Tags Matching: connecticut

Cornerstone

By b. murphy | Published 05/11/2010

When I think of Cornerstone, I think of Fastbreaks older brother. But that’s my generation. Older heads probably think about a youth crew band that kept the spirit alive in Connecticut post Wide Awake / Up Front. Younger kids … well, younger kids are probably just scratching their heads. They’ve probably never even heard Beating The Masses. Which is unfortunate. I’d wager most would recognize the cover art. Sadly, I feel like I see this gatefold lp in most record bins I dig through.

As for the hood, I’d also guess this one has Lost & Found written all over it. I know, no wizard sleeves, but the color and font bear a striking resemblance to that split EP with Unit Pride.

Or is that just me? Any Lost & Found “fans” want to clue me on this one? Or Toby, if you are out there, fill us in.

Floorpunch Windbreaker

By b. murphy | Published 03/19/2010

The running joke used to be that “Europe AND Connecticut were 5-6 years behind everyone else.” I can’t vouch for Europe, but I’ve been to many shows in CT. During the late 90s, it seemed like kids in CT still thought it was 1993. So many striped shirts, big beads and jncos. Almost like those japanese ww2 warriors who never heard the war was over.

This jacket brings it back to the late 90s. And oddly, it was only sold in Europe. I’m just not sure how well these would sell currently in the US. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe they’d sell like hotcakes. Granted, anything with the Floorpunch branding sells like hotcakes.

If you don’t live in Europe, and you feel like restarting a trend, I suggest snagging this jacket. You can’t really go wrong with this design. Shout out to CDaily!

Hatebreed Smorgasbord

By jbil | Published 01/29/2010

You get the best of both worlds with this shirt. The posi vibes of Smorgasbord Records with the Negi moshing of Hatebreed. What a great combo! What about the “under the knife” ep?!? You cannot honestly say you dont like that record in all its distorted guitar glory. Impossible. Some of the best riots I have ever been to have been at Hatebreed shows. One of my favorite shows/Riots was at Fat Cats in Springfield,MA. This was shortly after they signed to a major and began playing Ozzfest and whatnot so they were fairly big. They played a New Years Day show under the “A Call for Blood”. Still a pretty packed show. I rolled up with Ed Heley, Geoff, and Dave Murphy. Solid Crew. sat through opening bands. HB went on and played a set of the demo, under the knife ep, and Satisfaction lp IN ORDER!!!! mind = blown. TONS of stagediving was had. They didnt end the set because in typical great HB show tradition there was a giant fight which escalated into riot involving HB band members and security! I have been searching for a vid of this show FOREVER!!!!
“I see your life slipping away / you brought it on yourself”

Fastbreak Whenever You’re Ready Rare Tee

By b. murphy | Published 01/05/2010

The coolest thing about this shirt is that it is on black instead of the usual navy blue. Rev dumped a ton of these out (it felt like) on navy. You know I hate navy tees. But this one is a rare BLACK tee. That’s cool.

The rest, not as cool. This album was such a drag. I mean, like the seller, I enjoyed it. But I could only find enjoyment when I told myself it was “another band named Fastbreak.” You know. Like how there were two bands named Outburst. The original was obviously awesome, and the second band was sooooooo bad.

Music Is My Girlfriend. I can hang. But when you see Pat Fastbreak telling people to “get sexy,” the magic is a little lost.

If this stays low enough, I may just scoop it up.

Cash Rules Everything Around Me – C.R.E.A.M.

By b. murphy | Published 01/01/2010

Make money, money, money, make money, make money.

Sometimes you just got to flaunt it.

I don’t have any of this money, but I wouldn’t mind having some.

Deez Nuts? Funny name.

I like that the serial number begins with CT. Connecticut brotherhood.

Youth Of Today Youth Crew 99 Tee

By b. murphy | Published 12/31/2009

I remember A TON of hype surrounding this show, for obvious reasons. But I could not be bothered with it. Not sure why, it just didn’t seem like something I wanted to support.

It’s strange because I definitely supported Underdog in 98 and then later, Bold in 2004, … a bunch of reunions. But something about Youth Of Today was special to me, and I couldn’t find myself supporting this event.

Two gigs in two nights. I stayed home. Actually, most of the Worcester crew stayed home, as I recall. Oddly enough, to this day, I don’t regret not going.

Fastbreak Where It Lies Demo Tape

By b. murphy | Published 12/09/2009

I love this little tape. It’s obviously a time and place piece because the actual contents of the tape are pretty terrible. So terrible that Fastbreak GAVE them away to whoever would take them. They were intended as a pre-cursor to some long delayed vinyl, but the tape mastering wasn’t done so hotly.

I got mine at the Yuletide Jam in Hagerstown, MD. I happened to hit the road for the weekend with Bane. Just a cool little weekend with Bane and Ten Yard Fight. December 1997. It turned out to be one of the coolest weekends ever.

The first gig was in New Hampshire on Friday night. Cold ass gig. Weird show (obviously, it was New Hampshire after all). But a good start to the weekend. Then back to Worcester for hanging.

Next day was a trip to New Brunswick NJ. I bet I’ve told this story a million times, but you’re going to read it again.

We hit up some burrito joint in New Brunswick before the Melody Bar gig. Most everyone was veg or vegan, and most of us were happily enjoying our food. Suddenly, LaCroix gets super upset. He busts over to the cash register and slams his burrito down on the counter. “Is this chicken? You put chicken in my burrito! I’ve been vegetarian for XXX years …” He was going off. He then went to the restroom where he proceeded to throw up the chicken, or so he told us. Good times. Great gig too. Tons of bro moshing. I can clearly recall Ben Cummings, Tre and possibly AJ moshing with their arms around each others shoulders. Great gigging.

That night we drove to DC. Some of the dudes stayed at crazy houses, some of us stayed at Jon Hennessee’s house. Jon’s house was MAD chill. The next day Neumann TRIED to buy a 40oz for his friend’s 40 collection. No go. His out of state id was not accepted. So ridiculous.

The Hagerstown gig was insane. Literally, insane. Best freaking line up. Fastbreak, Bane, Ten Yard Fight, mother fucking Floorpunch, Rain On The Parade … So many excellent bands. This is the gig where Fastbreak handed out most of these tapes. Excellent times.

Hatebreed OG Wind Breaker

By b. murphy | Published 12/01/2009

Here’s the story of the first time I went to see Hatebreed.

It was a show in Portland Maine at Zootz. I had to borrow my step father’s Ford Explorer to drive into the “big city.” I babied his car. I didn’t want him to have any reason to not let me go back there ever again.

If you ever went to Zootz, you may recall the sketchy parking lot that was next door to Zootz. It was down this alley and was semi-behind Zootz. You had to squeeze down this alley and then squeeze through a narrow metal “bridge” to the lot. I wanted to park OFF the street in order to keep the car “safer.” Of course, I ended up not being able to make that sketchy corner and left a good 3″ long scratch in the side of my step-father’s car. OOOOOFFFFFF

Then in the gig, it was smokey as shit. I had just made the switch from glasses to contacts that day, and the smoke killed me. At one point during Hatebreed, one of my contacts popped out, but somehow, magically, I managed to catch it. No idea how. Magic.

At this gig, especially in Maine, the way to dance was to create a huge circle, where one dude would get in the middle and show off his fancy ninja skills. Lots of kicking, spinning and the like. I recall specifically one dude getting in “the pit” with a broken arm. He was in cast and was literally killing people with it. Punching the crowd. Kicking and spinning. It was wild.

Great show. I was definitely stoked on it.