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Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 11:22 am
by version sound
Enjoying this one a lot lately. Sounds a lot more like Dag Nasty or 7 Seconds than what I think of as NYHC. What else is good from that era? I've been digging into late '80s Rev releases, and so far, Side by Side, Supertouch, and Judge are the bands I've liked enough to listen further.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 11:37 am
by drew
UNDERDOG is my all-time fave NYHC band, a bit different than other NY bands & a great singer. The "Matchless" comp has everything.
The first BAD TRIP 7" is in the GB vein but after that they went in a more 'rock' direction

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 12:03 pm
by JGJR
version sound wrote:Enjoying this one a lot lately. Sounds a lot more like Dag Nasty or 7 Seconds than what I think of as NYHC. What else is good from that era? I've been digging into late '80s Rev releases, and so far, Side by Side, Supertouch, and Judge are the bands I've liked enough to listen further.


You identified exactly why I've always loved Start Today. That extra tinge of melody and some of the almost U2-like guitar breaks at times really differentiate it from a lot of what was going on then. It's very DC-ish overall.

I've never been huge on SBS or Supertouch (though I enjoy both), but that 1st Judge 7" is one of the best hardcore releases ever IMO. I'm glad to have finally been able to see them last year.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 12:05 pm
by JGJR
drew wrote:UNDERDOG is my all-time fave NYHC band, a bit different than other NY bands & a great singer. The "Matchless" comp has everything.
The first BAD TRIP 7" is in the GB vein but after that they went in a more 'rock' direction


Excellent band. I used to like the '85 demo and 7" way more than the '89 demo and Vanishing Point, but now I've reversed my opinion (though it's all great). I still think VP is a little misproduced and prefer the demo versions, but the songs are excellent and it's a nice bridge between their early stuff and Into Another (who I appreciate a lot more now than I did back when they were in their first run).

The only Bad Trip song I remember is from the NYHC compilation Where the Wild Things Are (or maybe it's Look at All the Children Now; I always confuse the contents of those) and it has "No Easy Answers.["

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 4:46 pm
by gregpolard
You rang?

OK here goes:

GB - Start Today is definitely ONE of the gold standards for melodic HC. Walter Schreifels is just a good songwriter - straight up. Your comparison to Dag / 7 Seconds is spot on

Underdog - Listen to drew, another great band. Scream mixed with Bad Brains or something? I actually am in the minority that prefers the LP to the demos, but it's all great.

Youth of Today - Honestly, their last album "We're Not In This Alone", if you can find an original mix....is just super fast, raw and pissed. The version on Spotify/Apple/iTunes/etc. is a remix and sounds a bit too clean.

I'll think of some more.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:06 am
by JGJR
gregpolard wrote:You rang?

OK here goes:

GB - Start Today is definitely ONE of the gold standards for melodic HC. Walter Schreifels is just a good songwriter - straight up. Your comparison to Dag / 7 Seconds is spot on

Underdog - Listen to drew, another great band. Scream mixed with Bad Brains or something? I actually am in the minority that prefers the LP to the demos, but it's all great.

Youth of Today - Honestly, their last album "We're Not In This Alone", if you can find an original mix....is just super fast, raw and pissed. The version on Spotify/Apple/iTunes/etc. is a remix and sounds a bit too clean.

I'll think of some more.


Try the "Disengage" 7" by Youth of Today as well, VS. It's by far their best record.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:52 am
by SamDBL
Such an excellent album. The fact that it struck the same balance as dag or 7 seconds without sounding at all like them really put them up there with the greats of the day. The fact that they never put out another album was probably a good thing. And it still holds up today.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 10:35 am
by jaybird
"NYxHC for Girls" - Chip Future, allcentral.com, circa 2001

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 12:21 pm
by SamDBL
jaybird wrote:"NYxHC for Girls" - Chip Future, allcentral.com, circa 2001


That's hilarious.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 2:08 pm
by JGJR
SamDBL wrote:Such an excellent album. The fact that it struck the same balance as dag or 7 seconds without sounding at all like them really put them up there with the greats of the day. The fact that they never put out another album was probably a good thing. And it still holds up today.


