Joe D. Foster - Unity / Ignite part III

Joe with early Dubar fronted Unity, Photo courtesy of: Joe D. Foster

Here's part 3 of our ongoing interview with OC Hardcore's classic axeman. If you missed the first two parts:

Part 1: Joe Foster Part I
Part 2: Joe Foster Part II
Big thanks to Joe, much more to come. -Gordo DCXX

How did Unity come back into the picture with the Blood Days LP? My impression is that UC took the front seat for a while in 86-87, and then the Blood Days record came out. Was the idea to make Unity a real band with new songs again? What was your relationship like with Dubar and Longrie at that time? Any recording memories?

The idea was to keep it a real band. I remember Longrie was always kinda bummed Dubar moved on in UC without him. Kinda hard to kick Dyson out of the band though. I ended up jamming with Dyson like 5 years ago…we met somewhere after not seeing each other for ages and figured we would just go jam. Only me and him...I remember after every song, he would lay on the floor and catch his breath...so awesome. I wonder sometimes what happened to him.

Anyway, ya, I guess I was kinda confussed why we did Unity again, but something tells me it was just for Pat to get another release out on Wishingwell…Dubar to me was always hard to read. Pretty sure he always had his best interests in mind but that's all good. I remember when we were practicing for Blood Days, my ex-girlfriend would come over and I could tell Pat really liked her. Anyway, he wrote a song about her on the Staring Into The Sun album, called I think something like,"She's Locked Into My Mind"…so funny. My mom always called Longrie "little hot head." We were practicing in my parents' living room one day and my mom tells us she made us lunch and we should go wash our hands. So Longrie of course goes into the bathroom and jams his hands into the toilet and flushes it…pretty classic.

I actually don't really remember recording too much except it was in Culver City at a place called Casbah.


A young Joe D. Foster kicks out the jams, Photo courtesy of: Joe D. Foster

Speaking of UC, they obviously shifted musical gears by the time the Staring Into The Sun record came out. As a big fan and friend, how did you view this? Did you like the sound/image change or was it weird to see?

I really hated it…I thought a few songs were OK, but the girly vocals haunt me. Scream man...thats what we were into back then- controlled, thoughtful, positive aggression and intensity. So yeah, sorry but not a big fan.

I remember pre-Mind Funk he was telling us he was going to be the next Jim Morrison. Also there was some story from Dubar about eating black tree bark in Tibet and watching his soul float out of his body and sore in the sky looking down on himself while the seaguls all around him committed suicide. He also looked like an American Indian too at this time and had a pet wolf in his backyard…guess my point is I saw it coming and couldn't stop it…

No For An Answer was playing Man Against Man around the same time. How did they end up using this song, and did you write any of their other songs? Did you ever play with them?

Dan really liked that song. It was originally a WOP song called a Better Man. Dubar wrote it about Dan. They, Dan more than Pat, always had this weird "king of OC Hardcore" thing going on. Anyway, Dan wanted it for NFAA and asked me if I wanted to be in the band…I said ya and we ended up using it and Dan named it, "Man Against Man". I did play one show with them too. The photo of me used on the Blood Days LP is from the NFAA show. I think it was with 7 Seconds. Pretty cool and I'm happy I got to be in the band for a small time. I really like Dan and run into him often these days. He's really into reading and writing…


Ian, Joe and Alec MacKaye, Photo courtesy of: Joe D. Foster

During this time period, (86-89), what else were you into both personally and musically? Having been involved with hardcore at that point for the whole decade, how did it feel like it was changing to you?

About this time, shows started merging Punk and Hardcore together on these mega bills at big auditoriums. Big bands from England would come over and then bands like, ST, Decry, Ill Repute etc. would merge with 7 Seconds, MIA, etc…weird mix. I remember starting to see fights and divisions. I think it was a bad idea to do this and totally destroyed our positive scene. Gangs, violence, people who had no idea about the music and just thought it was cool to go slam dance, meat head mentality…it was the death of our first movement for sure. I was always a professional body "boogie" boarder and loved the ocean so I never stopped doing that. I also got into modeling for a while between Blood Days and the beginning of Ignite…

What did you think of the "second wave" of hardcore bands playing through the late 80s, and specifically, the Revelation straight edge bands? Did it resonate with you? How did you identify with the SE scene? Did you ever call yourself SE?

Actually I kinda missed it. I was off in Europe and Japan. When I got back, everything had changed, the sound, the style etc. That's why I started Ignite. Because I wanted to hear that old school type of hardcore again. In high school I didn't drink, smoke etc. It was influenced for sure by Minor Threat, but we never labeled ourselves. I might have X'd up once or twice my whole life…


Joe D. Foster, early Unity, Photo: Joe D. Foster

Side By Side @ The Anthrax, 1988

Jules - Side By Side / Alone In A Crowd 2011 Interview - PART IV

Jules with Side By Side at The Anthrax, Photo: Chris Daily

In case you missed the previous installments to this, here you go:
Part 1: Jules Part I
Part 2: Jules Part II
Part 3: Jules Part III
Be sure to scroll down to yesterday's post where you can see the latest batch of records Jules is auctioning off here on DCXX - every cent is going to the relief efforts in Japan. Please consider bidding.

Much more of this interview to come, dig in for now... -Gordo DCXX


Jules in front of the NYC skins at CBGB, Photo: Bri Hurley

What was the reasoning behind doing Alone In A Crowd after Side By Side broke up? What had caused Side By Side to break up, and what was going on within the band?

This is probably the toughest question. Which makes it probably the best question. I don’t know if “reasoning” is the right word. To be honest, I cannot even remember how I got AIAC started. There were a lot of factors that led to forming that band:

1) Side By Side’s internal strife and eventual break-up;
2) The sudden emergence of white power skinhead groups and the media’s love affair with them;
3) Rising intolerance amongst the different groups within the hardcore scene.

Probably the best place to start is Side By Side’s demise. Side By Side was composed of some very strong personalities. That was at once its greatest strength and greatest weakness:

Billy was the oldest. He had grown up in the old D.C. straight edge scene with the Dischord bands. As a result, he had more perspective than any of us. He had already gone through everything I was going through. In fact, I’m surprised he had the patience to put up with a kid like me. Billy was jovial, happy-go-lucky and didn’t have anything to prove to anybody. As a side note, “Big Billy Bitter” was a nickname he never liked. He had a joke about a character he created (he was, and still is, a great comic book artist) called “Mr. Bitter.” So, joking around, I introduced him on stage once as Billy “Bitter” and it stuck. He was never happy about that. Anyway, being more mature, he had already worked out his teen angst. He hated “Dead Serious,” which in hindsight, the lyrics are rather tedious. We kept “Good Clean Fun” on the set list to give a voice to Billy’s temperament (he wrote the music) -- I liked it, but I don't think it was that popular with the rest of the band. It certainly contrasted some of the other things SBS was singing about.


