N.Y.H.C. (film)
Encyclopedia
N.Y.H.C. is a documentary film
directed by Frank Pavich about the mid-90s New York hardcore
scene.
The documentary was acquired for distribution by HALO 8 Entertainment
in December 2007. On March 25, 2008, Halo-8 released a two disc Special Edition for the documentary's first time on DVD. Disc 2 featurse previously unreleased footage including "Where Are They Now?" interviews shot ten years after the original documentary, live performances of complete songs by Vision of Disorder
, Madball
, 25 ta Life
, 108
, District 9, and more, as well as new interviews with Lou Koller (Sick of It All
) and Toby Morse (H2O
).
music scene of one city (after the genre became much less tied to, and a subgenre of punk rock
), N.Y.H.C. featured seven bands prominent in the mid-90s scene. A diverse grouping was selected, from Long Island
suburbanites to Bronx inner-city youth to Hare Krishna
devotees.
Notable in this film is interview footage of Roger Miret
while using a wheelchair due to a vertebrae injury sustained at a show.
, 25 ta Life
, Vision of Disorder
, 108
, Crown of Thornz, No Redeeming Social Value and District 9
.
All tracks were recorded live in the summer of 1995. It is currently out of print.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
directed by Frank Pavich about the mid-90s New York hardcore
New York hardcore
New York hardcore refers to hardcore punk and metalcore music created in New York City and to the subculture associated with that music. New York hardcore grew out of the hardcore scene established in Washington, D.C., by bands such as Bad Brains and Minor Threat. Hardcore '81 is an album by the...
scene.
The documentary was acquired for distribution by HALO 8 Entertainment
HALO 8 Entertainment
HALO-8 Entertainment is a transmedia entertainment company specializing in cinema, genre graphic novels, midnight movies, music-driven lifestyle videos, and animation...
in December 2007. On March 25, 2008, Halo-8 released a two disc Special Edition for the documentary's first time on DVD. Disc 2 featurse previously unreleased footage including "Where Are They Now?" interviews shot ten years after the original documentary, live performances of complete songs by Vision of Disorder
Vision of Disorder
Vision of Disorder is a hardcore punk band from Long Island, New York, US. Vision of Disorder disbanded in 2002, but reunited from time to time over the next six years. In October 2008, they announced that they would record a new studio album...
, Madball
Madball
Madball is a New York-based hardcore band that originated in the late 1980s, as a side-project of Agnostic Front .- History :Madball was founded in 1988 and featured most of Agnostic Front's members...
, 25 ta Life
25 ta Life
25 ta Life is an American band from New York City, originally formed in Queens, N.Y. in mid-1991.- History :The band was started by Frank Smarra and Harry Minas in Astoria, Queens, N.Y., they were soon joined by Fred Mesk and together wrote most of the material that would be on their early...
, 108
108 (band)
108 is an American hardcore band founded in 1991. Their music reflected the Hare Krishna faith of its members. Their name comes from the number of beads on the Japa mala, or mantra counting beads.- History :...
, District 9, and more, as well as new interviews with Lou Koller (Sick of It All
Sick of It All
Sick of It All is an American hardcore punk band from Queens, New York. Formed in 1986, the band consisted of brothers Lou Koller on vocals and Pete Koller on lead guitar, Rich Cipriano on bass, and Armand Majidi on drums. There have been only two member changes since their inception, with Max...
) and Toby Morse (H2O
H2O (American band)
-Prologue:Prior to the formation of H2O, in the early-mid-1980s, Todd Morse and Rusty Pistachio were part of the speed punk band "Roadside Petz". This band featured Wayne Williams on drums...
).
Synopsis
One of the few documentaries focusing on the hardcoreHardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
music scene of one city (after the genre became much less tied to, and a subgenre of punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
), N.Y.H.C. featured seven bands prominent in the mid-90s scene. A diverse grouping was selected, from Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
suburbanites to Bronx inner-city youth to Hare Krishna
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
devotees.
