Death Before Dishonor tour dates

Here are some tour dates for the one of the hardest working bands in hardcore:

Death Before Dishonor & Cruel Hand on tour w/ Terror:
Feb 26 Rotterdam, Netherlands @ De Baroeg
Feb 27 Lindau, Germany @ Club Vaudeville
Feb 28 Kufstein, Austria @ Kulturfabrik
Mar 01 Wien, Austria @ Szene
Mar 02 Muenchen, Germany @ Backstage/Werk
Mar 03 Saarbruecken, Germany @ Garage
Mar 04 Bruneck, Italy @ Ufo
Mar 05 Mulhouse, France @ Le Noumatrouff
Mar 06 Mons, Belgium @ Maximum HxC & Metal Fest
Mar 07 Sneek, Netherlands @ Het Bolwerk
Mar 08 Koeln, Germany @ Essigfabrik
Mar 09 Hamburg, Germany @ Markthalle
Mar 10 Berlin, Georgia @ SO36
Mar 11 Lodz, Poland @ Dekompresja
Mar 12 Magdeburg, Germany @ Froximun Arena
Mar 13 Leipzig, Germany @ Conne Island

Death Before Dishonor On Tour W/ Evergreen Terrace:
3/16 Houston, TX @ The Junction
3/17 San Antonio, TX @ White Rabbit
3/18 Austin, TX @ East End Tattoo - SXSW (no Evergreen Terrace)
3/19 TBA
3/20 Little Rock, AR @ Juanitas Cantina Ballroom
3/21 Claremore, OK @ The Tree
3/22 Springfield, MO @ Outland Ballroom
3/23 Kansas City, MO @ TBA
3/24 Omaha, NE @ Sokol Underground
3/25 Chicago, IL @ Reggies Rock Club
3/26 Ft. Wayne, IN @ Sunset Hall
3/27 Indianapolis, IN @ Emerson Theater
3/28 Pontiac, MI @ The Pike Room
3/29 Charleroi, PA @ Club Octane
3/30 Covington, KY @ Mad Hatter Club
3/31 Evansville, IN @ Boney Junes
4/1 Memphis, TN @ Hi Tone Cafe
4/2 Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
4/3 East Ridge, TN @ The Warehouse
4/4 Tallahassee, FL @ Big Daddys

Mission Quest For Metal Fest Tour:
6-Apr Philadelphia, PA @ The Barbary
7-Apr Baltimore, MD @ The Side Bar
8-Apr Richmond, VA @ Alley Katz
9-Apr Virginia Beach, VA @ Kempsville Ruritan
10-Apr Raligh, NC @ The Brewery
11-Apr Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
12-Apr Atlanta, GA @ P.S. Warehouse
13-Apr Johnson City, TN @ The Hideaway
14-Apr Louisville, KY @ Bulldog Café
15-Apr TBA
19-Apr Cincinatti, OH @ Warsaw Arena
20-Apr Cleveland, OH @ The Pirates Cove
21-Apr Pittsburgh, PA @ TBA
22-Apr Rochester, NY @ Dubland Underground
23-Apr Worcester, MA @ METAL FEST

Bridge Nine will release Underdog discography

Here's official press release:

Things over at the Bridge Nine Records have been busy this winter and we are proud and excited to announce the release of NYHC legends Underdog discography titled "Matchless." Set to hit stores on May 18th, 2010, this comprehensive release will include both "The Vanishing Point" and the Demos on CD/double LP. Bassist Russ Iglay said, "This release has been a long time coming. We're glad that it's going to see the light of day this Spring on Bridge Nine and we can't wait to get out there and play more shows this year!" Buzz has been re-building around the band since their performance at last year's Burning Fight show in Chicago - expect to see Underdog on the road this summer in support of this release.