Eric and Billy with Side By Side at CBGB, NYC, Photo: Bri Hurley

Eric was a great guitar player. The majority of Side By Side’s music and lyrics belong to him. He went totally nuts on stage and was always consistent – I can’t remember him messing up... ever. Probably the greatest source of friction had to do with getting him to tone down his playing. All the divebombs and whammy bar _ _ _ _! He and I used to get into it about that. I thought all the solo stuff was too flashy, too rockstar. We compromised, “My Life To Live” was his big solo (which I think worked with that song) and the divebombs were limited. We were all pretty headstrong, Eric was no exception. I dimly recall Billy putting Eric headfirst in a trashcan (only his kicking feet were visible) as a result of some altercation at Giant rehearsal studios. It’s too bad SBS stopped when it did - I think Eric was musically knocking it out of the park right at the time SBS called it quits. His song, to which I penned lyrics and we titled “Guilty,” was great work. I think Uppercut ended up using that music when Eric played with them.

Sammy was really young. Hell, I was really young – he was two or three years younger than me! Being so young, I think he was the least argumentative in the band. But he had his preferences, to be sure. One of the things I was insistent on, to the point of being a dick, was to avoid the typical “mosh” beat that YOT and Bold (Crippled Youth) had made their trademark. So many bands were doing that... YOT were great, but I didn’t want us to sound like another YOT. I was pretty tough on Sammy, probably unfairly so – he was improving all the time. His beats got more refined (he ended up playing double bass after SBS). Despite his age, Sammy wrote the lyrics to “Look Back,” which seems oddly relevant while writing this.

And then there was Alex. Alex was responsible for some of the most iconic (that word is too pretentious -- but I can't think of another one right now) things people associate with Side By Side. He wrote the music to “Backfire,”“Living A Lie” and “The Time Is Now” (the latter evolved out of his jamming with Luke, later Eric added the harmonics at the beginning). The lyrics to “Backfire” and “Living A Lie” were probably 95% Alex’s, if not more. "Living A Lie," for example, was an expression of his anger with some very well known and outspoken "exemplars" of straight edge, who at the time were apparently not practicing what they so vehemently preached. He designed the three silhouettes on the cover of the E.P. They were actually based on photos of LL Cool J. If you were ever wondering why the feet were so big, it was an effect of perspective – the photos upon which the silhouettes were based were taken at an angle. Though not as old as Billy, he was the only other legal adult in the band. Alex worked very hard on SBS initially, but after awhile I think he became disappointed with the direction (or lack of direction) of the band. I suspect he had some impatience with me – he knew a lot more about hardcore, and I was pretty naïve about a lot of stuff.


Sammy delivers the beat with Side By Side at CBGB, NYC, Photo: Bri Hurley

All of us had different vision of the direction Side By Side should take. I had a tendency to act like SBS was “my” band and tell the guys how I wanted things, which didn’t help. And remember, I couldn’t play an instrument, so I’d be telling guys who could play what to sound like, and that doesn’t usually go over well. My opinions were not always wrong, and a lot of the Side By Side sound did come from my input – but at the end of the day, the music was not really mine. And to be honest, I did not contribute much to band management, I was only concerned with content – I didn’t book the shows, I didn’t manage what little money we had, and Jordan Cooper approached us to put out the 7”. Sammy and Alex worked the hardest on that stuff. Just being in a band was enough for me. I didn’t have a “plan,” and I think that was problematic from their perspective. Sammy, despite being so young, was really organized. I remember he used to freak out when things would get out of place in his room, so we used to move things around to mess with him. Anyway, Sammy and Alex may have carried some underlying resentment, and I think it was for the most part justified. I may have started SBS but it was their sweat equity that got us anywhere.

Sammy and Alex also identified more with the whole straight edge, youth crew image than the rest of SBS. In one of the versions of the E.P. cover that Alex did, the middle guy had a small X on his hand. I had a couple of problems with that, not the least of which is that it just didn't look that good from a graphics perspective. The other reason is that I didn't want SBS to be marketed solely under the straight edge "brand" that was becoming so popular. I liked to think we had a broader message.

That last part deserves a little explanation. I’m certain that anyone reading this has heard more people expound on straight edge than they ever wanted to -- so I apologize in advance. Keep in mind, though, I am 25 years out of touch, and have virtually no knowledge about what “straight edge” means to people these days. Not too long ago I watched some national geographic show on cable about straight edge gangs in Reno. Gangs – like the crips and bloods. I don’t know how accurate that documentary was, but the impression I got is that straight edge today bears little or no connection to what straight edge meant to me 25 years ago. So I can only speak about my perception of straight edge as it was back then.


Jules in your face with Side By Side at The Anthrax, Norwalk CT, Photo: Chris Daily

In the mid 80’s drugs and alcohol were looked at in the teen culture as being necessities like food, water, and oxygen. Thanks to the baby boomers, Rock n’ Roll was inescapably joined with “sex and drugs” such that music was not allowed to exist by itself. Shows were just excuses to get drunk or high. Straight edge, for me, was a rejection of this. I remember tremendous amounts of peer pressure as a young teen – to be normal you had to smoke and drink. The last thing I wanted to be was “normal” like the kids at the gas station every weekend.

Naturally I fell in with the straight edge crowd because of the overall shared outlook. And initially I did get caught up in the excitement of the youth crew thing – X’s on the hands, etc. After a while, though, there is only so much you can say about straight edge. It’s a pretty simple concept, really. Once you made the choice, what was there to really discuss? So for me, straight edge was more internal than external. I treated it as a lifestyle choice, not a mission. As a result I had a lot of friends in the scene outside of the straight edge circles.

The youth crew image was a powerful one, and as the new straight edge bands, most notably YOT, got more popular, it seemed straight edge started becoming more externalized. The imagery started taking precedence over the substance. I remember there was this idea of so-called positive peer pressure – in other words pressuring kids to be straight edge. This totally didn’t work for me. In my mind, if you became straight edge by giving in to peer pressure, that was the same as doing drugs or drinking beer because of peer pressure. If you didn’t come to straight edge because of your own choice, then I think you missed the point. For example, I remember some kids whining to me, “I try to be straight edge, but it's hard.” What?!? If you don’t want to be straight, don’t be. It's not like AA -- I'm not your _ _ _ _ ing sponsor. I started seeing an increasing number of kids who were all too eager to put on the youth crew garb and talk the talk, but were struggling with what those symbols represented. I did not want Side By Side to contribute to this trend.


A Side By Side sing a long at CBGB with a yet to join Alex Brown in the crowd, Photo: Bri Hurley

Then Alex started Schism (the name was truly apropos) and recorded the Project X record with Sammy very soon after the shutdown show, while Side By Side was on a brief hiatus. Project X sort of spelled doom for Side By Side. Looking back on it, I think Project X is what Alex and Sammy wanted Side By Side to be. So they found their expression through another medium. When that ended up being more successful than they expected, I think there was very little keeping them in Side By Side. And eventually, of course, Sammy and Alex would play in YOT and GB respectively, which made perfect sense. It's what they wanted to do all along.

