1) Bold 80's, USA

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John Zulu (Guitar)

Matt Warnke (Vocals)

Tim Brooks (Bass)

Drew Thomas (Drums)

BOLD HISTORY

"Back I looked on years spent and all the things I've seen.

'Cause I'm so much older, you must know what I mean.

I've learned from those days, both good and bad.

Thinking back on all those times I had."

The sounds and messages of the forefathers of American Hardcore traveled from Boston and surrounding New England down the Mass Pike and across I-84, from D.C. via 95 North and the NJ Turnpike, from California and Nevada via 80 East, and even from not-so-distant New York City by heading up 87 North and the Saw Mill Parkway. These sounds and messages - that echoed off graffitied and stickered club walls, that were crammed into tight rehearsal spaces and low-budget recording spots, that were (sometimes and hopefully) laid onto vinyl and tape - somehow in their travels in the underground network of worldwide Hardcore, found four little kids in Katonah, New York who were gonna grab onto everything they heard and filter it into their own evolving understanding and creation of punk music, attitude, and spirit, and run with it.

By age 14, Matt Warnke (voice), John "Zulu" (guitar), Tim Brooks (bass), and Drew Thomas (beat) had taken detailed notes on the likes of Black Flag, 7Seconds, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Agnostic Front, Antidote, The Abused, SSD, and DYS, among others. They had also begun serving time in a crash-course apprenticeship to NY/CT's own, Youth Of Today, resulting in the birth of the original "youth crew," which would later extend to select others who grew tight with the two bands over the next few years (the term also later becoming misappropriated to categorize any hardcore strand seemingly traceable to the two brother bands). The result of such hardcore overload on the teens was Crippled Youth and their 1985 "Join The Fight" seven inch EP on New Beginning Records. Crippled Youth, however, had also been their working band name for years prior as the band stabilized on their punk training wheels with early-teen-fueled basement jams such as "Desperate for Beer," as Drew could laughingly recall in a 2003 interview. Torn shirts, mohawks, and "Sid Lives" insignias, as well as even a very young Matt singing and playing guitar were a sign of these pre-"Join The Fight" times. Obviously this was a very pre-pubescent and also pre-straight edge precursor to what would evolve later- ah, the avenues of youth. But, the Join The Fight EP loudly and brashly solidified the teenagers' adoption of what they had been intensely studying. Nine songs of straight edge hardcore sound and fury, it was "pure arrogance spoken with the black and white conviction of youth" destined not to be confined to only a K-Town novelty or local opening act.

Crippled Youth got moving. While most kids their age were trying to talk their parents into letting them go see Kiss at MSG (if that), the four Katonah youths were making their way up and down the northeast United States, and assembling their own K-Town Mosh Crew. With playing out and continuous song writing came a transformation away from Crippled Youth, a name Matt remembers just sounding "too punk," to that which would soon become recognized as that of BOLD - a name change they found more appropriate and a better reflection of no-punches-pulled songs like "Nailed to the X," "Still Strong," and "Always Try." They weren't little kids much longer...

Embraced and absorbed by the booming NYC Hardcore scene, BOLD quickly found themselves alongside the likes of Straight Ahead, Underdog, Warzone, Supertouch, Side By Side, Gorilla Biscuits, Sick Of It All, and of course, Youth Of Today, by the time 1987 rolled around. Not only were they growing up physically, BOLD's sound was evolving with a harder, denser, and even more convincing mix of straight edge hardcore tracks that would end up comprising the "Speak Out" twelve inch LP. Recorded throughout 1987 at upstate NY's Electric Reels Studios (the home of the Underdog EP and YOT's "Break Down The Walls," which Drew played drums on), Speak Out was a work in progress that took never-ending weekend trips by the band to complete. Though originally slated for a late 1987 release on Orange County, California's Wishingwell Records, dissatisfaction with the OC label's continuous delays and prioritizing led to a shift in plans. The growing surge of then-Connecticut based Revelation Records along with some sweet talk from owners Jordan Cooper and Ray Cappo resulted in the decision to make "Speak Out" Revelation release number nine. This wouldn't be BOLD's first tie to a Revelation release, however, as they had already opened up Revelation's debut "Together" seven inch EP compilation with "Talk Is Cheap," and would soon appear on the "Way It Is" twelve inch EP compilation with "Talk is Cheap" and "Wise Up." So with a spot on the coveted Revelation roster, energetic weekend shows in the northeast, multiple instant-classic t-shirt designs, and a little-brother-band identity embraced by many of their elders, BOLD were one of the youngest and most up and coming hardcore acts.

