California Hardcore

Redemption 87 - The Spidey Sessions 1995

2011-09-28T05:35:00.001-07:00

I think most of us would probably agree that Redemption 87 was one of the best and most important Hardcore bands ever to come out of Northern California… along with Second Coming, Powerhouse and Hoods, they were an essential band that played a pivotal role in helping revive Hardcore in the Bay Area (and beyond) during the mid-late 1990’s. Without them, Northern California Hardcore as we know it would not be the same…

Redemption 87 originally formed sometime back in 1995 (thanks due in large part to a mutual friend of the band; Lars Frederiksen of Rancid), with the intention of playing more traditional Hardcore in the vein of bands like Youth Of Today, Bold and Gorilla Biscuits. Having collectively played in such diverse bands as; Unit Pride (Eric), Skankin’ Pickle (Ian), The Hi Fives (Gary) & Token Entry (Timmy) the newly formed group set out to play Hardcore reminiscent of the classic bands that they had all loved so much growing up.

In the following months Redemption 87 would play out whenever possible, often alongside local bands like AFI, Screw 32, Good Riddance and Powerhouse. Touring would prove extremely difficult however, as Timmy Chunks was living in Southern California at the time and was already committed to touring full-time as a guitar-tech and roadie for popular bands like Green Day and L7. Scotty (The Struggle Buggies) would eventually join Redemption 87 as a rhythm and “back-up” guitarist, although he would ultimately be replaced by Jade (later of AFI).

Redemption 87 would eventually go on to release their CLASSIC “self-titled” full length album on New Age Records (Turning Point, Lifetime, Strife, Unbroken) sometime in late 1996. Two years later, the band would issue “All Guns Poolside!” (a collection of unreleased, cover and demo songs) through the legendary Blackout! Records (Sheer Terror, Breakdown, H2O, Outburst) as well. You can hopefully expect to see related-posts for both of those records in the not-so-distant future…

Although these 4-songs (produced by Lars Ferderiksen) were originally recorded sometime back in 1995, this 7” wasn’t released until 1998 when it came out on San Ramon’s Breakout Records (now defunct). Unfortunately, the band was essentially done by this point, and I can vaguely remember them rescheduling their ‘final’ show at Gilman Street several times before “officially” calling quits sometime in late-1998/early-1999 (Redemption 87 would later reunite for a pair of shows in April of 2004).

As we all know, Eric Ozenne later went on to front The Nerve Agents during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s and he subsequently formed Said Radio with fellow Redemption 87 alumni; Gary. This is definitely some classic material from an essential Bay Area band… do yourselves all a favor and check it out.

Download

All Bets Off - Roshambo Deathmatch

2011-09-22T04:05:00.001-07:00

San Francisco’s All Bets Off would eventually become one of the most beloved and popular Hardcore bands in Northern California, but for years they labored and toiled relentlessly… playing shows and developing their own distinct sound, forcefully carving out a niche for themselves in the local scene. Their efforts would not be in vain however, as the band would eventually become responsible for drawing an entirely new and different generation of kids (sometimes affectionately referred to as “the Bets” or “Bets kids”) into the Bay Area scene throughout the early-mid 2000’s.

All Bets Off officially formed back in February of 1997, after Sammy the Mick joined up with a group of young musicians that needed a vocalist. Andrew (guitar) and Jake (drums) had already been jamming together for a couple of years when they hooked up with Forest (bass) in the fall of 1996. With Sammy as their new singer, the band played their first show at the Alameda Saloon in April of 1997 and shortly thereafter decided to record a demo tape. All Bets Off would quickly release the “Everyone Is Suspect” demo (8-songs) in August of 1997, followed by another 4-song demo (self-titled) in December. Both tapes were well-received and by this point, the band was already starting to play alongside some ‘bigger’ touring acts like: AFI, Hatebreed, 25 Ta Life & H2O. Following the success of their demos, All Bets Off would take the next logical step and record their first vinyl EP.

This 4-song 7” was released through Sammy’s own label; Cynic Squad Records (pre-Spiderghost Pressgang to those unaware) in November of 1998. I’m not 100% positive, but I believe that these songs were recorded by Andy Ernst at Art of Ears Studio (Green Day, Rancid, AFI, etc.) in Hayward, CA. The cover art for “Roshambo Deathmatch” was done by Joey Vela (vocalist of both Second Coming & the legendary Breakaway) and personally I think it looks fucking awesome. On a side note: Joey was also responsible for creating the artwork for Powerhouse’s classic “No Regrets” album (which you can hopefully expect to see a related-post for sometime soon) as well as many amazing local Bay Area show flyers.

Personally, “Roshambo Deathmatch” is BY FAR my favorite All Bets Off recording. Although their sound has always been difficult to describe; I can easily say that this record, alongside their early demos is definitely their most straight-forward material. If you can imagine the Melvins mixed with some classic 90’s NYHC (think: Madball, 25 Ta Life, Crown of Thornz, etc.) then you might have a general idea of what this record sounds like…

Honestly, I hadn’t heard some of these songs in close to ten years; I thought that I had lost this record forever to the sands of time, and had basically given up on finding it, so you can imagine how stoked I was when I was able to locate all the mp3’s (and cover art)! The vinyl itself is LONG out-of-print, so good luck finding a copy… do yourselves a favor and check out a Bay Area Hardcore essential!

