Threatening Society 'Zine

LOOKING BACK: If Threatening Society had kept going, Issue 7 would've been the best. We started to nail down interviews -- making them seem more conversational, and the answers more intimate. This chat with Bill Stevenson is one of my favorites. Glad it's seeing the light of day. And it's only appropriate that all three of us -- me, Tony, and Caleb -- were there for the enjoyable chat. -- Mickey

[The Lost Issue (unpublished), early 1990s]

Life on the road has always been hell for ALL. Endless miles of mundane landscapes. Breakdowns in the
summer heat. Stinky, sweaty bodies crammed tight into a tiny van, with little chance of breathing fresh air until the next rest stop.

Often, tragedies strike when a band tours, but few groups have probably experi¬enced such heart-wrenching events such as a portable toilet overturning inside the van (as chronicled in the liner notes of ALL's live “Trailblazer” LP).

But throughout it all, ALL presses on, seeming as though they are constantly touring.

We caught up with ALL while on tour promoting their “Allroy Saves” LP. We spoke with Bill Stevenson, drummer extraordinaire, after a blistering set in Trenton, New Jersey. Present were Tony, Caleb and Mickey.

MICKEY: Your current line-up is...?
BILL: It's me [drums] and Karl [bass] and Stephen [guitar] and Scott [vocals]. The same as on “Allroy's Revenge” and “Trailblazer.”

MICKEY: First off, why did Dave Smalley, ALL's first singer, leave?
BILL: It's sort of like being in the army with all of the touring and everything.
MICKEY: You tour for eight months a year?
BILL: Nine. It's not Dave's fault. I think people think, "Oh, it sounds like fun." And after a year or so of doing it, it might get in their blood, and they might really like it, or they might go, "Jeez, I've had enough."

Continue reading "ALL" »

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LOOKING BACK: This has gotta be one of the first BOLD interviews ever. -- Mickey

[Originally published: Issue #4, circa 1987]

BOLD (formerly CRIPPLED YOUTH) are a great young hardcore band causing quite a stir in the straight-edge scene. Here's an interview with their lead finger, Matt.

TS: What it your current lineup (names, ages, instruments)? MATT: Matt/vocals, Drew/drums, Tim/bass, and John/guitar. We're all 15, except Tim is 16.

TS: How long has the band been together?
MATT: About 20 months.

TS: Why the name change (from CRIPPLED YOUTH to BOLD)?
MATT: Because we feel it is more original as well as sums up our outlook – we speak from the heart.

Continue reading "BOLD" »

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LOOKING BACK: Incredible band. If only for responding to these HORRIFFIC questions. If there's a single thing I wish I could do over is to go back and ask pretty much every single band we interview and pose some real questions. Like AOD. I mean, these guys were fairly well-known, and I'm asking them generic shit like "Who's in the band?" But what made this 'zine kinda neat is that the bands were always pretty cool so that at least one of their responses had a neat piece of information or something clever. AOD rolled with the shitty questions in this mail-questions-and-get-answers-mailed-back interview, providing some genuinely funny responses. -- Mickey

[Originally published: Issue #1, circa 1987]

ADRENALIN O.D. is a well known punk band from the depths of New Jersey. They have gained recognition from their two LPs which are classics of 'fuzzy* thrash. They are also some of the funniest guys you'd ever want to meet. Mickey talked with all the guys from A.O.D.

TS: First of all, can you give me a little bit of band history?
AOD: We formed in '77 under the assumed name of the SEX PISTOLS. We changed it after about 3 years.

Continue reading "ADRENALIN OD" »

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[Originally published: Issue #1, circa 1987]

THUNDER'S WRATH is an exciting young thrash band in the Philly scene. They have great talent and potential, and have been showing people their power at local shows. Sean had a chance to talk to the dudes from THUNDER'S WRATH at a party after a recent show.

Joe Daverso, 18, vocals; Scott Etkin, 18, guitar; Mike Margiotta, 20, guitar; Sai Drake, 18, bass; Mike Weiss, 15, drums.

TS: How long has the band been together? How did it first form?
JD: About 6 months ago we got together because we all knew each other from school. Mike M. and Scott played together before that.

TS: Is this the first band for all of you?
JD: Mike, our drummer, sat in for SNEAK ATTACK in Atlantic City. I was playing some guitar for PEER PRESHURE. Scott, Sei, and Mike jammed alot.

Continue reading "THUNDER'S WRATH" »

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[Originally published: Issue #1, circa 1987]

Speed metal with a dash of hardcore - POWERMAD is coming at ya!