Underdog has been a staple in the hardcore scene since their inception in the 1980's and the release of "Matchless" will further cement the impact that the band had upon the world. The two key, constant elements of Underdog during its span of four years were Richie Birkenhead (vocals) and Russ "Wheeler" Iglay (bass) who decided to form a band while talking at CBGB in 1985. The band, named True Blue for about a week, soon became Underdog. These two NYHC matinee regulars and longtime skateboarders, Richie and Russ, were indeed at opposite ends of the spectrum in temperament and circles they ran in. Case in point: Richie did time with Youth of Today and Russ with Murphy's Law. Underdog was also one of the first punk bands with deep roots in skateboarding, and skating still remains a focal point in the life of the band. Richie, while fronting Underdog, raised the bar in NYHC during those years, in a scene filled with aggro, straight-up hardcore bands that concentrated more on athletic, than vocal prowess and melody on stage. He prowled the stage, commandeered the crowd and could switch from a guttural scream to the voice of a choir boy in a split second. Russ, well known for his Andy Capp, drink up, devil may care, knuckle-up persona equaled Richie in the stage presence department, swinging off ceiling pipes and taunting the crowd all while keeping the rhythm section tightly pumping with kid brother Dean Joseph (Iglay, stolen from Jersey Shore pranksters Good Humor), who replaced original drummer Gregg very early on and remained a permanent member. Underdog became a hugely popular musical hybrid capable of playing shows with any other band while winning new followers along the way. Their "fuck with our friends and you fuck with us" attitude wasn't just a bullshit theme for a song, like lots of other bands. These guys practiced what they preached. The band's attitude on stage encouraged everyone in the crowd to let loose and go nuts without fear of getting sucker punched or bullied by anyone. And they did. Underdog shows were sweat-drenched, hard dancing, sing-along events for everyone involved.

Their first 7" EP released on New Beginnings Records (with Gregg Pierce on drums and Danny Darella on guitar) instantly became a hot commodity in the NYHC scene, spread through the U.S. and was quickly out of print. The legendary Matt Solomon cover art became the unofficial trademark for the band on T-shirts, flyers and tattoos. On the power of that 7 alone, While Richie, Russ and Dean remained fixtures (except for Richies brief departure to play for Youth of Today on one album/tour)(vocal duties were briefly taken over by Carl DiMola), guitar players were to Underdog what drummers were to Spinal Tap. Original guitarist Danny was later replaced by Arthur (Token Entry, Gorilla Biscuits), who was subsequently replaced by skater dude Chuck. For the recording of the Over the Edge demo, and also at the tail-end of their existence, Underdog played as a trio, with Richie on guitar. Already quite aware of Underdog and after hearing their 1988 Over the Edge demo, Caroline Records signed the band to record what became the album "The Vanishing Point." The band had matured into an extremely tight musical unit, mixing the best of power, melody and even reggae into a volatile mix second only to Bad Brains. Chuck Treece joined the band on guitar to help record the songs already written by Richie and Russ. Recorded in one week at Electric Reels in upstate NY and produced by Don Fury, "The Vanishing Point" was one of the most anxiously awaited records of the year. A 1989 nationwide tour to support the record was their biggest and most successful at that point and there seemed to be nothing standing in their way. Sadly prophetic, the title of the record rang true at the conclusion of that tour. Arriving back in NYC and dropping off Richie, Russ and Dean drove home for an agreed upon short break. That short break became a long break and they decided to cancel their European tour.

Now Underdog is back with the original core line-up, and with longtime friend and American Standard axe-man Matt Dolan as a ful-time member of the band. Look for the Underdog discography, "Matchless," to hit stores on May 18 2010 from Bridge Nine Records.

Cypress Hill - It Ain't Nothin

Crime Scene / x Strength Through Purity x - March Tour 2010

Crime Scene and xStrength Through Purityx are hitting road this March. Here is official poster for the Australian tour:

Mark My Words / Strenght Approach Euro tour dates

Here are confirmed show dates:

