Youth of Today - Break Down The Walls: Wishingwell Records

I may have to retire the blog after this. I am running out of tricks and I don't think it can get much better than this.
In over a year of running this site, I have never done a Youth of Today posting. Probably because I had the same records as everyone else. Well, after a monster deal I made a couple weeks ago, I now have two of the heaviest hitters in the game. Hell yeah.

Break Down The Walls is a landmark album. The first full length of a band that lead the way for youth crew hardcore in the late 80's after all the original straight edge bands fell by the wayside. These were normal suburban kids who liked sports and aggressive music as an outlet for their frustrations. Finally there was a blueprint for hardcore kids that were not ultra hip, urban inner city kiddies.


In other words, they were a template for me - except I didn't know it yet. In 1988, I was all about thrash metal and crossover. The fact that I had never done drugs or smoked in my life was separate from the music I listened to. It's too bad. It would have been cool to be into this on the ground floor. Maybe I wouldn't have had to pay so much for these records!

This was also an unbelievable era for the band as they were able to bring in Drew from Bold on drums, Richie Underdog on second guitar and Craig Setari from Straight Ahead (and later Agnostic Front and Sick of It All) on bass after the first lineup change from the Can't Close My Eyes 7" era. This was like an all star jam!

Here we go. Break Down The Walls on Wishingwell Records. Blue and Red vinyl.

The story of these records is legendary. 150 pressed of each color with 100 of each given to the band to sell on tour. Before they even had a chance, all the records along with their gear were stolen from their van outside of CBGBs. It is assumed that all the records were destroyed as crack heads and thieves were probably not record collectors back then.
That makes it plus or minus 100 copies in total (50 of each?) remaining.
Then on top of all that, of the remaining copies Wishingwell sold to California stores, a dozen or so of the red vinyl were destroyed on purpose by one retailer who nailed them to his fence to watch them warp in the sun. Awesome.


Let's just say they are rare and extremely hard to come by.

There was also a standard black vinyl pressing as well. This is the record I have had for years, even before the first Rev pressing (which is also pretty tough to come by).

All three pressings came with a fold out lyric sheet and Wishingwell order form. A Unity "You Are One" 7" for $3.50? Yes please!


There was a second Wishingwell press done with a black and yellow color scheme on the cover instead of blue and red. It is very hard to come by despite the fact that all the vinyl for the second press is on black. I don't know the pressing numbers of the black vinyl. All I know is that it isn't too hard to come by and can be had for $50.

No Warning - Ill Blood

O Canada!

I have been hesitant to do a post on this record, mainly because my collection wasn't up to snuff and at the end of the day, I think we want pictures of the rare stuff to get all of you guys interested in collecting it too. Luckily, I have fixed that. So long overdue is one of the best albums of the 2000's - Ill Blood.

No Warning came out of Toronto, Canada but the way everyone describes them, they might as well have come from the Lower East Side. Straight up NYHC is how most people describe them, linking them with bands like Madball and the Cro-Mags.

I won't deny they bring the mosh and breakdowns, but to me there isn't any tough guy/knucklehead posturing which sets them apart from bands like Blood For Blood and the like. All I know is that this album crushes, the production is loud and heavy, and the vinyl has become one serious collector item.

There was only one press of the record on Bridge Nine back in 2002.

First up is one of the top collectibles in all of hardcore, the infamous Peanut Butter and Jelly press. The pressing plant messed up the brown and red color combo B9 were looking for and sent this instead. The label kept 50 and sent back the rest to be destroyed.

You can own one in the off chance it ever shows up on ebay for a few hundred bucks. Awesome!

Second is the proper red and brown "shit and blood" version. There were a total of 350 pressed.

Next is the standard black vinyl. This is the one I owned for a long time and picked up at a local record store for $12. Ah, those were the days. 600 were pressed.

I posted on this one before, the B9 Warehouse Edition. There were both black and red/brown vinyl used for this "press". 141 in total. The vinyl is leftover from the first press and is not a new press. The numbers stay the same.

That makes a grand total of 1000 copies of one of the most sought after and loved hardcore albums of a decade. I think a repress is overdue!

In the meantime, as a collector - I am stoked to finally have all of them (for the most part).

Have Heart - The Things We Carry repress

Let's keep the Have Heart party going with the latest repress of their first album, "The Things We Carry".

I think one thing that everyone can agree on is how strong the demand is for this record.
First, second and even third pressings of this lp still sell in the $40-$90 range consistently on ebay. If you want the record release versions you are into the $160 range. That is some serious bucks for a four year old record with 3000 copies already out there.

Well good news for those people (my buddy Geoff) who are looking for one and don't want to pay ebay prices. Bridge Nine decided to repress the record again for a third time. This 4th pressing is on clear red vinyl. As with all their other represses, I'm going to guess 1000 were pressed unless they stepped up the numbers. That wouldn't be a bad idea at all.