TS: What is band line-up?
PR: POWERMAD is Joel Dubay, 22, guitar, lead vocals; Jeff Litke, 21, bass, backing vocals; Adrian Liberty, 21, drums; Bill Hill, 25, guitar, backing vocals. The band has recently parted company with Bill Hill.

TS: What has the band been doing lately?
JD: He have recently recorded a 3-song demo entitled “Absolute Power". We are currently auditioning guitar players (anyone interested can send a demo to the address below).

TS: What bands have influenced you or do you listen to?
JDEL: Anything musical, guitar-wise, Scott Ian (ANTHRAX); vocal-wise, Tommy Araya and Rob Halford.
JEFF: I don't like that question 'cuz I don't care.
ADRIAN: I like tunes that are fast and tight. I make it a point to listen to music where the people can play well.

Continue reading "POWERMAD" »

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[Originally published: Issue #1, circa 1987]

CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER is a great young crossover band, hailing froe Santa Monica, California. Their debut LP, “Convicted”, is lightning-fast yet very ordinal and complex. It earned them the respect they deserve. They are now preparing to release their follow up album, "Money Talks". Recently, Tony spoke with their drummer, Scott.

TS: What's your line-up?
SC: Bill (17), vocals; Rob (17), bass, vocals; Les (I8), guitar; and myself (17), drums.

TS: First off, any special or secret meaning to the name CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER?
SC: It means whatever you want it to mean.

Continue reading "CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER" »

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LOOKING BACK: I loved this band, as evidenced by the fawning mentions of them across the issues. I sent them a list of questions, and they recorded the answers on their drive down to DC to record at Inner Ear. I thought that was kinda cool. In any case, the band members were all really nice to us as well. If anyone has their demo and can make me a copy, please contact me!!! -- Mickey

[Originally published: Issue #1, circa 1987]

LEGITIMATE REASON is a fairly new Philly band that have taken our scene by storm. They're very popular, and for a good reason: they've got lots of talent, and they're getting better. They're also incredibly nice guys. This interview was done while they were on their way to Washington. The interview is very long, but I (Mickey) felt that it shouldn't be edited, as they are very well-spoken and their ideas and views are worth listening to. At the end, you will see a comment about their not being straight¬edge, and hoping that I wouldn't hold it against them. I knew two of their members were S.E, so I assumed that it was a S.E. band.

TS: What is your line up?
JOE: I'm Joe, I’m the singer and I’m 21 years old.
GRA: I'm Grant, I am 18 years old. 1 am the drummer.
JON: Hi! I'm John, I'm 18, I'm R. guitar.
VIN: Why do you say “R. guitar”?
JON: Rhythm guitar!
VIN: Why didn't you say that?
DAN: I'm Dan and I play bass.
VIN: Vince, uh, age 20, uh, lead guitar.

TS: How did you get together? ,
GRA: Me, Joe, Dan, and John were all on South Street. We ran into some girls. And Vince, the guitarist, was with the girls. So, uh, we were hitting on these babes and, uh, we found out that Vince played the guitar, and we all wanted to play the same music, and we were all pretty inexperienced. Me and Vince decided to get together at his house. So we assembled at his house with a drumset I borrowed, and Vince already had a guitar. And that was about it. John came in during November. We wanted to get dual guitar sounds, a thicker sound.
JOE: We taught John how to play guitar, so now he plays guitar with us.
VIN: Alot of our old songs were written for one guitar and in alot of our new stuff, you can tell it has two guitars. It's a lot better - stronger. It's kind of like that IRON MAIDEN feel.

Continue reading "LEGITIMATE REASON" »

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[Originally published: Issue #1, circa 1987]

Interview with Glenn Wallis, rythym guitarist, RUIN.

TS: What is the current lineup?
GW: Vosco - vocals (28)
Paul Della Pelle - druas (22)
Damon Wallis - lead guitar (25)
Cordy Swope - bass guitar (24)
Glenn Wallis - rythym guitar (28)

TS: What has RUIN been doing lately?
GW: We've been playing out more than we ever have. November and December we toured the midwest and west coast. We just returned from a short tour of New England. Recently we've played in Providence, RI, Baltimore, D.C., Newark, D.E., and the Trocadero in Philadelphia.

Continue reading "RUIN" »

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[Originally published: Issue #1, circa 1987]

PEER PRESHURE is one of the young, talented bands trying to make a name for themselves in the Philly scene. Despite the setback caused by the problems with their lead singer, they are making steady progress and are on their way to achieving success. Sean and Tony caught up with them after a recent Philly show.