Unless you count Civ's Set Your Goals, which is basically its sequel (Walter wrote all of it, same band basically), but yeah agreed on all counts.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 5:30 pm
by Hal
One of my all-time favorites. In the past 25+ years, I doubt I've gone more than a few months at a time without giving it a spin. Never gets old...never.

As for Revelation...another fav from that time period would be the Quicksand "Omission" 7" ('90).

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:15 pm
by SamDBL
JGJR wrote:
Unless you count Civ's Set Your Goals,



I don't. Ha. Not a terrible album. But nowhere near as great as GB. Although I have no idea why, as it was the same main dudes. But in any case, GB saved their legacy to 100% awesome by changing the name of the band for the Civ thing. Or, 99.9%, as I didn't like that one new song they put up online a few years ago.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 4:56 am
by patient_ot
Nothing else sounds like that album. Usually anything that claims to sound like them either sounds like watered-down pop punk or standard youth crew/sxe stuff.

RE: Youth of Today, I do like their final album and the Disengage 7'' quite a bit. There are actually three different mixes of WNITA. The one that Rev sells right now is the second remix (third mix overall) that was done in the mid/late 90s. The album was originally released on Caroline and was recorded at Chung King. People hated the production so a remix was released shortly after. That first remix sounds pretty good given the limitations of the recording. You'll have to get an old OOP edition on We Bite if you want that version on CD.

RE: Underdog, great band, but sounds nothing like GB really. I do recommend the Matchless discography collection on B9. Personally I prefer the LP to the demos but the band always had problems with production.

Token Entry's Jaybird is another one you may know. I think that gives me the closest feeling to Start Today without actually sounding like it. Dunno if it is even in print right now, but it's an essential album.

The first CIV album is good (haven't heard it in years) but it doesn't capture how good that band was live. The album came out on a major and they were careful to polish all the rough edges from it. Live they just tore shit up.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 5:40 am
by Nico
Gorilla Biscuits actually asked Ian MacKaye to produce Start Today. At the time he didn't want to do it. But in hindsight he said, he actually liked that record.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 1:17 pm
by JGJR
SamDBL wrote:
JGJR wrote:
Unless you count Civ's Set Your Goals,



I don't. Ha. Not a terrible album. But nowhere near as great as GB. Although I have no idea why, as it was the same main dudes. But in any case, GB saved their legacy to 100% awesome by changing the name of the band for the Civ thing. Or, 99.9%, as I didn't like that one new song they put up online a few years ago.


Oh, I agree completely. I just meant that Start Today kinda sorta wasn't the only GB album.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 5:00 pm
by The Snake
I enjoy also GB first 7˝, no matter how goofy some songs are, I still like the raw sound of it.
I also dig GB demo from 1987, Do It Yourself is a great song and it wasn't re-recorded later.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 4:14 am
by The Snake
I also remembered that I have a GB bootleg CD and there are some post Start Today songs (live versions) that are quite interesting, one of these songs "Distance" is pretty good.
Also there is a Start Today recording with Walter singing the whole record which sounds even more like 7 Seconds with Walter's vocals.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 7:07 am
by drew
The Snake wrote:I also remembered that I have a GB bootleg CD and there are some post Start Today songs (live versions) that are quite interesting, one of these songs "Distance" is pretty good.
Also there is a Start Today recording with Walter singing the whole record which sounds even more like 7 Seconds with Walter's vocals.



"Distance" was a MOONDOG song(short lived project of Walter's) that morphed into a GB tune.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 9:23 am
by scannest
On a (sorta) related note, Quicksand has announced their first new LP in 22 years.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:35 am
by Dinko
scannest wrote:On a (sorta) related note, Quicksand has announced their first new LP in 22 years.


First song = meh. Still stoked.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2017 9:36 am
by JGJR
scannest wrote:On a (sorta) related note, Quicksand has announced their first new LP in 22 years.


