Up Front was an American
hardcore
Hardcore, hard core or hard-core may refer to:
Arts and media Film
* ''Hardcore'' (1977 film), a British comedy film
* ''Hardcore'' (1979 film), an American crime drama film starring George C Scott
* ''Hardcore'' (2001 film), a British documen ...
band from New York City. They were an influential part of the late 1980s
New York hardcore
New York hardcore (also known as NYHC) is both the hardcore punk music created in New York City and the subculture and lifestyle (sociology), lifestyle associated with that music. New York hardcore grew out of the hardcore scene established in Wa ...
and Connecticut
straight edge
Straight edge (sometimes abbreviated sXe or signified by XXX or X) is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs, in reaction to the excesses of punk subculture. For some, thi ...
scenes. They played many of their early shows at the now famous
Anthrax Club in
Norwalk, Connecticut
, image_map = Fairfield County Connecticut incorporated and unincorporated areas Norwalk highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 230px
, map_caption = Location in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Fairfield County and ...
. In 1987 they appeared on the ''X Marks The Spot'' compilation 7-inch, one of the first documents of the burgeoning Connecticut straight edge scene.
In 1988, they released their ''Spirit'' LP, and a summer tour followed in 1989 with Unit Pride, Insted and
Gorilla Biscuits
Gorilla Biscuits are an American hardcore punk band from New York City, New York, United States, formed in 1986. The band currently consists of Anthony "Civ" Civarelli, Walter Schreifels, Arthur Smilios and Luke Abbey, and is signed to Revelatio ...
. Up Front remained active through 1992, releasing the ''Daybreak'' 7 inch in 1990, touring the US again in the summer of 1991, and completing their first tour of Europe in the winter of 1991–1992.
They initially broke up after recording the ''Changes'' 7-inch in 1992, but reformed in the spring of 1994 to record the ''What Fire Does'' 7-inch followed with their second tour of Europe that summer.
After a brief hiatus Up Front wrote and recorded the ''Movement'' CD in 1997. After a handful of US shows, a tour of Japan in 1998, and their third summer tour of Europe in 1999 followed (supporting a split 7-inch vinyl with Belgian hardcore band Building, released through Sober Mind Records).
Other than three "reunion" shows in the summer/fall of 2005, and one "reunion" show with a return to the Daybreak lineup in November 2009 at the A Time We'll Remember Fest, the band has remained dormant since 1999.
Band members
*Steve Keeley – vocals
*Jon Field – guitar
*Rich Ryder – guitar
*Jeff Terranova – bass
*Tim Schmoyer – drums
Former members
*Dan Pettit – drums (1987)
*Jim Eaton – drums (1988–1989)
*Roger Lambert – vocals (1989)
*Ari Katz – drums (1989)
Discography
*''X Marks the Spot'' – 7 inch, 1988
*''Spirit'' – CD, 1988
*''Daybreak'' – 7 inch, 1990
*''Changes'' – 7 inch, 1992
*''What Fire Does'' – 7 inch, 1994
*''Doin' It Live on WNYU'' – 7 inch, 1997
*''Movement'' – CD, 1997
*''Split w/ Building'' – 7 inch, 1999
*''Five by Seven'' – CD, 2004
External links
Official websiteBandcamp pageSmorgasbord RecordsNew Age RecordsUp Front – BandToBand.com
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Straight edge groups
Hardcore punk groups from New York (state)
Sober Mind Records artists