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alt.punk.straight-edge sXe FAQ
Section - 2-1 What is hardcore?

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    On 15 Apr 1997 <lgumaer@ibm!net> wrote:
    "Hardcore is the style that began in the early 80s, often applied to 
    bands such as Black Flag, Minor Threat, Sick of It All, Bad Brains, 
    Rollins Band, Fugazi, etc.--sort of "2nd wave" punk bands.  They were 
    sloppy punk bands that played with more intensity and heaviness than 
    earlier ones like the Sex Pistols, The Clash, etc.  Today's hardcore 
    bands are tighter and much heavier, and can be divided into two general 
    types (usually called East Coast or West Coast, for where the band is, 
    but it's not always consistent).  The first type are smoother, with 
    heavy grooves that flow, with a vocalist that sings (or at least tries 
    to) or shouts.  The second type is heavier, with tight, stop-and-go 
    rhythms and harsh vocals that are a cross between shouts and low 
    screams."

    On 10 Jun 1997 Chris97a <chris97a@aol!com> wrote:
    "Hardcore music by definition HAS to fit a mold, but hardcore lyrics by 
    definition, are SUPPOSED TO BE THOUGHT PROVOKING!!!"

    On 26 Jun 1997 erik mohr <emandrew@mindspring!com> wrote:
    "... to me that's pretty much always been what hardcore was, highly
    politically charged punk. punk that screams an opinion."

    Nicolas 'Da Ringmaster' <950906nm@babbage.hogent.be> wrote:
    "Alright, this is what hardcore means to me: Energy, Positive attitude,
    Rebellion, Independance, Separating from trends, Not following the 
    masses, Hard-core = hard music" [16]

    From the D.O.A. website:
    "D.O.A. popularized the term hardcore as applied to punk rock music
    with the release of Hardcore '81, a pivotal record from the early
    west coast hardcore punk scene.

    "Hardcore was (and is) uncompromising punk attitude combined with
    social activism. Sort of "punk with a message", but not to be confused
    with "straight edge" or "PC" movements, later variations of hardcore.
    West coast hardcore was completely different from the "fashionable"
    punk rock of art school students and posers - in the early days of
    punk there was a huge difference between the English-style punks
    with their fashionably torn and safety-pinned look, and the hardcore
    'street' punk who just didn't give a fuck about their appearance.

    "It's an intelligent movement characterized by a deep anger at the 
    status quo. It is not surprising that it began on the U.S.west coast, 
    where radicalism and rebellion has deep roots...  schools don't tell 
    you much about the labour riots of the 20's or other examples of 
    North American civil disobedience... Uncompromising hardcore shocked 
    the complacent hippie mentality, needless to say.

    "Hardcore will never die where individualistic thought can survive - 
    which of course means it has been constantly oppressed by the vacuous
    media of North America. The current popularization of 'punk' is more
    concerned with style than substance, rather a new fashionable trend
    for the pop machine.

    "Hardcore survives in bands like Fugazi, NoMeansNo, The Ex, and 
    D.O.A. - hopefully with the current popularity of punk rock more kids
    will discover that the world ain't exactly a great place, and work for
    positive change despite the many evil forces in this world. And that is
    the best definition of hardcore I can imagine." [11]

    There is quite a bit of disagreement over exactly when hardcore
    started but here are some people's thoughts:

    On 10 May 1997 Fitaurari <fitaurari@aol!com> wrote:
    "And by the way Bad Brains DID invent 'hardcore'!"

    On 10 May 1997 paul.kaczmarek <paul.kaczmarek@ukonline!co!uk> wrote:
    "The Germs (April 77) , Black Flag (June 77), he Misfits (first show - 
    April 77), Chain Gang, The Pagans (mid-77), Canada's The Diodes (first 
    lp June 77) and The Viletones (recorded Jan 1978) were already under 
    the 'hardcore' banner in 1977.

    "There's also a solid argument for giving the first hardcore prize to 
    Chrome, who recorded undoubted hardcore lps in 1976, or Crime, who did 
    the same."

    On 10 May 1997 Rastapoodle <herblady@zippo!com> wrote:
    "Your knowledge of the dates of the emergence of the punk hardcore 
    scene is very good.  I might add that by 1976, bands like Patti Smith, 
    Richard Hell and the Voidoids, and many that were playing at CBGB's 
    were called punk, and I think that the (mostly) West Coast bands that 
    you cite were the hardcore 'babies' of those groups. (Boy, I'm sure 
    they'd love that designation!) ;-)"

    On 10 Jul 1997 TSOL12 <tsol12@aol!aol> wrote:
    "without a doubt BLack Flag was the first HC band...anyone who says
    otherswise is a fool. People forget that early HC has its roots in punk
    everyone thinks that the newschool sound is what hardcore is
    about.....plus theres more to being a HC band than just the sound."

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