24/04/2010 @ Liberation Fest - Acrobax, Roma (ITA) w/ No Turning Back & more...
25/04/2010 @ Liberation Fest - Blogos, Bologna (ITA) w/ No Turning Back & more...
26/04/2010 @ Pieffe Factory, Lucinico (ITA) w/ No Turning Back
27/04/2010 @ TBA (SHOW NEEDED - Contact: johanna@mad-tourbooking.de)
28/04/2010 @ Cassiopeia, Berlin (GER) w/ Good Clean Fun
29/04/2010 @ TBA (SHOW NEEDED - Contact: johanna@mad-tourbooking.de)
30/04/2010 @ Stumpf, Hannover (GER)
01/05/2010 @ Gerber 3, Weimar (GER)
02/05/2010 @ Chemiefabrik, Dresden (GER) w/ Risk It!
03/05/2010 @ Juha West, Stuttgart (GER) w/ Stick To Your Guns
04/05/2010 @ TBA (SHOW NEEDED - Contact: johanna@mad-tourbooking.de)
05/05/2010 @ TBA (SHOW NEEDED - Contact: johanna@mad-tourbooking.de)
06/05/2010 @ TBA (SHOW NEEDED - Contact: johanna@mad-tourbooking.de)
07/05/2010 @ JH The Bassment, Houthalen-Oost (BEL)
08/05/2010 @ TBA (SHOW NEEDED - Contact: johanna@mad-tourbooking.de)
09/05/2010 @ TBC, Torino (ITA)

Strength Approach to release MCD/7" and full length this year

After more than two years spent on the road supporting their last full-length, relentlessly shredding stages throughout Europe, USA and Australia, as well as a few line-up changes, the hardcore powerhouse from Roma, Italy known as STRENGTH APPROACH is about to come back with some heat for your eardrums.

DEMONS RUN AMOK ENTERTAINMENT and COUNTDOWN RECORDS are proud to announce the release of this deluxe edition 7"/MCD, aptly titled "STAND YOUR GROUND". This record is the proof the band has crushed all odds faced during their almost 15-years existence, are here to stay and have settled themselves as a true legend of Italian hardcore. Serving as a preview of their new full length "WITH OR WITHOUT YOU" to be released later this year, these new songs show the harder side of the band, a much more mature songwriting and the band's will to step up their sound to a new level. The new record will be available as a deluxe edition featuring both vinyl and CD version, packaged with an amazing artwork by Dave Quiggle (Sick of It All, New Found Glory, Sworn Enemy)

The release will be followed by a European tour supported by Australia's MARK MY WORDS starting April 24th, which is being booked right now by MAD TOURBOOKING, as well as appereances on several summer festivals and more touring all over the world.

Marked For Death records

Market For Death is a new label from Germany. It was founded just at the beginning of 2010 and since then started working with bands like Cunthunt777, Bravestar, Nothing To Regret and Still Alive. The future for them looks promising so be sure to check out their upcoming releases. Here's their website.

From their Myspace:

Marked for death was founded in early 2010. The label owner of Marked for death has the motivation to give the scene something back after being so long part of it. In Europe we don..t have many labels that support hardcore bands. So this label would give the opportunity to release their stuff on that imprint. This isn't a company, this is more like a family!

The south area of Germany has some really great bands like the most discussed and controversal Cunthunt777, the heavyweights Bravestar and the youngsters of Nothing to regret. Also watch out for the US band Still alive! These heavy hitters from the US will hit Europe as a split partner of nothing to regret in May. In the future there will be more bands on the label from all over the world!

Awaken Demons - Coming To An End

Plakkaggio H.C. - Fronte Del Sacco

Plakkaggio HC play the style which can be probably best described as a mixture of hardcore, punk rock and a dose of metal. I know it sounds cliché so far, but believe me – these guys are pretty good at what they do.

All the good ingredients are here - angry vocals backed by a mixture of vicious riffing and aggressive grooves. The band is maintaining diversity from song to song with their style ranging from straight up punk rock to hardcore to metal. You definitely gotta give them props for making an effort at trying something new. At first it was kind of hard to get into this album, but more I listened to it, the more I enjoyed it and found some of the songs particularly memorable. At moments they sound is typical punk rock, and then all suddenly throw in some heavier part and start sounding like a straight up hardcore band. And what I like about it is that they never lose focus and always sound straight to the point. The songs are fresh and original and well executed. Sure, the album loses a little slack now and then but luckily not enough to kill the good experience.

