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Showing posts with label black n blue productions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label black n blue productions. Show all posts
Just minutes ago, the great folks from BLACK N' BLUE PRODUCTIONS released the third batch of bands for the 2015 edition of the ultimate Hardcore music festival: THE BLACK N' BLUE BOWL! Below we have the updated lineup.
After an amazing concert festival in 2014 at The Well in Brooklyn, New York, the BNB Bowl returns to it's home in the New York City borough of Manhattan: Webster Hall! The two day event will be taking place on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday May 17, 2015.
Versión en Español:
Hace algunos minutos, nuestros amigos de BLACK N' BLUE PRODUCTIONS anunciaron el tercer grupo de bandas que formaran parte del festival de Hardcore mas importante de los Estados Unidos: ¡EL BLACK N' BLUE BOWL! Abajo les tenemos todas las bandas que ya han sido confirmadas.
Después de un excelente festival al aire libre en el 2014 en The Well en Brooklyn, Nueva York, el BNB Bowl regresa a su casa en la ciudad de Manhattan: ¡Webster Hall! El festival, el cual dura dos dias, se llevara a cabo el Sábado, 16 de Mayo y el Domingo, 17 de Mayo.
BLACK N’ BLUE BOWL 2015 - batch 3 (grupo 3):
- CANDIRIA
- MADBALL
- DAVE SMALLEY (performing songs by DAG NASTY & DOWN BY LAW)
- THE RIVAL MOB
- FURY OF FIVE
- DEVIL IN ME
- BOOZE & GLORY
BLACK N’ BLUE BOWL 2015 - batch 2 (grupo 2):
- SICK OF IT ALL
- TURNSTILE
- AGENTS OF MAN
- WISDOM IN CHAINS
- SUBURBAN SCUM
- HEAVY CHAINS
- MIZERY
BLACK N’ BLUE BOWL 2015 - batch 1 (grupo 1):
- CRUMBSUCKERS
- 100 DEMONS
- EXPIRE
- KING NINE
- BITTER END
- RUDE AWAKENING
- FREEDOM
Webster Hall:
125 East 11th Street
New York, NY 10003
All Ages (Para todas las edades)
The 2012 Black N' Blue Bowl will take place once again at Webster Hall (formerly known as The Ritz), in New York city on May 19th 2012.
The Lineup:
- RANCID
- SHEER TERROR
- A TRIBUTE TO RAYBEEZ (ft. members of Warzone & friends)
- YOUTH OF TODAY
- OUTBURST
- THE MOB
- DYS
- HAZEN STREET
- MINUS 1 (ft. Minus w/ members of Merauder)
- ROTTING OUT
- SUBURBAN SCUM
- FIRST BLOOD
- BORN FROM PAIN
- KING NINE
Tickets available online at: PitchforkNY.com and at the following locations;
Generation Records
210 Thompson Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 254-1100
NYHC Tattoo
127 Stanton Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 979-0350
Lotus Tattoo
291 W Main Street
Sayville, NY 11782
(631) 244-8288
YES YES YES! Rancid is the headliner of this year's Black N’ Blue Bowl 2012!
Rancid, along with Sheer Terror (the band released a very strong EP in 2011), Youth Of Today (allegedly their last show ever), Outburst, among other pioneers of the genre, will join forces on one of the most intense Hardcore Punk shows of the year.
The final line-up for this year’s mighty Black N’ Blue Bowl was announced tonight Tuesday March 13, on the East Village Radio show "Black N Blue Takeover".
Black N Blue Productions never ceases to impress year after year, with a roster of the most beloved Hardcore bands in existence, along with great young opening bands, plus special guests.
A very special tribute to Warzone’s Raybeez, one of New York Hardcore’s fallen heroes, will take place at this festival. The tribute will be a Warzone set done by the band’s remaining members, plus some of the NYHC all-stars.
As mentioned by Cuz Joe on the radio show, BN’B productiones were approached by Warzone members to have such tribute take place. No better event than the bowl, as it continues strong with another successful year.
The bowl will take place once again at Webster Hall (formerly known as The Ritz), in New York city on May 19th 2012.
The Lineup:
- RANCID
- SHEER TERROR
- A TRIBUTE TO RAYBEEZ (ft. members of Warzone & friends)
- YOUTH OF TODAY
- OUTBURST
- THE MOB
- DYS
- HAZEN STREET
- MINUS 1 (ft. Minus w/ members of Merauder)
- ROTTING OUT
- SUBURBAN SCUM
- FIRST BLOOD
- BORN FROM PAIN
- KING NINE
Tickets available online at: PitchforkNY.com and at the following locations;
Generation Records
210 Thompson Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 254-1100
NYHC Tattoo
127 Stanton Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 979-0350
Lotus Tattoo
291 W Main Street
Sayville, NY 11782
(631) 244-8288
Here is a couple of clips from last year’s bowl that sums up the energy, camaraderie, and all around great time the Black N’ Blue Bowl 2012 has to offer. DO NOT miss out!