Download

First Blood live @ Gilman St. video

2011-09-20T04:27:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this First Blood video on youtube a little while back and figured that I should definitely share it on the blog. This set was filmed by John Jenkins a.k.a. John Eightclip (Eightclip Media, Allegiance, Right On) on November 30th 2002 at 924 Gilman Street. Hopefully John doesn’t object to me posting this video… The other bands on the bill that night included: Terror, In Control, All Bets Off & Animosity. This was definitely a highly anticipated show; I can vividly remember a lot of people traveling from all over the West Coast (specifically LA, San Diego, Reno, Seattle, etc.) to see it. I can spot a lot of old friends and familiar faces in the crowd here, some that I haven’t seen in years… this was undeniably an amazing time for Hardcore in the Bay Area and anyone who was there will attest.

First Blood’s line-up at the time was: Carl, Doug, Kyle, Dave & “Albany” Mike. This is definitely one of the band’s earlier shows (I think they opened) but at this point they were already receiving crazy crowd reactions (as you can plainly see). Armed with just a 5-song CDR demo, First Blood was quickly gaining a tremendous amount of attention from both fans and labels alike, but ultimately FB would have to take the backseat for a while as Doug toured full-time with his other band; Terror. Carl would also eventually join Terror and for the next couple years, First Blood would only play shows on very rare occasions (Carl eventually quit Terror sometime during 2006 and quickly reformed First Blood with a new line-up).

I plan on posting some of First Blood’s recordings eventually, but in the meantime enjoy this video. The show’s flyer is posted below...

Sworn Vengeance - Abbadon

2011-09-16T02:57:00.001-07:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Sworn Vengeance has been rumored to make an appearance live sometime later this year, so I thought it would be fitting to upload some of their material... to those that don’t know: Sworn Vengeance initially formed in 1996, recording and performing under their original name; Downshift. Brothers Eric and Marc Fortner (bass and drums respectively) had hooked up with Brian (Guitar) and Ryan (Vocals) after placing some “Musician’s Wanted” ads in the local classifieds. Over the next two years Downshift would frequently perform at shows throughout Northern California, releasing three very well-received demo tapes (“Flame Still Burns”, “Soul Stealer” & “Nineteen Ninety Hate”) in the process, as well as a split 7” EP with locals Strength By Strength.

By 1998, the band had experienced some line-up changes (specifically after changing bass players and adding a second guitarist) and their sound had already started to move in a new, much heavier direction. They soon decided to change their name to Sworn Vengeance. After recording some new tracks (as well as updating some old Downshift songs) the band released the “My Friend Violence” demo, their first ‘official’ release as Sworn Vengeance. The recording was well-received, and after gaining the attention of Mike Hood and West Coast Worldwide Records, the band quickly agreed to release their first full-length CD with WCWW.

Unfortunately Nate (their second/rhythm guitarist at the time) quit the band only a week prior to recording “Abbadon”, forcing Brian to handle guitar duties on his own. Regardless of member changes, SV (who at the time consisted of Marc, Brian, Ryan and Bob) was determined to push on and they entered the studio the following week. This CD was recorded back in February 1999 at EME Enterprises in Sacramento, CA by Matt Erich and Mike Hood. EME was definitely the staple go-to studio for most Hardcore bands in Northern California at the time and this production style defines that era to me…

Although this CD is not as polished as “Domination” and the music is not as complex as “The Outstretched Arms Of Damnation” this remains as one of my favorite Sworn Vengeance recordings. I’d definitely recommend this CD to anyone who likes HEAVY Hardcore (think: Earth Crisis, Hatebreed, Next Step Up, etc.) or to anyone that is interested in hearing what was happening in Northern California at the time. Do yourself a favor and check it out…

Download

Towards An End - Change And Pass Through...

2011-09-15T03:39:00.000-07:00

I’ve wanted to do another Towards An End post for a while now, so without further due; here is the “Change And Pass Through...” EP. This 7” was released in the fall of 1999 through the legendary Lookout! Records (Operation Ivy, Green Day, Rancid, etc.) and unfortunately it was the first and last piece of vinyl the band ever put out. Towards An End is often affectionately and nostalgically referred to as both “amazing” and “way ahead of their time” but I know many will disagree. Personally, they were and will always remain to be one of my favorite local bands from the era, but while I know that TAE was always one of the most beloved bands of the region, they were also one of the most despised.

As some of you may know, Towards An End formed in “The Valley” (more specifically San Ramon, CA) sometime in late-1997/early-1998 from the ashes Rely, who had just broken up. Drew, Todd, Darren, Mike & Matt (aka “The Twins”) got together with the intention of playing Hardcore with a ‘poppier’ edge to it (something relatively unheard of at the time). Influenced by bands like 7 Seconds, Shelter, H2O and The Get Up Kids; Towards An End gained almost instant popularity in the Bay Area.

