THE PSYCHOS • One Voice LP

THE PSYCHOS • One Voice LP

Radio Raheem

This band was legendary to most of us who missed them in the early days.  I recall my buddy Telf had a cassette of the demo with zero info… no song titles, nothing… just the cassette tape. He’d play it for us all (a small group of hardcore buddies in upstate NY), but he would never allow any of us to copy it. He held it closely like it was the only copy.  That just sort of added to the legacy and mystery of this early New York Hardcore band.  All I really knew about them was that both Billy Milano and Roger from AF played in the band at different times.  That along with holding onto and trying on the classic T-shirt my buddy Jim MacNaughton’s wife owns were what I knew.  

Cooch and company over at Radio Raheem did a great job cleaning this shit up… I can only imagine what they had to work with as far as tapes, graphics etc. go. 

In my opinion, this is an absolute must for anyone who deep dives into New York Hardcore.  Musically, this is very sloppy but also super catchy with a ton of heart and sometimes out of tune classic NYC hardcore.  It has everything a fiend might be scouring for… Good mosh parts, Don Fury recordings, a couple tracks with Tommy Rat on vox,, and some very cool images many of us have never seen of the band before now.   The booklet that comes with this vinyl is pretty incredibly put together. It looks cherry.  

The one take I took out of this record was that It seems that the only two constants in this band over the years were the drummer and guitar player.  Singers and bassists seemed to be a rotating cast of characters.  

Don’t sleep on this.  (NW)

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Justin Dratson: JD   Nate Wilson: NW   Matt Average: MA

THE GODFATHERS OF HARDCORE (2017)

THE GODFATHERS OF HARDCORE (2017)

Director: Ian McFarland

Viewed On Showtime

I must admit that when I heard about this movie I had very little faith that a Agnostic Front Showtime documentary could be any good.  I went into this thinking… oh lord this is gonna suck balls.  In my opinion suck it did NOT.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, so much so that I watched it again when my buddy Devon was in town for a visit. 

 I grew up loving AF, and was lucky to see them many times in the 1980’s.   I’m 100% behind the first three LPs (yup even Cause For Alarm), and the live at CB’s record.     

This documentary sort of breaks things down by going between chillin’ with Vinnie Stigma (on a roof with pigeons, in his apt, on the streets of NYC, and in a church).  The camera will then hang with Roger Miret in his home in Arizona, working on old cars, going to the doctors, playing with his kids, and hanging with his wife & mom.   It was interesting to hear stories from both these NYHC legends about their upbringing, their families and their lives in general.  

There is enough old footage of the band to make the movie exciting and keep it real for folks like myself.  Of course there is new footage as well (which I’m really not a fan of), but it keeps things relevant and current.  

Things take a turn toward the end and get dark/depressing with much talk of Rogers medical ailments.  

At any rate the only negative things I have to say about this documentary are that by the end it starts feeling long (not in a “fucking end this already” sort of way).  Its only an hour and a half long, but feels longer.   Also I really would have loved to hear much more from some ex members of the band, along with some NYHC legends that were around in the early days.  Fuck this archive footage bullshit.  (NW)

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NW: Nate Wilson    DC: Devon Cahill   MA: Matt Average