PEER PRESHURE are Paul MacGregor, 19, guitar; Abbe Forman, 26, bass; Patrick D., 18, drum; Kevin Dougherty, 17, guitar

TS: How long have you been together?
PP: About a month and a half now.

TS: How did you first get together?
PD: Kevin and I started the band, and we gathered the others up to do shows.

Continue reading "PEER PRESHURE" »

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LOOKING BACK: I tried out for EAB once. The band wasn't thrilled with their existing singer -- a little skinhead named Steve. They liked my performance, impressed by my ability to sing to the rhythm of the music -- less of a compliment to me, certainly, than a ding on Steve. But, alas, it was the summer before college, and although it was a VERY difficult decision to make (EAB or college... EAB or college), I had to tell them I was not interested. In any case, Scott Helig, the drummer of EAB, played a very influential role for Tony and I in terms of starting this fanzine in the first place (as he himselfs was the publish magnate behind Total Thrash fanzine). Scott was also the Malcolm McLauren to me and Tony's never-off-the-ground punk band FLAG OF HATE. This interview was done like 13 year old girls -- I wrote Scott a list of questions in class, handed it to him in the hallway. He returned the questions later that day. BFF!!! -- Mickey

[Originally published: Issue #1, circa 1987]

EAB (Epileptic Albino Bullfrogs) is a hot new band from the great Northeast Philadelphia. They've played a few shows, and will be headlining their first show in late March. I can only describe their MUSIC as thrash, but they're different from other bands in that their lyrics are really good; sometimes serious, cometimes tongue-in-cheek. And there is great variety in their songs. The following interview was done with EABs drummer, Scott Helig, who is a good friend of mine and Tony's.

TS: What is your line-up?
SH: Steve Spagnola - vocals (15), Bob Belcher - guitar (I6), Rob Lipschutz - bass (16), Scott Helig - drums (16)

TS: OK. Basic questions first. How long have you been around? How did you get together?
SH: We've been around since July '86. We met at a DRI show and I was asked to try out and was accepted. A month later we acquired Steve.

TS: The name EAB is one of the crazier names I've heard. How seriously do you take your ausic?
SH: We take ourselves seriously, but not overly serious.

Continue reading "EPILEPTIC ALBINO BULLFROGS" »

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[Originally published: Issue #1, circa 1987]

Interview with Woody Weatherman.

TS: What is the current band lineup?
WW: Reed plays the druas, Mike plays bass, Bob sings and I play guitar.

TS: What has the band been doing lately?
WW: We just got home from a short tour out West. We just released a new 12" too. We're doing material now for a full album.

Continue reading "CORROSION OF CONFORMITY" »

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[Originally published: Issue #4, circa 1987]

DESECRATION is a hardcore band from Arizona who have received a lot of praise for their "Who's In Control" EP, which is now sold out. Here's an interview with DESECRATION'S vocalist, Jack.

THREATENING SOCIETY: What is your line-up?
JACK: As of 7/25/87, the band consists of the same ever-loving family as it did with the original line-up in July of 1985. It's me (Jack), screams, yells, and political statements, 19 years old; Andy, bass, 17; Erik, drums, 20; and Dave, guitars, 16.

TS: Can you give me a band history?
JACK: Well, let's see... Dave and Erik used to get together and jam all the time. At the time, I was taking a sociology class at Arizona State University and came home on the weekends to see what was up. Anyway, Dave played me this really groovy tune, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I decided it was about time we got a band together. I took all my hard-earned money from the bank account and bought a PA. We had our first practice with an old friend, Andy, who was kind of into the same stuff we were. The song I heard that fateful day would be the first DESECRATION AZ/HC song ever written - an anti-war song called "It's Just Begun”.

Continue reading "DESECRATION" »

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LOOKING BACK: One of my first 7" ever was an EP from JUSTICE LEAGUE, "Think or Sink." Lyrics and music that sounded like they were done by a bunch of 15 year olds -- which resonated with me, because I was 15 years old. They ended up with a more sophisticated sound, losing the youthful goofiness/energy. But as I became older and more sophsticated *cough* I vibed right along with them, and was THRILLED to meet the band in person. The meeting happened at a KFC across the street from Club Pizazz, which was about the only place open nearby on a Sunday afternoon. In true fanzine fashion, I didn't buy them a goddamned thing. From what I remember, our chat was really loose and casual, and they seemed like they were having a good time. Or they were just good liars, and wanted to get the hell outta there. (And so you know this interview is pretty old: Check out my awe when I find out their new release will be on *gasp* CD!) Anyway, Ryan and Chris formed lengendary straight-edge band CHAIN OF STRENGTH. (And, as a point of trivia, Chris was in a band called Inside Out with some guy named Zack de la Rocha, who was in a later started a band called RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE.) -- Mickey