The group would quickly release two well-received demo tapes and eventually go on to put out the CD EP “Chance Of A Lifetime”(available here) through local Bay Area label Give Me Strength Records. TAE played shows up and down the West Coast in support of their new release, but as some members began to focus on college (shortly after experiencing some rather unfortunate 'problems' with other local bands and having obvious 'personality conflicts' with various people from within “the scene”) the band would eventually begin to fade away…

These four songs were recorded sometime in 1999 at Nu-Tone Studios (Green Day, Samiam, Dillinger Four, etc.) in Pittsburg, CA. Shortly after the release of this record the band would break up… it’s too bad, because these are some of the catchiest songs they ever wrote or recorded. Although most people probably prefer their demo’s (which I eventually plan on posting as well), I really enjoy these tracks; I’d recommend this record to fans of bands like the Movielife, early-Get Up Kids, Saves The Day, etc. Come see what all the hype is about…

Download

Back from the dead...

2011-09-14T02:39:00.000-07:00

First off, I’d like to apologize to anyone that reads or follows California Hardcore for essentially letting the blog die. I realize that the lack of posts have probably left most of you wondering whether or not this thing was actually finished... believe me, it’s far from done. Although it’s not an excuse, I’ve really had a lot going on this past year (specifically school and the approaching birth of my first child) and needless to say, my attention has been elsewhere.

It definitely took some time for me to try to re-direct some energy to the blog; with that said, recently I’ve been somewhat inspired and motivated to get back to business. Having gone through some of my older posts, it’s very clear to me that I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface… although I can’t commit to regular posting, I’ll try to do it when and where I can. I’d also like to apologize for any dead or invalid download links… I am currently in the process of moving and re-uploading everything to Mediafire, which should make most of you happy. If you missed out on something, please try again, it should be working now.

As far as band news, it looks like Lowlife is going to be coming back from the dead and playing some shows together this fall. Rumor has it that they are finally going to be releasing an official CD version of their long-awaited 2nd full length (originally recorded in 2003, newly remixed and remastered). Sworn Vengeance is also rumored to make a Bay Area appearance sometime towards the end of this year. Expect to see some related-posts in the not-so-distant future. As always, thanks for the support.

Hoods live @ Danville Grange Hall videos

2010-06-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

I was pretty stoked when I stumbled across these videos the other night, and I figured that I had to post them on the blog. This Hoods set was filmed by Eric Fortner (Downshift) at the Danville Grange Hall back in January of 1997. Big thanks to Eric for always being cool about sharing his music and video footage. This very early Hoods line-up featured Mikey on guitar, Mario playing Bass, Billy (someone please correct me if I’m wrong) on drums and Mike Miranda (aka Mike Spaulding) on vocals. Mike Hodson (Lockjaw .44, Strength By Strength, Through It All) also makes a guest vocal appearance somewhere around the end of the first video that continues onto the second video.

Despite the fact that this video is chopped into three parts, this is still is a pretty good quality set, especially when considering the time frame. The band plays mostly earlier stuff here (first ep, demo tracks, new blood, etc.) and closes with a pair of Agnostic Front covers (“Last Warning” and “Friend or Foe”) which was definitely a Hoods-staple for years. Videos like this definitely make me miss the Grange Hall. On a related note, be on the lookout for more Hoods-related posts very soon, and if you haven’t done so already, be sure to download any records of theirs that I’ve already posted.

Hard Luck - The Brick Sessions

2010-06-08T00:34:00.000-07:00

Hard Luck originally formed sometime in early 2000 under the name Threat Assessment. Donny, Dan and Greg set out to play straight forward Hardcore influenced by bands like Madball, Agnostic Front and Powerhouse. After placing some ads and putting up flyers in search of a drummer, the three eventually hooked up with Matt and put some songs together. Threat Assessment played their first show at Gilman St. in April of 2000. The band continued to write songs and tighten up their sound, and after playing their second show as Threat Assessment (at the Danville Grange Hall), they decided to change the name of the band to Hard Luck. Shortly thereafter, Matt left the band and Tony B. (then drummer of Second Coming) eventually came in to fill the void. In the following months, Hard Luck played shows all over California and the Northwest.

By January of 2001, the band had decided it was finally time to go into the studio, and later that month they entered Digit Sound (Second Coming, Doomsday Device, Lowlife) to record what became known as “The Brick Sessions”. The end result was 8 songs of pissed off, heavy, straight forward Hardcore. The production may be considered somewhat raw (especially by today’s standards), but personally I think it suits the band just fine. These songs have a MAJOR Biohazard feel to them, so fans of early 90’s NYHC (think bands like Bulldoze, Madball, Dmize, etc.) should definitely check this one out.

Although Hard Luck had traditional influences, they were far from generic. Donny’s voice was always very unique and his lyrics dealt with the hardships and struggles of everyday life, while still maintaining a relatively positive mental attitude. In my opinion, they were definitely one of the more underrated bands of the era.