Right before the last Side By Side show at the Anthrax, I remember being in the van with YOT and I think GB. Everyone was getting psyched up for the show and a big marker was getting passed around and everyone was putting X’s on their hands. Well, I don’t really remember if it was everyone – it seemed that way though. When the marker came to me I declined. You’d think I shot someone’s dog or said something about someone’s momma. So the _ _ _ _ talking started. Now we used to rip on each other a lot. YOT were really, really good at busting balls (Porcell had this “maybe not there, dick” retort that was a staple). This felt different. I could’ve misinterpreted it, but to me at 16, it seemed as if I had been given an ultimatum of the "you're either you’re with us or against us” variety. I mean these guys knew me, why did I have to prove anything to them, or to anybody for that matter. This was exactly the kind of thing I was in hardcore to get away from. If they wanted to get psyched up with X’s, then so be it. They didn’t need me for that. It seems silly talking about it now, but at 16, this really, really pissed me off.

So, during SBS’s set between songs, I said something to the crowd about what happened. When I said “I don’t need X’s on my hands to prove I’m straight edge,” Alex and I think Sammy and maybe Porcell (the members of Project X -- coincidence?) started saying _ _ _ _ like “pussy” and “straight edge in your face.” Maybe they were kidding – or, maybe not there, dick. I didn't know. I didn't care at that point. Anyway, I finally said “no matter how you cut it IT’S MY _ _ _ _ ING LIFE TO LIVE!” and the band took the cue perfectly and we went right into the song. Totally unrehearsed. Totally us being all pissed off at each other. And you know what? It was one of the best shows we ever did. But Side By Side was done very soon after. I think we had a show scheduled in Pennsylvania with Underdog. I can't remember who called who, or if we broke up in person -- I only remember that we bagged the show and called it quits.


Jules, Lars and Eric with Side By Side at The Anthrax, Photo: Chris Daily

That last Anthrax show was the only show Lars played with SBS. He replaced Billy after he left. Well, let me correct that. Billy didn’t “leave”- he was voted out. Losing Billy was really the beginning of Side By Side's end. The reason for the vote was he was not the best bass player. We had just finished recording the 7” and some of the guys were not happy with his track. So it was put to a vote. I didn’t vote ‘cause I didn’t think it was legit. And somehow, it fell on me to tell him. I never felt right about that whole deal. Sometime later I was talking to Mike Judge about it, and he said “so what if he can't play? That's no reason to kick somebody out.” I think he was right. Side By Side wasn’t built on technical ability – we were one of the loosest bands out there. But we did go all out on stage. Heck, we even got 86’d from several rehearsal studios because we went off when we practiced. Billy was a founding member of SBS – he shouldn’t have been kicked out. I should have had the courage to end the band right there, but the EP had just been recorded and I couldn't bring myself to say "if he goes, I go" – that was a moment of weakness on my part.

I am not going to use the tired cliche about the flame that "burns twice as bright but half as long." Side By Side was not a flame, it was a bomb. We detonated -- boom -- and if you blinked you missed the explosion. Very few people got to see us -- we were only together for a year and broke up before the EP came out. So what most people know of Side By Side through the various recordings is merely a remnant - the shrapnel left over after the explosion. I don't think any of the recordings ever really did Side By Side justice. Our music was never that great -- but that was only a small part of the experience. Being on stage and interacting with the crowd was everything. For example, at an Anthrax show -- during one song everybody got unplugged in the chaos except for drums and vocals -- it didn't matter. I think in that same show, the mic cord pulled out and there were no vocals -- it didn't matter. You just can't capture it on a record -- the live show was what it was all about.


Jules with Side By Side at CBGB, Photo: Bri Hurley

Now before anybody jumps to any conclusions, my recollections of Side By Side's break-up are not an attack on anybody. I don't hold a grudge and this is not me "airing dirty laundry" or "picking sour grapes." It was only sitting down to write for Double Cross that I have even thought about any of this. I've tried to give an honest account to the best of my recollection -- which is admittedly not great. So much of what I've said should be taken with a grain of salt. One thing must be understood, the break-up was nobody's fault. Side By Side was going to break up no matter what. If I had had better people skills, it wouldn't have been as bad a break up -- but it would have happened anyway. The members' interests were just too divergent.

Infighting aside, Side By Side was a group effort, and would never have happened without each member's unique input. And I am very grateful that we ended clean. Any one of the ex-Side By Side members could have attempted to capitalize on the record release and started the band up again with a new lineup. That would have been ruinous. Thankfully Side By Side didn't go the way of so many other bands: ever-revolving lineups that eventually bore little or no resemblance to the original. Since the breakup, there have never been unkind words exchanged between any of us that that I can recall. Alex and Sammy have had great success with their post Side By Side endeavors. I am nothing if not very happy for them. In fact, Sammy used to invite me to CIV shows years later. As far as Porcell, same thing -- he may have busted my balls at times, but he was always genuinely supportive. He just showed up at Don Fury's when we were recording the AIAC record. I don't even know how he knew we were there -- anyway, I invited him to sing backing vocals. When AIAC played the first show, Porcell was right there singing along.

I was, and still am, very proud to have been a part of Side By Side and work with such intense, talented guys. Not many 16 year olds back then were so lucky to have been part of such a cool thing. I am grateful to them for the experience.


Jules with Side By Side at CBGB, while someone goes for the stage skank, Photo: Bri Hurley

Jules - Side By Side / Alone In A Crowd DCXX Charity Auction for Japanese Relief ROUND 3

In case you've missed this so far, Jules from Side By Side / Alone In A Crowd has agreed to auction all of his old hardcore records through DCXX. Every penny will go to relief efforts in Japan. Jules has secured a matching donation which will double the value of the money raised through the auctions.

Please consider bidding. If not, we encourage you to give a donation in whatever amount you can to one of the many relief organizations who will need your help. If you can make the difference in one person's life, however small, it is worth it.

Please help us to let the people of Japan know they are not in this alone.
This auction ends this Friday, April 29, at 8am EST.
Terms & Conditions:
*All items from Jules' personal collection.

*Please read each individual record's description for specific details and condition.

*Bidding is to be made on individual records. This is not an auction for the whole batch.
*You can bid on multiple items, but a specific bid must be placed on each item.
*Bidding must be rounded to the dollar. No cents business
*All sales are final.

*All records have a starting reserve price.
*All offers/bids must be sent to Gordo at bcjordan1@gmail.com, who is handling this for Jules.
*Offers/bids are not to be sent anywhere else, not in the comment section, not to Tim, not via Facebook, etc.
*Paypal is the only accepted method of payment.
*Do not bid if you are unable to pay at the time of auction close or if you cannot send funds via paypal.

*Bidders will be contacted ASAP privately via email from Gordo with the status of their bid and the current top bid.
*Re-bidding is allowed and encouraged.