By the time "Speak Out" was being ripped off of shelves and out of packaging by eager fans in the fall of '88 (also available as a split CD containing YOT's "BDTW" and including the CD-only BOLD track "Having My Say"), BOLD had made huge strides. First, a summer '88 California Tour (including Schism Fanzine staff Porcell and Alex Brown on guitar duties in temp-replacement for an absent Zulu), put BOLD on sunshine state bills with comrades Insted, Chain of Strength, Unit Pride, No For An Answer and Hard Stance. Second, headlining spots on the east coast at Stamford, CT's Anthrax, NYC's CBGB, Philadelphia's Club Pizzazz and New Jersey's Scott Hall proved that BOLD was only gaining momentum. Third, the decision to add guitar-shredder Tom Capone, known for his explosion onto the scene from Long Island, NY and his destruction on the raved-about Beyond demo cassette, would prove fundamental in the band achieving the direction it pursued musically. As 1988 came to a close, BOLD was now a 5-piece powerhouse able to stand on their own, pushing into 1989 with a developing hardcore delivery seldom seen before or since for high school seniors.

In the early spring of 1989, the groundwork for what would become the Self-Titled EP was laid by Matt, Drew, and Tom. With a more progressive and complex sound showcasing influences ranging from Black Sabbath to Iron Maiden while still fueled by a hardcore nucleus with the energy and spirit of Bad Brains, Cro-Mags, and Youth Of Today, the songs were recorded without Tim Brooks or Zulu (who were away on spring break) at Baby Monster Studio in NYC. As advance tapes leaked out to the inner circle, it was evident BOLD had created a unique sound, every bit as uncompromising and powerful as their raved about Revelation/NY counterparts Gorilla Biscuits (with dubs of their "Start Today" LP circulating) and Judge (with pre-"Bringin' It Down" LP mixes being sought out by diehards). In a hardcore scene that was quickly splintering in multiple directions, these songs undoubtedly paved some of the way for what would be dubbed as "post-hardcore" only a couple years later.

A full summer '89 U.S. tour with Gorilla Biscuits was in the works, the band arriving at the fated conclusion that the tour would be BOLD's last stint, the original four members having various college plans (along with Drew's decision to create new with Ritchie Underdog what would result as Into Another). The band again found the addition of Porcell on guitar as Zulu couldn't make the tour, though he did play his last show at the band's home-club stop at the Anthrax, considered by the band as one of the best of the tour. After the home-turf salute, across the country the BOLD van sped, a bittersweet feeling growing as the crowd reactions were some of the most electrifying ever, yet the end was inevitable. YOT even played their final show to a packed Fender's in California on the tail end of the tour (undoubtedly a stellar line-up of the era: Chain Of Strength, Up Front, Judge, Supertouch, Insted, Gorilla Biscuits, Bold, YOT ...now that is a bill). Even Drew and Tim had to bow out before the final show in Buffalo, their always-permanent spots filled in by roadie Howie from Alone In A Crowd on bass, and Judge/YOT's Sammy on drums. The band closed in Buffalo with "Wise Up," Tom and Matt ending up on top the crowd when the song came to its end. What had begun as 14-year old thrash over four years prior came to a halt in a sing-along that transfixed BOLD to chapter of the history pages of an era that is still recalled, discussed, and emulated.

