My Dad played a lot of Metal stuff when I was growing up (Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Metallica,) and my Mom was a bit of a rocker too, playing Pat Benatar and the Ramones. I can't even began to list all the bands and genres I was exposed to growing up. But Punk/Hardcore is the first thing I latched onto for myself. Mostly Punk stuff, Bad Religion, Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains, Black Flag, etc. The first Hardcore band I bought an album from was Strife. I'd had albums from the bands I mentioned above, but Strife, to me, was so different from the more punk influenced bands. AND, they were Straight Edge. I found bands in the Waco area (near where I grew up) that played Hardcore. I went to all the shows, bought demos, collected Flyers, shirts, drew their logos on everything. And the shows were a community. The person standing right next to you, whether you knew them or not was your best friend. People treated each other with respect. It was about expressing yourself, being true to who you are, and treating each other fairly. It didn't matter how you dressed, or who you listened to. It was about the music, and the community. THAT'S why I love this label. So many diverse bands, all of them with a common thread, artistic integrity. Integrity. THAT'S what is missing from so much music these days. Whether you're playing blast beats, or tapping keys on a keyboard, if you're pouring everything you are into it, THAT is what it's about, to me. Hardcore, at one time, described a small number of bands with a very specific sound. I love it now that there are so many diverse sounds in there. For example, at one end you have Converge. On the other end, you have somebody like Bitter End, or Bane. Different, and yet it's the same drive, and they share common musical ancestry. It's in my blood. It's in my lungs.

So we wear these words so proudly, they're permanently carved in the air we breathe.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2011 08:09PM by xBRADCOREx.

Good stuff, man.

- Garrett

From a young age i was exposed to punk as my dad would always play the uk punk band the stranglers.My dad was in a tribute band to them succseeding after his own band. at the age of about 5 all i remember was the RATTUS NORVICUS album being played throughout the house. when i got to the age of about 13-14 i began listening to bands such as metallica, Slayer etc etc. And then one day my bestfriend said to me '' Trash talk are playing in leeds''. I was a bit optimistic to go but i chose to go. I got there and it was the best experience of my life and I never regreted the descicion of going. so 11 years on from being 5 I now listen to TA TT and converge all on a daily basis. So yeah thats it a pretty much a thank you to my dad and the stranglers.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2012 07:11AM by Lewislikeshardcore.