*The bidding for these specific Round 1 items will close at 8am Eastern Standard Time on THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 29
*At that time, the top 3 bidders will be contacted privately to place a final bid.
*The final top bidder must be able to transfer funds via paypal to Gordo at bcjordan1@gmail.com within 48 hours of final close.

*All shipping & handling costs must be paid for additionally by BUYER, and this amount is not a part of the bid amount.
*All shipping & handling costs will be determined fairly between Gordo and buyer.
*Shipping & handling costs can be combined if multiple items are won by the same bidder.
*All items will be shipped via USPS to the buyer's liking.
*All proceeds will be transferred by Gordo to Jules for the purpose of final matched charitable contribution, doubling the total amount.
*Bidder/winner identities will not be disclosed.

*EVERY CENT GOES TO CHARITY FOR JAPANESE RELIEF. NOBODY IS MAKING A DIME ON ANY OF THIS.
*Questions, offers/bids - Gordo: bcjordan1@gmail.com - auction ends Friday 4/29 at 8am EST.

THANK YOU!!! - Jules, Tim & Gordo


New York City Hardcore - "Together" 7" - Revelation Records #2 - 1st Pressing, black vinyl, Side A matrix says, "Duane Loves Gina", Side B matrix says, "This Record Is Gonna Be A 12 Inch". Still in excellent condition. Reserve price $ 30


New York City Hardcore - "Together" 7" - Revelation Records #2


Project X 7" - Schism Records #1, sleeve and vinyl still in excellent condition. Reserve price $ 50


Project X 7" - Schism Records #1


Judge - "New York Crew" 7" - Schism Records #2, First Pressing, Matrix Side A says, "'82...", Matrix Side B says, "... And On". Reserve price $ 25


Judge - "New York Crew" 7"


Decisions - 7", Lunkhead Records, 1989 hardcore band out of Las Vegas, Nevada, glued cover coming apart. Reserve price $ 10


Quicksand - 7", Revelation Records #18, black vinyl, has Pier Platters $3.99 label on cover. Reserve price $ 10

WHERE ARE THEY NOW - Marco Abularach/The Icemen

Marco Abularach with The Icemen at City Gardens, Photo: Ken Salerno

Marco Abularach Founded the band The Icemen in 1982

In March 2011 Marco had this to say about his life now:

My life has taken many twists and turns in continual pursuit of art and expression. From art school and working as an illustrator to music of course, and eventually acting and writing.

A career in cinema evolved with a small character role in Vin Diesel's first independent feature film "Strays" which went to Sundance Film Festival in 1997 and after that he encouraged me to come out to Hollywood and write for him. Wrote a couple of original screenplays for his production company "One Race Films" which have yet to be produced.

Also have done re-writes on some of his bigger commercial films and although we still collaborate I have been writing freelance since 2008 and the majority of my work is "ghostwriting"- rewrites on Hollywood films. I also continue to develop my own feature screenplays which I plan to eventually bring to life.

I am grateful to finally be able to immerse myself completely in art, no more side jobs - and that is truly fulfilling.
Recently have managed to find a little time to revisit The Icemen and hope to cast some ice-magic in the future."

Official Websites:
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theicemen
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Icemen/8113253489
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheIcemen
You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/IcemenTV
Ping: http://c.itunes.apple.com/us/profile/id-13723
Last.fm: http://www.last.fm/music/The+Icemen
Website: http://www.officialicemen.com/

Official Webstores:
MerchNow: http://new.merchnow.com/catalogs/the-icemen
iTunes Store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-icemen/id296382270#


Marco Abularach in 2011, Photo courtesy of: Marco

Re-Runs pt. II

Tim and I are pretty tied up with some other stuff right now, but we can assure you there's plenty of new content waiting to go up, including more from the Jules interview as well as his charity auctions for Japanese Relief. Stay tuned, and enjoy some more re-runs!
-Gordo DCXX

NEGATIVE APPROACH:
http://doublecrosswebzine.blogspot.com/2008/05/negative-approach-rob-mccullough.html

THE ICEMEN:
http://doublecrosswebzine.blogspot.com/2008/06/marco-icemen.html

INSTED:
http://doublecrosswebzine.blogspot.com/2008/12/steve-and-rich-of-insted.html

Re-Runs

Thought we'd share some pieces hiding out in the archives that you may have missed the first time around. Enjoy!
-Gordo DCXX

Carl Porcaro - Raw Deal / Breakdown http://doublecrosswebzine.blogspot.com/2010/03/carl-porcaro-killing-time-interview.html

Dan O'Mahony - OCHC
http://doublecrosswebzine.blogspot.com/2009/05/dan-omahoney-ochc-frontman.html

Minor Threat - "You Betrayed Me By Growing Up" http://doublecrosswebzine.blogspot.com/2010/01/minor-threat-you-betrayed-me-by-growing.html

SSD - Get It Away live at the Olympic Auditorium

Another classic from the end of the SSD run, "Get it Away" at the Olympic Auditorium in LA. Minutemen and Red Hot Chili Peppers on under card.


It took a few years but I see the smokers outside in the cold and it doesn't bother me in the least. We all have rights but I have the right to breathe clean air. Hence my inspiration to write "Get it Away" in 1982. Fuck any smoker who feels their rights have been violated now. -Al Barile/SSD

Youth Of Today and Mouthpiece in DC, 6/3/2011

Jules - Side By Side / Alone In A Crowd 2011 Interview Part III

Jules with Side By Side at the CBGB's Shutdown show, Photo: Jennifer Buck Knies

In case you missed parts 1 and 2:
Jules - Side By Side / Alone In A Crowd Part I
Jules - Side By Side / Alone In A Crowd Part II
More records from his collection up for auction very soon right here on DCXX, and MUCH more of this interview to come as well. Alex!!! -Gordo DCXX


Sammy with Side By Side at CBGB, NYC, Photo: Bri Hurley

Then there was the “Shut Down” show...I think a lot has been said about this event, probably too much. Here's some more.

First of all, nobody that I knew went into the show with some defiant mission against CBGB’s, least of all me. I never really liked the owners of CB’s, but that was more of a personal thing. This was a big show – because by October 1987, both GB and Side By Side had pretty much come into their own - not quite headliners, but getting close. So the bill with YOT headlining was pretty impressive – and I was psyched.

The Pagan Babies, from Philly, opened. They start their set, and these two huge (and I am not exaggerating, these were big dudes) latino skinheads set up right in front of the band, on the edge of the stage. And though they looked like skinheads, they were not from the scene. I certainly had never seen them before, and back then I pretty much knew everybody. Even crouched, these guys completely obscured the performers. The band couldn’t move around or anything because the stage was so small. Worse, anytime a kid in the pit would try to plant a foot for a stage dive, these guys would push him down. Now, New York is a hard venue if you are from out of town, so I felt pretty bad for the Pagan Babies. Not only did they have to win the crowd over, but the few kids that wanted to go off were totally gimped by these “bouncers.” In short, I think their set was disappointing, all things considered.