As for the lyrical content – well, they sing in Italian in most of the songs which is a big plus in my book but on the other hand I can’t understand a word they’re saying. They sound pretty pissed off though. The only songs that are sung in English are about rugby and worshipping satan while listening to Darkthrone. Judging just by these tracks, there’s a sense of humour throughout the album which is another thing to like here.

I’m really like the band’s approach to this album – its loose concept makes it a good listen and on the whole this is a solid release. And while this isn’t a musical evolution, it’s hard to not find yourself endeared to the album. This one is well recommended.


Author: Dloogi
Year: 2009

Band's Myspace

Clenched Fist

There's no need for introduction here. If your hardcore education doesn't include Clenched Fist you are seriously missing out. Seven years after their debut full length, the infamous Memphis band is back with another punch of pure old school hardcore. Check out what singer Juicy Joel had to say about it!

There's no need for introduction here. If your hardcore education doesn't include Clenched Fist you are seriously missing out. Seven years after their debut full length, the infamous Memphis band is back with another punch of pure old school hardcore. Check out what singer Juicy Joel had to say about it!

There was about 7 years gap in between your previous album and Just Like Roaches. What’s been happening with Clenched fist since the "Welcome To Memphis" came out?

Band members leaving or having kids is what happened. Stuff like that makes it very hard function as a band and it still does.

So at what point you decided it’s time to get your shit together and release some new music? When did you start writing new songs?

We never "didn't have our shit together" We started writing songs before "Welcome To Memphis" even came out. It just takes a long time for CF to do anything because everyone has other priorities in their life. We also do everything on our own. We pay for our own recordings and merch and book our own shows. And that money is saved on the side, outside of rent and bills and all that. Nothing CF does comes easy or quickly.

And what’s the status of the band right now? Apart from the album, are there any other activities going on with it like playing shows or touring?

Yes we are playing shows when we get asked to. We try to do anything people ask us to play. We would like to go to Europe some time. That would be great.

Having listened to the new album plenty of times now and I gotta say I got what I was expecting from you – straight in your face hardcore with honest, no bullshit lyrics. What was the process of putting together Just Like Roaches like? What we the main influences when you were writing new songs and did you have any vision how you wanted them to sound?

The process for writing songs in CF is pretty typical. A riff or some simple idea starts the whole thing off, then the song is put together and arranged, then I write lyrics to it. Sometime we'll play new songs live before I have any lyrics and I'll just make shit up on the spot. That's how "Dying at 33" on the new record came together. As far as influence goes, it's the same thing as it's always been...NYHC and Cleveland HC basically.

So how do you feel about the new album now when it’s finally out? How do you think it compares to your previous records? Is there anything different on this album that people might not expect to hear, like clean vocals or shit like that?

I'm pretty happy with how the record came out. My brother was there helping me the whole time I did my vocals and the record is better because of it. And we recorded the record at the same studio that has done ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, Al Green, Three 6 Mafia, and many many others. That was a big deal to me. There are gold and platinum and even diamond awards all over the place there. And as far as what people can expect goes, if they're familiar with CF then they already know what to expect, just pure hardcore. No clean vocals or soft parts or any of that shit. CF will never do anything like that ever.

Is there any lyrical theme to the album? What are some of the topics you touched this time?

There is no central theme to the lyrics. Every song is different. The song "Just Like Roaches" is a whole metaphor about the band and how we will never stop. "Summer Avenue Bastards", which I wrote with my brother, is about ourselves and how we grew up. Other stuff I touch on are memories of dead family members, loneliness, and things that disgust me about the modern day hardcore scene.

So far, the album is available just as a digital download only. Where did this idea come from?

The album is digital only in the USA because most people over here don't buy CD's anymore. We're not a well known band at all so for us to print up thousands of CD's that only a few people will buy is stupid. So we decided to put it up online for free. People can pay for it if they want to or they can have it for free. It's their choice.

Are there any plans to release it also on physical format like CD or vinyl?