Hardcore lives!
New York Hardcore Kings Madball, are ready to set off another hard-hitting year of real deal Hardcore! In 2011, the world witnessed the bands hostile takeover, as they literally took over the entire world via live performances that never cease to impress. And guess what? They are ready to do it all over again in 2012.
Tonight (January 20), in their hometown of New York City, Madball will be ringing in the NEW year with a one-off hometown show! The event will take place at The Gramercy Theatre in New York City! Joining Madball will be:
- Maximum Penalty
- Dead End Path
- Suburban Scum
- The Last Stand
The show will start at 7:00 PM, and it is only $16.00 (All Ages).
New York Hardcore Kings Madball, are ready to set off another hard-hitting year of real deal Hardcore! In 2011, the world witnessed the bands hostile takeover, as they literally took over the entire world via live performances that never cease to impress. And guess what? They are ready to do it all over again in 2012.
Black N' Blue Productions has announced that Madball will be ringing in the new year with a one-off hometown show! The event will take place on Friday, January 20th at The Gramercy Theatre in New York City! Joining Madball will be:
- Maximum Penalty
- Dead End Path
- Suburban Scum
- The Last Stand
The show will start at 7:00 PM, and it is only $16.00 (All Ages).
Saturday, May 28, 2011, will go down on history as one of the best days in New York Hardcore! The energy at Webster Hall for the 2011 Black N Blue Bowl (formerly the Superbowl of Hardcore) was goddamn electric from start to finish, and every band delivered a flawless set. It is great to see veterans of Hardcore like Gorilla Biscuits, Sick Of It All, Agnostic Front and Terror, inspire the younger bands to step their game up and not disappoint.
Right after a typical adrenalized set by Sick Of It All, the crowd needed a breather, and we needed a cold beer. As soon as we arrived at the bar, we ran into Freddy Cricien (Madball and Black N Blue Productions), and bought him a beer in token of our appreciation for everything he has done for New York Hardcore culture. Next thing you know, Agnostic Front raged onto the stage and demolished Webster Hall. The power provided by Roger Miret, Vinnie Stigma and the rest of the boys, is addicting and not for the weak-hearted. For their new song "A Mi Manera", which is part of their brand new album titled "My Life, My Way", Freddy Madball sang in Spanish with his step-brother Roger.
If anybody needs prove of why Agnostic Front is the most legendary NYHC band in history, all it takes is to see them perform any of their Hardcore anthems to 2,000 CRAZY fans and see how those fans react.
"On behalf of Agnostic Front and myself I want to thank everyone that came out to our show at the BNB Bowl! We had a great time in NYC!!!! NYHC killed it!!!! Also, a fantastic time and show at Punk Rock Bowling in Vegas alongside with our mate's Cock Sparrer!!!! Those where 2 great warm up shows for us! Europe here we come! Tour starts on June 25th! Cheers!" - Roger Miret AGNOSTIC FRONT tour-dates:
Prior to the 2011 Black N Blue Bowl we had the chance to chat with Vinnie Stigma (Agnostic Front), the ambassador of New York Hardcore, about what it meant to be co-headlining such a historic event!
We want to thank Agnostic Front, Jon Freeman (Freeman Promotions, and the Black N Blue Productions team.
There is no question that Agnostic Front changed the face of New York City Hardcore forever, actually they were one of the first bands that helped shape up the scene over 25 years ago, and to this very day they have been the ambassador's of NYHC. While you may think that at this point of their careers, they are sitting back and relaxing, the reality is that when it comes to Hardcore music the bands never stop writing music, performing all over the world, and flying the Hardcore flag with pride and joy.
With the release of their new album "My Life, My Way", Agnostic Front have proven again that they are untouchable and have plenty of fuel left in their musical arsenal. The record delivers the bands signature sound with more of a Punk Rock feel then their previous albums. This actually happened very organically, and the band didn't go against it. Produced by Freddy Madball and engineered by Erik Rutan from Hate Eternal, the vibe of the album reminds of their legendary album "Victim In Pain".
“After all is said and done we are amazed on how great our new record turned out! It’s by far our catchiest record to date and it’s going to make everyone want to sing along for sure. Freddy killed it on the production end, just capturing that hardcore vibe that only he can get out of AGNOSTIC FRONT. The boys all put nothing but passion into the songs, and Erik Rutan just dialed it all in to make AGNOSTIC FRONT sound as natural and as organic as ever. This one will definitely be a classic once it’s heard worldwide!” - Roger Miret
Track listing:
1) City Street 2) More Than a Memory 3) Us Against the World 4) My Life My Way 5) That’s Life 6) Self Pride 7) Until the Day I Die 8) Now and Forever 9) The Sacrifice 10 A Mi Manera 11) Your Worst Enemy 12) Empty Dreams 13) Time Has Come
The band is currently gearing up for a global takeover that will keep them busy for the next few years. They will also be part of the upcoming Black N Blue in New York City, which will take place on Saturday May 28, 2011. We recently had the chance to chat with Agnostic Front bassist Mike Gallo about the new album, their immediate future, and the state of the music industry. Here is what went down.