Alex with Side By Side at The Anthrax, Norwalk CT, Photo: Chris Daily

We were watching this from behind the band, and grumbling about it. I turned to somebody next to me and asked “are they going to do this during our sets too?” Somewhere along the line, a plan was hatched to bum rush these guys. Not to take them out, but to overwhelm them and stage dive past them. I don’t remember who played next, Side By Side or GB, but on the first note, the first drumbeat, a bunch of us ran up and dove into the crowd, Jason Krakdown and Gus Straight Edge taking point. The bouncers didn’t know what hit them. The whole time they were focused on the kids in the pit, they weren’t expecting the guys behind them to do anything. Well, seeing this, the kids in the pit started getting more aggressive. It kind of looked like whack-a-mole: kids would constantly pop up to get on stage and the bouncers would push their heads down. Meanwhile, Jason and Gus continued their rampage. They would actually plant their feet on the bouncer’s backs, step up and flip over their heads into the crowd. And then they’d come back and do it again. The bouncers were completely frustrated.

Jason and Gus were no joke. One of them, and I think it was Jason (if I am wrong, Gus forgive me, it’s been 24 years), was flipping over the bouncer on stage right, and the bouncer stood up and grabbed Jason’s legs. So, the bouncer was holding him upside down at the edge of the stage, and he was just sort of hanging there. Jason wraps his arms around the bouncer’s legs and they start wrestling, Jason upside down the whole time. The bouncer eventually lost his footing and fell sideways. If you’ve never been to CB’s, there was a narrow walkway past that side of the stage (it was how you got to the bathroom – but I don’t know anybody who used THAT bathroom). At the matinees, that side stage area was where the girls hung out, because they could get close enough to see the bands without getting stomped on. So here comes this giant skinhead, still wrestling Jason, crashing down on top of all these girls – who were not about to catch these guys. They scream and get out of the way, so there’s really nothing breaking the fall. Crash! I remember thinking “Jason must be dead.”

With the bouncer gone, the kids started pouring onto that side of the stage – but they didn’t dive back into the pit, they started piling on top of the bouncer and Jason. The bodies kept piling up and piling up – now I was sure Jason was dead. Girls are screaming while getting shoved out of the way by this massive pile on. Eventually, kids started extracting themselves one by one. Finally, Jason pops up on stage like nothing happened, and stage dives into the crowd. The bouncer was the last to get up – he had been on the bottom the whole time! He was totally dazed. After this the kids were relentless, and by the end of the third set, the bouncers just gave up; when YOT played, it was like they weren’t even there.


Jules and the CBGB's Shutdown show crowd, Photo: Jennifer Buck Knies

Now, what I did not know was that CBGB’s had recently been sued because some kid at another show had broken something stage diving. I broke my nose at a Pyramid show – in fact Djinji elbowed me, unintentionally. It remains broken to this day. Some kid at the Anthrax broke his leg at a Side By Side show. It happens. To my knowledge, this was the only lawsuit (or threatened lawsuit) against a venue for a kid getting hurt moshing. Anyway, knowing what I know now about premises liability and duties owed to business invitees – I can certainly see Hilly’s perspective. I don’t know that his solution – putting giant dudes that nobody knew in front of the bands on stage – was the best idea, but he was just acting to protect his interests.

But as a 16 year-old (I think I was still a sophomore in high school) what I perceived was that our stage had been hijacked. In my mind at the time, when we were on stage it was ours...it was the kids' stage. And hardcore without the freedom to go off, and interact with the crowd was like a cold cup of coffee – not worth a damn. So, during Side By Side’s set I said some pretty thankless things about CB’s. That really got under Hilly’s skin.

Anyway, after the show – he pulled all the bands aside, singling me out particularly, and told us it was “our fault” that he was going to stop the Sunday matinees. Let’s face it, I may have ranted (which I had the habit of doing on stage), but there was unified defiance that day. The "rebellion" started before I said anything. And while it was easy to single out something I might have said, Hilly was going to stop the matinees anyway – if those bouncers couldn’t stop us, nobody could, and he knew it.

And nobody was particularly apologetic while Hilly was scolding us. In fact, at that moment there was a sense of accomplishment, if anything – we had taken back our stage, and it was one of the best shows ever. Hell, “Shut Down!” became like a battle cry for a while. Project X named a song after it. Now, hindsight being 20/20, it is hard to keep a live music scene going without a venue. And once that realization started to set in, a lot of people, other bands especially, got pretty pissed off. I remember Underdog had gotten back together and I think those guys had an upcoming show that was cancelled. I think a lot of people may have blamed YOT, I think many may have blamed me. It was bigger than me though.


Jules with Side By Side at CBGB, NYC, Photo: Bri Hurley

Later, some of the bands went to Hilly to work things out, the matinees started up again – without stagediving. My understanding is the scene was more “self policing,” the bands actually told kids not to stage dive. This is how Hilly should’ve handled it in the first place. If Hilly had come to Ray, Civ and I and explained the situation – we probably would’ve worked with him. And eventually the whole thing blew over, and things pretty much went back to normal. I remember going back to CB’s sometime later and seeing Judge and stagediving to “Hear Me.” So all the concern that the bands would have nowhere to play was a little alarmist.

But if the only venues we ended up playing were in VFW halls in Lititz, Pennsylvania, then so be it. I think this is what may have been very different about me; it was more important to have one great show at the risk of getting banned, than to have a mediocre show in order to be able to play again. Maybe it depends on your definition of a “great show.” For me, it wasn’t a great show if it wasn’t total pandemonium, both onstage and off. If it was going to be limited, it wasn’t worth it. Realistically, though, that type of attitude is too inflexible. It's not sustainable.

Here’s the thing: I did not care if my band was a success, or if we ever played CB’s again. Side By Side was not my vocational dream, it was not my business plan. All I cared about was the moment. You're Only Young Once was Eric's song, but in his earlier drafts, the lyrical content carried a message a lot more like Young 'Til I Die (7 Seconds - later covered by War Zone), than what it ended up being. I tweaked the message a bit. For instance, in one line, "eternally kids, sticking together" I added a question mark, which completely changed the whole thing. For me hardcore was about seizing the now. Minor Threat warned that we were all heading inevitably to that "adult crash." Side By Side said "before you get there live by your own rules." It was never about making it last.

The irony, however, is not lost on me that I am doing this interview a quarter of a century later...