[Originally published: Issue #4, circa 1987]

JUSTICE LEAGUE is a fantastic band, with one of the most intricate and powerful sounds in the scene. Although their last LP, "Shattered Dreams”, didn't achieve half the recognition it should have, they will definitely make a name for themselves with their new LP entitled "Reach Out” and their national tour this summer. We had a chance to speak with the band in Kentucky Fried Chicken before a show.

THREATENING SOCIETY: What's your line-up?
MARC: Here. I play bass and I’m 20.
JOHN: I'm John. Vocals, guitar, and I’m 20.
RYAN: l'm Ryan. Guitar, vocals, l'm I8.
MATT: l'm Matt. I play guitar and l'm I8.
CHRIS: My name's Chris. I play drums and I’m 18.

Continue reading "JUSTICE LEAGUE" »

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THE DEHUMANIZERS are a band that have endured numerous line-up changes and legal hassles to emerge as one of the premiere hardcore bands in their area, and throughout the United States. Their music draws in influences from countless other sources, as thusly appeals to a wide audience of "alternative music" fans. We had the opportunity to talk with these guys, who have a great sense of humor, as displayed in their music.

THREATENING SOCIETY: What is the new line-up?
MUDDY WATANABE: The current line-up includes myself, who recently replaced Intense on bass; Infra Ed on drums and backing vocals; Gobot on lead vocals; and Troll on lead guitar, who replaced Zoli quite a while back.

Continue reading "THE DEHUMANIZERS" »

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[Originally published: Issue #4, circa 1987]

BGK is a hardcore band from Holland whose members have been involved in punk since the beginning. Many Philly scenesters got to see them live about a year ago at the Kennel Club. We spoke with their guitarist, Tony Slug, about the new BGK.

THREATENING SOCIETY: What is the band’s line-up?
TOM NITWIT: Mattis, 24, bass. Tony, 24, guitar and vocals, Marcel, 25, drums. Other members of the band are Wouter (driver and telephone guy), and Martin (help). You see, at the present, we have no singer, so we're trying to play as a three piece with yours truly trying to sing and play guitar. We'll just nave to see now that works out.

TS: How long has BGK been together?
TN: BGK started m 1982. Before that, three members had been in a different band together, since 1976. It was a punk band called the NITWITZ.

Continue reading "BGK" »

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LOOKING BACK: Wanted a FALSE LIBERTY interview. Sent a request to the singer, Greg Anderson. Got sent back an INNER STRENGTH interview; apparently, I was pretty late, and FALSE LIBERTY had been broken up for a while. (C'mon now... this is before the Internet... word travelled much slower back then!) Greg went on to lead the infamous straight-edge band BROTHERHOOD as well as ENGINE KID, and more recently GOATSNAKE, sunn0)) and THORR'S HAMMER. I believe he runs Southern Lord Records. -- Mickey

[Originally published: Issue #4, circa 1987]

From the broken pieces of FALSE LIBERTY comes...INNER STRENGTH!
Greg – vocals
Hank - guitar
Brian – drums
Jeff - bass

THREATENING SOCIETY: How long have you been playing your instruments?
GREG: These are sort of educated guesses! Brian - 2 years, Hank - 4 years, Jeff - 7 years.

TS: Can you give a brief history of the band?
GREG: After FALSE LIBERTY broke up, Greg and the drummer Vic wanted to start again. So the other members were found and it was complete. Then Vic totally pulled an irresponsible selfish move on the other members so we got a different drummer. Our first practice with the new line-up was July 6th, 1987.

Continue reading "INNER STRENGTH" »

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LOOKING BACK: Listening to PRONG again, they don't have a sound that really stands out anymore, but that could be that the thrashing that sounded fresh has been reduced to background noise by the countless "nu-metal" bands churned off the major labels' assembly lines. In any case, this band had already started to enjoy some success yet were more than willing to pass some time with our humble zine. Also, they recently re-formed around one of the original members and are recording and touring again.

[Originally published: Issue #4, circa 1987]

PRONG (prong) n. 1) any pointed projected part 2) a unique trio from New York who play an original blend of hardcore, metal, and industrial sounds, consisting of Mike Kirkland (MK) on bass and vocals, Ted Parsons (TP) on drums and background vocals, and Tommy Victor (TV) on guitar and vocals.
Here's an interview with this talented threesome.