Live performances
The featured bands are:- MadballMadballMadball is a New York-based hardcore band that originated in the late 1980s, as a side-project of Agnostic Front .- History :Madball was founded in 1988 and featured most of Agnostic Front's members...
- 25 ta Life25 ta Life25 ta Life is an American band from New York City, originally formed in Queens, N.Y. in mid-1991.- History :The band was started by Frank Smarra and Harry Minas in Astoria, Queens, N.Y., they were soon joined by Fred Mesk and together wrote most of the material that would be on their early...
- Vision of DisorderVision of DisorderVision of Disorder is a hardcore punk band from Long Island, New York, US. Vision of Disorder disbanded in 2002, but reunited from time to time over the next six years. In October 2008, they announced that they would record a new studio album...
- Crown of Thornz
- 108108 (band)108 is an American hardcore band founded in 1991. Their music reflected the Hare Krishna faith of its members. Their name comes from the number of beads on the Japa mala, or mantra counting beads.- History :...
- No Redeeming Social Value
- District 9
Interviewees
Interviewees include:- Freddy MadballFreddy CricienFreddy Cricien [also known as Freddy Madball] is an American Emcee and vocalist for the hardcore band Madball as well as one of the vocalists for Hazen Street....
(Madball) - Rick ta Life (25 ta Life)
- Roger MiretRoger MiretRoger Miret is the vocalist for New York Hardcore outfit Agnostic Front as well as the street punk group Roger Miret and the Disasters....
(Agnostic FrontAgnostic FrontAgnostic Front is an American hardcore band. The band began playing hardcore similar to their contemporaries, and were thrust to the forefront of the burgeoning New York hardcore scene in the mid-1980s with their widely regarded 1984 classic Victim in Pain before evolving to incorporate thrash...
) - John JosephJohn Joseph (rock singer)John Joseph McGowan is a punk rock singer from New York City, most famous for his work with the Cro-Mags in the 1980s.Joseph was raised in foster care and grew up on the streets of New York. He was the lead singer for the New York hardcore punk band Cro-Mags from 1984 until 1987, though he...
(Cro-MagsCro-MagsCro-Mags are a hardcore punk turned crossover thrash band from New York City. The band, which had a strong cult following, released many records, their first two considered the most influential...
) - Lord EzecDanny DiabloDanny Diablo a.k.a. Lord Ezec is an underground recording artist focusing mainly in the worlds of hardcore punk and hip hop. He has fronted the hardcore bands Crown of Thornz and Skarhead and is known for his heavily tattooed image and his Queens-bred thug lifestyle.-Early life:Dan Singer was born...
(Crown of Thornz) - Mike Dijan (Crown of Thornz)
- Kevin Gill (SFT Records)
- Barbara Kenngott (SFT Records)
- Vic DiCaraVic DiCaraVic DiCara is a hardcore punk guitarist, vocalist and bassist. He played in Beyond, Inside Out, Shelter, Burn, and later the Hare Krishna band 108. As part of the band 108, DiCara was instrumental in recording three albums considered influential in the hardcore punk scene of the 1990s. DiCara is...
(108) - Rasaraja dasa aka Rob Fish (108)
- Trivikrama dasa (108)
- Jimmy GestapoJimmy GestapoJames Drescher, better known as Jimmy G or Jimmy Gestapo and also known as Jimmy Spliff, is the lead singer for New York based hardcore punk band Murphy's Law....
(Murphy's LawMurphy's Law (band)Murphy's Law is an American hardcore band from New York City, New York, formed in 1982. While vocalist Jimmy Gestapo remains the only founding member of the band, the line-up has consisted of former members of bands such as Skinnerbox, Danzig, The Bouncing Souls, Mucky Pup, Dog Eat Dog, Hanoi...
