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.

Question? How did you learn about Straight Edge?

Let us know and tell us why, post your answer.

Thanxxx.

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.

Is CM Punk good for Straight Edge?

Is CM Punk giving Straight Edge a bad name? Straight Edge gets a lot of bad press already because of hardline edgers that have formed gangs and fight people that smoke or drink. Young Straight Edge kids act beyond proud by proclaiming their edge following via obnoxious attitudes and raucous behavior. And now with CM Punks Straight Edge Society his fans are chanting that they are better than everyone else because they are Straight Edge.

To me Straight Edge is a personal choice. If someone else isn't Straight Edge I am not bothered or offended or upset in any way. I simply choose not to drink or smoke. But to others it has become a banner to wave in peoples faces. It is now a new way to offend people.

I was originally happy when I heard about CM Punk the Straight Edge wrestler. I figured it would be a possible positive way to introduce the philosophy to many new people that otherwise would live in what is commonly a non-edge lifestyle. But his arrogance (yes I understand it's an act, wrestling is fake and is entertainment) has spread to his followers.

How long will their interest last? Do they even understand the philosophy behind Straight Edge? Do they know the history and the culture of its origins? Not that one needs to know who Ian MacKaye is or even listen to hardcore, but I think it's important to understand what Straight Edge came from, to understand its origin as a rebellion against the typical drunken and drugged punk lifestyle.

If you're SxE and you became it because of CM Punk, please comment here and let me know.

Feel free to also comment on twitter, You can find me as @phreekk and you should tagyour Edge tweets with #StraightEdge or #SxE

Question? Do you ever avoid telling people that you are Straight Edge to avoid being judged or treated differently?

Let us know and tell us why, post your answer.

Thanxxx.

Veronica Sawyer Smokes

Oh my story is not the oldest of it's kind.
I was too touched to see you clearly,
Far too young to realize I had loved so dearly you,
Who's world I had designed,
But the sweet smoke came with mirrors
And it brought tears to my wide eyes.
Dying just to see you...
Dying since I misconstrued your blue heart,
Black eyes, feigning falling, words I won't forget.
I died right when I saw you while you shared that cigarette.

Oh I saw you every time I closed my eyes,
In the Hughes film I had scored,
Produced and starred in, in my mind.
I could recite you, well, I'd written every line...
But you strayed far from my flawless script
On which I'd spent a lifetime!
Falling over dead.
Dying since I had misread your blue heart,
Black eyes, feigning falling, words I won't forget.
I died right when I saw you while you shared that cigarette.

"Veronica Sawyer Smokes" ~ AFI - Crash Love

Reclaiming Edge, Reclaiming Life

Claiming Straight Edge is a important and non-trivial thing. And yet sometimes life throws you a curveball and your Edge can be broken. I think that consciously going against Edge with the forethought to re-claim is crap, but if you mess up and realize your mistakes then you should re-claim Edge to further your own strength and confidence in your self.

I regularly post a question at the top of this blog; the current question right now is "Have you ever lost friends because you claimed Edge?" and I just received an inspiring story by GIPrice who fell into a bad situation and picked himself back up, reclaimed Edge and "started being a real straight edger".

Something like this kind of happened to me. Well I was always drug and alcohol free but it wasnt until the summer break before my senior year in high school that I claimed to sXe. Well my best friend introduced me to a bunch of new people and they seemed to be pretty fun and cool people. But they all turned out to be fucking druggies and my best friend was falling for one of them and got into drugs and drinking too. Then I started to really like this one bitch that said she really didn't even smoke pot but oh was that a lie. So being the pretty nice guy I am I didn't immediately tell them to fuck off. I tried talking to them and reasoning with them but no all they did was lie lie lie and smoke smoke smoke so finally it got to the point to where I was depressed and starting drinking and I would wake up and try to get wasted. Thankfully one day I woke up and realized what I was doing and had a life change. I kicked everyone that isn't sXe out of my life and stopped drinking. And started being a real straight edger. So I started dealing with my depression like a man and I slowly got over it. So now I don't even talk to people that do drugs and my life has been drama free and fucking great. I love actually being real straight edge because I know the people I called "friends" could never be. And even though I feel pain and depression and I don't like it, I still find good in it because I know it is real and I am real and alive and able to cope.

Claiming Edge isn't something done lightly, it's not simply about being drug free, it's about committing to yourself to live this way forever. But if you make a mistake, and you realize that mistake and accept your mistakes then you might be able to claim edge again with stronger conviction and live a more fulfilled life.

You Can Be Straight Edge At Any Age

I hate when I hear people bashing kids that are under 21 or under 18 and say that they can't be Straight Edge because they aren't legal enough to buy cigarettes or alcohol. Sadly there are plenty of kids that drink and smoke, do drugs and have promiscuous sex when they are still young teenagers. So if you choose to claim edge at 15 (or whatever age) then good for you.

