Dan O'Mahony Part II

Dan and Gavin with No For An Answer at The Anthrax, Photo: Jeff Ladd

Everyone seemed to dig Part 1 from Dan O on Monday, so here comes more. -Gordo DCXX

As far as specific positives and negatives go, the whole late 80's thing espoused some wonderful ideals in terms of general positivity, rejecting self destructive lifestyles, championing racial tolerance, redefining gender roles ("not just boys fun!") etc. I look back fondly on the years when I knew so many like minded people willing to commit such amazing amounts of energy to forwarding that values system. New bands, zines, labels, and kids promoting their own shows were everywhere. It was different than any time before it, faster growing, more national, more mutually supportive, and more exciting.

It was at the point when this basically socio-political / activist mindset started to very literally enforce a dress code clear down to defining acceptable brand names (ie. Champion, Nike etc.) that I could not relate. I wasn't a popular kid in school, and wasn't interested in in infusing cool kid social behavior into our otherwise noble counterculture. Let's keep in mind this is a ground one perspective, '83, '84, '85, '86 veteran/fanzine kid/first wave Rev artist, and from where I stood the values of positive hardcore/straight edge were changing, slowly coming to resemble more of what I by nature was hard wired to reject than that which I loved to embrace. This is not really an indictment of any individuals, but rather the danger of any large group, particularly that young. I think I'm getting a little doctrinaire and preachy here where it's not really neccessary so I'll back off now. Breathe...


Dan with No For An Answer at CBGB, NYC, Photo: Ken Salerno

Yes, positives and negatives.

NFAA travelled by extreme means, an 80's hardcore band that did the east coast by plane but the west coast via a Chevy Celebrity station wagon. The "Answer Wagon" that we claimed slept 5 comfortably with equipment! As far as the east coast is concerned we played CBGB and the Anthrax at their zenith (CB's with Government Issue on one trip!) and looking back I wish we'd documented those days better. Joe Nelson did a good job for you guys detailing being locked in the Anthrax overnight during a blizzard. California boys learning quickly about the east coast winter!

The EP recording was intended as a demo just like Gavin says. No real time went into the production, we joked around singing "We Are The World" during the backups session, recorded a cover of AF's "Last Warning", and had a very good, very amateur time, but when Porcell got hold of it and deemed it record worthy I pushed pretty hard to make it exactly that. Looking back the only Revelation stuff on the shelves at that time were Warzone and the Together comp. The production value on "You Laugh" fit right in, but by the time it was released, SOIA, GB and others had gotten a little slicker, a little beefier, and we sounded remedial. Nowadays I listen to that record and love how young and spastic we sound. You can't create that vibe intentionally.


Dan O high fives the crowd at CBGB's, Photo: Ken Salerno