The Real Guitar Heros

A few weeks ago i was listening to Straight Ahead and the song "Breakaway" came on, if you know that song, the solo is incredible. It got me thinking i need to make a play list of all of my favorite solos in hardcore or punk songs. So for the next couple weeks i picked out the songs i knew had to be on the play list from the top of my head and then put my media player on shuffle hoping to stumble across a gem or two from my music library. I came up with 17 songs, I'm sure there are plenty i missed and some of these songs are just personal favorite's. There are a handful of NYHC songs, as would be expected, some youth crew stuff, and some punk stuff. I tried to get a good mix of everything. Anyway i'll list the songs, if they don't play in your media player in this order, put them in this order, I've listened to this through a few times and i think it works best the way I've ordered them. I'll try and say a little something about each song as i list them.

1. Iron Boots - Don't Come Back
- This song rages right from the start, Iron boots are one of my favorite NYHC style bands going right now, worth checking out.

2. Straight Ahead - Breakaway
- I don't think i need to explain my choice here, one of , if not the best hardcore solo I've heard.

3. Propagandhi - Purina Hall of Fame
- One of my favorite Propagandhi songs off of what i think is their best record, Todays Empire Tomorrow's Ashes, this song closes out the record in an incredible way.

4. Bad Brains - Don't Need It
- This one doesn't need explaining either, a great song from the first and probably most technically proficient hardcore punk band.

5. Seaweed - Rethink
- If you were ever into the 90's grunge stuff I'm sure you know of this band. Far more punk than grunge, this song is one of my favorite.

6. Uniform Choice - Once I Cry
- I had a tough time choosing between this song and In Time, you can't really go wrong with UC so Once I Cry it is.

7. Leeway - Defy You
- I'd feel dumb if i didn't put a Leeway song on this, i just picked my favorite Leeway song and here it is.

8. Dag Nasty - Justification
- This was a no-brainer, the solo in this song is awesome and Can I Say is a quintessential punk record.

9. On The Rise - Turncoat
- I love the guitar work from On The Rise, i had to include one song just because of my affection for this band.

10. Adolescents - Amoeba
- This is one of the best punk songs ever written, enough said.

11. Cro-Mags - Crush The Demoniac
- Without a Cro-Mags song this mix would fall short. I've never been huge into them, why? I don't know. But this song is great and it's impossible to ignore.

12. Nothing Done - Give It Back
- This song is incredibly catchy and from one of my favorite current bands. I love the way the solo kicks in and eases you through the last song off of their 2007 LP Everybody Knows.

13. Reagan Youth - Miss Teen America
- This is from Reagan Youth's later stuff and although i don't like it as much as their early songs its got some great guitar work in it.

14. Bold - Your The Friend I Don't Need
- I couldn't leave this song out, Bold were a great band and this song is more than likely my favorite by Bold.

15. Killing Time - Happy Hour
- The solo in this song shreds and Killing Time are one of my favorite NYHC bands.

16. Rise Against- Join The Ranks
- Rise Against were one of my favorite bands in the early 00's, they released two unbelievable records on fatwreck, the first being The Unraveling. This song was included in the re-issue of that record, although i think it was either originally from either the Transistor Revolt Demo or a compilation of some sort. Regardless, this song rules.

17. Outbreak - Sailin' On
- I could have included the original Bad Brains version of this song but Outbreak do an admirable job at covering this song and i didn't want to have two songs from the same band on here.

Here's the link: www.mediafire.com/?2ddlj4nyxl3

Enjoy!

Cheap Shot Youth Anthems

I went and saw Paint It Black and Cold World last night, it was a really fun time, by far the best show I've been to since Go It Alone last August. Cold World were fun to watch, they actually surprised me quite a bit, i had previously written them off without giving them much of a chance but they played an entertaining set at the least, i picked up their newest LP so we'll see if i like them on record.

Paint it Black were just awesome like you would expect. Yemin is an absolute madman on the mic, the best part is when the song ends and for a few seconds after he stand at the edge of the stage with a gruelingly intense look on his face glaring into the crowd. They played Memorial Day and Atticus Finch which are two of my favorite songs. For the ending of Memorial Day Yemin got off that stage and everyone gathered around to help him sing the anthemic ending. They closed with Atticus Finch and if you know that song it needs no explanation, its perfect for the mosh, I've never been much a mosh connoisseur but that song wrenches it out of me.


I went with a friend i met in my social movements class who had never been to a punk show before, it's always funny watching someone react the first time they see kids climbing all over each other shouting indiscernible words into at the singer of a band. She enjoyed it though. We went to a jazz bar before the show and watched a guy rocking out harder than i though possible with a cello, there was a definite contrast in the music consumption last night.