) - Tommy Rat (Rejuvenate)
- Dean Miller (No Redeeming Social Value)
- Vinnie Value (No Redeeming Social Value)
- Kent Miller (No Redeeming Social Value)
- Mike Dixon (No Redeeming Social Value)
- Chris Wynne (In Effect Magazine)
- Tim Williams (VOD)
- Mike Kennedy (VOD)
- Mike Fleischmann (VOD)
- Brendan Cohen (VOD)
- Matt Baumbach (VOD)
- Myke Rivera (District 9)
- Cesar Ramirez (District 9)
- Todd Hamilton (District 9)
- Loki Velasquez (District 9)
Notable in this film is interview footage of Roger Miret
Roger Miret
Roger Miret is the vocalist for New York Hardcore outfit Agnostic Front as well as the street punk group Roger Miret and the Disasters....
while using a wheelchair due to a vertebrae injury sustained at a show.
Film Festivals
- Chicago Underground Film FestivalChicago Underground Film FestivalChicago Underground Film Festival, founded in 1994, occurs each spring at various venues in Chicago, Illinois in the USA.Over the last 18 years it has become one of the most respected festivals in the USA and is today well attended by critics and programers. The festival's stated goal is "to focus...
- 1999 - Euro Underground Film Festival - 1999
- Hot SpringsHot Springs, ArkansasHot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
Documentary Film Festival - 2000 - New York Underground Film FestivalNew York Underground Film FestivalFounded in 1994 by filmmakers Todd Phillips and Andrew Gurland, the New York Underground Film Festival was an annual event that occurred each March at Anthology Film Archives in New York City from 1994 through 2008...
- 2000 - Sound Unseen Film & Music Festival - 2000
- Mostra Internacional de Cinema (BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
) - 2001
Soundtrack
The N.Y.H.C. Documentary Soundtrack was released in 1996 prior to the film’s release by SFT Records on compact disc. It was intended to help raise funds for the completion of the documentary itself (which was finally completed & released in 1999). This CD featured live tracks as well as interview clips. The featured bands are MadballMadball
Madball is a New York-based hardcore band that originated in the late 1980s, as a side-project of Agnostic Front .- History :Madball was founded in 1988 and featured most of Agnostic Front's members...
, 25 ta Life
25 ta Life
25 ta Life is an American band from New York City, originally formed in Queens, N.Y. in mid-1991.- History :The band was started by Frank Smarra and Harry Minas in Astoria, Queens, N.Y., they were soon joined by Fred Mesk and together wrote most of the material that would be on their early...
, Vision of Disorder
Vision of Disorder
Vision of Disorder is a hardcore punk band from Long Island, New York, US. Vision of Disorder disbanded in 2002, but reunited from time to time over the next six years. In October 2008, they announced that they would record a new studio album...
, 108
108 (band)
108 is an American hardcore band founded in 1991. Their music reflected the Hare Krishna faith of its members. Their name comes from the number of beads on the Japa mala, or mantra counting beads.- History :...
, Crown of Thornz, No Redeeming Social Value and District 9
District 9
District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
.
All tracks were recorded live in the summer of 1995. It is currently out of print.
Track listing
- Crown of Thornz - Juggernaut
- 25 ta Life25 ta Life25 ta Life is an American band from New York City, originally formed in Queens, N.Y. in mid-1991.- History :The band was started by Frank Smarra and Harry Minas in Astoria, Queens, N.Y., they were soon joined by Fred Mesk and together wrote most of the material that would be on their early...
- Da Lowdown - Kevin Gill of SFT Records (interview dialogue)
- Vision of DisorderVision of DisorderVision of Disorder is a hardcore punk band from Long Island, New York, US. Vision of Disorder disbanded in 2002, but reunited from time to time over the next six years. In October 2008, they announced that they would record a new studio album...
- Suffer - Virginia (interview dialogue)
- District 9 - Fool
- Freddy MadballFreddy CricienFreddy Cricien [also known as Freddy Madball] is an American Emcee and vocalist for the hardcore band Madball as well as one of the vocalists for Hazen Street....