TO BE CONTINUED


Jules, Lars and Eric with Side By Side at The Anthrax, Norwalk CT, Photo: Chris Daily

Dave Smalley - Punk Rock Days

Gordo and I here at DCXX play in a band called Hands Tied and last night we played in Baltimore, MD with DYS, Antidote, Face Value and Mindset. Great hangin' and playing with all the bands and I think it's safe to say that a good time was had by all. Dave Smalley clued me in to the website http://punkrockdays.com/, that he had been working together with someone on and I thought it would be cool to share this video they put together. Check it out and check out the site. - Tim DCXX

Favorite Dag Nasty frontman wrap up with Dave Smalley

Dag Nasty circa Smalley, Photo courtesy of: Dag House

To wrap up our Dag Nasty poll where we asked you who your favorite Dag frontman was - Shawn, Dave, or Peter - we went to the man himself and winner of the poll, Dave Smalley. I know I speak for Tim as well when I say that I love Shawn Brown and Peter Cortner and all things Dag...but Dave is my favorite, as is Can I Say. He got our votes. Thanks Dave. Take it away... -Gordo DCXX

Was it hard to step into singing for Dag Nasty after Shawn Brown had already structured lyrics and been known as the singer?

It ended up feeling very natural. As for the lyrics, Brian had some huge input into those, too. He’s known as an amazing guitarist, of course, but he’s also an underappreciated, really good lyricist. I think that no matter who writes what, great lyrics are great lyrics – the main thing, as a singer, is to only do lyrics if they speak to you. Can you sing it from the heart in a way that is unique and powerful? And, is it a strong fit of musicians? I think the original album lineup – me, Colin, Roger, Brian – is a very special chemistry. I love those guys, those songs and our recording sessions. It just seemed to click. Sometimes in life that happens, and when it does, it’s a really unique thing.

Since I was already friends with Brian and absolutely love his songwriting and guitar playing, and also Roger and Colin’s amazing rhythm section playing and personalities, and since we all come from the same era of punk and American hardcore – which, you have to remember, was a tiny universe that created really unique bonds in the early 1980s – Dag Nasty felt very natural. And, I was the band’s roadie before I was the singer, so I knew the songs, and had been able to feel them and interpret them in my own way, and get very comfortable with them. So I was able to hopefully give them a unique feel. Hopefully I was able to do the lyrics justice.


Brian Baker on Coke and Doritos, Photo courtesy of: Dag House

What did you think of Dag Nasty with Shawn singing?

Shawn is great! I’m a fan of Swiz, too. I like all the eras and lineups of Dag Nasty.

What do you remember "going for" and really trying to convey on the Can I Say album when you started singing those songs?

You know, Can I Say is one of those albums that is really unique, and has stood the test of time. And that’s such a credit to Brian’s songwriting and guitar style. So my memory of things was less a planned “what to go for” thing and more thinking “oh man, this is such a great song” (for every song), and let the emotion and heart and mind be free, and go with that vibe. My style of singing I think/hope fits the music well. Brian’s songs (and Sam’s in Down By Law) are great to hear as a singer, because you really have to rise to the occasion, not overthink it, and just ride the wave, naturally. But also you have to be on top of your game, because anything less won’t cut it.

How much say did Brian Baker have in your style and how you sang the songs?

Brian is a very respectful artist, who encourages other artists to be at their creative best. He is a part of the process, but as a friend and fellow artist, not as an overseer. The trick in a band, or in life for that matter, is to get good people together and allow them to do what they do well, and let creativity flourish.


Who you gunna call? ... Roger, Photo courtesy of: Dag House

If you had to pick one song as your favorite off the album, what would it be?

That’s really hard. I honestly think Can I Say is one of those albums where every song is incredibly strong. I don’t think I can pick one, but I will say that in my solo concerts, from that album I play “Values Here,” “Circles” and “Under Your Influence.” Plus “Ghosts” and “Twisted Again” from “Minority of One.” I might add more in future shows.


Colin Sears with Dag Nasty at The Rat, Boston, 1986, Photo: Dave Runit

Can you remember the first time you heard the Wig Out recording? Did it still sound like Dag Nasty to you? What did you think of Peter?

Yes, I do remember it – someone sent me the album when I was in Israel (I had quit Dag to go to grad school, and ended up doing my first year of grad school at Hebrew University in Jerusalem). Anyway, I remember listening to it late at night, in my apartment there, and I cried, because I wished I had been the one singing them. But that was a reflection on myself for quitting, not about the album – because I thought Peter did great. Some of those songs, Dag had been doing before I quit, and so it was very interesting to see the different approaches that ended up getting recorded with Pete.

What type of relationship have you had over the years with Shawn Brown and Peter Cortner? What about today?

I don’t see them much, but mostly because we all live in different places, unfortunately. I have a job and a family, as I’m sure those guys do too, and when I’m not doing one of those things, I’m on tour a lot, either with Down By Law or DYS, or doing solo shows. I would love to hang out with them, though.

Dave Smalley - 279
Shawn Brown - 54
Peter Cortner - 38


Punk Rock Demigod, Dave Smalley, Photo courtesy of: Dag House

DYS in Baltimore 4/9/2011

Jules - Side By Side / Alone In A Crowd 2011 Interview Part II

Here's Part 2 of our massive ongoing interview with Jules. If you've been living under a rock, scroll down below to check out the charity record auctions we are running - all items from Jules' own collection with every cent going to Japanese Relief.

This is still just the beginning of this interview, so stay tuned. -Gordo DXXX


Jules and Billy with Side By Side at CBGB, NYC, Photo courtesy of: Jules

Before Side By Side, what were the experiences you had going to shows and seeing other bands that made you realize that you wanted to sing for a band? Did singing for a band sound like something that was just fun to goof around with...or did you feel a real deap-seated desire to use your voice in a band?

One seminal show was Youth of Today, Straight Ahead, and Sick Of It All (I think that was their first show) at the Right Track Inn out in Long Island. I went because Straight Ahead were playing. Thinking back -- most of the guys I would be hanging out with for the next few years were all at that show. It was pandemonium from start to finish – this was a real pit (not the pussy pits that would form at the new Ritz). I got hit in the balls by this skinhead with oxbloods who was just terrorizing the floor. As it would turn out, I would come to know him fairly well as Jason... Jason Krakdown. The pile-ons started with SOIA, and they just kept getting bigger as the show progressed. Seeing Straight Ahead was freaking great (I never did get to see Mayhem).

Then Youth of Today hit it -- they had just come out (or were about to come out with) Can’t Close My Eyes. I had never heard them before. Tommy drummed for them after fronting Straight Ahead. He cut his hand at some point during the SA set, and he had a bloody rag around it while playing for YOT. It was killer. It was real, the pit was ferocious, the music was hard as nails, but on top of it all, it wasn’t political whining or trying to relive the old school – this _ _ _ _ was raw and I wanted in – these guys were pissed off at the same things I was. And, like Raybeez, these guys were approachable. Pete, Lou and Arman are some of the nicest guys you could ever meet. Craig Setari and Tommy Carroll were totally open and treated you like you’d been their friend for years. So, after that, I think I went to every CB’s matinee. I’d see these guys around and we’d hang out. Not only did I like their music, but I liked them. That was the first time as a teenager that I ever felt liked I "belonged" with any identifiable group.


