Classic Bad Brains and Agnostic Front footage

Bad Brains in Philadelphia, PA 1982

The following two videos were dug up by DCXX contributor, Andy O from Winnipeg, Canada. Not only did Andy uncover these incredible videos, but he also supplied them with his entertaining commentary. Big thanks to Andy, now go dig in! -Tim DCXX

Bad Brains, Philadelphia, early 80s....(Isn’t there a flash of this in American Hardcore? Here’s MUCH more, in all its glory…). There’s some other jaw-dropping, city-block tremor inducing early Bad Brains footage from Philadelphia (sadly with not many views at all!) that is crucial to watch, but I think this may be the most incredible (and mind-blowing Twilight Zone-like as well...I get a total kick out of that person who, very deliberately though in a totally cool and not at all in a “bothered” way, walks off toward the back of the stage near the beginning of this footage as if to say “Well, this young group has been terrific and I would truly like to see the rest of the performance, but I do have to get to my meeting with Terrence.”)….

Now, without further ado, locked like nuclear detonation in the middle of about 2 minutes of crushing early Bad Brains footage, is one of those utter human existence in the universe fifteen second moments of truth.

By 1:05, until about 1:20 (that fifteen seconds), if you, as a hardcore fan, do not feel your heart pumping so hard it is one notch away from exploding and your legs and feet and arms and body not ready to be stomping so hard you’ll pound straight through the floor (and you don’t care for a millisecond during the next week that you can only hobble around because of the bruises) and you are not ready to start slamming, HB strutting, moshing* or diving off of everything like it was the last minute before 200 ICBMs launch and pulverize the entire planet and even your furniture is starting a pit and you are not shouting “RIGHT BRIGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” along (at least in your mind) then it is time to stop listening to this music, donate your records and zines to a charity (or enthusiastic kid), hang up your boots (or other dancin’ footwear), and even though it is 2009, go and listen to some Eagles, and chuckle (nay, guffaw) with your friends, “on the patio”, at your “wacky teenage years” and how that the flute part in that thirtysomething speaksTV show to you. Otherwise, enjoy the hell out if this (especially the first 20 seconds of the breakdown), and go and live your life like every second and every heartbeat you have pounds with a hardcore passion and drive and whitehot (hopefully hyperactive) energy and change the planet…or at least your own world and the world around you. Holyfuck this footage is amazing.


Agnostic front at Irving Plaza, NYC 1988

Here’s some AF footage from 1988, at Irving Plaza…the band is raging and whenever the camera pans out there are some awesome shots of the slaughterhouse of a dance-floor…especially during Your Mistake, around 3:12…while there’s a wall of stage guys keeping the diving to a minimum, the crowd action destroys…

Cro-Mags live at The Ritz 1986

Cro-Mags at The Ritz, NYC 1986, playing "World Peace" and "Show You No Mercy".

Following up last night's videos by The Icemen, Gordo and I here at DCXX have decided to devote this entire week to videos. Last night was Gordo's pick and tonight is mine. Stay tuned for more great videos through out the week.

This is the Cro-Mags at their all time peek, arguably the greatest band of 1986, "Age Of Quarrel" tour, opening for Motorhead and in their hometown of NYC at The Ritz. Although a couple of these videos lack in quality, it really doesn't matter, it's the fuckin' Cro-Mags in their prime. Gotta kill, gotta fight, gotta crush demoniac... -Tim DCXX


Cro-Mags at The Ritz, NYC 1986, playing "Seekers Of The Truth", "It's The Limit" and "Hard Times".


Cro-Mags "Crush The Demoniac" at The Ritz, NYC 1986

The Icemen, CBGB 1988

The Icemen, "The Harsh Truth", January 17, 1988, CBGB, NYC


The Icemen, "Rest In Piece", January 17, 1988, CBGB, NYC

Mike Gitter of xXx Fanzine on Siege

Mike Gitter of xXx Fanzine, photo courtesy of: Jed Hresko

Editor and chief of xXx Fanzine, Mike Gitter, recalls one of Massachusetts finest and most brutal hardcore bands ever, Siege. If you are unfamiliar with Siege and xXx Fanzine, do yourself a favor and track down both. -Tim DCXX

Siege. Anytime. Anywhere. I count myself lucky to have seen this Massachusetts wrecking ball. I definitely saw them at an all day hardcore marathon in Providence. And a show at the YMCA in Boston. There had to be another one. They were so written off at the time but mannn, their memory towers over so many "cool" bands of the time. Even now Siege sounds fresh. A full-on attack of metal riffs, insane vocals and smart rhythms. When singer Ken Mahoney pulled a saxophone for a seven minute dirge called "Grim Reaper", what was going on onstage was so much more interesting than what the average Boston "Crew" band was grinding out at the time.


Siege, Photos courtesy of: Tommy Snoro Löfholm

The NY Hardcore Dance Styles Handbook

Following up from yesterday's memorable show entry from Chickie of Ludichrist / Sheer Terror, today I received this piece from Chickie which I felt was worthy of an entry.

Chickie says he picked this up at a CB's matinee back in the 80's at some point. I had never seen it before, but recognized that is was done by Tom O'Hara of Combat Stance Fanzine fame / infamy. Check it out, hope you get a laugh out of it, I know I did. Thanks again to Chickie for the contribution. -Tim DCXX

Mike "Chickie" Walter - Ludichrist / Sheer Terror

Chickie with Sheer Terror in Europe, Photo courtesy of: Sheer Terror

My most memorable show would have to be Celtic Frost, DOA, MDC, Samhain, Nuclear Assault, at the Ritz in 1986. I played a lot of great shows, but this show was insane. This, to me, was the type of show that made that era what it was - the best in history. A close second would be Agnostic Front, Sheer Terror, Life Of Agony, and Vision at the Airport Club in Allentown, PA in 1992.

This club was closing after this show, and it turned out to be a nazi club. Vision & Life Of Agony got to play and in between songs some 600 nazis would "sieg-hail" all together waving swastika flags - it was a bit scary to be there, and there was a full blown riot before Sheer Terror or AF got to play, including cop cars getting their windows smashed and even flipped over. I guess we were all lucky to get out of there in one piece.

Underdog - True Blue

Original New Beginning Record Underdog E.P. promo poster

Went to see Underdog play this past Saturday in Asbury Park, New Jersey at the Asbury Lanes. They've been doing two back to back shows at the Asbury Lanes once a year, every year for the past few years now. As always, Underdog sounded great and Richie's voice was just as powerful and on point as ever.

At the end of the night I ran into an old friend named Jon LeVine who went to my high school and graduated about four or five years ahead of me. Jon was one of the original punk / hardcore / straight edge guys in my town, did a fanzine called Faith and his involvement goes back into the early to mid 80's.


Underdog, all photos from various City Gardens shows, all photos by: Ken Salerno

At some point around 1988 when Jon was headed off to college, he sold my friend Tony and I and few records and gave us a handful of other things. I remember buying both the Crippled Youth 7" and Underdog 7" from him and probably paying about $5.00 a piece for each. One of the things Jon threw in was this New Beginning Records promo poster for the Underdog 7", which I always thought was awesome and have held on to ever since.

Seeing Underdog on Saturday and then coincidentally running into Jon at the show, who I originally bought the Underdog 7" off of 21 years ago got me thinking about this poster and inspired me to do a little Underdog dedication entry. So here's the poster and here's a few great Underdog pics from none other than DCXX's favorite photographer, Ken Salerno. -Tim DCXX