(interview dialogue) - MadballMadballMadball is a New York-based hardcore band that originated in the late 1980s, as a side-project of Agnostic Front .- History :Madball was founded in 1988 and featured most of Agnostic Front's members...
- New York City - Rasaraja dasa of 108 (interview dialogue)
- 108 - Solitary
- Vinnie & Dean of NRSV (interview dialogue)
- No Redeeming Social Value - New 64
- Myke & Todd of Distcict 9 (interview dialogue)
- District 9 - Victim
- Rick ta Life (interview dialogue)
- 25 ta Life25 ta Life25 ta Life is an American band from New York City, originally formed in Queens, N.Y. in mid-1991.- History :The band was started by Frank Smarra and Harry Minas in Astoria, Queens, N.Y., they were soon joined by Fred Mesk and together wrote most of the material that would be on their early...
- Separate Ways - John JosephJohn Joseph (rock singer)John Joseph McGowan is a punk rock singer from New York City, most famous for his work with the Cro-Mags in the 1980s.Joseph was raised in foster care and grew up on the streets of New York. He was the lead singer for the New York hardcore punk band Cro-Mags from 1984 until 1987, though he...
of the Cro-MagsCro-MagsCro-Mags are a hardcore punk turned crossover thrash band from New York City. The band, which had a strong cult following, released many records, their first two considered the most influential...
(interview dialogue) - 108 - Holyname
- Tim & Brendan of Vision of DisorderVision of DisorderVision of Disorder is a hardcore punk band from Long Island, New York, US. Vision of Disorder disbanded in 2002, but reunited from time to time over the next six years. In October 2008, they announced that they would record a new studio album...
(interview dialogue) - Vision of DisorderVision of DisorderVision of Disorder is a hardcore punk band from Long Island, New York, US. Vision of Disorder disbanded in 2002, but reunited from time to time over the next six years. In October 2008, they announced that they would record a new studio album...
- Formula for Failure - Roger MiretRoger MiretRoger Miret is the vocalist for New York Hardcore outfit Agnostic Front as well as the street punk group Roger Miret and the Disasters....
of Agnostic FrontAgnostic FrontAgnostic Front is an American hardcore band. The band began playing hardcore similar to their contemporaries, and were thrust to the forefront of the burgeoning New York hardcore scene in the mid-1980s with their widely regarded 1984 classic Victim in Pain before evolving to incorporate thrash...
(interview dialogue) - MadballMadballMadball is a New York-based hardcore band that originated in the late 1980s, as a side-project of Agnostic Front .- History :Madball was founded in 1988 and featured most of Agnostic Front's members...
- It's Time - MadballMadballMadball is a New York-based hardcore band that originated in the late 1980s, as a side-project of Agnostic Front .- History :Madball was founded in 1988 and featured most of Agnostic Front's members...
- Crucified (with Roger MiretRoger MiretRoger Miret is the vocalist for New York Hardcore outfit Agnostic Front as well as the street punk group Roger Miret and the Disasters....
on Vocals) - Dean & Vinnie of NRSV with Chris of In Effect Magazine (interview dialogue)
- No Redeeming Social Value - No Regrets
- Tim Williams, Matt Baumbach, Mike Kennedy & Mike Fleischmann of Vision of DisorderVision of DisorderVision of Disorder is a hardcore punk band from Long Island, New York, US. Vision of Disorder disbanded in 2002, but reunited from time to time over the next six years. In October 2008, they announced that they would record a new studio album...
(interview dialogue) - Vision of DisorderVision of DisorderVision of Disorder is a hardcore punk band from Long Island, New York, US. Vision of Disorder disbanded in 2002, but reunited from time to time over the next six years. In October 2008, they announced that they would record a new studio album...
- D.T.O. - Ezec of Crown of Thornz (interview dialogue)
- Crown of Thornz - Crown of Thornz
External links
- N.Y.H.C. Documentary page on Myspace
- Podcast interview with Frank Pavich & Lord Ezec on Issue Oriented 2006