We want to thank Agnostic Front, Jon Freeman (Freeman Promotions, and the Black N Blue Productions team.
In 1986, the Hardcore music scene was on a decline and there was an urgent need for a fresh sounding band that not only possessed the attitude that is vital within the New York Hardcore scene, but that could potentially get Hardcore music back on track! Sick Of It All is the band that managed to keep the Hardcore train from derailing.
The band was formed in Queens, New York, when brothers Lou (singer) and Pete Koller (guitarist) recruited Armand Majidi (drums) and Rich Cipriano (bass) with the mission of creating fun music with a strong message. Soon after the band formed, they recorded a demo which eventually lead them to become part of the legendary Sunday afternoon matinees at CBGB's in New York City. Soon after they started gaining some local fans, the band recorded their self titled 7" record.
A few years later, Sick Of It All got signed to Relativity Records and recorded their first full-length record titled "Blood, Sweat and No Tears", which was released in 1989. In 1992, they released their second full length album titled "Just Look Around".
In 1993, things got very interesting for Sick Of It All. A vital move for the band was when their current bassist Craig Setari (formerly in Straight Ahead, Rest In Pieces, Youth of Today and Agnostic Front) replaced Rich Cipriano on bass. They also got their big break when major label EastWest Records offered them a record deal. The band inked the deal and soon after recorded "Scratch the Surface", this is also when they produced the music video for their epic anthem "Scratch the Surface". They eventually also recorded a video for "Step Down". Thanks to the success of "Scratch the Surface", the band was able to go on a worldwide tour for the first time in their careers.
In 1997, they released their revolutionary album "Built To Last", which to this day is considered one of the best records in Hardcore history. This record found the band exploring their musical style and blending some more Punk Rock music into their well crafted mix. This record features popular anthemic songs such as "Us vs. Them", "Busted" and "Good Lookin' Out".
The year after releasing "Built To Last", the band decided to leave EastWest Records and to ink a deal with Fat Wreck Chords (owned by Fat Mike of NOFX). Soon after switching labels, Sick Of It All released the single "Potential For A Fall", which they recorded a video for. In February of 1999, they released "Call To Arms".
At the turn of the century, the band switched gears sonically and recorded "Yours Truly". This album was not well received by many fans, even though great songs like "Blown Away", "The Bland Within", "District" and "America" were all tracks recorded for this record. Some believe that the cover art had to do with the nonacceptance of the fans.In 2001, Sick Of It all decided it was time to share their lives as touring musicians with their fans, and they released their first home video titled "The Story So Far". A year later, they released a live record which was part of the Fat Wreck Chords "Live In A Dive" series.
Their seventh studio album titled "Life on the Ropes" was released in 2003. The year later, they came out with an album titled "Outtakes for the Outcast" full of b-sides, covers, and rare tracks.
In 2005, Sick Of It All inked a deal with Abacus Recordings and recorded "Death To The Tyrants". A few years later, a tribute to Sick Of It All titled "Our Impact Will Be Felt" was recorded and released. The covers album features Bane, Bleeding Through, The Bouncing Souls, Ignite, Comeback Kid, Hatebreed, Himsa, Madball, Most Precious Blood, Napalm Death, Pennywise, Rise Against, Sepultura, Stretch Arm Strong, The Suicide Machines, Unearth, and Walls of Jericho. After reading this list, its safe to assume that Sick Of It All have crossed over through various Heavy Music genres and influenced a lot of artists.
Last year, they released "Based On A True Story" via Century Media. The album was very well received, and proved that Sick Of It All has plenty of fire left to burn. We were able to be part of their CD Release/Worldwide tour kickoff show in New York City and to interview Lou Koller. You can watch this video interview below.
Sick Of It All believe in being on top of the game at all times. After 25 years of nonstop madness, they haven't missed a beat and just like fine scotch, the more they age, the better and tighter they get. They proved this and more at their recent 25 Year Anniversary show at Webster Hall.
Here is an EXCLUSIVE video interview we did with Lou Koller, right after they got off stage!
Here is an OFFICIAL statement of the band following their 25th anniversary show:
"The NYC 25th anniversary show was a huge success! It was an awesome kick off for the 25 Years of Non-Stop Hardcore World Tour! First we are off to Eastern Europe with a stop in Russia, then Artefacts Festival w/ Dropkick Murphys & NOFX, a few Scandinavian shows w/ Devil's Brigade & Dropkick Murphys, on to Groezrock and Paaspop, a quick stop back home for the Black N Blue Bowl (featuring Gorilla Biscuits, Agnostic Front, Terror, Absolution and plenty more!) before heading back to Europe in June for Nova Rock, Hurricane & Southside Festivals as well as a show in Milan w/ System Of A Down. We'll finally round out the summer by heading down under with our old pals in Rise Against! We have a lot of catching up to do, so please make your way to the shows and help us ring in the last quarter century of nonstop hardcore!"
