Days Riding on the Thrashwagon

Thrashcore and circle pits!

Long hair, short hair, it all fits!

What happens next?

What happens next is you write a goddamn book.  That's right friends, I've been kicking this idea around for a couple of years and after multiple starts, stops, and periods of time where I'd rather hide under a pile of blankets than type a single word, I've decided to announce my intentions. I'm writin' a book.

In the early 2000's I was lucky enough to see, mosh to, sing-along with, and buy records from some amazing bands.  The Youth Crew revival of '97-'98 was more or less tuckered out. By 2000, In My Eyes were calling it a day. Modern Hardcore wasn't a thing yet, but American Nightmare was about to release their first 7". Punk was about to go through it's own little pop hiccup.  Things were getting a little cute. This is a gross over-simplification. But all the while, a slew of lightning fast bands were chugging along.  That shit was dark, pissed off, and purposeful.  Before long, that attitude appeared to merge with some old school reverence.  Pure speed was the order of the day, but mosh parts were cool too.  Better still, circle pits.

We called it thrash, thrash-revival, bandana thrash or whatever.  It was simultaneously fast, fun, moshy, and angry.  So while I still dug that second IME lp; while I still thought that AN ep was maybe/probably the best of the year; and while I was most-likely too forgiving of the second Fastbreak lp, I really found a home in what was going on in thrash.  Dead Nation, What Happens Next?, Tear It Up, Life's Halt!, No Reply, ETA, DS-13, Highscore, XfilesX, Cut the Shit, Vitamin X, Municipal Waste. And there are tons others. Bands I loved, bands I counted as friends. Bands I now want to write about, talk to, share some cool memories with.

Were you part of this scene too? Were you in a band? Did you release records, put-up bands, take photos, write a zine? Were you just some random who moshed cyclically? If so, I want to talk to you, so get in touch, like now. kenxramsey@hotmail.com

This is gonna happen...