Yes. Filled With Hate Records will have a special CD version of Just Like Roaches in Europe later this month (Feb 2010). It is a special CD that is packaged like an old style vinyl LP. There are 26 tracks. 10 from the new record Just Like Roaches and 16 old demo tracks that are not available with the digital download version.

Hardcore has always been more than music. What aspects of it appeal to you the most? Do you think it changed the way you live your life and see the world in one way or another?

Yes hardcore definitely changed how I am in my life. All of my friends came from the hardcore scene. And I still go to a lot of shows and meet new kids and see new bands. A lot of people my age have given up on hardcore or they think "it's not like it used to be". Of course the scene is different now. New kids learn everything from the internet and a lot of what they learn is wrong. But if no older dudes stay around and teach these young kids how to do things then the scene will be terrible. I have been a part of the hardcore scene for literally half my life and I learned a lot from people I met here. My dad died when I was 7 years old. People from the hardcore scene taught me lessons that my dad wasn't around to teach me.

Hardcore is also full of shit talkers and Internet thugs so when you play in a band it’s probably hard not to hear some stupid stories about yourself . What was the craziest gossip you’ve heard about your band?

I've heard rumors about CF jumping people for no reason or starting trouble or something like that. Which is all bullshit. Those rumors were really from the early days when we were kids.

You guys have been around for so long and probably many kids come and go. Is there anything you wish the younger generation knew about hardcore that they’re not getting right?

I think a lot of kids today pretend to be something they're not. A lot of them think they are street thugs and they love to pose for pictures they put on the internet where they try to look hard. Young kids need to be comfortable with themselves and whatever they are naturally. Also young bands needs to learn to book their own shows and manage their own bands. Too many young bands want to have a manager and a booking agent and all this bullshit that they don't need. A lot of these young bands have no idea what it was like to tour before there was GPS, the internet, and cellphones. It was very different and more difficult.

Many kids find themselves less and less connected with the hardcore scene as years go by and they grow older. Do you think your attitude in this matter changed throughout the years?

For several years I worked in an office every day and I didn't ever travel or go to that many shows and I thought all the new bands sucked and that all the new kids were faggots. Once I quit my job and started my own business I started touring with Death Before Dishonor and helping out with This Is Hardcore Fest and I realized that there are some good new bands and some new kids who will turn into lifers. The scene is definitely different now but it's not dead. It just needs older people to lead by example. I love hardcore and will never leave it.

You’ve been always representing Memphis scene so what’s happening over there right now? Who are some underrated hardcore bands from your area that you think deserve more attention?

The Memphis scene is pretty small and it's pretty much always been that way when compared to other cities. Some bands in Memphis to check out are Dead City, Bury The Living, First World, Pulltrigger. They can all be found on myspace and have music available.

How about the punk rock scene? Are hardcore and punk rock scene in Memphis united as one or is there a division between them?

I hate punk rock. But if you want to know about a legendary punk band from Memphis, check out Pezz.

From American perspective – what is your opinion about European hardcore scene? Has European bands influenced you in any way?

My brother plays in Death Before Dishonor and they play Europe a lot so I know about a lot of the European bands. And most of my friends from other bands also tour Europe a lot. Even from years ago I listened to Backfire, Kickback, Rykers, Out For Blood, and Stormcore. I bought all those bands' records when they first came out.

What's the best food joint in Memphis?

Central BBQ (cbqmemphis.com) is the best place for food in Memphis and the rest of the world.

 My last question would be if you weren't into hardcore, what do you think you'll be doing?

There's no way I would be into anything other that hardcore so I don't know how to answer. I never did any of the normal shit people are supposed to do in life. People ask me sometimes "what were you like in high school?". I was into hardcore, I played in Clenched Fist, and I went to shows. I hated school and all the shit normal kids did. I'm still that way now.

Thanks a lot for your time man! Any last shout outs or death threats?

Any bands or record labels that need art, check me out at JuicyJoel.com. Look for Clenched Fist "Just Like Roaches" CD available in Europe from Filled With Hate Records later this month. They will also have CF shirts. Thanks man.

Check out: justlikeroaches.com/