Last night we headed to the East Village Radio headquarters to interview Cuz Joe (Black N Blue Productions) and Vinny Stigma (Agnostic Front) about the upcoming "Black N Blue Bowl". The interview came out great and it will be online within the next few weeks, for now we have some exclusive updates which you can read below.
Before interviewing the two Hardcore ambassadors, we ran into Lou Koller of Sick Of It All who was there to promote their upcoming 25th anniversary show at Webster Hall. This very special show will take place on Saturday March 26th and it will feature live performances by Sick Of It All, Snapcase, Merauder and Razor Blade Hand Grenade. You can purchase tickets online by clicking here or at Mercury Lounge.
Since we are all about making people unite, we asked graffiti artist Joe Janaro to come with us and to bring his Sick Of It All painting for Lou and the Black N Blue crew to see it. The response was amazing, and it was real cool to see everyone recognizing Joe's talent.
What made this night very special was that we actually came across Joe after seeing a Sick Of It All graffiti (which you can see below) he had done years ago! We want to thank Lou from Sick Of It All and Cuz Joe for making Joe's dream come true!
Here are some updates about the Black N Blue Bowl:
- Lineup: Gorilla Biscuits, Agnostic Front, Terror, Absolution, Antidote, Maximum Penalty, Backtrack, Down To Nothing, Take Offense, No Turning Back, Bottom Out and a surprise special guest.
The Kings of New York Hardcore played a mean set at The Studio at Webster Hall on December 19th. The Hardcore titans celebrated the release of their latest offering “Empire” (released on October 10th), as part of the "East Coast Empire tour". Joining Madball were openers Incendiary, Lionheart and Bitter End. This was the last show of the tour.
As soon as Freddy Cricien, Hoya Roc, Mitts, and fill-in drummer Ben Dussault (ex-Throwdown) stepped on stage, the crowd went wild. The "kids" were hungry for some Hardcore, the real deal Hardcore that has been Madball's trademark since 1988. Madball performed a devastating set that had the whole floor shaking like an earthquake.
Despite of flaws from the sound guy at the beginning of the set, the action was non-stop. From the moment they kicked off their set with their classic song "Set It Off" (which you can view below), all the way to their classic staple shout "Hardcore Still Lives", Madball brought the beat-down. Freddy Madball and company know their roots and their fan base, proof of this is when they sing in Spanish, these tracks always sound the hardest! Just saying.
The new tracks from "Empire" were very well-received and had the audience singing and swinging hard, specially to "All or Nothing" (the band recently recorded a video for this song in Brooklyn), and "R.A.H.C. (Real American Hardcore)": an instant anthem that hopefully will stick to their already violently classic setlist.
Madball have nothing to prove at this point in their career. Their music and legacy speaks for itself. The bruisers live, and they won’t go out without a fight.
We want to thank Madball for so many years of amazing music, and for supporting Horns Up Rocks since day 1! Huge shout-out to Cuz Joe from Black N Blue Productions for putting this epic show together! \m/
Some of you might be familiar with the tremendous work that Built on Respect has done since its inception. Formed by art-culture personality Heidi Minx in 2008, the mission statement of this amazing foundation is: "Treating people with respect, and sewing the seeds of fairness creates solidarity."
As we all know there are a lot of places in the world where people are not treated fairly, but one place which stands out is the Tibetan region. For many years there has been a vast amount of people whose human rights have been completely violated, as a result many fled from Tibet and moved to India. This is what ultimately opened Heidi's eyes and why she decided to take matters into her own hands. In the past she volunteered in Haiti and most recently in India. Her important role as a humanitarian has been recognized by many people, including the Dalai Lama. Heidi singled handily saved a school at a Tibetan community, by teaching kids English and computer skills. What does this have to do with music, fashion and culture?
Well, Heidi is also part of the Hardcore production company known as "Black N Blue Productions", who for many years have been working on keeping the identity of Hardcore music intact. One of the philosophies behind Hardcore has been to help one another and stand up against social discrimination. This is why Heidi decided to reach out to different artists and together get the word out about the importance of Built on Respect. Recently, Heidi teamed up with Mike McColgan from Street Dogs who is also the former singer of the Dropkick Murphy's. Here is a video they put together in order to create social awareness about some very important matters.
At these years Black N Blue Bowl, Hardcore history was written thanks to the amazing lineup that the BNB Productions team assembled. As soon as I arrived at Webster Hall, the excitement was evident on the streets as kids were anxiously waiting for the controlled chaos to begin. Outside of the venue, we ran into Freddy and Hoya from Madball, Tim Williams from Vision Of Disorder, John Joseph from the Cro Mags, Lou Koller from Sick Of It All, Danny Diablo from Skarhead, Lars Frederiksen from Rancid, Paul Bearer from Sheer Terror, Jimmy Gestapo from Murphy's Law, and Cousin Joe from Black N Blue Productions.