But at the same time, if you choose to claim Straight Edge, make sure you plan to be Edge for life, it's not a simple weekend thing or a "till 21" thing. Straight Edge is a commitment.

To everyone that thinks Straight Edge isn't for kids, stop hating someone for having better choices in life than you, live your own life.

Straight Edge Documentary in Theatres Now

Edge the movie is out now in theatres. Check the schedule on their site to see if it's playing in a theatre near you. It's playing this Saturday, October 3rd, in NYC. I'm hoping to make it out, I just moved to Long Island so it's a bit further of a trek than previously.

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.

Back to School

It's that time again when kids head back to school. It's a time that can be quite stressful for kids whether your in middle school or college. Everyone wants to fit in somewhere, even if you say you don't you probably do. Not that fitting in is the most important thing but having the right group of friends is important. They have more of an effect on what you do than you could ever imagine.

It's even more difficult at times if your going away to college. I remember my first semester away and making friends was a little hard for me, I'm not the most outgoing guy. When I was in college I did drink, I hadn't claimed Edge at that point, and I did it to mostly fit in. So what I would like to say here is that if you are Edge or not (but you don't want to get caught up in the whole drinking to fit in thing) then you need to make sure to find friends that either don't drink or respect your choices. Sure that might sound not so easy, but there are definitely enough kids at any school for you find those that are like minded. Do a search on the internet and look for groups at your school. Many colleges have groups now that aim to create alternatives to drinking. If you are the outgoing kind of person, maybe you can start your own group.

I'd like to start a list of groups at schools and colleges that support non-drinking events if they have links and stuff. If you belong to such a a group or find one please comment here with their info.

And if you're Edge then show your pride with merch and maybe you'll find some other Edge kids around when they see XXXs on your hoodie or shirt. I always speak to other Straight Edge people at hardcore shows when I see them wearing a SxE shirt cause it gives me something to start off the conversation with easily, so I'm sure it would work just as well on any campus.

Stay Posi.

Edge the Movie

A new documentary about Straight Edge called "Edge the Movie" is circulating the film festival circuit mailings. So it might appear at a local film festival near you soon. I do want to see this one as it appears that will at least have a more positive look at SxE despite the fact that they mention they will talk about the negative aspects as well. I do feel though that it isn't that necessary to even discuss these aspects at all. Enough has been documented about those that claim Edge and are violent and ruin the scene and name for the rest of us. That would be like doing a movie about Christianity and saying well we have to talk about the Crusades and the Spanish Inquistion, not if you focus on the positive aspects as your documentary. I feel like the iea of doing an unbiased balanced documentary can be lame as a proper focus on the positive aspects can be just as important and fullfilling in a documentary. I'll keep my official judgement quiet until I see the film though.

They do plan to do a DVD release so even if you can't catch it at a film fest or local independent theatre, you can still watch it at home.

The Past The Present 1982-2007: A History of 25 Years of European Straight Edge

Another cool book is out about Straight Edge over a 25 year period in Europe. I'm actually quite interested in this book as it follows five Dutch bands through the various periods of SxE. I am quite amazed at how worldwide Straight Edge is and that it has become something that can bring people from all over together with a single philosophy. I'm very excited about all the books that are coming out lately that cover Straight Edge.

You can check out more info on the book from this blog and you can order the book from Refuse Records. I realize I'm a tad late on this news, but better late than never.

Burning Fight: The Nineties Hardcore Revolution in Ethics, Politics, Spirit, and Sound

I recently found out about a new book about hardcore culture. I haven't picked it up yet, so as soon as I get it I'll post a review. The book is called "Burning Fight: The Nineties Hardcore Revolution in Ethics, Politics, Spirit, and Sound" and it's by Brian Peterson. The book is supposed to cover where 80s hardcore left off and discuss the culture that embraced straight edge, animal rights, D.I.Y., and spirituality into their lives and hardcore.

I find the concept of this book rather interesting by the fact that the author was into hardcore in his teens in the 90s and now is a writer and high school English teacher. Just because you're a punk as a kid or even listen to hardcore as an adult does not mean that you can't become whatever you want in life. Hardcore isn't a barrier to life and you can live your life as an adult outside of the scene and still enjoy the music and culture.

I think that too many people see subcultures like hardcore as a dead end. It's whatever you make it, it's not a beginning or and end, it's part of life and a means to get some enjoyment from the world around.

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

Question? Have you ever lost friends because you claimed Edge?

Let us know and tell us why, post your answer.

Thanxxx.

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.

Twitter

So I've had a defunct twitter account for a while and finally got around to using it. I'm going to be posting new and different content all with the same pessimistic angry outlook on the world around us -- along with links back to the blog and some music using blip.fm and pics using twitpic.com and whatever else is worthy of twitter.

So please follow me on twitter: @phreekk

I also listed myself on wefollow with #straightedge #punk and #hardcore

And NO, this is not a result of Ashton Kutcher or Oprah.