Will the 90s end up like the 80s? In ten years will kids be kicking massive raver pants, fat necklaces and oversized tshirts? All I know is 10 years ago I never would have thought girls would be wearing leg warmers again (and looking SO FIIIIIIIIINE MMM-MMMM-MMMMMM). So in order to be prepared I have refused to throw out, use as washcloth, or hand down any of my extra-large hardcore shirts. So my outspoken shirt goes halfway down to my knees (how did I ever wear this in the first place?!) - in 2012 I'll be the baddest old school (35 yr old) kid on the block!
So this fashion introduction is the backdrop to those in To The Lions, all of whom getting their start in the punk/hc scene in the early/mid 90s. I remember hearing GB and Bad Brains in the spring of '92 while visiting a friend in California. I'd like to say "that was it - I was hooked!" (because that is so original) and I remember really liking GB but still being a dirty chate and listening to Metallica and Slayer while sporting a jean jacket and hockey hair mullet (hmmm much like I do now - wow I'm really banking on this 90s resurgence). Anyone who is in the know, knows that in order to have any real cred in the 'scene' (at least this the case when you are 15) you must be in a band.
The first Lion to take it to the Southern Ontario hardcore scene was Matt Jones in his early snapcase rip-off band Facedown. Although they didn't have clever lyrics like "Land of the free - home of the Braaaaaave!" they did have TWO singers (so 90s). Shortly thereafter Facedown downsized to one singer but chose a new one altogether and thus SUN STILL BURNS was formed! These guys put out 2 badass demos that perhaps Matt would put on the site for everyone's listening pleasure. Now at this point in time there was a band from Burlington called INCISION. These guys fucking ruled. They sounded like Integrity and won supernova battle of the bands all over the place. Around 1994 both of these bands called it a day - or Incision reformed with Matt Jones on bass guitar under the new and improved moniker GRADE (yes THE grade). During this time, although I was not directly influenced or totally aware of this at the time, Brad Lion was punking out with his floppy-hawk in TRUNK. All I remember was these guys had a music video which was kinda a big deal back then. I also specifically remember a show in Oakville where both Grade and Trunk played together. The dudes in Trunk seemed to be chain-smoking drunks and looked like a surly bunch as a whole. At some point while Grade was setting up some sort of commotion began between Trunk and Grade climaxing with Matt Jones shouting out "GO BACK TO THE FOOTBALL FIELD YOU JOCKS!" - Hardcore 1 - Punks 0!!! He may have in fact been yelling right at Brad at that point - we will never now.
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1 comment:
When is part 2 coming?
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