Gavin with Side By Side for their first CB's show, Photo courtesy of: Jules

How do you remember Side By Side coming together, and what would you say was the driving force behind the creation of the band? What was Side By Side intended to represent in the NYC scene at that time?

Side By Side started with a funeral. An artist friend of my old man’s died from AIDS in 1986 – that was the year the AIDS awareness really started for the non-gay community in NYC. There were tens of thousands of cases that year, if I remember correct. Anyway, I realized that there was no time like the present (You’re Only Young Once and The Time Is Now were themes for me very early on I guess). War Zone was gone, so I wanted to start a band like War Zone. I left the church with my dad, who was heading home back to Jersey. I told him I had something I had to do. Billy was an acquaintance who I knew played guitar. I walked down to his $250 a month apartment on Pitt St., which was a very, very scary place back then. I walked up to his apartment – there was a Doberman loose out in the hallway; I thought was going to eat me. This was my first time at his place, so he opens the door and he has this 2x4 in his hands, and I'm thinking "where the _ _ _ _ am I?" Turned out Billy used a 2x4 to bar the door, so whenever he answered it he had this big freaking board in his hands. I asked him if he wanted to be in a band with me. Without any deliberation -- he said yes.

Billy (who was, and still is, a phenomenal illustrator) drew this awesome (and really freaking funny) picture of these happy-go lucky stomping skinhead guys (it looked like they were doing a can-can), and we made a sign out of it saying we were looking for members. Billy never took this stuff too seriously (he was the “fun” guy in the band). We hung the sign at Some Records, which was the place to go. And it was only “some records,” pretty spartan. It was in a basement near the Ukrainian Center on 3rd St. In the winter, it was a place to get out of the cold.

Duane Rossignol was awesome – he was another one of those guys who played an important role in the scene – there was no internet: Some Records could be equated to a low tech NYHC “social media website.” Raybeez would be there all the time. I first got to know Ray Cappo there. Duane would sell vinyl, demo tapes, and t-shirts.

Anyway, despite the cool sign and all, we never got any hits. Luke and I were talking and he mentioned Eric was writing a lot of music, so I approached him. He was full on into straight edge (no more Mohawk), and he was not only writing music, but he had full songs with lyrics. I’m pretty sure Violence To Fade was one of the first songs he showed me. I thought it was cool – it was clear we had both come a long way. Most of the early Side By Side songs were all Eric’s, My Life To Live was 100% him. Eric had another song to which I wrote the lyrics to Side By Side with Luke at Eric’s mom’s house one evening. After that, Eric was in.

Around Christmas time, 1986, I was in Port Authority bus terminal (bridge and tunnel, all the way) and I saw this young (13?) skinhead kid I knew from Some Records named Chris. When I talked to him he told me he knew a kid who was a drummer looking for a band. This, of course, was Sammy. Ironically, Sammy had tried out for the Gorilla Biscuits recently, but they didn’t want him. And, to be fair, Sammy was 13, and he was not great at the beginning. But he was psyched, and he improved geometrically as we practiced and played out. So, Billy took on the bass and we had Side By Side’s first line-up.

Somewhere along the line we decided we wanted two guitars. Gavin was playing with the NY Hoods, and somehow we talked him into playing with us. He made it clear it was only temporary so he only played the first couple of shows. He recorded the demo with us (which was terrible) and Violence To Fade for the first Revelation compilation. He may have also been on the Dead Serious recording that wound up on one of the compilations.

I first met Alex at a Side by Side rehearsal at these studios on 14th St. He was tagging along with Ray Cappo, who for some reason came to our practice. We were losing Gavin, and Alex played guitar – so we asked him if he wanted to join. He was reluctant at first, if I remember correctly. But after he saw us play the Token Entry record release show, he was totally psyched about it. Alex was a great addition: he was like an encyclopedia of punk and hardcore. He had a big record collection and had many influences to draw inspiration from. We wrote Backfire and Living A Lie together in his apartment one afternoon. He was also an art student, so he designed the band "logo" and used to print up these cool stickers to throw out at the shows.


Alex, Billy and Jules with Side By Side at The Anthrax, Norwalk CT, Photo courtesy of: Jules

The Side By Side lifespan was short but accomplished - local live shows to kinds going bonkers, a Revelation EP, and a break-up before anyone stayed at the party too long. What were the highlights, and did you feel that you accomplished what you wanted to?


As I said before, the inclusiveness within the scene at that moment in time was what set it apart in my mind. So, my vision of Side By Side was to promote that. The scene was full of kids who did not accept the world they were handed, and made their own. This was what unified us, and I wanted to promote that message. The scene had its factions, but in my mind, our similarities far outweighed our differences. There were so few of us, we couldn’t afford to have sub, and sub-sub cultures. This is what the lyrics to the song Side by Side were all about. Did that message get across? I don’t know. A lot of very divisive stuff went down in '87 and '88 from which one can infer it did not. But I always thought if the message got across to just one kid, and it made him or her feel like they were not alone – then it was all worth it.

As far as highlights, there are too many to recount here but a few stand out:

Our first show at CB’s was pretty lame, we went on first and hardly anybody caught our set. In fact, the only two people I remember being there and humoring us were Nick (not English Nick, the other one) from YDL and Andrew Scum. At least Andrew knew the words to _ _ _ _ Your Attitude, which was the War Zone cover we did (FYI – right after this show, Raybeez got War Zone back together, so we stopped doing that song).

But the second time we played, it was the Token Entry record release party and the place was packed. The crowd was pretty receptive, but went berserk when we played Side By Side. When Billy played the bassline leading into the mosh/chorus/sing-along, the pit erupted onto the stage (which was really small at CB’s). I remember Eric looking at me like “what the _ _ _ _ is going on? What do we do?” We really didn’t expect anybody to be that into us. Big Charlie was bouncing, and he was up on stage making sure nothing got too out of hand, but he stayed off to the side. When we finished the song, Big Charlie said “play the theme song again! Play the theme song again!” We all looked at each other in utter disbelief. So we did an encore right away – and it was even more nuts. Eric freaking launched himself off the stage... with his guitar (I am sure someone got hurt on that one). And at one point I ended up on the dancefloor with a hundred people on top of me. The floor at CB’s was treacherous – there were nails sticking up and it was all rough and uneven. So here I am being crushed on that floor, the mike mashed into my face with me screaming into it “get the _ _ _ _ off!” I probably sounded like a little bitch through the PA... ah well. That show made us realize we could really do this band thing. After Alex saw that show, he was totally onboard.

Another show which stands out was one we played with YOT and GB in Lititz, Pennsylvania. Not so much for the show, but for the whole experience. We went out there in a van and RJ Vail’s (YOT "roadie") car. Lititz is a town tucked away deep in Amish farmland. So here we are, a bunch of insane bald city kids driving past horse drawn buggies listening to the Cro-Mags. Someone kept calling them “omelettes.” Anyway, we get there and it is a VFW hall that some kid (I forget his name) rented out, and then booked the show himself. We were early, and all three bands played “suicide” against a wall. Suicide is where you throw a tennis ball against the wall and whomever it heads toward has to catch it. If it comes to you and you get hit or drop it, then you had to run to the wall before the nearest person got the ball and chucked it at you as hard as they could.

