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| Minor Threat |
So, I'm talking about the hardcore punk bands. The bands that literally want to make you destroy the chains of society. The bands that want you to spit in the face of authority. The bands that make you want to tear down the walls of racism and classism. The bands that denounce injustice not just here, but everywhere.
When talking about hardcore, it's hard not to talk about the late 70s to early 80s punk scenes around the US. When I think of hardcore punk, the first bands I think of are Black Flag and Minor Threat. These are the bands that have historically become the face of what hardcore is.
Henry Rollins is probably the most self-destructive lead vocalist I've ever seen. He's also much more
intelligent than he appears; spending time in his later years as an activist and public speaker
Black Flag had songs that were immediately memorable like "Rise Above" and "My War." What makes "Rise Above" so relatable is that the lyrics are so vague that you could apply it to any situation involving oppression: past, present, or future. Black Flag may have simple lyrics, but it also means that the message is crystal clear. No dancing around the issues or sugarcoating the stance, Black Flag has declared the enemy and there's no holding them back.
Minor Threat were only a band for three years (1980-1983) but they had one
of the largest impacts on future punk-revival and post-hardcore bands.
of the largest impacts on future punk-revival and post-hardcore bands.
Minor Threat, fronting the Washington DC hardcore scene, brought just as much intensity to American hardcore as Black Flag had. There's a lot of similarities between the two front runners of hardcore but the distinct difference between the two bands lies in the vocals. Minor Threat generally has cleaner sounding vocals whereas Black Flag's vocals are a lot more distorted (could very well be where punk growling is derived from). "In My Eyes" and "I Don't Want to Hear it" are probably Minor Threat's most well-known songs but this is a band that definitely warrants listening to more than just a few songs.
I saw them at Chicago's annual punk festival Riot Fest two years ago.
They still rock just as hard now as they did then.
They still rock just as hard now as they did then.
Bad Religion, as the name implies, had their crosshairs set specifically at theologies most of the time. Bad Religion is probably most well-known for their punk anthem "American Jesus" and rightfully so as it has one of the catchiest guitar intros in any genre of music. However, if you want to catch Bad Religion at the height of their intensity, their 1982 debut album How Could Hell Be Any Worse? is a great place to start. What sets Bad Religion even further apart than the rest of the hardcore bands at the time was that they had incredibly good sounding vocal harmonies.
I love the guy that runs up on stage and starts singing the chorus too early
Agent Orange always seemed to have a darker sound than the other hardcore bands which allowed them to stand out from the rest of the punk movement like Bad Religion had. Bloodstains was always the Agent Orange song that I really enjoyed. Having two studio recordings, the original version is pretty good but, in my opinion, The Darkness version is where it's at.
I don't think I've ever actually heard this song before but this live clip is
so great that I figured I had to show you guys
My first exposure to DK was from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater when I was six years old.
I loved this song then and I love it now.
Although hardcore punk doesn't hit the national spotlight anymore, it's still celebrated in small pockets throughout the world and embedded within the modern punk genres it has influenced. It's interesting how relevant a lot of the messages in these songs are and how little progress we have made since the 1980s. Hardcore and punk rock raise awareness about particular issues but this is only the first step. The populace needs to realize the extent of the problems of the world and not stand idle. It seems that a lot of people are content with digesting brainless television programming and remaining in the shadow of passive oppression.
As long as there are basic violations of human rights, unjust wars being fought, inequality in the workplace, injustice in the courtroom, etc., punk rock will never go away.
As far as what true hardcore bands are still around: well, there aren't really. I know of a couple of local bands in my area (Save the Son and Shaken Baby Syndrome) but it seems no one else wants to make a blatant statement or a call for protest; probably because it isn't a very popular thing to do (except for Rage Against the Machine and Green Day to a certain extent, I give them props).
However Anti-Flag, though originating from the 90s punk revival, have built the bulk of their steam speaking out against the Bush Administration's policies in the 00s. It's bands like Anti-Flag that make me truly believe that punk isn't dead and that there are still people out there that want to fight the good fight.
so great that I figured I had to show you guys
Another band hailing from the Washington DC hardcore scene, (for those that don't know, the most expansive hardcore punk scene was from southern California) Bad Brains brings the energy to what is the equivalent of two or three non-hardcore bands. Whenever anyone says or implies that hardcore and punk are strictly Caucasian genres, I just point them in the direction of Bad Brains. They do it harder than most others.
My first exposure to DK was from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater when I was six years old.
The Dead Kennedys set themselves apart with horror and dissonance inspired guitar riffs and near-psychotic breakdowns on stage. These guys are pissed and don't care who they offend to let everyone know about it. They're probably best known for "California Uber Allies" but DK fans will hail "Holiday in Cambodia" and "Kill the Poor" as hardcore punk classics.
Although hardcore punk doesn't hit the national spotlight anymore, it's still celebrated in small pockets throughout the world and embedded within the modern punk genres it has influenced. It's interesting how relevant a lot of the messages in these songs are and how little progress we have made since the 1980s. Hardcore and punk rock raise awareness about particular issues but this is only the first step. The populace needs to realize the extent of the problems of the world and not stand idle. It seems that a lot of people are content with digesting brainless television programming and remaining in the shadow of passive oppression.
As long as there are basic violations of human rights, unjust wars being fought, inequality in the workplace, injustice in the courtroom, etc., punk rock will never go away.
As far as what true hardcore bands are still around: well, there aren't really. I know of a couple of local bands in my area (Save the Son and Shaken Baby Syndrome) but it seems no one else wants to make a blatant statement or a call for protest; probably because it isn't a very popular thing to do (except for Rage Against the Machine and Green Day to a certain extent, I give them props).
However Anti-Flag, though originating from the 90s punk revival, have built the bulk of their steam speaking out against the Bush Administration's policies in the 00s. It's bands like Anti-Flag that make me truly believe that punk isn't dead and that there are still people out there that want to fight the good fight.
Although Anti-Flag isn't a hardcore band, their stage presence and their song "Fuck Police Brutality"
are very reminiscent of 80s hardcore.
Anti-Flag, who hail from Pittsburgh, are definitely not a hardcore punk band. Their use of nifty lead guitar lines probably puts them more in the melodic punk category. However, they are the ones who are just about single-handedly carrying the torch. Bands like Bad Religion, the two re-incarnations of Black Flag, and Bad Brains still play live, but they won't be around forever. Anti-Flag keeps it alive by not only still playing political music but still writing new political music.
And, that my friends, is important for the future of our society.
"One people, one struggle. Stand united. Stand peaceful."
If you guys have any other hardcore 80s bands you really like that I missed, mention them in the comments. Also, if you have an awesome hardcore band in your area that you like, throw them down in the comments as well. Peace.
Minor Threat Image: http://www.altpress.com/images/uploads/feature_header_images/MinorThreat1.jpg
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