Sick Of It All at The Anthrax, Photo: Cara Longo
I gotta admit, I'm pretty damn surprised with the results of this latest poll. From the looks of it early on, it appeared that Straight Ahead was going to take home the trophy. I mean hell… everyone loves Straight Ahead, they are a serious fan favorite and well deserved, but somehow or another, it didn't happen. I guess as great as that Straight Ahead album is, Sick Of It All are still the NYC heavyweights, as they should be.
As often as I've blasted that Straight Ahead album, I've probably blasted Sick Of It All 150 times more, and that's no knock on Straight Ahead in the least. With Sick Of It All though, you've got a killer demo, a destructive 7" and a demolishing LP in "Blood, Sweat and No Tears". I practically grew up on those first three Sick Of It All releases. Got the demo in 7th grade from my math teacher (Mr. Koller, a cousin of Pete and Lou), ordered the 7" directly from Revelation when it was released, did my first City Gardens stage dive during Sick Of It All's set with Exodus, worshiped the "Injustice System" video when it popped up on MTV's Headbanger's Ball, danced, jumped on heads and sang along to Sick Of It All so many times between 1989 and now. For those reasons alone, I had no choice but to vote for Sick Of It All. Too many memories and too many personal attachments to vote otherwise.
Classic Tommy Carroll with Straight Ahead
As for Rest In Pieces, I've honestly never been much of a fan. I can put on "My Rage" once in awhile and get a good laugh off some of those lyrics (insert the lyrics to "Balls N All" here), maybe feel the urge to hit the dance floor, but generally speaking, Rest In Pieces just doesn't carry the same weight as Straight Ahead or Sick Of It All.
So in the end, Sick Of It All came out where they should have and all is right with the world because of it. Now go do some serious G.I. Joe head stomping. -Tim DCXX
Sick Of It All - 256
Straight Ahead - 215
Rest In Pieces - 36
Armand Majidi with Rest In Pieces at CBGB, Photo: Ken Salerno
Monday, September 27, 2010
Favorite Armand / Craig combo band poll wrap up
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I can't think of a band that over the course of my 18 yrs in hardcore that I've seen more than SOIA. Nor can I think of another band that gave 100% every time they took the stage. Some of my favorite bands have let me down with half-hearted sets. SOIA never has. Whether it's been a big show on a big stage touring in a nice bus or on a small stage touring from a van. These guys have been doing it without fail for so long for a reason and should be appreciated for it.
ReplyDeleteSOIA for sure - they put out a great record THIS YEAR.
ReplyDeletehow can you compare a band that had one ep and some comp tracks to band that just hit the 25 year mark?soia no contest
ReplyDelete"how can you compare a band that had one ep and some comp tracks to band that just hit the 25 year mark?"
ReplyDeleteEasy. If you like that one ep more than anything the other band did, then they win.
This was the easiest DCXX poll for me to date. Straight Ahead, no contest.
SOIA still crush it live and they play "straight ahead" almost every time they play! the best of both worlds if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteThe Rest in Pieces LP though has some really good musicianship. I don't think that Armand's voice is great and it's not what I'd consider hardcore but those guys could really play. I remember talking to Craig about how tight they sounded on that record and he was pretty stoked to hear that it got appreciated a bit.
ReplyDeletestraight ahead blows. rest in pieces is mediocre at best. early sick of it all kicks ass. blood sweat and no tears is a classic.
ReplyDeleteAlways thought SA were overated. Given the fact they played a few shows, put out one 12" and then vanished adds to their mystique. SOIA has been doing this for over 25 years; and, do it very well. I would of been embarrassed if SA would of won this poll. Rest in Pieces?! That was a joke band, right? sorta the Spinal Tap of HC.
ReplyDeleteI'm shocked at the lack of votes for Rest In Pieces! Armand really tore it up and Das was nasty with those kick-the-shit-out-of-you riffs! My Rage is a definite period classic of our 2nd golden age of NYHC!
ReplyDeleteI just want to see Straight Ahead so I can hear Tommy Carroll say, "yes, everybody, every where, tear this place dooooooown."
ReplyDeleteRest in Pieces' live stuff on "Free for All sampler" is better than any S.O.I.A. live recording i've heard. Hc as it should sound.
ReplyDeleteHaving seen all 3 bands live numerous times, back in the day, you couldn't FUCK with Rest In Pieces. The dancefloor at those shows was no joke. Sick Of It All were good on the 7" and 1st LP, and Straight Ahead are just classic.
ReplyDeletethe only people that would say Rest In Pieces were a joke band would have to be some young gun who's trying to sound like he has a sweet opinion.
ReplyDeleteThere are some tounge in cheek songs, such as balls n all and stark raving nude. The rest of the songs are super hard and tackle quite serious topics...to me that first Rest In Pieces LP is probably the best LP to come out of 80s NY.
Sick Of It All would have had my vote but i can't overlook the intensity of seeing Armand as a front man and those killer riffs.
Joke band? You've got to be kidding. Rest In Pieces, both LPs, hands down for me. This isn't to say I put Under My Skin over any of the the Straight Ahead releases or BSaNT, but I think you can't fuck with any of it. You can't compare a bunch of perfect releases and expect one to come out on top. Why would you want hardcore to sound any other way?
ReplyDelete