Unfortunately Hard Luck was always plagued with drummer issues, and sometime after this recording, Tony B. left Hard Luck to focus on his other bands; Second Coming and Sworn Vengeance. Hard Luck pushed on for a time with friends filling-in on drums whenever possible, but ultimately the band broke up in the fall of 2001 when Dan and Greg moved to Seattle. Donny would eventually go on to sing for bands like Time For Living and Modern Eyes while Greg went on to sing for Rosary. Dan would also join Time For Living upon returning to the Bay Area in 2003, he currently plays guitar in Set Your Goals. Find out where these guys cut their teeth.

Download

News and Updates

2010-06-06T12:13:00.000-07:00

After an extended hiatus, the blog is officially back! My sincere apologies and thanks go out to anyone who has been supporting the blog and waiting patiently… Any dead or invalid rapidshare links have been replaced by working ones, so if you’ve been trying to download something that was previously unavailable, please try again! Everything should be working properly now.

Also, I am currently accepting contributions for the blog, so if you have some relevant material that you’d like to submit, please get in touch! I can be reached at nathan.beneishai@gmail.com . Basically, I am looking for any music (please include decent-sized cover artwork), videos, photos, flyers, fanzine pdf’s or scans, interviews or anything else that I am missing, that would be relevant to the blog (specifically anything from the mid-late 90’s and early 2000’s).

Although I’ve been fortunate to find the majority of my music, flyers and fanzines from ‘back then’, some stuff has inevitably been lost or misplaced over the years. Although I definitely have more than enough material to keep the blog going for now, eventually I will need some help… Any contributors will be given full credit for their submissions. If this sounds like something that you’re interested in, then please get in touch. My collection is growing more and more all the time, so please let me know what you are submitting before you send it (I am trying to avoid receiving duplicates wherever possible). Thanks again for the continued support! Without further due, let’s get back to business…

The blog is not dead!

2010-05-06T11:48:00.001-07:00

I promise you that the blog is not dead; things have just been so crazy for me with school lately that I haven’t had any free time to post anything. Not to worry though, I have a lot of stuff that I have been accumulating and getting ready to post (I just unearthed some more old boxes out of the garage too). Trust me; this thing is far from done. Expect the blog to make a BIG comeback sometime around mid-late May. Big thanks to all the readers for their patience and support.

Downshift - Flame Still Burns Demo

2010-03-25T20:54:00.001-07:00

This is the first demo from Downshift, the band that would eventually evolve into Sworn Vengeance. To those unaware, Downshift was a Straight Edge band that was originally formed in 1996 by two brothers; Eric (bass) and Marc Fortner (drums). After placing some newspaper ads, the Fortner brothers eventually hooked up with Brian Baumgartner (guitar) and Ryan Encinas (vocals). The band put some songs together, and played their first show at the Danville Grange Hall in January of 1997.

Downshift continued playing shows throughout the Bay Area and quickly decided it was time to record a demo. The “Flame Still Burns” Demo was originally released in 1997 on cassette and featured 4 songs along with an Undertow cover (“Cutting Away”). This recording is a far cry from the later Sworn Vengeance material, so don’t expect to hear any Viking-metal here, just straight up Hardcore. I’d really recommend this demo to fans of heavy 90’s Hardcore, especially bands like (early) Earth Crisis and Unbroken. The cover artwork has been re-sized for itunes.

Download

The Hive Fanzine - Issues 1 & 2

2010-03-22T14:23:00.001-07:00

I’ve been really wanting to post some older zine-related content on the blog, but unfortunately my scanner situation is somewhat limiting at the moment. Luckily, I was able to find these pdf’s online for the first two issues of The Hive Fanzine, a Hayward based fanzine which existed between 1995 and 1997. The Hive was put together by three Hayward kids; Brian, Kevin and Steve (Kevin and Steve also played in the band, Hornet).

This is pretty much your standard cut and paste type of fanzine, nothing flashy or amazing, but it’s still pretty cool. The first issue featured interviews with Second Coming, Carbon, Hoods and Blood For Blood, the Second issue featured interviews with Downshift, Built To Last, Zero Bullshit and All Bets Off. As you may expect, there are plenty of pictures, scene reports and old show/record reviews as well. Unfortunately, The Hive only released two issues before calling it a day sometime in 1997. I’ve included the pdf’s for both issues within the same zip file, so do yourself a favor and check it out.

Download

Some Still Believe - S/T

2010-03-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

My apologies for the lack of blog posts lately, I have been very busy with school and I honestly just haven’t had time for the blog. Not to worry though… I have A LOT of stuff that I have been getting ready to post, and I plan on getting back to business this week. Without further due…

Some Still Believe formed in Redding sometime in 2000, they quickly released a 6-song demo and played a handful of shows only to prematurely break up later that year. The band ultimately reformed sometime in early 2001 and decided to take things a little “more seriously” quickly releasing their second (10-song) demo. By now, SSB was starting to play all over the west coast and with the help of the 2001 demo; they gained the interest of [then] newly formed Martyr Records. The label quickly got in touch about putting out the first Some Still Believe 7” (specifically requesting that several of the 2001 demo songs be re-recorded for the EP). SSB recorded this record sometime in 2001 at Pus Cavern Studios in Sacramento, with Mikey Hood apparently helping out with production. I believe the line-up for this recording was: Matt, Duane, Ross, Nate and Mike.

