Shai Hulud - This Saturday at ABC No Rio in NYC

Shai Hulud will be playing at the tiny yet awesome venue known as ABC No Rio! It's a matinee starting at 3pm with a low cover price so if you can make it then you need to be there. I should be there unless a catastrophic event occurs as I haven't seen Shai Hulud in a probably about 2 years.

Casey Jones to Release a New Album

So Have Heart are over but Straight Edge hardcore still lives! Casey Jones is going into the studio for a new album that they will self-release. I think it's pretty awesome that they will be handling this release them selves. The music industry is changing so much lately that there may never be a need for record labels.

Have Heart Final Show DVD

I never got a chance to see Have Heart live on stage, but I've been a fan of their amazing Straight Edge hardcore for years. Bridge9 is bringing out a DVD of their final show from October of last year aptly entitled 10.17.09 and will be accompanied by a CD and LP. The video will be released in November and I will certainly be pre-ordering it when they open for that around Edge Day!

I hope they decide to have a reunion tour in a few years (for the love and not the money) and I will definitely make it to that show.

James Hetfield is Straight Edge?

So James Hetfield of Metallica got a Straight Edge X tattoo. He claims not be Straight Edge, but Reborn Straight Edge. He mentions that a true, hardcore straight edge hasn't ever done drugs or drank alcohol. I respect James for being poison free and all but I have to say that I think he doesn't understand Straight Edge. Claiming Edge doesn't require you to have never consumed alcohol or done drugs, claiming edge is about committing the rest of your life to being Straight Edge, there's no reborn. You either ARE or AREN'T, it's that simple. Maybe his words are taken out of context or I misunderstood what he was saying, but I think he doesn't quite get it. You can read the full interview over at Double Cross.

Have Heart Call it Quits

I'm pretty saddened to hear that Have Heart have decided to call it quits. They are one of today's best Straight Edge bands with profound lyrics and a great hardcore sound. I hope that some of the members decide to form other Straight Edge bands in the future. They plan to have one last show on Edge Day (October 17) in Boston along with Bane and other bands, some edge and non-edge.

The song "Something More Than Ink" was always special to me and made me feel a connection to the SxE community. It will continue to be an important song to me. If you don't have the album "The Things We Carry" then I suggest that you get it now, it is amazing and really speaks to what it means to be committed to Straight Edge and to live a posi life.

HATEBREED: For The Lions

The new Hatebreed album For the Lions is out in stores now. They have some wicked covers on there. I love the Judge cover! Here's the Track Listing:

1. SLAYER - Ghosts of War


2. CRO-MAGS - It's The Limit


3. SUICIDAL TENDENCIES - Suicidal Maniac


4. SEPULTURA - Refuse/Resist


5. METALLICA - Escape


6. BAD BRAINS - Supertouch/Shitfit


7. MISFITS - Hatebreeders


8. D.R.I. - Evil Minds


9. MADBALL - Set It Off


10. SICK OF IT ALL - Shut Me Out


11. BLACK FLAG - Thirsty


12. NEGATIVE APPROACH - Sick Of Talk


13. CROWBAR - All I Had I Gave


14. MERAUDER - Life Is Pain


15. AGNOSTIC FRONT - Your Mistake


16. JUDGE - Hear Me


17. OBITUARY - I'm In Pain


18. SUBZERO - Boxed In

Birds X Of A Feather

Just found out about a great Straight Edge band called Birds X Of A Feather. Here's a nice interview with the band from @xroldx.

"To me hardcore and the edge are no passing phase. ...I've never been fed up with hardcore and you know why? Because I don't care about what other people do, how other people dress and how other people interpret hardcore. I'm just doing this for myself"

You can find Birds on myspace.

Mega List of Straight Edge Bands

With lots and lots of effort this list of Straight Edge bands past and present is over 300 with album covers, web site links and years of existence (for some). It's an excellent resource for looking at history of Straight Edge through music. I don't know how accurate it is of course, but like wikipedia, it's a great place to start. I certainly wouldn't consider myself an expert on SxE music, so I foudn this list great for finding bands I hadn't discovered yet.

H2O - What happened?

When it began, for those who don't know
It didn't matter how you looked or what you wore to a show
Dress codes, FUCK NO! we didn't care
About the brand of your jeans and all that shit in your hair

But now the biggest part is all about the image and not the art
Fashion before passion!
And at nights, it makes me mad that I should have to ask:
What happened to the passion? (passion!)
What the reason for screaming?
What happened the music and the message that I love?
[newpage]
What happened to the hard work? (hard work!)
And why does everybody look the same?
What happened the music and the message that I love?

And I know, that people chance
And we go through different stages in life
And I'm not here to criticize
But the reason I scream, is a feeling inside

But now the biggest part is all about the image and not the art
Fashion before passion!
And at nights, it makes me mad that I should have to ask:
What happened to the passion? (passion!)
What the reason for screaming?
What happened the music and the message that I love?
What happened to the hard work? (hard work!)