Seeing all this VIP’s of the Hardcore scene in one place was surreal. After all, one of the first things I learned about New York culture was the music created by those who are part of the New York Hardcore family. I can honestly say that this form of music has been a huge part of my life since I was 16; it has definitely helped shape me as an open minded individual. And as much respect as I have for other musical scenes, the bond between the bands and the fans that are part of the New York Hard Core family is incomparable. Let me tell you about what went on at the old Ritz.
Incendiary had the honor of being the first band to step on stage with enough fuel to burn the place down and the kids got right into the flames. Then the BNB Bowl continued to explode with H8 Inc. from Detroit, who made themselves right at home as the global audience present at Webster Hall welcomed them with their fists in the air.
Next up on this Hardcore party, was the band Sand from Japan who are also known as Asia’s masters of breakdowns. These guys impressed the hell out of the audience with their great energy, wild stage presence and most importantly their killer songs. I had the chance to speak with their lead singer Makoto (through an interpreter) and he mentioned that New York Hardcore has been instrumental in the Japanese Hardcore movement. He also mentioned that when Madball was in Japan, Freddy Cricien from Madball promised them that if they made it to the US; he would make sure they played at the BNB Bowl.
Minutes after Sand left everyone sweating profusely, Cruel Hand shook the venue with a fast driven, energetic set: a set that was not for the weak hearted. Next up the surprise of the night: Wisdom In Chains. A band with phenomenal stage presence and with a very tight dynamic sound, as a result the kids went ape shit. I spoke with singer Mad Joe Black right after the band finished their set and he was drenched in adrenaline and absolutely stoked! Then it was time for Trapped Under Ice, who had a rough time following the energetic set that Wisdom In Chains had just completed.
Around 7 PM Supertouch (the night’s special guest) took over center stage, and continued getting the crowd riled up for what was about to unfold. Supertouch were well received by most of the crowd, but some attendees were expecting a lot more from this band. I think the crowd was expecting a special guest of more caliber like Agnostic Front or Sick Of It All.
Then Webster Hall turned into a party of semi-controlled mayhem. The venue was grooving as soon as Skarhead stepped on stage. I had never seen them live, but was aware that they shoot lethal doses of energy into the crowd with their powerful music and stage antics. By the time Skarhead finished their set, everyone was bruised up.
As the night was winding down and some were starting to get tired, Toby and his band H20 charged up everyone’s batteries. It is hard to find a band with the energy of H20, and as a result hundreds of kids kept coming on stage and making their way back into the crowd. It was the Hardcore Olympics!
Soon after H2O finished their exploding set, Yuppicide made their comeback after 12 years of silence. And they made sure that it was felt by all of the Black N Blue Bowl attendees. From the moment they jumped on stage, it was clear that they were absolutely ready to get the crowd stomping and that the band was very excited to be back in front of such a great crowd.
Finally it was time for one of my favorite bands of all time, the mighty Madball, to get on stage and set it off! These guys never cease to blow minds away and they sounded tighter than ever with the addition of their new drummer Jay Weinberg (Max Weinberg’s son). There was not one person standing still or sitting down during their vulgar display of true street Hardcore. I had a chance to talk to Freddy and Hoya, and they said they are making sure that the next Madball album leaves a worldwide mark! Concluding the night of Hard Core mayhem, the legendary Cro Mags proofed why they are one of the most influential Hardcore bands in history. From the moment they ran on stage, it was nonstop insanity. John Joseph’s vocals sounded crisp and one thing that impressed me is that the entire band knew exactly how to feed the crowd some adrenaline, when some were getting tired. All in all, it was a fantastic day in which fans from all over the world came to have a great time. There were no major problems and the venue (which was sold out) was very happy with the results. Black N Blue 2010 was an absolute success, and it looks like it will happen again next year, at Webster Hall. Congratulations to the entire Black N Blue family for putting together one of the best shows, if not the best show, of the year! And the fact that there were people from Europe, Scandinavia, Latin America, Asia and even Australia, is proof that New York Hardcore is now Worldwide Hardcore. ARTIST QUOTES: Freddy Cricien (Madball): "Thank you to everyone who supported our event. Whether you were performing or observing, you were part of a historic night.. They'll be more to come!"
John Joseph (Cro Mags):
"It was great to play in front of so many different kinds of people, to me that is the concept behind Hardcore music. I want to thank Freddy and the rest of the Black N Blue team, for putting together such a great show. We had so much fun and that is thanks to what the crowd was feeding to us. This show will be talked about for months to come. And to think that it was all started by the Bad Brains, who couldn't find a place to play back in DC and ended up in New York. Who would have thought that on times were segregation was evident, that a group of African Americans would make such an impact and help give birth to the New York Hardcore scene."