This 8-song EP was eventually (I remember thinking that it was taking forever to come out) released through Martyr Records sometime in late 2001/early 2002 but by then, band members had already begun to relocate from Redding to San Francisco and started to focus more heavily on their other bands (namely Allegiance). Some Still Believe would unfortunately break up in the summer of 2002. Members of SSB would eventually go on to play in bands like: Set It Straight, Allegiance, Right On, Set Your Goals and more. Big thanks to Duane, who was awesome enough to hook me up with an excellent sounding copy of this EP (this is cd quality straight from the band, not some shitty sounding vinyl rip). I would definitely recommend this EP to fans of Floorpunch and Ten Yard Fight. Be on the lookout for more Some Still Believe related posts, as I plan on uploading everything they ever recorded eventually…

Download

Support CaliHardcore.com

2010-03-04T13:07:00.000-08:00

Big shout out/thanks to Nick Martinson over at Cali Hardcore (formerly True Strength label and distro) for plugging and supporting the blog on his website. Hopefully anyone reading this blog is familiar with his site, but to those unaware Nick has been doing Cali Hardcore for a really long time (since 1998) and he has definitely put a lot of time and effort into this thing. I can still remember buying stuff from the True Strength distro table as a young kid at shows; Nick was always a super nice guy and his selection was always really good. His site is full of cool old flyers, exclusive photos, reviews, show listings and other related info. He has also uploaded a ton of awesome and widely unavailable demos and records from older Bay Area and California Hardcore bands, which is available here. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Treason - Demo

2010-03-04T12:07:00.001-08:00

Treason formed sometime in late 2002, and only played a handful of shows in their very brief existence. Mark (vocals) had previously sung for Breaker Breaker and Connor (drums) had been singing for the Lab Rats. Treason’s sound was sort of a cross between bands like American Nightmare and some of the more ‘messier’ sounding San Diego bands like Swing Kids and Heroin. Although it’s not totally my thing, this band definitely played this style a lot better than most.

This demo was recorded at Castle Ultimate studios in Oakland by Zach Ohren and originally released on cassette tape. This recording was also rumored/supposed to be released on vinyl as a 7” EP, but unfortunately that never happened. Following Treason’s break-up, both Kevin and Connor would quickly go on to form Lights Out in early 2003. This 10-song demo clocks in at roughly 7 minutes, so if you like really messy, chaotic, FAST hardcore, then check this one out. The cover art has been resized just to be a little bit more itunes friendly.

Download

Hoods - Endless Pain

2010-03-04T01:55:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, school and exams have been keeping me pretty busy this week… the blog will be back on track by the weekend though. Hopefully this post will tide you guys over in the meantime.

Mikey was nice enough (thanks again Mikey) to give me permission to post the older/out of print Hoods material here on the blog, so without further due here is “Endless Pain”. Originally released through Stillborn Records, this EP is pretty much what I would consider to be a classic Hardcore record. This 7-song EP was recorded back in 1998 at Matt Erich’s studio in Sacramento, the bands line-up at the time consisted of Mikey, Ben, Mario and Jeremy (definitely my favorite Hoods line-up).

It might be considered somewhat low-budget sounding by today’s standards, but honestly I love the production on this record. I think that Matt Erich always did a great job of capturing the band’s sound and this record is no exception. Hoods were really starting to get a lot heavier around the time and you can definitely hear the growth since the “New Blood” record. Next to the “Alone” EP, this is probably my favorite Hoods release.

Sort of a side note, but the title track ”Endless Pain” appears on the “Alone” EP as well as the “California Hardcore: A Call to Arms” comp, and some of these songs were also later re-recorded for the Above This World album. I would hope that most of the local Bay Area heads probably own this one already, but for those that somehow missed out, here it is. Definitelly an underrated classic in my opinion, do yourself a favor and check it out.

Download

V/A - Ten Years Later... The Comp

2010-02-25T18:38:00.001-08:00

I’ve been trying to keep the posts less personal and more focused on the music itself, but I wanted to share my memories and feelings about this awesome record…

Somewhere around late 1997, when I was about 15 and still only a sophomore in High School, I asked this Skinhead kid that I knew to make me a mix tape of some good local Oi! bands. At this point I had really only been going to punk shows for about a year or two and I was still only just discovering a lot of bands. After bugging my friend for about two or three weeks, he finally showed up at school with a tape for me. When he gave it to me at lunch, he said something to the effect of “this isn’t what you asked for, but it’s a lot better… trust me”. Honestly at first glance I was pretty bummed out, there were a handful of bands listed that I recognized, but it was mostly just a lot of stuff that I was unfamiliar with. When I finally got home from school I put the tape on… I was completely blown away. When I came back to school the next day, I asked my friend where he had gotten all of those songs and where could I find those records… he told me that he had just made me a tape copy of this new compilation that had just come out called “Ten Years Later…”.