And why does everybody look the same?
What happened the music and the message that I love?

Lost (1, 2, 3, 4) lifetime ago it seems
You gave up on your wildest dreams
But I refuse to let mine go
I took an oath, you can find me here
With an open heart and ears
Refusing to surrender
I can't believe they don't remember
What it feels like to be young

What happened to the passion? (passion!)
What the reason for screaming?
What happened the music and the message that I love?
What happened to the hard work? (hard work!)
And why does everybody look the same?
What happened the music and the message that I love?

"What happened?" ~ H2O : Nothing To Prove

MusicChoice has the Video available on TiVo. I play it all the time.

Straight Edge isn't about the Music

So basically this post is a response to a post I found on AbsolutePunk.net about loosing faith in music. The author stated a lot reasons why he doesn't feel that music these days, and by that the bands themselves, are creating music that's worth listening to or travelling a long ways to see. I can see that, I feel that many bands changed to be like other bands, to make money (which honestly as much as that sucks, they got rich or tried and little kids cried over it cause they "sold out") or cause they changed their opinions on music. As much as I hate when a band changes and I don't like the outcome there are enough bands that I love too that changed for the better. I think AFI grew a lot and Eighteen Visions changed for the worse. Gorilla Biscuits broke edge then broke up, and eventually morphed into Civ, which is okay but isn't GB.

But the one thing that struck me from this post was that the author claimed that the music changed and he lost faith in that and broke edge. I see Straight Edge as a life choice that was made possibly through music but not something that is controlled by music. Straigth Edge came from a scene as a means to be part of music and a way to express one's descisions to be poison free. I got the feeling that the author felt that SxE was a fashion statement that he no longer wanted to wear cause everyone else decided to dress emo.

So my point is that SxE isn't about the music, it's about you. If the music changes and you decide to get drunk cause of it, don't blame the music.

The Last of Champion

So Champion has finally called it quits and leaves us with a an audio visual sampler of better days.
I found a nice review of the disc, on Mammoth Press, by a non-straight edge reviewer that acutally respected the band despite his differences. It's nice to read a review that actually focuses on the music and doesn't say "well i hate straight edge, so i hate this new CD" I only have one or two previous Champion CDs, so I'm sure that I'll get this soon.

Straight Edge Fest

The third annual Straight Edge Fest will be on July 7th in Auburn, NY. I wish I could make it but I already made plans for that day that I can't break. I only heard about the Fest last year after it happened and hoped to get a chance to go up this year. I hope everyone that goes has a great time.

Music Sales are down, why?

Why? Because most music out there just plain sucks. I'm sick of reading articles about music sales being down and the simple answer not even being approached. When you slam everyone out there with the same old thing repackaged and blended and refaced with a crappier knock-off wanna be band you are going to get a decline in sales. People are sick of this kind of crap being shoved down our throats. The simple fact is that with the onslaught of myspace and other resources to listen to music (legally, at least this last article didn't go on about how illegal downloads are the cause, which is clearly a bullshit answer; and onto this continuing tangent I don't download illegal music because I care about the bands I listen to and buy their CDs and go to their shows) whenever we want we only listen to the single and nothing else.

This is due to the afore mentioned reason that most music sucks. Typically the single is the only decent (if that) song that is put out and it's so easily accessible that we don't care for the rest of the filler. Now just because I listen to a lot of hardcore and punk, don't peg me as hating all pop music. I like some of it, but only when it's actually good, which is very very rare these days.

If the record label marketing machines would actually care about a band and focus on them to put out quality and help build them up as a band and not a resource they would get more from their respective audiences. Instead of jumping to the next best thing which is a repackaged version of the last thing they need to make us want to create a connection with a band and continue to buy their music. Maybe one day they'll get it, but I have my doubts.

One Life, One Chance

what if i said i was an accident waiting to happen
would i trip and fall
fall on my words and would you say
say that i was wrong my words were out of place
went where i didn't belong

this to me is fact and fiction plays a role
confusing situations that i can't control
the heart of matter
it beats with pride
sometime i wear it on my sleeve
sometimes i keep it inside

and no one said it was gonna be easy
and i'm not afraid to try
and with the odds stacked up against me
i will have to fight
one life, one chance
gotta do it right!

and i can't let fate dictate what's best for me
gotta take control of my own destiny
you can't relate
you think there's no escape
but i got everything at stake
here just to prove you wrong

and no one said it was gonna be easy
and i'm not afraid to try
and with the odds stacked up against me
i will have to fight
one life, one chance
gotta do it right!
one life, one chance
gotta do it right!
one life, one chance
gotta do it right!

one life, one chance
gotta do it right!
gotta do it right!

"One Life, One Chance" - H20

Thanksgiving Fun!

Last night I went out to see I Want To Kill You, a freaking damn good grindcore band from Pennsylvania. They have 2 singers, if you call screaming singing, which I do but that's besides the point. Troy, one of the singers, used to be in the band Wolfpac. I saw Wolfpac a few years ago at the Asbury Skate and Surf fest.