TS: How long has the tend been together?
MK: One year. Tommy and I started writing songs a couple of months before Ted joined the band.
TS: How did the band form?
TV: Well, we had some songs, and we got Ted to drum and arrange and then it took off. Ted and I had jammed before I met Mike.

Continue reading "PRONG" »

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[Originally published: Issue #4, circa 1987]

LAST OPTION is an excellent hardcore band from Mesa, Arizona. They have released two great demos which show a very bright future. Aside from being talented musicians, they are also politically active and well-educated in national and world events. We spoke with guitarist, Dave Schaller.

THREATENING SOCIETY: Who's in the band?
DAVE SCHALLER: LAST OPTION is Jeff, I8, on vocals, Audrey, 17, on drums, Jason, 17, on bass, and me (Dave), 18, on guitar.

Continue reading "LAST OPTION" »

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LOOKING BACK: Jesus H. Christmas, I loved this band. Imagine my thrill when an interview request was responded to by Pete, their guitarist. Dude wrote such thoughtful responses to my lame questions. He'd been asked these same questions a thousand times before, and yet he intentionally reached deep by his response, and provided answers that the questions certainly didn't merit. My admiration for Pete was cemented via his work in Rain Like the Sound of Trains -- a band which had such poignant messages. -- Mickey

[Originally published: Issue #3, circa 1987]

THREATENING SOCIETY: What is the current line-up?
PETE CHRAMIEC: Chris Jones (19) vocals, Pete (18) guitar, Tom Gorman (21) bass, and Chris (20) drums.
TS: Are you all original members?
PC: Chris and I are the original members. Until, now, it's basically been considered Chris' and my band, but now with the Gorman brothers, we feel it'll be more of a common effort. They were both in a band called FAST FORWARD.

TS: How long have you been playing your instruments?
PC: I started playing guitar the first time we practiced, four and a half years ago. Same with Chris Jones. Tom and Chris Gorman have been playing for similar amounts of time.

TS: Who writes your lyrics and music?
PC: Chris writes almost all the lyrics. I contribute now and then, but he does just about all the lyrics. The music has always been a combination of everyone. Even if I would write a whole song, Dylan (our old bass player) would often throw something into it to help it out or vice versa.

Continue reading "VERBAL ASSAULT" »

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LOOKING BACK: [A parking lot interview after a killer set by this great band. Cornered the drummer, who I think was on his way to the can; I wondered why he couldn't stand still -- he admits at the end of the interview he had to pee the entire time. Crap-generic questions (I only knew of them from what I read/saw in the pages of Maximum Rock N Roll), but Tom rolled with me. (Mad props to Marie at ChicagoPunkPix.com for permission to use the images below. She has great historial stuff on her site.) -- Mickey]

[Originally published: Issue #3, circa 1987]

LIFE SENTENCE is a great hardcore band from Chicago. Their first album was very successful and they are now preparing their second LP. We caught up with them after a recent show in Philly.

THREATENING SOCIETY: Who's in the band?
TOM : The present iine-us is Tom -- that's me --21, on drums. Eric, the guitar piayar, is 26. Joe is the bass player and he's I8.
TS : Did you set rid of somebody?
TOM : We got rid of our singer about a year and a half ago.
TS : You were a four piece?
TOM : Yeah, we were a four piece originally, and rignt after we dumped the singer, we recorded the album. So the album is a three piece, and that's how we've been touring for the last year and a half.
TS : Are all of you original members?
TOM : Yeah.
TS : How long have you seen playing your instruments?
TOM : I've been playing the drums for about 11 years. Joe's been playing the bass for about five. Eric's been playing guitar fo aborut 15 years.

Continue reading "LIFE SENTENCE" »

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[Originally published: Issue #3, circa 1987]

GUNSLINGERS is a recently formed band from sunny California. Their popular band members and punk sound have made them hometown favorites. They're making a name for themselves by playing gigs cften, but their big break has come this summer, as they are touring with DOGGY STYLE. My good friend, Rib Finley (of DOGGY STYLE fame), had a chance to interview Wade Walston, at Wade's house, way back in May. It should also be noted that Wade is a movie star! Yes, he played Joe Schmoe (whose dad was gay, whose girlfriend killed herself, etc..) in the 1981 movie "Suburbia".

THREATENING SOCIETY: Tell me who's in the band.
WADE WALSTON:
Chief - guitar. Played for the original ADOLESCENTS
Quebe - bass. Played for a Fresno band called HEAVY MAKE-UP
Sam Westc- drums. Joined the band two months ago. A very heavy hitter. Played for BAD OPERA.
Wade Walston - vocals. Played bass for D. I. Sang for WILLARD AND THE RATS in '79-' 80, and played with other Ocean County (CA) bands.

Continue reading "GUNSLINGERS" »

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[Originally published: Issue #3, circa 1987]

HALLOW'S EVE is a really good thrash band hailing from Georgia. The last time they were in Philly, a riot erupted at Club Pizazz after a few songs. We got to talk to bass player Tony Stewart.

THREATENING SOCIETY: How long has the band been together?
TONY STEWART: For the sake of convenience, I usually say that it began on Halloween of '83, which is basically true. Actually, the date of our record contract is October 29th, 1984, so it's not just hype. Only a touch of it. So, 4 years.

Continue reading "HALLOW'S EVE" »

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[Originally published: Issue #3, circa 1987]

SADUS is a speed metal band from California that was formed in 1984 uncer the monicker D.T.P. The line-up is Barren Travis on lead guitar and vocals, Rob Moore also on lead guitar, Steve DiGiorgio on bass, and Jon Allen on drums.

SADUS "D.T.P.": Killing thrash for die-hard speed metal freaks only. Burning speed and screeching vocals come together to make a good tape, Among the choice cuts are "Sadus Attack" and "Fight Or Die". The demo is available for $5 + 2 stamps. T-shirts are $10, and stickers are 3 for $1. Overseas add $2 to all orders.

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[Originally published: Issue #3, circa 1987]

WEHRMACHT is a thrash band with talent and originality especially in the fact they avoid "stupid" lyrics. They've been making a name for themselves for both their excellent music and drunken antics. They recently released their debut LP "Shark Attack", and have just returned from a tour with CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER. Here's an interview with party reptile Brian Lehfeldt.

WEHRMACHT is:
Marco, I8, guitar
John, 20, guitar
Tito, 18, yells
Brian, 18, drums
Shawn, 19, bass

Continue reading "WEHRMACHT" »

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[Originally published: Issue #3, circa 1987]

CASBAH is a brilliant thrash/death metal band from Japan. They have released 2 demos that have sold very well. They were offered a five year recording contract by Combat Noise, but turned it down because they were unable to come to exact terms. Their latest release, "Infinite Pain", snows their power, talent, and originality. We had a talk with vocalist Taka Hatori on the future of CASBAH, and the scene in Japan.

CASBAH is :
Taka Hatori, 23, vocals
Ryo Murayama, 24, guitar
Kouichi Mitani, 19, bass
Takashi Usui, 21, drums

Continue reading "CASBAH" »

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LOOKING BACK: Though the band and their work didn't really endure the test of time, I still remember this interview fondly thanks to the candor of Joe Butcher. I don't know if was his humorous answers to my generic questions, the self-effacing way he admitted that the band name and album concept were influenced by the label's heavy marketing hand, or the fact that he was a plumber by day, this interview makes we want to dig out my old Ludichrist LP. -- Tony

[Originally published: Issue #3, circa 1987]

LUDICHRIST is another great N.Y. hardcore band, though they possess a slightly different sound than their counterparts. They had the hardcore/metal scene on the ropes with their highly successful demo, and then executed a perfect knock-out punch with their debut LP, "lmmaculate Deception". Well, enough boxing analogies, and on with the interview.

LUDICHRIST is
Tommy Christ, 24, vocals, beer
Glen Cummings, 21, guitar, beer
Joe Butcher, 19, guitar
Chuck Valle, 20, bass
Tony J. Scaglione, temporary drummer

THREATENING SOCIETY: How long has the band been together?
JOE BUTCHER: We have been together for two years, with a few
variations in the line-up.
TS: How did the band form?
JB: It was originally fomed by Al Batross and Mark Durnex. Chuck and Tony joined later and then Glen was added to the line-up. Mark then quit the band like an idiot, and was replaced by ME!

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[Originally published: Issue #3, circa 1987]

AT WAR is a hard thrashing hand who hail from the unlikely setting of Virginia. They have made a name for themselves with their ripping debut, "Ordered To Kill". They now plan to continue their onslaught with a second LP. We spoke with Paul Arnold, who handles both the vocals and the bass chores.

THREATENING SOCIETY: What's the current line-up?
PAUL ARNOLD: The line-up we have now is the same line-up we've had since we started, and hopefully, it will be the only line-up we ever have. It is: Shawn Helsel on guitars, Dave Stone on drums, and I do the vocals and bass.

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[LOOKING BACK: First real punk show I ever went to was at the Kennel Club with WHITE FLAG headlining. One of the defining moments of my life -- not so much because of any especially exceptional performances, but because the energy and the comraderie among the crowd. I did like WHITE FLAG -- their unique blend of 70s arena rock and punk (I remember Pat Fear's leather jacket had a huge KISS logo on the back) was just pure bombastic fun. Amazingly, they're still kicking it, and toured Europe not too long ago. (Check out their site here; the photo below is from that site.) Below is a "mail-questions-to-the-band-get-answers-mailed-back interview with Pat Fear. -- Mickey

[Originally published: Issue #6, circa 1989]

WHITE FLAG have been around for a while. They’ve been very popular in Europe, and are now gaining an American audience. Here’s an interview from their front-man, Pat Fear.

THREATENING SOCIETY: What’s the present line-up?
PAT FEAR: Pat Fear – guitar and vocals, Trace Element – drums, Pick 2 Sticks – Guitar, and Doug Graves – bass.

TS: What has the band been doing lately?
PF: Getting the new LP, “Wild Kingdom” (Positive Force) out.

Continue reading "WHITE FLAG" »

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[LOOKING BACK: Gilman Street. As an avid reader of Maximum Rock N Roll (which was instrumental in funding/creating the club), it seemed like the most amazing place. So, to hook up with a band that was part of the local scene was kinda neat. (I ended up moving out to SF for a year, and seeing many a show at Gilman. It was kinda a neat place -- but I was pretty far removed from any scene/community from that point.) I genuinely enjoyed these guys' demo, and reached out with an interview request -- below are the results. Two DEAD JACKSONS songs were actually on the compilation tape we did. (All photos on this page used with permission by Trent Nelson. He's got GREAT stuff of lots of hold school stuff at his site here.) -- Mickey]

[Originally published: Issue #6, circa 1989]

THREATENING SOCIETY: What is your line-up?
DEAD JACKSONS: Tito Jackson (guitar, voice), Reggie Jackson (lead bass, lead vocals), Joe Jackson (fake beer, pretend sex, lead vocals), Jesse Jackson (lead drums, lead vocals), Mick Jackson (photographs naked TVs, lead vocals), Kate Jackson (guitar, drums, bass, vocals). Everyone is over 21 and our cousin Jackson Browne engineers our 3-D Soulcore sound.

TS: Did the DEAD JACKSONS start out as a joke?
DJ: The name comes from one of Mick’s small-town guerilla art attacks. He and Andrew planned to turn DEAD JACKSONS into a band, but they just played around. The rest of us had a band but we lost our singer, so mom made us let Mick and Andy join two weeks before our next gig. So we wrote new material, recruited our littlest brother Joe and became the DEAD JACKSONS.

Continue reading "DEAD JACKSONS" »

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[Originally Published: Issue #1, circa 1986]

Interview with Woody Weatherman

TS: What is the current band lineup?
WW: Reed plays the rums, Mike plays bass, Bob sings, and I play guitar.

TS: What has the band been doing lately?
WW: We just got home from a short tour out West. We just released a new 12” too. We’re doing material for a full album.

TS: What bands have influenced you or do you listen to?
WW: There are too many to list, really. I’m into old SABBATH and DEEP PURPLE, and older punk bands like DICKIES, BUZZCOCKS, and the RAMONES.

Continue reading "CORROSION OF CONFORMITY" »

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[Originally Published: Issue #3, circa 1987]

DAG NASTY’s “Can I Say” has been a musical and emotional favorite of ours. For this reason, we were very happy to obtain an interview with them. However, we must apologize for the brevity of this interview. The members neglected (or refused?) to answer several of our questions. Perhaps this was our fault. Since “Can I Say,” they have undergone almost total line-up revision (the only original remember is Brian Baker) and now seem reluctant to discuss their past and former members. Well, for what it’s worth, here goes.

Threatening Society: What’s the current line-up?
Brian Baker: Brian Baker, guitar; Doug Carrion (ex-DESCENDENTS), bass; Peter Cortner, vocals. No permanent drummer. London May (ex-SAMHAIN) filling in on tour.