I didn’t necessarily realize it at the time, but this compilation was amongst a handful of records that really had a huge influence on me. Although I was already somewhat familiar with bands like AFI, Bouncing Souls, 7 Seconds, Redemption 87 and Rancid, this was my first real exposure to more local hardcore bands like Model American, Powerhouse, Second Coming, Hoods and Rely. This release pretty much served as a ‘gateway drug’ to something that would very quickly take over my life. From that point on I was pretty much just going to any show that I could get to, whether it was Punk, Hardcore, Oi! or whatever…

“Ten Years Later… the Comp” was originally released in 1997 through Bossa Nova Records from Alameda, the label was also run by Eric Ozenne of Redemption 87 and the Nerve Agents. Unfortunately this cd is now out of print and appears to be pretty hard to find. The bands featured are: Model American, Trial, AFI, Collateral Damage, Bouncing Souls, Ignite, Edgewise, Maximum Penalty, Powerhouse, Down By Law, Daltonic, Ensign, Second Coming, 7 Seconds, the Struggle Buggies, Pressure Point, Intent To Injure, Downer, Mouthpiece, Redemption 87, Swingin’ Utters, Triggerman, Hoods, Brand New Unit, Rancid, Rely, 454 Big Block & Strain. “Ten Years Later…” showcased an excellent mix of genres and styles, with bands from all over the country, as well as many older NorCal acts. As with most any compilation, there are a couple of duds, but I’d definitely say that this thing is 95% awesome. There are also plenty of alternate recordings, cover songs and exclusive tracks on here as well… so if you dig any of these bands, definitely check out this release.

Download

Cross The Line - Discography

2010-02-23T15:02:00.001-08:00

Cross The Line was a Hardcore band from the East Bay area that formed sometime around late 2002/early 2003. Matt (vocals) and Phil (guitar) had spent time playing with For The Crown, but they both had a desire to play more straight forward, faster Hardcore. After hooking up with Ben (drums) they recruited Israel from Time For Living to play bass. In May of 2003, CTL recorded a 7-song demo with Aaron O’neil (For The Crown, Lights Out, On) at his home studio in Walnut Creek.

In the following months, Cross The Line booked and played shows all over the Bay Area and eventually started playing up and down the west coast as well. By 2004, the band had written more new songs and decided to go record again, this time for a possible 7” EP. In May 2004, Cross The Line recorded 9 songs at Stout Recording Studios in Oakland with Randy Burk. Two of these songs would be featured on the “Pity The Backseat” compilation, but unfortunately the debut EP would not be released. In the following months, Cross The Line continued to play shows throughout the area, and even did a Midwest and Canadian Tour with good friends Time For Living. At the time, Ben was starting to get ready to go off to college and Israel would eventually leave CTL to focus on his other bands, Time For Living and Set Your Goals . CTL quickly picked up Tim to play bass, but unfortunately the new line-up would be short-lived. Cross The Line played their last show as a band at the Sink With Cali Festival in Redondo Beach in August of 2004.

These discography cd’s were put together by the band themselves (limited to somewhere between 50 and 100 copies) and sold at the American Cancer Society benefit show at Gilman Street in late 2006. Included is the unreleased debut EP (tracks 1-7), the demo (tracks 10-16) as well as their compilation tracks. I would definitely recommend this release to fans of bands like Ten Yard Fight and In My Eyes. Cross The Line was one of the best bands going around this time, and it’s really unfortunate that their amazing debut EP never saw an official release. Hopefully this discography will do them some justice…

Update: Shortly after posting this, the band was cool enough to hook me up with a MUCH BETTER sounding copy of the discography. I am posting the new link in place of the old one. I would seriously recommend downloading this version, even if you already got the first one, it’s definitely worth it.

Download

Contenders For The Crown - Demo

2010-02-20T15:42:00.001-08:00

Contenders For The Crown was a Hardcore band from Sacramento that started sometime in 1998. Formed by a dude named Noodle (guitar) with the help of Mike Hood, CFTC played heavy, straight forward Hardcore in the vein of bands like Hoods (especially the older stuff). After solidifying their lineup and recruiting former Hoods singer Mike Miranda to sing, they released this 4-song demo on cassette back in 1999 through West Coast Worldwide Records. I’m not positive, but I believe that this demo was recorded at Matt Erich’s studio in Sacramento (this was pretty much the staple studio/sound for Hardcore in Northern California around that time).

Contenders For The Crown recorded a much heavier record entitled “…And The Weak Shall Fall” sometime around 2000, but unfortunately it was never released. Sadly, they broke up shortly thereafter. Members of CFTC have since gone on to play in bands like Hellcrew, Beyond Sorrow, Ear 2 Ear and Massacre Time. This is an awesome demo from a lesser-known Sacramento band, so definitely check it out. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Hoods, Above This World, etc.

Download

Lowlife - Bay Area Hardcore Demo 2000

2010-02-19T12:55:00.000-08:00

Lowlife was a very heavy Hardcore band that was based out of the Fremont area. Formed sometime around 1996, they released their first demo in 1998, followed by this one in early 2000. Originally released on cassette tape, this recording features 3 studio tracks and a live song (recorded at the Danville Grange, November of 1999). Probably my favorite Lowlife release, this demo seemed to be a real turning point for the band, they were very active around this time, playing shows all over the West Coast.