When I think about what brought me to New York, the first thing that comes to my mind is New York Hard Core. Growing up in Colombia in the mid 90's, back when Pablo Escobar and crew controlled the country through acts of violence. I experienced lots of hardship by watching my own country, become the country of fear. I was around 15 years old when I first heard downset, I know downset are from LA but once I was hooked on the Hard Core movement, I started to listen to New York Hard Core through bands like Sick Of It All, Madball, Agnostic Front, Biohazard, Vision of Disorder and a whole bunch of other bands (mostly through mix tapes).
The Hard Core movement soon became an outlet to a lot of us in Colombia, to the point that a lot of Hard Core bands started to emerge in Colombia. One of those bands was Raiz, who are considered one of the top Hard Core bands to ever come from Colombia. Once Hard Core became part of my life I realized that it was not just a genre of music, it was a family unit! I would go to a show and I would always run into the same crew. And even though we didn't know each other personally, we would always talk about Hard Core, the violent times in Colombia, and share a drink or two or three.
In 1997 I came to visit New York City for the first time and one of the first places I visited was the New York Hard Core mecca: CBGB's. As soon as I stepped inside the bar, the old smell of beer, the darkness of the place and the punk rock vibe had me hooked on the New York Hard Core culture. From that moment on I knew I had to live in New York City one day.
In 1999 I went to the Dynamo Open Air festival in Eindhoven, Holland. The three day weekend was packed with killer acts such as Metallica, Fear Factory, Biohazard, Madball and a bunch of other bands. On the last day of the festival at the main stage, the mighty Biohazard became the first New York Hard Core band I ever saw on live. This same day was the first time that I experienced a full blown circle pit. Then is when I knew that Hard Core was going to be part of my life forever.
Fast forward to 2004, when after driving for 6 hours from upstate New York, I finally arrived in New York Hard Core City. Soon after, I started going to Hard Core shows and realized that it was a very eclectic musical style. I also realized that the same fraternity I experienced in Colombia at Hard Core shows, also existed in New York and it was even stronger. By then Hard Core had become a worldwide musical form and bands like Sick Of It All, Agnostic Front, Madball and Biohazard were playing shows all over the world.
Today, when I tell people that I like Hard Core, they look at me funny or try to convince me that Hard Core is dead. All I got to say is that if Hard Core is really dead, then why are all the top New York Hard Core bands still around? Agnostic Front are still crushing, Sick Of It All just released one of the best records of their career, Cro Mags are still going strong, Madball is working on a new record and playing shows constantly and the same goes with Biohazard and a ton of other legendary bands.
I think it often happens that once a person switches from one musical style to another, they try to undermine the previous style they liked and those who keep it real by sticking to their guns and not falling victims of musical trends. All this is fine with me and I respect it, but it clearly means that they don't understand what Hard Core really is. I personally did not start listening to Hard Core so I could become part of a crew, or to act tough. Hard Core became an outlet of aggression and suffering that has played a huge role in my life.
And yes I like Metal, Hard Rock, Punk Rock, Alternative Music and various other musical styles. I consider myself an open minded person that listens to a particular musical style because it moves me and not because it is the hot trend to follow. I am way too old for that bullshit! When I started this whole movement called Horns Up Rocks one of my goals was to teach all the narrow minded music fans, that there are plenty of other musical styles that are worth considering and respecting. I also decided to give Hard Core the respect it deserves. Tomorrow, when I am covering the Black N Blue Bowl (Super Bowl of Hard Core) it will all make sense to me. I predict a packed house, with Hard Core fans from all over the country with the same goal in mind: pay homage to all the bands that will be performing and have the time of our lives. Just remember that HARD CORE STILL LIVES!
I had the honor of interviewing both Freddy Madball and Cousin Joe, right by East Village Radio after their weekly "Black N Blue Takeover" radio show and we talked about Hard Core and the upcoming "Black N Blue" Bowl.
You can check it out right here!
In case you have been living in a shell for the last 20 plus years, you should know that New York Hard Core takes the trophy for being the realest musical scene in the world. It's more than a scene, it's a family. Proof of this is Black N Blue Productions, which is THE Hard Core production company! Lead by Freddy Cricien from NYHC legends Madball and Cousin Joe, Black N Blue is all about spreading the word about underground music on a global scale. Simply put, if it wasn't for Black N Blue Productions, Hard Core music would not be as impacting as it is today.
On May 15th, 2010 history will be made as Black N Blue productions presents "The Black N Blue Bowl", formerly known as "The Super Bowl of Hard Core". I had the honor of interviewing both Freddy Madball and Cousin Joe, right by East Village Radio after their weekly "Black N Blue Takeover" radio show and we talked about Hard Core and the upcoming "Black N Blue" Bowl. You can check it out right here!
Who is playing? CRO-MAGS MADBALL SKARHEAD H2O YUPPICIDE WISDOM IN CHAINS TRAPPED UNDER ICE H8 INC. CRUEL HAND And more to come!
