#hardcore architecture

[hardcorearchitecture]

Iron Cross

The address given for their “Hated and Proud” EP in Washington, D.C., 20007. Source: MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL, issue no. 9, Oct.-Nov., 1983. Street view date: March, 2022. Sample quote from the review: “The new Iron Cross EP represents a step forward for the band. For one thing, the lyrics are vastly better, especially in "Wolf Pack," where a stand is taken against mindless violence. For another, the songwriting is more developed.” (JB).

[publiccollectors]

Yesterday, merely two years after it was released, I finally finished assembling the very last copies of the Public Collectors publication "Thrash Advertising: Paper Ephemera from Underground Zines and Bands of the 1980s - early 1990s." For two years these stacks of 66 different little pieces of paper were taking up surface space in my studio as I dragged and dragged on finishing this project.

You see, two years ago I had the genius idea to make a publication that celebrated these little copied slips of paper that teenagers made to promote their zines and demo tapes and DIY projects in the underground music scene. They would get stuffed into correspondence or zine mailings to help spread the word for people. Almost everyone hated these little bits of garbage but of course I liked them and saved them because I apparently am some kind of caretaker for this forgotten shit.

A sane person would have said, "Don't make a publication about that." Or they would have said, "If you must make a publication about that shit, just do a normal bound thing and pay someone else to assemble it by machine and call it a day." But oh no! That wouldn't be in the spirit of the stupid ways we did things as teenagers! They had to be facsimiles of the originals and why cut them out using my stack cutter when I could cut most of them by hand with a pair of scissors. This would have been cute if I made an edition of 50 sets with a booklet, stickers, and an envelope to house it all. But 50 sets would have been too exclusive. So of course I made it an edition of 275 copies. And then I cursed that decision. And of course you can't easily sell things that are housed in an envelope in stores. Showing people the publication at book fairs was like a performance of my awesome/stupid idea.

But I soldiered on in the only way I know how. Not by sucking it up and doing all of the assembly labor all at once until I started crying, but by dragging the labor out for as long as possible and crying a little at a time.

So if you want one of these, please order it. It will never be reprinted. It's still just $20.00 and I'll throw in a free copy of the Hardcore Architecture photo zine (normally $8.00) as a bonus so I can help move those out of my life as well. Thanks for coming to my Ted™ talk. Order here.

[hardcorearchitecture]

Seizure

The address given for their "Is Money Your God?" LP in Greenwich, CT 06830. Source: MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL, issue no. 68, Jan., 1989. Street view date: Oct. 2019. Sample quote from the review: “There are very few bands these days that harken back to a Dead Kennedys sound, but both lyrically and musically I hear lots of similarities." (TY).

[hardcorearchitecture]

Fearless Iranians From Hell

The address given for their untitled cassette in San Antonio, TX, 78216. Source: MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL, issue no. 23, March, 1985. Street view date: Nov., 2028. Sample quote from the review: “Featuring a real live Iranian on vocals, this live tape gives the listener an echoey idea of what power thrash F.I.F.H. can deliver” (TY).

[hardcorearchitecture]

Juvenile Fructation

The address given for their "Live" cassette in Bethlehem, PA, 18018. Source: MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL, issue no. 23, March, 1985. Street view date: July, 2024. Sample quote from the review: “Juvenile Fructation are responsible for a whole tape's worth of pre-garage ramblings in a punk rockish-style that gets a bit tiring after about two minutes. Proto-primitive” (SS).

[hardcorearchitecture]

Eddie and the Wolfgang

The address given for their “Skitzofranic!” cassette in Springfield, MI, 49015. Source: MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL, issue no. 24, April, 1985. Street view date: Sept., 2010. Sample quote from the review: “Interspersed between their wise guy hardcore songs are wise guys comments and witticisms.” (TY).

[hardcorearchitecture]

Lonely Crowd

The address given for their "Lonely Crowd" cassette in Saratoga, CA, 95070. Source: MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL, issue no. 23, March, 1985. Street view date: April, 2021. Sample quote from the review: “They're into powerful thrash, and I hope that they soon do some better recordings” (TY).

[hardcorearchitecture]

Funny Wagon

The address given for their "I Shot Lennon" cassette in Holliston, MA 01746. Source: MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL, issue no. 75, Aug., 1989. Street view date: Sept., 2023. Sample quote from the review: “A short (4 songs) but potent dose of noisy, thrash. Not sure about the words, but 'Violent Man’ is the best tune." (WG).