IWTKY played at the Silo in Reading, PA and put a great set with a fairly long muscial interlude and a small chat session. I guess the screaming got to be a bit to much. I was hoping they'd play their version of Barbie Girl, but Sean the bass player (and my brother's best friend) said it'd had been way too long since they played it last. But they did play a few new songs and one that included Sean on the didjeridu. Now they just need to update their website a bit more often so people will know when to come out and see them.

The only thing that sucked about the show was that it's still legal to smoke in PA, but that will change soon.

See Right Through You

see right through you!
bad attitude
and nothing to say
you judge every band
before they play
see right through you
as kids in the scene
we all do our part
your insincerity
is what sets you apart
see right through you
chip on your shoulder
something to prove
you put other down
cause you got
nothing else to do
see right through you
youve gone through all the fads
and had your opinions sold to you
your so fake i see right through
its a front
and i see right through
potential friendship
thrown away
because we choose to fold our arms
and look the other way
common ground has been ignored
traded in for gossip
on a message board
passing judgement
and passing up friends
youre too concerned
with the next big trend
well your petty ways
have got to quit
becasue we had it up to here
with your fucking shit

"See Right Through You" ~ Bones Brigade

Something More Than Ink

Just take a fucking good look at just what you did.
You set a raging fire in the heart of a kid.
Your words, and the message you sent,
are held in my heart as they burn inside my head.
It burns, burning inside my head.
Even if you chose a different path to tread.

I guess it was something inside,
it was something more to us

You took a different path than the one you once set.
But that's the cycle of life, so take your steps ahead.
That doesn't change one thing in my life.
I'll never cease to keep your words alive.

I still believe in what was said.
I'll hold on to the last thread.
I still believe in what was said.
You're absence doesn't bring my values' death

I guess it was something inside,
it was something more to us
A hero's fall will never change what I think.
'Cause at the core of my heart, this is something more than ink.

Something more than ink.
On a page, on a shirt, on the back of my hand.
Something written in stone, words we wrote in stone.

"Something More Than Ink" ~ Have Heart

I don't know the meaning behind this song, but it makes me think about Ray Cappo. Despite his choices in life, it is his words before he broke edge that still hold meaning to me. I don't care about his personal choices, I'm SxE for me, but I take his songs to heart, since they are more than the ink of my tattoo and the X on my hand. I listen to this song and I listen to Youth of Today and still believe in what was said, it is my path to tread.

Fugazi-esque in Brooklyn

The North6 basement in Brooklyn was host to a damn good set by the band Gunners. Unfortunately the band that played before them almost made me want to leave. That first band Goddamit was so bad that it seemed that none of them were playing the same song and apparently had never picked up an instrument before that night.

I went to the show last night was to see Gunners. I had met the lead singer/bass player at ABC and figured I'd check out his new band. They were very tight, and sounded great despite the poor acustics of the North6 basement. You could certainly hear the Fugazi influence, but Dima was already forthcoming about sounding Fugazi-like when we spoke. And I like Fugazi so I'm certainly not one to complain, but at the same time they had their own sound as well. Their first song was great, Dima stood with his back to crowd and the three-piece shouted the lyrics without mics. They had one slowed down song that had style but I felt took away from the rest of the really well put together set.

I didn't end up staying to see the other bands, one of them on Revelation Records, but hopefully I'll have a chance again if they're good and as long as Goddamit isn't on the band list that night.

update: I just found the flyer for the show and thought I'd put it up here with the post.

You've always loved music by SxE artists and never knew it

So it's shortly after 5pm, on Thursday, work is almost completely dead. A few of us are sitting around chatting. The subject of music comes up, I talk about hardcore and the punk show I went to last weekend. And people's eyes act all funny when I bring up the word "skank." So I explain what it means. And then I'm asked to demonstrate, which of course at work would seem completely embarrassing to do. However I'm always more than happy to make an ass out of myself, (something I certainly never needed alcohol to do,) and I put on some ska from my iPod. I started out facing the wall got into the beat and started to skank for my friends.

After my recital we talked a bit more and Straight Edge came up. I told my one friend about superXcontra and he was surprised to know that there was SxE rap. I played the CD and he was blown away. I then let him borrow it. After that I told him that there were others, XReignOfTerrorX and Sage Francis. He completely flipped when he heard about Sage. He's been listening to him for a while now. What's even funnier, is that earlier that day he made a comment that he love the video Dance, Dance by Fall Out Boy (something that definitely surprised me to hear) so I had to surprise him, and a few other Fall Out Boy fans at work, by telling them that Pete Wentz the lead singer was SxE.

It's very cool how musicians that my friends like and admire are SxE. I kind of wish that these artists made it more known, but that's their personal reason. But I'm glad to be able to shed this light on them, and maybe they'll think about SxE with more respect and understanding and maybe even interest next time they listen to Fall Out Boy.