Today's Faith: Hardcore Music

The Religion: Hardcore
Hardcore is an offshoot of punk music that rose into prominence in the 1980's. The music was made for the misfit, angry lot that its audience included a plethora of societal outcasts from leftist punkers to neo-Nazi skinheads and every tattooed, pierced freak in between. Much of the music is loud, hard, and fast but some songs infused sludgy rock and experimental music. Due to lack of access to production studios, many of the early hardcore bands would get their names out through word-of-mouth, pasting posters and advertisements to shows on telephone poles and walls, and recording and dubbing their own albums with little to no financial support from corporate labels. After its hey-day, hardcore influence can be felt in the metal genre, especially thrash/speed metal bands like Anthrax and Slayer and grunge bands such as Nirvana. While not currently in a cultural spotlight, hardcore still reverberates with people listening to old albums and artists recommended by current popular bands and many albums, posters, and t-shirts being sold at stores like Hot Topic. Much like current hippies listen to old records of Grateful Dead, current rebels listen to hardcore punk.

The God: Greg Ginn
Greg Ginn was the guitarist/songwriter and founder of the band, Black Flag. Ginn and Black Flag's music torched the L.A. club scene and his approach of pasting their names everywhere they toured while distributing their own albums brought recognition and set a pathway for other hardcore scenes to start throughout the U.S. and elsewhere.

The Messiah: Ian MacKaye
MacKaye was the frontman for one of the "godfathers" of hardcore, Minor Threat. He founded Dischord Records in the Washington D.C. area which is still going strong and is responsible for the funding and careers of bands like Fugazi, keeping the genre growing, learning, and breathing while supporting other musical styles through the label.

The Twelve:

Black Flag- Founded in 1976 and one of the three "godfathers" of hardcore, Black Flag was considered to the prototype of the hardcore genre.

Bad Brains- Founded in 1977, a "godfather" of the genre and infused elements of both metal and reggae into their music.

Minor Threat- Founded in 1980, a "godfather," fast and hard music, and launched the straight edge movement (Straight edge means abstaining from tobacco, alcohol, and recreational drugs).

The Damned- A goth inspired, cabaret influenced band that was embraced into the hardcore scene.

The Dead Kennedys- A punk band formed in the late seventies that delved into the hardcore scene with influences of UK punk and leftist satire.

The Circle Jerks- A hardcore band lead by former Black Flag lead singer, Keith Morris, that after going through a few hiatuses is still playing together and going strong.

Husker Du- A post-punk/New Wave band that turned into a hard, fast, blazing hardcore force. Are cited as influences on alternative rock lords such as the Foo Fighters and Green Day.

Bad Religion- Inspired by Black Flag among other forms of punk, their album "How Could Hell Be Any Worse" is considered a staple in the hardcore library.

The Exploited- A U.K. punk band that morphed into a faster, hardcore band.

Anti-Nowhere League- Another U.K. punk band that helped lead the European hardcore movement during the 1980's.

TSOL- Standing for "True Sounds of Liberty," this band has dabbled in various musical styles since its inception but is frequently described as a hardcore band.

Social Distortion- Fast, angry, infused with energy, this band helped fan the flames of the O.C. hardcore scene. Still writing and making music today. Also is a personal favorite of mine.

The Thirteenth

The Necros- On this list because they were one of the earliest hardcore punk bands being formed in 1979 and because they hailed from my hometown of Maumee, Ohio!

The Anti-Christ: Suburban Life
Many fans of hardcore and band members themselves either move on to different genres or get a "straight job," have kids, and live in a house in the suburbs. It's not a bad existence but it's hard to sing such songs and listen to such music when there are little kids around and when you are more concerned about how your lawn is doing.

The Satan: Ronald Reagan
With the exception of a few bands like The Undead, who are conservative, the majority of hardcore bands during its hey-day were vocal against the Reagan administration, often using Reagan's policies as fuel for their songwriting.

The Bible: Damaged (1981) by Black Flag
While specifying which hardcore album would be considered the best or the benchmark, it can be quite a toss up at times. The Damaged album is considered to be one of Black Flag's best and since the band initially toured the early '80's promoting this album and kickstarting the genre with it, and with tracks like "T.V. Party" and "Police Story," it makes sense to me to consider this album to be at least a translation of the Bible to the hardcores.

The Christmas: None known.

The Churches: Shows in stuffy clubs, college radio, various websites and fansites.

Devotions:
"Get in the Van" by Henry Rollins
"Going Underground: American Punk 1978-1992" by George Hurchalla
"American Hardcore" directed by Paul Rachman