With the great neo-shoegaze/dream-pop band No Joy opening the tour!

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2017 9:38 am
by JGJR
The Snake wrote:I also remembered that I have a GB bootleg CD and there are some post Start Today songs (live versions) that are quite interesting, one of these songs "Distance" is pretty good.
Also there is a Start Today recording with Walter singing the whole record which sounds even more like 7 Seconds with Walter's vocals.


I haven't listened to that boot in likely 24 years, but I found it amusing that he still said "Civ" after the line in one of the songs about "you don't even know my name" even as he (Walter) was singing.

I dig the 7" a lot, too, but Start Today is much better.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 4:14 pm
by MikeD
I Absolutely LOVED GB when they were around even though they were a pretty awful live band for a while haha

I still enjoy the LP but it doesn't do it for me the way it did when it came out. I like the 7" more.

Funny-ish Story.. when the GB LP came out I bought it either at Venus or Some records and went to a show at CBs.. Billy Psycho couldn't get over the name of the band laughing uncontrollably... he kept saying "biscuits are farts.. they are gorilla farts!"

Side By Side and No For an Answer are my Rev sweethearts.

Other NYHC from that era albeit not as melodic in some cases and not on Rev that I still absolutely love include

KRAKDOWN
LIFE'SBLOOD
OUR GANG
TOKEN ENTRY
BEYOND

Quicksand were next level and to me are probably the best band of the 90s. I ordered the new LP even though I really didn't dig what I heard so far. I didn't like any of Walter's post-QS projects at all, even though I tried so I have high hopes of a great LP but expect to be let down.

YOT. I will always LOVE YOT. Their records still give me goosebumps. Although when the Screaming For a Change reissue came out I realized I may even enjoy it more than YOT's Break Down The Walls... GASP!

The Comp that Bad Trip were on was Look at all the Children Now....

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 7:26 am
by SamDBL
I might've given side by side a chance if not for that horrible 7" cover that looked like it was some run Dmc, hip hop bullshit. Why did so many NYhc bands fall for that shit? I *still* make fun of that era, when all those bands were doing that pathetic half assed, honky hip hop swagger. Remember that aside on the Warzone album? 'He out getting the warzone women, yo. WORD!' :lol: :lol: That, and the letterman jacket/bleached tips jock bullshit was what kept me from liking so many nyhc bands.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:42 pm
by the mean

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 9:09 am
by JGJR
MikeD wrote:Although when the Screaming For a Change reissue came out I realized I may even enjoy it more than YOT's Break Down The Walls... GASP!


No gasp necessary. SFC is a way better record to these ears. The only YoT that does anything for me is the Disengage 7" (their best stuff) and Rev comp tracks.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 9:13 am
by JGJR
SamDBL wrote:I might've given side by side a chance if not for that horrible 7" cover that looked like it was some run Dmc, hip hop bullshit. Why did so many NYhc bands fall for that shit? I *still* make fun of that era, when all those bands were doing that pathetic half assed, honky hip hop swagger. Remember that aside on the Warzone album? 'He out getting the warzone women, yo. WORD!' :lol: :lol:


It's because by that point hip-hop culture permeated many aspects of life in NYC and wasn't quite mainstream in the rest of America yet at that point. I'm not saying that Warzone bit isn't hysterical, however. Grudge parodied it on the "Project Ex" 7" (can't find video of it right now).Image

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 10:36 am
by SamDBL
I could take being called a lazy bum and being lectured about street justice from boot camp rejects with crew cuts and work boots. But not from dudes with hats cocked side ways and basketball jerseys.

Fuck you, Welly.

Re: Late to the Party: Gorilla Biscuits' Start Today

PostPosted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 10:48 am
by jaybird
SamDBL wrote:I could take being called a lazy bum and being lectured about street justice from boot camp rejects with crew cuts and work boots. But not from dudes with hats cocked side ways and basketball jerseys.

Fuck you, Welly.


:lol: