and pitch (i.e., melody ). Hardcore vocalists often shout, scream or chant along with the music, using "vocal intensity" and an abrasive tone. The shouting of hardcore vocalists is often accompanied by audience members who are singing along, making the hardcore vocalist like the "leader of a mob" commonly known as "gang vocals". Steven Blush describes one early Minor Threat show where
8360-488: The various feedback and harmonic noises available to them. There are generally fewer guitar solos in hardcore than in mainstream rock, because solos were viewed as representing the "excess and superficiality" of mainstream commercial rock. Hardcore bassists use varied rhythms in their basslines , ranging from longer held notes (whole notes and half notes) to quarter notes, to rapid eighth note or sixteenth note runs. To play rapid bass lines that would be hard to play with
8455-457: Was a very different vocal style and it further juxtaposed the band's image from straightout hardcore punk to a more metal sound. Another change was Pete Hines coming in on drums. In an AllMusic review, Alex Henderson said: "What would Lemmy Kilmister and Motörhead have sounded like if they'd been influenced by the Hare Krishna sect and the beliefs of Hinduism? They might have sounded like New York's unorthodox thrash metal/punk outfit
8550-557: Was an Italian hardcore punk scene in the 1980s that included groups like Wretched , Raw Power , and Negazione . Sweden developed several influential hardcore bands, including Anti Cimex , Disfear , and Mob 47 . Finland produced some influential hardcore bands, including Terveet Kädet , one of the first hardcore groups to emerge in the country. In Eastern Europe, notable hardcore bands included Hungary's Galloping Coroners from 1975, Yugoslavia's 1980s-era Niet from Ljubljana, and KBO! Best Wishes (Cro-Mags album) Best Wishes
8645-481: Was asked what he believed to be the first hardcore record, he remarked: "Sound Of Imker Train of Doomsday single in the late '60s in Holland. The only true '60s hardcore record I know." One definition of the genre is "a form of exceptionally harsh punk rock". Hardcore has been called a faster, meaner genre of punk rock, that was a stern refutation against it, being more primal and immediate, with speed and aggression as
8740-548: Was coined as D-beat , a term referring to a distinctive drum beat that a number of 1980s imitators of Discharge are associated with. Another UK band, the Varukers , were one of the original D-beat bands, Scottish band the Exploited were also influential, with the term "UK 82" (used to refer to UK hardcore in the early 1980s) being taken from one of their songs. They contrasted with early American hardcore bands by placing an emphasis on appearance. Frontman Walter "Wattie" Buchan had
8835-659: Was followed by a number of other successful artist-run labels—including BYO Records (started by Shawn and Mark Stern of Youth Brigade), Epitaph Records (started by Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion), New Alliance Records (started by the Minutemen's D. Boon and Mike Watt ), as well as fan-run labels like Frontier Records and Slash Records . Bands also funded and organized their own tours. Black Flag's tours in 1980 and 1981 brought them in contact with developing hardcore scenes in many parts of North America, and blazed trails that were followed by other touring bands. Concerts in
8930-410: Was perceived to be "a very narrow definition of what fits into Punk", apparently being "authoritarian and trying to dominate the scene" with their views. During the 2001–2009 United States presidency of George W. Bush , it was not uncommon for hardcore bands to express anti-Bush messages. During the 2004 United States presidential election , several hardcore punk artists and bands were involved with
9025-603: Was then a member of the band Impact Unit, and drew the artwork for the DYS album Brotherhood . In 1982, Modern Method Records released This Is Boston, Not L.A. , a compilation album of the Boston hardcore scene. In addition to Modern Method was Taang! Records , who released material by a number of the aforementioned Boston hardcore bands. Further outside of Boston were Western Massachusetts bands Deep Wound (which featured future Dinosaur Jr. members J Mascis and Lou Barlow ) and
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