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What’s up Sorry Staters?
I’ve been stewing on writing this staff pick for a couple months now. Might be a dramatic gear shift from the last few things I’ve written for the newsletter. But here we go:
Perhaps it’s cliché around the beginning of the year, but I’ve been actively trying to cut back on drinking, and also trying to exercise more regularly. Of course I wanna be healthier and get in shape; don’t we all? And not to make excuses to refute any accusations, but I think my making these decisions grew less out of a silly “new year, new me” resolution. These actions come more from that I’ve been going through a difficult time and decided I need to start making healthy brain decisions.
I think my strategy has worked so far, at least to some degree. It feels good to channel mental and physical energy into something positive. That said, on any given day, I just don’t know how I’m gonna feel when I wake up. I have some days where I rise from my slumber super early (well 9am, that’s early for me anyhow ha), feeling energetic and motivated, and I think to myself, “I’m gonna hit the gym and get in a workout before going to work!” Then other days, my mind slowly drifts and declines into: “Ah, fuck it, I’m gonna go get a beer.” Don’t we all struggle with this? No, just me? That’s okay. It’s tough, man.
When I do have the energy to go to the gym—feeling all positive, as we’ve discussed—I often wonder, “What shall I listen to?” Lately, Uniform Choice’s debut LP Screaming For Change has been on regular rotation. Which I admit, is hilarious. Like I’m trying to lay off the booze and lift weights, and all of a sudden, I gravitate toward listening to straight edge hardcore. I’ve had my copy of Screaming For Change for a loooong, long time, but I rarely break it out to listen to it. But I guess positive choices = positive records.
Funny timing, because we’ve had a bunch of original Youth Crew and Revelation-style hardcore records come through Sorry State in used collections lately. We had that Straight Ahead 12” sitting on the wall, and of all people, both Usman and I were both kinda like, “Damn, I want that.” I even watched the episode of the HardLore podcast where they interview Craig Ahead from Straight Ahead (not to mention Sick of It All and Youth of Today). Pretty good watch, if you’re so inclined.
Now, did I own a copy of Start Today by Gorilla Biscuits when I was a teenager and think it was fucking awesome? Yes. Yes, I did. I even used to have a copy of the Unity 7” on blue vinyl, but I traded it many years ago. I do kinda wish that I still had that. Does the artwork depicting a cartoon skinhead with X’s on his hands punching away bricks of negativity do anything for me these days? Not really. But what can I say? We all grow. And I will say, at this point in my life, very little about Youth Crew hardcore or straight edge in general is appealing to me. The scene, the fashion, or the music. I identify with many other corners of punk and hardcore way more, obviously. But I think it’s important not to box oneself in. Because a few months ago, I put on Screaming For Change for the first time in many years, and it fucking RIPS. I only debated shaving my head again for like one second.
When the first track “Use Your Head” kicks in, goddamn it’s fucking killer. The riffs, the fast drumming… It just explodes. I even like that it’s kinda loose. Like on the song “Build and Break,” I’m not exactly sure I understand what the drummer is even doing rhythmically, but it’s just intense and exciting. Makes me feel all hyped up. “Positive youth!” Nah, just kidding. You won’t find me jumping and punching the sky or anything. But the record really is great. It feels fresh to me again. I will admit, every now and then while I’m listening to the LP, I’ll catch the singer singing certain lyrics and think, “Woof, that is SO corny.” I mean the record ends with a fuckin’ spoken word poem… I usually lift the needle before that last track. But it comes with the territory, right? My man Pat Dubar is writing some earnest ass lyrics.
One sort of eyeroll criticism I always hear about Uniform Choice is that they were musically derivative of Minor Threat. To which I often respond: Uuuh, what the fuck is wrong with that?? I’m way more interested in a hardcore band taking cues from Minor Threat than a band trying to sound like fucking Pearl Jam or something. If more bands in the year 2026 were more directly influenced by Minor Threat, I’d be all for it.
Having said that, quick tangent: People are haters. I will acknowledge that in the history of hardcore punk, Minor Threat’s importance and legacy has been overexplained. Sure, it’s not too far removed from people who are way too deep into classic rock, and all they wanna talk about is Zeppelin II or Dark Side of The Moon all the time. Trust me, I get it. But when I hear people saying things like Minor Threat is too overplayed, or it’s “entry level” punk or whatever… No pun intended: I don’t wanna hear it. Fuck that. I’m here to say that is a trash opinion. Minor Threat rules. Just as good to me today as the first time I heard them when I was a teenager.
ANYWAY, I think that Uniform Choice coming out in that wave of mid-to-late-80s bands and sounding more like Minor Threat, it just gives me the same feeling of excitement as all that early 80s hardcore I love so much. I just find it more appealing. I’d rather hear a band that sounds like that over most of the late-80s Revelation stuff any day—like the chunky riffs, the big, slick production, or anything. Call me crazy if you want. This Uniform Choice LP is fucking killer. Fight me. Not sure I can defend the 2nd LP with the same intensity, but Screaming For Change is awesome in my book. I think we could all use a little more screaming for changes in our world at the moment. Gotta get buff for the resistance. Ya know what? I’m gonna wear my Minor Threat shirt today, fuckers!
That’s all I’ve got. As always, thanks for reading.
‘Til next week,
-Jeff