The Self/Titled EP ended up a post-humus release, put out by Revelation as their eleventh release weeks after the final show in Buffalo. The band quickly had moved in different directions. Matt was beginning at Fordham in NYC, Tim Brooks off to Colby in Maine, Zulu out to USC, Drew getting on with the formation of Into Another, and Tom continuing with Beyond while beginning with Moondog what would become Quicksand. In the summer of 1991, the three remaining unreleased songs from the Self/Titled EP sessions, "Looking Back," "Speak Out," and "Always Try (a new version showcasing the differences in a pre-Capone and post-Capone sound)," were finalized, and the other four songs from the EP were re-mixed for what would be released in 1993 on Revelation Records as the "Looking Back" twelve inch LP. A record of their final work, showcased in a layout capturing snapshots of the live impression the band had left behind, the BOLD legacy looked to be set in stone in a very proper fashion.

Fast forward to early spring 2005. Matt (living and working back in K-Town) gets a phone call from Tom (who after playing in Quicksand also went on to play in NYC's Handsome, as well as NYC's Instruction, along with many other musician gigs). "Let's do BOLD again." At a time when it seems every band of yesteryears has decided to reunite in some fashion, few have decided to completely reform with near all-original member line-ups to actually be a band again for the long haul. So while the notion of a massive one-time reunion show or maybe a short and strategic tour could have been completely appealing, as it is the norm for born-again bands today, this isn't what Tom had in mind. Not a glittery reunion get-together, not a short stint of gigs, not just a promotion for the upcoming discographies on Revelation and Livewire Records. BOLD back as a real band, practicing, booking shows, writing new material, touring. Matt had gone on to front hardcore acts Endure, One Sided War, and Running Like Thieves, yet always held a nostalgic soft spot for BOLD throughout the years, evidenced by quickie appearances here and there doing BOLD songs with different backing bands and feeling the adrenaline rush for days afterwards. In a sense, Matt had been waiting on this phone call since the day after the final show, and he didn't even have to say yes. Two words solidified what had been perceived by some as simple rumors: "It's On."

With the quick addition of an eagerly excited and back-in-NYC Tim Brooks, 3/5 of the original band was back in the saddle again. Though living in K-Town as well, Zulu was not able to hop aboard, and Drew was also busy with his band, Walking Concert. While Tom felt confident with single guitar duties for the time being, a Drew-replacement was no easy task nor a light decision. A drummer that plays fast, hard, heavy and solid, and knows the ropes of hardcore was without question. Long-time BOLD fan and Brooklyn native Vinny Panza made the cut with flying colors. Within a few weeks, the return date was announced: April 17 at CBGB. While many still perceived it as a reunion, Tom's words after the first two songs' mayhem gave simple clarification (possibly borrowed from another legendary hardcore band return?): "We are back."

Since their return, BOLD has played up and down the northeast U.S., convincing those in attendance that the energy from 1989 has been reserved in their bloodstreams, brought to a boiling point, and is now boiling over. With a string of shows lined-up through the summer and fall of '05, and discussion on a winter tour and plans for a long-deprived Europe (still upset on BOLD not making it over the first time), it looks like fans everywhere will no longer have to rely on web streams and message board reviews for a live sample. The 32-song complete discography has been released on Revelation Records, featuring the Crippled Youth EP and an unreleased Speak Out session track alongside never-seen before photos and detailed liner notes. Original artwork t-shirts, out of print and unavailable for nearly 15 years, are again available from the band. Most recently, long-time friend, mentor, and original tour counterpart Porcell has picked up 2 nd guitar duties, beefing up the live BOLD sound even more (and let's not forget he was the one to suggest the name "BOLD" in 1986). Clearly, this is no one-off reunion.

Over 20 years later and the sounds and messages of America's Hardcore forefathers are still captured in every BOLD song and lyric, recorded and live. And if you're not convinced? Well...

"Listen, listen, learn to listen. Think of what you now are missing.

...It's time for you to wise up."

2) Bold

1966 garage punk from Springfield, Massachusetts,

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