Special guest will be announced on Tuesday May 4th on the "Black N Blue Takeover" on East Village Radio, tune in from 8-10 PM!
Where and when is this happening? Webster Hall in New York City: 125 E. 11th ST. between 3rd and 4th Ave. (That's right, they brought the biggest Hard Core show of the year back to the city!) SATURDAY MAY 15, 2010 DOORS OPEN AT 2PM ALL AGES $25 in advance $30 day of the show Tickets are going fast so buy yours now!
Tickets also available at NYHC Tattoos, Brooklyn Monster Factory, and Generation Records
Disposable Cameras Only!!! ****TICKETS ORDERED THROUGH PITCHFORKNY.COM ARE WILL CALL - THEY WILL NOT BE MAILED OUT**** *****PLEASE BRING VALID ID AND PAYPAL RECEIPT TO THE SHOW*****
Lets make this show go into the history books!!! See you there!
Check out the exclusive interview with the Black N Blue Productions team:
On St. Patrick’s Day 2010, I took the crazy train to Brooklyn and ended up at The Trash Bar, where I experienced one of the best parties I’ve ever been to. Now, I’ve been to some killer parties, but this one had a few special ingredients: Murphy’s Law, the New York Hard Core crew, the legendary Jimmy Gestapo, and a packed house! What went down was history in the making. I had been told so many times by my friends Chris and Greasy that I should go see a Murphy’s Law show, because they are an amazing band and they party like no other. So I was very pleased that all those rumors proved true.
I had a chance to steal Jimmy Gestapo and Raven from Murphy’s Law away from the center of the party and here is what went down.
HU: What’s up New York? What’s up the whole world?
Jimmy Gestapo: Chaos tonight!
HU: Yeah! We are at The Trash Bar. I am here with two of the members of Murphy’s Law. I got to be honest with you; it is the first time I’ve seen Murphy’s Law live, believe it or not. But all my friends where always like: “Yo, you got to go see them!”
Jimmy: Tonight?! Oh man! Dude! Fuck!
HU: Tonight, was my first night.
Jimmy: The cops here tonight, the cops love me... Firemen were here…
Roadie: What’s up? What are these?
Jimmy: Those are my le, le, le, le, lady, le, le… Nah, that is just the way a Murphy’s Law show goes. Just family!
HU: Amazing! Honestly, all my friends where always selling it to me but this was the proof of it. Dude! In case you are wondering who this is. It is Jimmy Gestapo. I mean you do not need an introduction… New York Hard Core legend, punk legend… And I liked what you said before, because it’s something similar to what I am going for. You joined the hard core and Punk scenes with Black N Blue Productions, and also by doing different things.
Jimmy: It changed from what it was. The crew that was started out when we where kids, it’s a different thing. Now with Black N Blue Productions we put out shows, we do security for shows, we stop problems at shows. But that is what that is.
HU: And of course Murphy’s Law is nothing new. You said almost 30 years? When is the anniversary?
Jimmy: 25? On New Years Eve! 25, yeah? 26 years?
Raven: Yeah.
Jimmy: Raven has been with me in the band the whole time.
Raven: The funny thing about it was that Jimmy saw me playing with another band called The Stimulators. And Harley Flanagan (co-founder of the Cro Mags), you know who Harley is, was playing drums and at the time he was like fourteen. Jimmy saw this; I was completely jazzed by the idea of having a band. That’s how we hooked up all those years ago.
Jimmy: Raven played in a band called the The Stimulators and it was like the first punk rock hard core band. And then him and I became friends. And we have been on tour together as friends and family forever man.
Raven: Yeah.
Jimmy: He is an amazing horn player. I chose to have horns in the band from like X Ray Spex and stuff like that. Punk rock bands are like metal based. But my band and my friends’ band is based on punk rock, ska, hard core… punk rock! Really. (Laughter.)
HU: It is a great jam. I mean, honestly.
Jimmy: Nothing to do with metal though.
HU: One thing that is amazing about you guys is that you persevered for so long and you have never compromised your music. You have been doing your own style, you created your own thing. And that is something that whoever does not appreciate that, does not know anything about fucking music.
Jimmy: As you saw with the cops rolling on me about some guy… street shit still happens and kids still take my back. I am big, very big. And that is why I said tonight, I was like: “Do I need a gun?” And everyone raised their hands and said no! And that is what I told the cop. I was like: “I do not need a gun.” I laughed at the cop. I was like: “Do you understand that if I have a problem here everybody has my back?” He is like: “There’s a lot of kids here.” I was like: “Yeah, all those kids are all my bullets. They are my family. They are my friends.” And the only reason they take my back is if somebody… like the creep that called them, calls them. It was really kind of weird but it was enlightening for the cops and for myself tonight. What’s so cool is that it still happens though. Street shit.
HU: Exactly dude. That is how it has been since you have been around.
Jimmy: Yeah.
HU: Tell me Jimmy. What did you grow up listening to?