Like the third press on tri-color vinyl, this one comes in the standard sleeve with a full color lyric sheet.


As a bonus, Bridge Nine also announced that 100 alternate records would be pressed on black vinyl and would be randomly sent out with the pre-orders.
With that kind of carrot and the fact that this is one of my favorite records, I had to go for it and order two. You can't win if you don't play!

Seriously, black never looked so good. This is like winning the lottery for me. I haven't been this stoked on opening a record in the mail in a long time. In addition, these alternate copies came in the old gatefold sleeves that haven't been used since the 2nd press. Plus, you get a lyric sheet too.

Personally, this record is in my top 5 hardcore albums of all time and "Watch Me Sink" is right there for best song - ever. Check out the the movie "Edge" sometime to see Have Heart absolutely destroy the room playing this song. It is some of the best crowd interaction/reaction ever caught on film. Plus, you get to watch Ray Cappo do yoga. Everyone wins!

Have Heart - Demo 2003 7"

This might be a little excessive...

I thought I was happy with 15 copies of the Have Heart Demo 7". I had a lot of the special fest and tour presses with plenty of variety and color. I even posted about them here and here.
I guess in the end 15 just wasn't enough.

I love the B9 board. If you can muck through the 4374 inane, sexist, racist and homophobic messages posted there each day, there is no better place to score vinyl. Thanks to Bryan R. selling off his very large collection on the board before ebay, I was able to acquire 18 more.

I have had requests in the past to try to come up with a complete pressing info list of the demo. I will give it a shot but please help out if you know more. Here is the picture again and my corresponding list from top to bottom starting left to right.

Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Red/17 - 1st press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Pink/100 - 1st press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Black/355 - red labels - 1st press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Off White/15 - alt cover - 2nd press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Solid Yellow Marble/20 - alt cover - 2nd press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Yellow/125 - 2nd press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - White/Light Green/8 - alt. green cover single stamped labels - 3rd press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Dark Green/10 - alt. plastic cover - 3rd press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Light Green/18 - double stamped labels - 3rd press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Mint Green/500 - 3rd press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Clear/44 - 4th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Clear Green/19 - 4th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Clear Red/20 - 4th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Dark Blue/20 - New cover - 4th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Light Blue/118 - 4th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Black/200 - 4th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - White/98 - 4th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Dark Yellow/16 - 5th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Clear Blue/121 - 5th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Yellow/300 - 5th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Black/100 - hand numbered - 6th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Clear Purple/154 - 6th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Orange/177 - 6th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Purple/234 - 6th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Orange w/black specs/12 - b/w Halloween cover - 6th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Orange w/white swirl/20 - Color Halloween cover - 6th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Clear Orange/250 - Euro tour - 6th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Dark Purple/10 - 6th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Clear Red/7 - 6th press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Black/45 - Summer Tour 2004; GB ripoff cover
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Black/100 - Sink With Cali Mortal Kombat cover
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Clear/200 - Posi Numbers 2005 press
Have Heart - Demo 2003 - Bottled Up - Black/150 - Summer Tour 2005 cover

That makes 33 copies. 33. What the fuck am I doing?

The funny thing is, I'm still 6 to 8 versions away from completing this monster. From what I have put together from other collector lists, here is what I am missing.

Have Heart - 2003 Demo - Bottled Up - white/pink/4 - 1st press
Have Heart - 2003 Demo - Bottled Up - light pink/7 - 1st press
Have Heart - 2003 Demo - Bottled Up - white/black/7 - 4th press
Have Heart - 2003 Demo - Bottled Up - olive/8 - Color photo cover - 5th press
Have Heart - 2003 Demo - Bottled Up - cream sickle/7 - 6th press - Halloween cover
Have Heart - 2003 Demo - Bottled Up - sour grapes/6 - 6th press

There may be more. If you have any that I am missing and are ready to unload, let me know. Put me out of my misery!

D.O.A. - Hardcore '81

I just got back from an awesome long weekend in Vancouver, BC. I was a groomsman for my buddy Shaun's wedding on Saturday and I flew out early on Thursday to help with last minute wedding preparations, the bachelor party, the rehearsal, etc.

So what does a good supportive groomsman get the groom to do a day before his wedding? Why, go record shopping, of course!

The first stop we hit was Zulu Records where I scored a couple real gems. It is only fitting that when in Vancouver, pick up some D.O.A.

DOA are kind of regarded alongside the Bad Brains and Black Flag as founders of hardcore. Growing up I pretty much saw them as solely a punk band as the same "punks" around town who liked them loved The Sex Pistols, The Exploited and GBH. Calgary was a pretty small place.

As we have all learned from the large number of hardcore history books and documentaries out there, this album is most likely the first reference to "hardcore" as a genre or sub-genre or label.

Whatever you want to call it, this record is pretty awesome. DOA also stepped up the speed and aggression of the songs at this time too. Maybe they were hardcore.