Lowlife released a full length cd on Breakout Records entitled “Nowhere Bound” somewhere around late 2000/early 2001. They recorded one more full length (unreleased) just prior to their breakup sometime around late 2003/early 2004. Members of Lowlife would eventually go on to play in bands like Powerhouse, Time For Living, Resist Control and Massacre Time. I’d definitely recommend this to fans of heavy HARDcore, especially bands like Bulldoze and Blood For Blood. Big thanks to Jackson Driscoll Lantz a.k.a. "Action Jackson" for ripping this from cassette tape.

Download

Second Coming - Wake

2010-02-19T11:05:00.000-08:00

Second Coming was a great Bay Area band that unfortunately (in my opinion anyway) never really got their due. Along with bands like Powerhouse and Redemption 87, they were instrumental in the revitalization and rebirth of Hardcore in the Bay Area during the mid-1990’s. Through their tireless hard work and playing throughout the area, ‘the scene’ was eventually able to bounce back, this time even stronger than before. Second Coming was formed in the early 90’s and featured Joey Vela and Don Rossington, both of whom were ex-members of Breakaway. During a time when a lot of bands were either playing metal or ‘post-Hardcore’, Second Coming stuck to their guns and played very heavy, uncompromising, ‘straight-up’ sounding Hardcore.

This 7" was also the first release from Hayward’s Thick Crust Records back in 1997. Second Coming later went on to release a full length on Breakout Records sometime around 2000 (expect a related-post sometime soon). Unfortunately, amidst some line-up changes (as well as sharing members with other bands, namely Sworn Vengeance), Second Coming decided to break up in 2001. I’d definitely recommend this to fans of 90’s NYHC or the older New Age Records bands. Big thanks to Nick Martinson for ripping this from vinyl, this is definitely a classic NorCal release, so don’t sleep!

Download

V/A - California Hardcore: A Call To Arms

2010-02-16T15:53:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates over the weekend, I have been pretty busy lately. Hopefully we can start things off strong this week… I had been mentally debating about what to post first this week, but without further due here is the “California Hardcore: A Call to Arms” compilation. Definitely a classic release in my opinion, this record had a huge impact on me as a kid, and served as my introduction to a few bands that I was only just discovering at the time. This was also the first release from San Ramon label, Breakout Records (now defunct) back in early 1998 (this was released by Gain Ground Records in Europe).

I’ve always felt that this record was (and still is) a pretty good representation of what was happening in California at the time. Although most of this material can be found on other releases, there are some exclusive songs on here as well. The bands featured are: Hoods, Powerhouse, AFI, Forced Life, Built To Last, Redemption 87, No Innocent Victim, Downshift, Fury 66, Model American, Second Coming & Ignite.

Pretty good mix of some different styles here, while still retaining a metal-free, ‘straight up’ Hardcore feel to the record. A criminally underrated release, it’s a shame that it’s no longer in print. I’d definitely recommend this compilation to anyone interested in seeing what was happening out here in California during the late 1990’s, or just to anyone interested in tracing their Hardcore roots. Enjoy.

Download

Redemption 87 live @ Gilman St. photos

2010-02-12T22:21:00.000-08:00

These photos of Redemption 87 were taken at Gilman Street by Elizabeth Reilly. I’m not sure of the exact year but I am guessing it was somewhere between 1995 and 1996 (note the Black Fork tag). Especially given the time frame, these are definitely some of the best pictures that I’ve seen, both of the band and from that era.

Seeing Redemption 87 live was always an experience, Eric was a total madman on stage and the crowd reactions were usually equally insane. Their shows had a major impact on me as a kid, and that band was probably a big reason as to why I kept coming back for more. In my opinion, Redemption 87 was hands down, one of the best bands to ever come out of Northern California (Hardcore or otherwise). I plan on doing more Redemption-related posts in the very near future, but until then enjoy these amazing photos. Special thanks to Elizabeth Reilly for taking these pictures, hopefully she doesn’t mind my posting them.

Sworn Vengeance live @ Gilman St. video

2010-02-11T21:14:00.001-08:00

SWORN VENGEANCE 4 14 2000 GILMAN ST. from Eric 31 on Vimeo.

This set was filmed back in April of 2000 at Gilman St. by Eric Fortner, formerly of Downshift (pre-Sworn Vengeance to those unaware). I remember that this show was a few months prior to the release of “Domination” and in my opinion Sworn Vengeance were probably at their heaviest, and for lack of a better term, most brutal at this point. This was also one of their famous “weapons shows”, for those wondering what Ryan is throwing out into the crowd (cheap plastic swords, haha…). The band’s line-up at the time consisted of Ryan, Marc, Brian, Dan and Carl, probably their best line-up in my opinion.

