Some Hardcore Punk Show Flyers & Some Ruminations--

Old flyer from NA Detroit, MI.  NEGATIVE APPROACH were always one of my favorite bands! Not just because they are from out here in Little Detroit, but because they were so powerful, and one of the originators of the hardcore punk scene! They kind of re-formed a few years ago, playing the big Touch & Go Records anniversary show in Chicago. Apparently that went so well that they decided to play a big show here are St. Andrew's Hall. I missed that one, forgot why. Anyhow they have been playing regularly for the past couple of years now. Tours all over the United States, weekends out, various hardcore fests (including the almighty 'This Is Hardcore Fest' (TIH) in Philly last year & then again this year. Their earlier reunion shows had the original drummer along with Brannon of course & the two guys from John's other band, EASY ACTION, Harold & someone on bass. But now the original drummer from the early 80's is no longer playing with them. Oh well. I have yet to see them. I've watched a shit ton of videos of them and they are hit or miss. Brannon does NOT sing most of the lyrics. He just barks & growls. Also, I think he is scared of all the kids stage diving & piling on top of him! Haha, seriously, watch some of the videos for yourself. But I suppose being in your mid 50's, it can be intimidating to have tons of 17-30 yr olds jumping on you. It's not the same scene it was back in '82 & in some ways it's more physical & aggressive. Though we no longer have tons of spikes & metal on our clothing, nor are we clad in heavy combat boots. That's a plus for stage diving, moshing, and piling on. It is what it is. The music is good, that's what REALLY matters.
Now what I really wanna see would be a LAUGHING HYENAS reunion! THEY are my favorite band that Brannon's fronted! Sadly, Larissa Strickland passed away several years ago, down in FL. The cause of her death wasn't made public, but I'll go ahead and say I'm pretty sure it had something to do with heroin, opiate pills, or other drugs. I did hear a rumor--from a reliable source--that she died from a pill overdose. R.I.P. Larissa.  Since she is dead, a LAUGHING HYENAS reunion is highly unlikely to happen.

Great show! I was in Chicago and saw this show at the Fireside. SNAPCASE couldn't make it due to an unforeseen emergency of some type. I sat & talked with Dr. Dan from LIFETIME for a bit. My 23rd birthday was a couple days before this (Aug. 19 for anyone who wants to send me stuff!!!) and after this show my friend Marshall, whom I was staying with, & I were going out drinking. Dr. Dan (I just like saying doctor....he does have his Ph.D. after all) isn't & has never been, straightedge. Though so many people thought of LIFETIME as a straightedge band, due to their fanbase and record label (New Age Records). So I didn't feel wird talking to him about drinking. I vividly remember him telling me to, "be safe & have fun." LOL! Great advice, of course. 
I really loved & still love, LIFETIME! Such an incredible band, so much positive energy, uplifting lyrics, and really nice guys. I first met them in--I think--'92 here in Ann Arbor. They were on tour with The BOUNCING SOULS (who were OPENING for LIFETIME!!! My how things have shifted!) and had a day off. I was downtown, I think on a Sunday, and i saw a group of clean cut straightedge kids walking around with a group of ragged punk rockers & skinheads! It seemed like an awkward mix, just because that's they way things were back then. So I approached them to say hello & introduce myself.  They were all super cool & LIFETIME sold me a vinyl copy of "Background" & a cool as hell t-shirt.  BOUNCING SOULS only had a demo tape out at that time called, "What Doesn't Kill Us Makes Us Stronger", so I bought one. They gave me some stickers that I put on my coffee table at our party house. that table was covered in several layers of band stickers and it followed me from house to house for a decade or more!  Anyhow, I hadn't really heard either band before, but since they were on tour I figured I would support them by buying some merch. i remember getting home and putting "Background" on the record player---DAMN!!! I was blown away! That is when I fell in love with LIFETIME! Seems like they were the hottest hardcore band in the straightedge scene at the time!  Well, that's one of my LIFETIME stories. I have a few more that I'll write about sometime.

UP IN ARMS were awesome!  Their demo tape is a hundred times better than the CD they made!
When they played Chicago Fest in '99, EVERYONE in the room was blown away by how hard they played.  I was stunned, and it takes a lot to stun ME!!!

MAZINGA, my best friend Marc McFinn's band. Check them out, if you're a fan of MISFITS, NAKED RAYGUN, The STOOGES, MC5, old Detroit sounding rock-n-roll (and who ISN'T?)!!!  The "club" where this show took place, is an all ages, non-profit volunteer run joint. It's meant primarily for kids under 18, a place to hang out & stay sober & out of trouble. They have bands play quite often there, usually a "battle of the bands" type thingy. But every once in awhile a punk or hardcore show, with older kids, gets snuck on the calendar. interestingly a few (several?) years ago I got to see The EVENS, Ian Mackaye's newest band play there. There was a cool q & a afterwards. Fun times.

I did not go to this show.