Cro-Mags, We Gotta Know

There was a story in yesterday’s NY Times about Harley Flanagan, who has always been a presence in the NY rock scene. Most notably as the drummer bass player in the Cro-Mags, one of the most notable bands of the city’s hard core scene in the 80s. All age shows at CBGB in the afternoon were a fixture, and perhaps explain why I never really paid much attention. Too old! But this clip is terrific, reminds me of Penelope Spheeris’s fantastic movie, Suburbia, and it even better than that. You probably won’t want to listen to it all the time, but I hope you enjoy it first time through.

7 thoughts on “Cro-Mags, We Gotta Know

    • I was going to say, What? Yeah, this is heavy, but it bangs, and when it gets fast it really goes, and even swings. Not much on melody, but it pumps hard.

      But what you meant is I screwed up the link. Fixed.

  1. Hmm. Not sure there’s anything here that the Bad Brains didn’t do way better.

    I am considering reading Harley’s new book though for my next book, although Keith Morris’ new book currently has the lead.

    Did you like that period when all the NYC hardcore bands “went metal”? Personally, I did not.

  2. Errata – just now noticed Peter IDs Harley Flanagan as the drummer of the Cro-Mags. In actuality, he was the bass player. He was the drummer of the prehistoric punk band The Stimulators.

    You’re welcome.

  3. I have the new Keith Morris book – autographed by both Morris and co-author Jim Ruland, who is the brother of my friend and excellent fantasy baseball player Emmett Ruland – because I am special – and I heartily recommend it. Besides Bill Stevenson, other names dropped are Arthur Kane and The Dolls, Turbonegro, and the Raveonettes. It’s like they knew we’d be reading. I never knew much about that scene or paid a whole lot of attention at the time – sound and fury signifying nothing I thought. That’s wrong, the music is not tuneless and has held up well.

  4. Keith Morris is often seen in a Turbonegro t-shirt.

    “Wild In The Streets” was the Circle Jerks’ far inferior second album. Seems like there are 100 covers of that song though.

    “Group Sex” is the debut and the one you want. Excellent primer for catchy, short, loud and fast hardcore. I think the album is seriously about 15 minutes in length.

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