''We're Not in This Alone'' is the third and final full-length studio
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
by
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (commonly abbreviated to hardcore or hXc) is a punk rock music genre#subtypes, subgenre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots ...
band
Youth of Today
Youth of Today is an American hardcore punk band, initially active from 1985 to 1990 before reforming in 2010. The band played a major role in establishing the " Youth Crew" subculture of hardcore, both espousing and evolving the philosophies ...
. It was originally released by
Caroline Records
Caroline Records is a record label that was founded in 1973. Founded in the United Kingdom to showcase British progressive rock groups, the label ceased releasing titles in 1976 and then re-emerged in the United States in 1986. The label rel ...
in 1988.
Background and songs
Youth of Today had broken up briefly in 1988, with lead singer and co-founder
Ray Cappo
Ray Cappo, also known as Raghunath Das, is an American punk rock musician best known as the vocalist for the bands Youth of Today and Shelter (band), Shelter and as founder of the independent record label, independent record labels Revelation Re ...
briefly relocating to
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
to pursue his interest in
Hare Krishna, while guitarist and co-founder
Porcell
John "Porcell" Porcelly (born February 3, 1967), also known as Paramananda Das, is an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the 1980s Hardcore punk, hardcore bands Young Republicans, Violent Children, Youth of Today, and Judge (ban ...
(John Porcelly) got out his frustrations with both the breakup of the band and what he saw as negative elements in the scene, with the project band
Project X, and with
Judge
A judge is a person who wiktionary:preside, presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a judicial panel. In an adversarial system, the judge hears all the witnesses and any other Evidence (law), evidence presented by the barris ...
. The breakup was short-lived; the group reconvened with former WarZone bassist
Walter Schreifels and drummer
Sammy Siegler
Sammy Siegler (born March 21, 1973) is an American rock drummer, notable for his many contributions to the New York hardcore scene. Siegler also filled in on drums for artists like Limp Bizkit and Patti Smith.
Discography With Project X
* ''S ...
not long afterward, hence Cappo's declaration of "We're back!" at the beginning of the album's opening track, "Flame Still Burns".
One notable track, "No More", is a condemnation of the meat-industry. Youth of Today made a low-budget music video for the song, incorporating footage of an
abattoir
In livestock agriculture and the meat industry, a slaughterhouse, also called an abattoir (), is a facility where livestock animals are slaughtered to provide food. Slaughterhouses supply meat, which then becomes the responsibility of a meat ...
acquired from
PETA
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA; ) is an American animal rights nonprofit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president.
Founded in March 1980 by Newkirk and animal right ...
, but it is unlikely that the clip ever aired on
MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
.
Another track from the album, "Live Free", started life as an unreleased Project X song, "Can't Keep Me Down" - an almost full-circle irony, since Project X's best known song, "Straight Edge Revenge", was a song first written by John Porcelly for Youth Of Today, but rejected by Cappo because he found the lyrics to be too militant.
One other song, "Understand", is a rerecording of a song Youth Of Today first recorded and released on the
Revelation Records
Revelation Records is an independent record label focusing originally and primarily on hardcore punk. The label is known for releases by bands such as Youth of Today, Warzone, Sick of It All, Quicksand, Side By Side, Chain of Strength, Sh ...
compilation album ''New York City Hardcore: The Way It Is'', two years earlier.
Recording and release
The album was recorded at the
Chung King House of Metal in New York City, a studio Porcell would later use for the
first attempt at a Judge full-length. In a foreshadowing of the problems Judge would later have with their album, the first mix to be released by Caroline was notoriously poor-sounding and muddy. After complaints from fans, Caroline remixed and re-pressed the album, releasing the new copies with the same cover artwork, but now having a large REMIX sticker affixed to the front. Caroline did not recall the 1st mix and so copies with the original mix still existed in record stores into the early 1990s. This 2nd mix was also licensed to We Bite records in Germany, who also released it on CD for Europe.
Disgusted with the black eye the original mix gave Youth of Today's legacy, Cappo and Porcell regained the rights to the album from Caroline in 1996, took the multi-track master tapes and remixed the entire album for a proper release on Revelation Records in 1997. This 3rd and final mix was also given completely new cover artwork upon its reissue. Newer vinyl pressings of the album on Revelation since 2012 have kept the 1996 Cappo/Porcell remix, but restored the original Caroline Records cover, label and insert art (with Revelation's type logo replacing Caroline's).
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Ray Cappo and John Porcelly.
# "Flame Still Burns"
# "Slow Down"
# "Choose to Be"
# "Put It Aside"
# "Wake Up and Live"
# "No More"
# "What Goes Around"
# "Potential Friends"
# "A Time We'll Remember"
# "Live Free"
# "Understand"
# "Prejudice"
# "Keep It Up"
Personnel
; Band
*
Ray Cappo
Ray Cappo, also known as Raghunath Das, is an American punk rock musician best known as the vocalist for the bands Youth of Today and Shelter (band), Shelter and as founder of the independent record label, independent record labels Revelation Re ...
– lead vocals, production
*
Porcell
John "Porcell" Porcelly (born February 3, 1967), also known as Paramananda Das, is an American musician, best known as the guitarist for the 1980s Hardcore punk, hardcore bands Young Republicans, Violent Children, Youth of Today, and Judge (ban ...
– guitars, production, backing and gang vocals
*
Walter Schreifels – bass, backing and gang vocals
*
Sammy Siegler
Sammy Siegler (born March 21, 1973) is an American rock drummer, notable for his many contributions to the New York hardcore scene. Siegler also filled in on drums for artists like Limp Bizkit and Patti Smith.
Discography With Project X
* ''S ...
– drums, backing and gang vocals
; Additional personnel
* Les "Paws" Davis – sound engineer, associated producer
* Phil "pa" Austin – mastering
* Dylan Schreifels – backing and gang vocals
* Luke Abbey – backing and gang vocals
*
Raymond "Raybies" Barbieri – backing and gang vocals
*
Alex Brown – backing and gang vocals, photography (live photos)
* Tom Rockafeller – backing and gang vocals, photography (live photos)
* JJ Gonson – photography (live photos)
* Murray Bowles – photography (live photos)
*
Melora Creager
Melora Creager (born March 25, 1966) is an American cellist, singer-songwriter, performing artist and founder of the rock band Rasputina.
Early life, beginnings and Rasputina
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, and adopted by a graphic designer an ...
– cover concept, cover photography
* Tom Hughes – design realization
* Ellie Hughes – design realization
References
Works cited
* ''All Ages: Reflections on Straight Edge'' by Beth Lahickey, Revelation Books, 1998 ()
* Youth of Today interview, ''
Smorgasbord
Smorgasbord or Smörgåsbord (, ) is a buffet-style meal of Swedish origin. It is served with various hot and mainly cold dishes. It assumed its present form in the 19th century, following old traditions.
Smörgåsbord became known in the US ...
'' fanzine, fall 1988/Winter 1989
External links
Revelation Records page on ''We're Not In This Alone''The music video for "No More"{{Authority control
1988 albums
Youth of Today albums
Caroline Records albums
Albums recorded at Chung King Studios