Sunday, March 20, 2011

WHERE ARE THEY NOW - Joey Vela/Breakaway/Second Coming

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Joey with an invert at Terri's ramp 1986, Photo courtesy of: Joey Vela

After Breakaway broke up in the late 80s, I think it was '89, I took a couple years off before starting a new band. Then I started up Second Coming and continued doing that band from around 1991 through 2003. We played one last show, the Ernie Cortez Memorial Show back in 2005.


Throughout the 90s, I also sang in 2 different Dag Nasty type bands while also doing Second Coming, but I never did any shows or anything with those bands. The last band I was in, I think we started it back in 2006. I was really stoked on it, but we all kind of got busy with family and other things and it got put on hold.

Years later now...I don't go to shows as often as I used to, but still love the music, and still get stoked when I come across a new band or a new song that reminds me of why I got into hardcore in the first place. I miss playing shows and being in a band, more so for the love of music and the outlet it provided for so long, but I don't really miss the scene politics and bullshit that comes along with it. Having been around the punk/hardcore scene for almost 30 years, it's something that is just part of you, and I can't imagine it not being part of my life in some way or another. Music and skateboarding have been the biggest influences in my life and both have helped define who I am as a person.

As far as what I've been up to and what's going on in my life now... I married my best friend a little over 10 years ago. We have 2 kick ass kids that are our entire world. I still live in Northern California and I am lucky enough to make a living doing graphic design and artwork. Aside from family and art, I play ice hockey and spend most of my free time skateboarding as much as possible, which is never enough.

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Joey with Second Coming, Photo: Trent Nelson

If anyone is interested in checking out Second Coming, they can download the music here:

Second Coming - Demo
http://www.mediafire.com/?b8lr81ce0d422up

Second Coming - Wake 7"
http://www.mediafire.com/?5zkvov8hcr0c5vo

Second Coming - In Denial CD
http://www.mediafire.com/?t0w0sgi8cid2kxi

Second Coming - 4 Song Final Demo
http://www.mediafire.com/?n7e7muflndsblj4


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Joey with an invert in 2011, Photo courtesy of: Joey Vela

21 comments:

  1. let's find some people that we actually care to know where they are, or at least find some people that are doing something worth while.

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  2. i actually care about what joey is doing and what he's up to.
    powerhouse and second coming were actually very much responsible for building the hardcore scene from the ground up in the bay area. i'd say that's pretty worthwile.
    let's find some posters/ commentors who are actually doing/ posting things that are worthwile.
    take care.
    jackson

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  3. worth while? last time i checked, being a great parent/partner, working a job that u find gratifying, and doing what you love on a daily basis, was all, if not more than one could ask for. what do you consider worth while, anonymous? i'm willing to guess that regardless of what one's accomplished in life, you're there to quickly shoot it down, as you're so completely miserable with your situation, that it just makes you're blood boil when you see others that are just simply happy. but what do i know? i've probably never done anything worth while in your opinion either...

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  4. Never heard of this guy or his bands... Sorry i threw the HC towel in 1989! But i will give you him props on still skate boarding and he seem's to a positive person! God Bless -

    To Mr. Anonymous Comment #1 Don't hate.. create - or you might get your ass knocked out by a skater! KIDS Nyc.

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  5. p.s.
    some photos of joey skating in san jose (he should be the last two rows of photos):
    https://picasaweb.google.com/actionxjackson/Skateboarding#

    and i could have sworn i had some second coming photos on the interwebz somewhere, but for the life of my can't find them. if i happen to locate them in the future i will post a link.

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  6. A cool post, for sure! Made me have to call my buddy Will Heppner (EBU, Deface, Deathtoll) and read it to him....Got off the phone cuz my cell started to die! (we couldn't stop talking about POWERHOUSE!) Will reminded me that Eddie Medina from Powerhouse recognized me from the 80's outside DRI in January (too crazy), and we all miss Ernie!
    Despite a strained friendship I have nothing but AWESOME things to say about Joey Vela! He was a good friend in the 80's, and a GREAT singer for bands that I loved to watch in the mid/late 80's, and early 90's!

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  7. I think it is great of Double Cross to get both well known people and those who might be a tad more obscure.

    Perhaps this entry will have people checking out a band they have not previously heard.

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  8. I am not very familiar with the bands he was in, but I liked this post. no reason to complain. This guy is doing what he enjoys best and that's already quite an accomplishment. Just think about how many people turn sour and frustrated once they turn 25 or so.
    This guy's still standing on a skateboard as if he were 15...amazing!

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  9. Joey Vela has always been one of the most positive people I've known in hardcore. I haven't talked to him in years, but it's good to see the vibe is still flowing.

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  10. For the first "Anonymous" poster... do your homework. Rabid Lassie/Breakaway were one of the main Nor Cal/Gilman St. area HC bands of the time and Joey was a pretty well known and respected guy. Into the 90's, Joey went on to do Second Coming and steadfastly remained active in the scene.

    We find what he did in the past, as well as what he's doing now, to be both interesting and worthwhile. If you don't know who someone is that gets profiled here, that's on you to do your homework. We certainly can't please everyone, nor do we care to. -Tim DCXX

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  11. As generic as it sounds, Joey was and is a "good dude." We've kept in touch off and on for more than twenty years now. Great guy and great bands.

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  12. I don't know these guys, but any guy who can still skate like that deserves props.

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  13. ummm last time i checked joey was a pretty important player in the late 80s scene all the way thru the 90s...and it looks like he is doing something "worth while". i sure as shit care to read this, and i thank joey and the dcxx guys for doing it.

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  14. Hang ten poolside brah!

    Great dude... great bands!

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  15. Damn! Dude rips. Mad respect.

    Gopa

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  16. i only had a couple images scanned (to be put into a zine), so i just uploaded those. i have others in the 'ol photo album.
    second coming @ gilman st. 4.16.05. ernie cortez memorial show:
    https://picasaweb.google.com/actionxjackson/SecondComing

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  17. berkeley skatepark invert. no joke.

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  18. Glad to see Joey get profiled here. He was and always has been a great guy and incredible skater. My old band Downshift played many shows with Second Coming in the late 90's and it was always fun. I'm glad to call him my friend. =)

    Eric F.

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  19. I mailed Breakaway and Unit Pride questions for a zine I was doing in the late 80's when I was in Bklyn. Never heard back from U.P., but I did get that Breakaway interview. Took me about 8 yrs being in the Bay Area to realize he was in that band..

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  20. In my view every person ought to look at it.

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