Following some member changes and a drastic change in their style, Sworn Vengeance disbanded in early 2002. To those who don’t know, Dan now plays guitar in Set Your Goals and Carl Sings for First Blood. Special thanks to Eric for filming this all those years ago, hopefully he doesn’t mind me posting this video. The rest of the show looked something like this (although I think CFTC cancelled and was replaced by Second Coming):

Old Cocodrie flyers

2010-02-11T17:36:00.000-08:00

The Cocodrie was a San Francisco bar/club that existed in the North Beach area (conveniently located directly across the street from the ‘world famous’ Lusty Lady peepshow) between 1994 and 2000. Thanks in large part to Sammy the Mick (who is also responsible for most, if not all of this flyer artwork) the Cocodrie put on numerous Hardcore shows throughout the late 90’s, until they officially closed their doors in the summer of 2000. These are some of my favorite flyers from that era.

Hoods - Alone

2010-02-10T23:26:00.000-08:00

I think it’s safe to assume that most of us are familiar with Sacramento’s Hoods. They have been doing their thing for over fifteen years now and despite countless line-up changes they are still touring worldwide and releasing records regularly. This cd ep was recorded back in 1998 at Matt Erich’s Studios (this place was responsible for a lot of recordings in those years) with what most would probably consider to be the strongest Hoods lineup (Mikey, Ben, Mario, Jeremy).

“Alone” was released on Breakout Records sometime in late 1998/early 1999. They were definitely one of my favorite bands around this time, and this record remains as one of my all-time favorites. Unfortunately (as best I can tell), it has since gone out of print. Even back then, Hoods were definitely a force to be reckoned with, they were always so solid live, and their shows were amazing and scary at the same time. Along with “Endless Pain” this is probably my favorite record from them. This is a classic NorCal recording from a band that has been holding it down for well over a decade and a half. See where it started.

Download

For The Crown - Blueprint

2010-02-10T22:44:00.000-08:00

For The Crown was an amazing and criminally underrated Hardcore band from Walnut Creek, CA. Formed in late 2001 from the ashes of Flinch Factor, For The Crown played melodic Hardcore in the vein of bands like Reach The Sky, In My Eyes and Turning Point. They released a 3 song demo in late 2001, followed by another demo in the spring of 2002. Still in High School, For The Crown played shows all over the area eventually travelling as far as Washington and Arizona.

By the time this cd was released through Give Me Strength in 2003, For The Crown had really developed their sound. Although the cover art is somewhat questionable, I really liked this record. Unfortunately they broke up in the fall of 2003 as some members moved away for college and others began to focus more heavily on their other bands. Members of For The Crown later went on to play in bands like: Gunsmoke, Cross The Line, Lights Out, On, Dispute, Internal Affairs and more. This is an awesome record and I’d highly recommend it to anyone interested in seeing where these kids cut their teeth.

Download

Towards An End - Chance Of A Lifetime

2010-02-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

Love them or hate them, you can’t deny that Towards An End definitely made an impact on the NorCal scene. Considered by many to be years ahead of their time, TAE played tremendously catchy pop punk (a phrase and genre I’ve since come to hate) that was equally influenced by bands like Shelter, H2O and early-Get Up Kids.

Formed in “the valley” around late 1997/early 1998, Towards An End featured ex-members of Straight Edge band Rely who had just broken up around the time. The band released two demo’s before they put this cd ep out on Give Me Strength Records (now defunct) in early 1999. They released a 7” on Lookout Records right before they broke up in 2000. “Chance Of A Lifetime” is probably my favorite release from this band, I would definitely recommend it to fans of late 90’s pop punk (early -Saves The Day, early-Get Up Kids, etc.) so if that's your thing, check it out.

Download

Gunsmoke - The Ultraviolet Catastrophe

2010-02-10T17:35:00.000-08:00

To those unfamiliar, Gunsmoke was a Hardcore band from Walnut Creek, CA. They started around 2004, when Andrew first moved back home from Boston. Initially consisting of just Andrew, Aaron and Donald (all former members of For The Crown), Gunsmoke wasted no time in getting started and quickly recorded their demo with Zach Ohren at Castle Ultimate Studios in the summer of 2004. Although very well received, the demo never really got its due. It was scheduled to be properly released on vinyl as “The Ultraviolet Catastrope” 7", but for unknown reasons it never came out.

I always felt like this was an awesome recording, especially for a first effort and it bothered me that it never received an ‘official’ release. It’s been six years, but this is still powerful Hardcore and an awesome release from an underrated NorCal band. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Bane, American Nightmare and For The Crown. For those that missed out the first time around, here it is…

Download

First Post

2010-02-10T17:31:00.000-08:00

I wanted to start a blog with the goal of posting widely unavailable, out of print and under-appreciated Hardcore music from where I grew up, Northern California. When I started going to Punk and Hardcore shows as a teen in the mid 1990’s, all I knew was that I was a pissed off kid looking for an outlet. What I realized later was that I was extremely fortunate to have witnessed and been a part of scene that produced some of the best and most underrated music of the era.

Places like New York and Boston have almost always been synonymous with producing ‘good’ Hardcore, but I’d like to think that Northern California can hold its own. Bands like Redemption 87, Second Coming, Powerhouse and the Hoods helped revive the scene back in the mid 90’s and in the following years, numerous bands helped to carry and pass the torch. Ideally, this blog will expose people to some good music that has otherwise been lost over the years. In addition to uploading music, I’m also planning on posting photos, flyers, videos and interviews. Hopefully you guys enjoy it.