Hardcore '81 was first released on the Canadian label, Friends Records. Word is there were only 3000 pressed, all on black vinyl, and is near impossible to find in excellent condition. It seems to be one of those records that ring wear easily.

As luck would have it, the record store was selling one in the best shape I have personally seen and for a fair price too.

These records used to go for huge money about six years ago and pre-ebay, but the prices have come down quite a bit and you can get one for around $60 to $75.
Not bad for a piece of history.

Touche Amore - Sound and Fury 2010

For the last two years, late July brings around "Sound and Fury Regret Season" for me. I grumble about not going, remember the couple I went to and how much fun I had, and then finally I hit the B9 and VC message boards to see what special vinyl was pressed up that I missed out on.

Every year there are those two or three "it" bands at Sound and Fury that everyone (ie. Californians) love and go crazy for. This year it appears was no exception.

The hot ticket items for vinyl this year were from Strife (S&F screened cover), Foundation, The Rival Mob, Trapped Under Ice, and this band - Touche Amore.

This isn't really too much of a surprise, the band has been on a tear since 2009. Hell, 6131 Records are on their 3rd press of the "To the Beat of a Dead Horse" album. The attention and hype isn't unwarranted either. TA are one of the newer wave of bands incorporating straight up hardcore with a heavy influence of 90's emo. Take the emotion and angst of the 1995 Ebullition catalog, combine it with a modern hardcore sound and recording quality, and there you have it. Pure gold to my ears.

Seriously, this band is doing it for me these days. I was such a sucker for this style years ago and I never thought it would come around again.

Touch Amore had three, maybe four, special releases at S&F this year and pressed in numbers totally acceptable for a tour/fest run. 75 and 150 are good numbers as opposed to oh, I don't know, 19. (TUI - I'm looking at you!)

In the couple weeks since S&F the prices for these have gone off the rails. I was lucky enough to get these three off a southern California dude looking to unload on the VC board a couple days after the fest.

First up, the Touche Amore demo.

According to the No Sleep website, it looks like they used the clear vinyl from the second press as "A" & "B" are on labels as opposed to the first press "T" & "A". 2nd press is 310 on clear vinyl total. 75 were used for this press.

Screened cardboard covers were made up and hand numbered for Sound and Fury.

Next, Touche Amore/La Dispute split 7". La Dispute have a bit of the same emo tip going on as well so it is a good match for a split.

The same type cardboard outer sleeves as the demo were printed up.

Same deal, handnumbered out of 75. Black vinyl from the first pressing of 1000.

Lastly, the brand spanking new Touche Amore/Make Do and Mend split.

150 pressed on white blank label black vinyl.

Hand numbered. Foldover 1/4 cover. No info. The pre-order for this record just went up last week at 6131 and Panic so this is cool to have early.

With the match up of these three bands, and the buying frenzy of these records, I wonder if this is the new trend in hardcore? If so, that's cool with me. It has to be better than Attack Attack or Brokencyde or whatever lame ass punk kids are listening to.

Some 15 year old kid would probably laugh at me and tell me I am so fucking out of it for even asking that question.

To that I answer, "Hey, show some respect, I am old enough to be your father."

Fuck, that's depressing.

ON - Control ep

"Control" was On's second 7" after their excellent debut record, "Vital Times". Like Vital Times, Control was self released on Legitimate Bros. I have no idea what is going on with Legitimate Bros these days. They haven't updated their website in close to two years. Maybe things are slow in Vancouver/Seattle. Nah...

The buzz that was created with "Vital Times" increased the demand for this one. I remember checking their myspace page a few times a day after the word of the impending pre-order. No way was I going to miss it!

There were two color options during the pre-order, white and black. No official pressing numbers were ever released, but the accepted pressing numbers are:

350 on White. White was only available during the pre-order. Well, that isn't true but I will get that in a bit.

900 on Black.


The regular press folded out to show this on the inside.


There was also a lyric sheet insert.

As with their first record, there was a record release press for Control as well.


100 hand numbered on red vinyl.



The lyric sheet is a bit different as it has the Record Release date and show at the bottom.

It also included a small flyer for the show. Damn, that would have been an amazing show.

When the record release first started showing up on ebay, the prices were out of control. (Oh hell yeah, pun included! My rapier wit strikes again!)
I just couldn't hang with the bidding that was going on. A couple went for over $60. It's not like they were popping up every day either. Waiting it out seems to have worked as I finally won this a couple weeks ago on ebay from ON's singer Jim Hesketh for $28.

150 of the white vinyl (or additional white vinyl) were dust sleeve stamped "Legitimate Bros" and used for tour. It makes sense if it was additional vinyl as the press would be an even 500 on white.

I don't have it - yet. I am going to wait it out for a bit. I am starting to get the hang of this patience thing. It's kind of fun.