The show ended pretty late, and over the PA we asked if there was a place we could stay in town. This one kid came up and said all of us could stay at his house – all three bands! Eric broke his foot or something during the show (or maybe playing suicide?). So he went to the ER, while everyone else went to this kid’s house. It was big – open plan living room with these high ceilings and exposed rafters. It turned out that the prior owner had committed suicide by hanging himself from those rafters. Most of the guys slept in that living room that night – and the next morning swore they heard screams in the night. The only screams I remember were from the current homeowner coming out at 2 a.m. yelling “shut the _ _ _ _ up!!!” to the guys in the living room who were still making a ton of noise.

Anyway, the kid’s mom cooked this big vegetarian meal for everybody. And later that evening I drove with the kid’s dad to pick up Eric, who was now on crutches. On the drive, I asked the dad why on earth he would open his home to us lunatics. He explained that his oldest daughter had a drug problem that was very hard on his family, so he was very supportive of his son’s involvement with straight edge. I couldn't help but wonder if this man would have been so accepting of us but for his bad experiences.

The next day all three bands went to Hershey Park. If memory serves, Luke and Porcell nearly got thrown out for trying to go upside down on the centrifuge. Sammy hated roller coasters, but we all made him go anyway. He ducked his head the whole time. Eric was hobbling around on his crutches, but he went on every ride. In terms of camaraderie, this was about the best road trip Side By Side ever did.

Then there was the “Shut Down” show...


Jules with Alone In A Crowd at The Anthrax, Photo courtesy of: Jules

Tony Adolescent - Punk Rock Dad

Tony and his family, Photo courtesy of: DadWagon

Nathan Thornburgh over at DadWagon did a cool interview with Tony from The Adolescents and hipped us to it. Check it out and follow the link - thanks Nathan! -Gordo DCXX

He’s not just the lead singer of the Adolescents, the legendary Orange County, California, punk rock band, he’s also a loving husband and father of three children: Mia, 14, Nico, 12, and Dario, 8. Now he’s featured alongside other punks-turned-dads, like Jim Lindberg of Pennywise and Ron Reyes of Black Flag, in the intimate new documentary “The Other F Word”. Tony Brandenburg, aka Tony Adolescent, sat down with DadWagon at South by Southwest last month in Austin–while his daughter Mia, 14, sat nearby–for a conversation about being a good father, surviving the death of a child, and why his seminal song “I Hate Children” doesn’t mean what you think it does.

Q. Thanks so much for speaking with us. Let me start with something that came up a lot in “The Other F Word”: What was your own childhood like?

My father left when I was very young, and my stepfather came with a lot of baggage. The role models that I sought out were my grandfather, and later on in my teen years, my friend Eddie Egan’s father, and [Adolescents bandmate] Steve Soto’s father. I studied these men: how they interacted with children, the way they were nonjudgmental with me. I had a lot of destructive tendencies back then. And these men, instead of berating me, they just did what they did so well, which was to be, you know, parents.

I learned first and foremost that men don’t walk away from their children. I feel very strongly about it to this day. You can dislike a spouse or partner, but it should never be at the expense of the relationship with the child, because the child needs that nurturing, that support...

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE INTERVIEW HERE:
http://www.dadwagon.com


The Adolescents

Jules - Side By Side / Alone In A Crowd DCXX Charity Auction for Japanese Relief ROUND 2

Terms & Conditions:

*All items from Jules' personal collection.
*Please read each individual record's description for specific details and condition.
*Bidding is to be made on individual records. This is not an auction for the whole batch.
*You can bid on multiple items, but a specific bid must be placed on each item.
*Bidding must be rounded to the dollar. No cents business.
* All sales final

*All records have a starting reserve price.
*All offers/bids must be sent to Gordo at bcjordan1@gmail.com, who is handling this for Jules.
*Offers/bids are not to be sent anywhere else, not in the comment section, not to Tim, not via Facebook, etc.
*Paypal is the only accepted method of payment.
*Do not bid if you are unable to pay at the time of auction close or if you cannot send funds via paypal.

*Bidders will be contacted ASAP privately via email from Gordo with the status of their bid and the current top bid.
*Re-bidding is allowed and encouraged.

*The bidding for these specific Round 1 items will close at 8am Eastern Standard Time on Friday April 8.
*At that time, the top 3 bidders will be contacted privately to place final bids over the next 24 hours.
*The final top bidder must be able to transfer funds via paypal to Gordo at bcjordan1@gmail.com within 48 hours of final close.

*All shipping & handling costs must be paid for additionally by BUYER, and this amount is not a part of the bid amount.
*All shipping & handling costs will be determined fairly between Gordo and buyer.
*Shipping & handling costs can be combined if multiple items are won by the same bidder.
*All items will be shipped via USPS to the buyer's liking.
*All proceeds will be transferred by Gordo to Jules for the purpose of final matched charitable contribution, doubling the total amount.
*Bidder/winner identities will not be disclosed.

*EVERY CENT GOES TO CHARITY FOR JAPANESE RELIEF. NOBODY IS MAKING A DIME ON ANY OF THIS.
*Questions, offers/bids - Gordo: bcjordan1@gmail.com

THANK YOU!!!
- Jules, Tim & Gordo


Revelation Records, "New York Hardcore The Way It Is" LP - Test Pressing - Comes in plain white LP jacket with 88561-8210- 7A and 7B, 4-18-88 written in pen on the upper corners of jacket. Vinyl is a bit dusty and appears to have some light scuffs, may need some cleaning. Reserve price $100


Revelation Records, "New York Hardcore The Way It Is" LP - Test Pressing label close up


Dag Nasty - "Can I Say" LP - has This Album is $5.00 postpaid from Dischord on it, lyric sheet included. Reserve price $20


Underdog - 7" - Blue vinyl, second pressing, lyric sheet included. Reserve price $30


Underdog - 7" back cover


Crippled Youth - "Join The Fight" 7" - Black vinyl, lyric sheet included. Reserve price $35


No For An Answer - "You Laugh" EP - Test pressing, with cover that opens at bottom and lyric sheet. Reserve price $75


Slapshot - "Same Mistake/Might Makes Right" 7" - Black vinyl. Reserve price $10


Token Entry - "Ready Or Not Here We Come" 7" - Lyric sheet included. Reserve price $30


Double Cross - "The Straight Edge" T Shirt - 1 Size XL and 1 Size SMALL left from this design that was originally printed in August of 2008, shortly after the launch of DCXX. These are the only two shirts left from this design and they will not be re-printed. No other sizes available. The is the front artwork show above. When bidding, please state which size you want, XL or SMALL. Reserve price $20


Double Cross - "The Straight Edge" back artwork