Jimmy: Sex Pistols, Stimulators, SVT Jack Casady, The Heartbreakers, Iggy and the Stooges… I grew up with punk rock. The Saints. You know? But now a lot of bands are very generic.
HU: And dude, when you started getting involved in the New York Hard Core scene, it was such a small thing.
Jimmy: We started the New York Hard Core scene! (Laughter). There was no hard core scene; there was a punk rock scene.
HU: And look what it is now. And I mean you are one of the ambassadors.
Jimmy: It is an international thing. It is crazy!
HU: It is amazing.
Jimmy: It is crazy, but it is cool man! (Laughter.)
HU: It is awesome when you see fucking hard core in Japan, in Australia…
Jimmy: That is where hard core is. Hard core is in Brazil, in Puerto Rico, in Cuba and Colombia where I am going. Its working class kids, kids that work… may be punk rock or hard core. Its still working class, just like all the kids that listen to what we listen to... even if they do not like hard core, punk rock, whatever… I am 44, they all work man. Its all working class kids, all kids that struggle. It is not a rich kids thing, its not like disco. It is not like Gaga! Like Lady Gaga.
HU: (Laughter). Everybody keeps mentioning Lady Gaga.
Jimmy: Lady Gaga is awesome! She used to be a punk rock girl.
HU: Yeah, she is doing her own thing. You know what I am saying?
Jimmy: Ahhh, she is punk rock!
(Roadie hands a bottle of Jagermeister to Jimmy)
HU: There you go! Cheers! Ohhh what?! He gives you an empty bottle?
Jimmy: Yeah, we use it as a cowbell usually.
HU: Dude, I was thinking… I never have seen a band drink like this on stage since Pantera man.
Jimmy: Pantera?
HU: Since fucking Pantera!
Jimmy: Pantera? No we are not talking about that…
HU: No, raging the way you guys do. It is like fucking mayhem, the booze was everywhere!
Jimmy: Pantera. Phil does his own thing man. COC, Down… those are my people man! But Pantera, they do not do it like hard core and punk rock man. They never supported a band like that. There are other bands that try to get down with our family now. Too late man… Too late!
HU: Right. The foundations are laid down.
Jimmy: Yeah. The relation is already laid down. Too late man, you know?
HU: And you mentioned you are going to Colombia. I am personally from Colombia.
Jimmy: Cool!
HU: One of the things that brought me to New York was hard core. I was listening to Madball, Sick of It All…
Jimmy: It is an honor to me but I am not in Madball. Madball has got a label, Madball is… Freddy is my brother but Madball is huge man! The people from Colombia reached out to me to play and I was like: “Wow! Holy shit!” Real cool!
HU: When is that happening?
Jimmy: July 4th! (Laughter).
HU: (Laugher).
Jimmy: Independence Day in America, Independence Day for Jimmy Gestapo in Colombia.
HU: Amazing! And have you been to Colombia before?
Jimmy: No! I cannot wait to try the coffee… (Laughter).
HU: The coffee, the women bro…
Jimmy: (Laughter). I cannot wait to just go to Colombia man. You know? Murphy’s Law never had a label or anything. I played Japan. I played Japan like 32 shows, not 9 shows. So its my friends, I cannot believe what my life has become. But I still work every day. I do carpentry and stuff with a bunch of punk rock guys. You know, my life is a two way street.
HU: Right, you are promoting shows with Black N Blue constantly.
Jimmy: Working class motherfucker. Working class right to the police.
HU: I mean you never stop... You guys have been doing Black N Blue productions for how long already?
Jimmy: Black N Blue? I have been in Black N Blue for 20 years.
Roadie: We had a really great night tonight and nobody is cooler than Jimmy!
HU: (Laughter). There he goes.
Roadie: So fuck yourself!
Jimmy: Thank you man!
HU: Hellyeah man!
Jimmy: Thank you bro!
Those where the true words of a man who cares about his family and his friends, beyond it all, which ultimately is the whole concept behind the New York Hard Core crew. Many misunderstand it, many are jealous of the camaraderie that exists within the crew. Regardless of where you stand, the music that Jimmy Gestapo has created with his band Murphy’s Law is timeless and do not even think they are going to finish their extensive career anytime soon.
It was announced by Cuz Joe from Black N Blue Productions that the band is working on a brand new record! According to Jimmy, the album (which will be released by I Scream Records) is in the works, with no release date yet.
After seeing Murphy’s Law take over The Trash Bar in Brooklyn and proving that New York Hard core is alive and well, all I can say is that whoever questions the musical power that has existed in New York for such a long time, does not know anything about art of music.
Here is a live clip of Murphy's Law doing their classic "Panty Raid" on St. Patrick's Day!
Prior to the 2011 Black N Blue Bowl we had the chance to chat with Vinnie Stigma (Agnostic Front), the ambassador of New York Hardcore, about what it meant to be co-headlining such a historic event!