Continue reading "DAG NASTY" »

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[Originally Published: Issue #3, circa 1987]

The CRO-MAGS are a truly unique band, both for their superior talent and their unrivaled devotion to their beliefs. Many derogatory things have been written about the CRO-MAGS, specifically in Maximum Rock N Roll. However, they have not been given the chance to respond since many of the people at MRR are, in my opinion, close-minded and decidedly anti-skin. Before a recent show in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, bassist Harley Flanagan took time out from his busy schedule to talk with us about the band and his fascinating personal beliefs.

THREATENING SOCIETY: How long has the band been together?
HARLEY FLANAGAN: The CRO-MAGS originally formed in 1981, but we disbanded for a while. We each went off and did our own things for a couple of years, and then we reformed. We’ve only been working with this drummer and this guitar player for about a year. Doug Holland used to play for KRAUT. But the CRO-MAGS, as a concept and a band, began in 1981.

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[LOOKING BACK: Hands DOWN Ian MacKaye is one righteous dude. He picked me up from the Metro station, drove me to the Dischord mansion, gave me a tour of his home, played with his dogs with me, and sat down for a few hours for an interview. I remember being a little starstruck by this whole experience, but genuinely touched. I mean, how many times have YOU been disappointed by meeting someone you admired, and have them actually be a jerkoff? I've met him a few times since (we put on a FUGAZI show here in Philly WAY back in the day), and he has always been a man of his word. -- Mickey]

[Originally Published: Issue #6, circa 1989]

THREATENING SOCIETY: How old are you now?
IAN MACKAYE: Twenty five.
TS: How long have you been in the punk scene?
IAN: Um… The first time that I saw a punk band was in January of 1979. It was THE CRAMPS. The best show ever. The greatest show ever.
TS: So there was no turning back then?
IAN: It was just tremendous. It was a very, very good show. Totally crazy. Then I saw THE CLASH about two weeks later. Then the BAD BRAINS and THE DAMNED in June of 1979. Totally great. Then, at that point, we were already in a band called THE SLINKYS. And Mark [Sullivan] who’s in KINGFACE now, was singing. I played bass, Jeff [Nelson] played drums, a guy named Geordie [Grindle] played guitar. We played one show in the end of 1979, then Mark went to college. We got a new singer named Nathan [Strejcek] and formed TEEN IDLES.

Continue reading "IAN MACKAYE" »

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LOOKING BACK: Have no idea why this was a mail interview, considering that Pagan Babies were a hometown band. Their bassist, Mark, was a fixture in the Philly scene, being the mogul behind Plus Productions -- among whose multi-million unit sellers was the "That Was Then, This is Now" compliation EP (RUIN, FOD, SCRAM, and ELECTRIC LOVE MUFFIN) and the Grammy-award winning "Discpan Hands" LP, which too featured Philly bands. I'm sure the other band members were a scene fixture. But since I was admittidely on the periphery rather than in the middle of the scene, I kinda didn't really have any connections. Anyway, the times I met the dudes of Pagan Babies, they were always righteous blokes to me. Not a wanker about them, guv'ner. -- Mickey

[Originally published: Issue #6, circa 1989]

With the breaking up of RUIN, PAGAN BABIES have become the most popular band here in the Philly scene. Earlier this year, they released an EP on Positive Force Records, and have recently been playing some major cities on the East Coast. They’re making their mark on the national scene, and hopefully more people will get into their music – a unique combination of ’87 hardcore with the raw energy of ’77 punk. Here’s an interview with this hot band:
Dan – rhythm guitar
Eric – lead guitar
B-boy Bruce – drums
Mark – bass
Mike – vocals

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[Originally Published: Issue #6, circa 1989; Written by Scott Helig]

With an undeniable New York accent, lead singer of AGNOSTIC FRONT introduces the band. “Oh boy! This is AGNOSTIC FRONT: me, Vinnie, Craig, and the rest of the guys. What else?” Vinnie cheerfully interjects “I’ll say something! Hello, my name is Vinnie. This is Roger with the disco haircut, Craig on bass, Steve on guitar, and Willie on drums!” With all the new bands coming out these days, you gotta wonder how all the newcomers compare with the innovators like BAD BRAINS and CAUSE FOR ALARM. Roger thinks, “…it’s the same. There are a lot of good bands out today, just the older ones had to be the first ones.” I am intrigued by the cover of the new album. According to Roger, “it’s trying to express liberty and justice for all. If you read the lyrics and see the cover, you got the man on top who’s fighting the war and thinking about it, then he’s got his family in the corner. He’s like, is it worth it?” Vinnie thinks it portrays “a great social injustice,” which causes Roger to laugh at Vinnie’s new found technicality in expression.

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