1987 Interview By Paul/Larm...
WHO ARE IN THE BAND?
Me (Tommy) on vocals, Rob on guitar, Craig on bass, and filling in on drums is Arman. Craig and I are 16, Rob and Arman are 18.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC/SOUND?
Fast with crucial mosh NY style! Very generic at some points, like old minor threat sped up a lot, you have to hear it to judge.
WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU, THE MUSIC OR THE LYRICS?
The lyrics 'cause I write them, the lyrics because that is the main thing to be in a band, to express your views, trying to make a better tomorrow for future generations. We put a lot into the music too!
WHAT DO YOU SING ABOUT? AND WHO WRITES THE WORDS?
We sing about unity, peace, caring, loving, hoping for a better world, helping people in need, never forgetting to care. I write most of the lyrics. It's time to help others, unite to fight the enemy, our fucked up system which only supports the rich. People have to start helping other people to make things work. We're much stronger when we stick together to destroy: Sexism, Negativity, Fascism, Nazism, Racism, we are the youth, the future, it's up to us to make a better world!
DO YOU PRACTICE A LOT, IS IT EASY TO FIND A PRACTISE ROOM IN N.Y.?
We practice 1 or 2 times a week, sometimes 3 times. Yes it is easy to find a room here, we rehearse for $5 at Giant studios in N.Y.C.
TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT THE N.Y. SCENE?
New York is a good place, a strong united scene, not much fights I'm happy to say but sometimes stupid shit starts for no reason. BANDS: Numskulls, Youth of Today, Fit For Abuse, Rest In Pieces, Token Entry, Letch Patral, Cro Mags, Sheer Terror, Murphy's Law, Crippled Youth, there are many good N.Y. bands. A few good zines: Attitude, Guillotine, Tse-Tse Fly, Smash Apathy, Bullshit Monthly. Gigs every week at CBGB's, sometime even 3 gigs a week...very strong scene & good bands.
DID YOU EVER PLAY IN OTHER GROUPS?
No, well yes! I played in N.Y.C. MAYHEM for almost 2 years before we broke up, and a couple of joke bands before that.
WHO CAME UP WITH THE NAME OF THE BAND, AND DOES IT HAVE A SPECIAL MEANING?
I did and yes much meaning, it describes our music, attitude and the way we think and live. We're proud of what we do and who we are, we walk STRAIGHT AHEAD, "straight" to speak with fairness, truth and honesty, and "ahead" to try to succeed in our fight for unity, caring, and peace.
DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF GIGS AND HOW'S THE ATMOSPHERE AT YOUR GIGS? IS IT EASY TO GET A GIG?
We play 1 or 2 times a month, this summer we tour the U.S. we might go to Europe this summer too. The atmosphere is good, no fights, only 1 or 2 fights in all the time we played. It's kind of easy to get gigs, you just have to meet people in other big bands.
DO YOU HAVE ANY "FANS", A FANATIC STRAIGHT AHEAD FOLLOWING?
People come to see us, but i don't know about any fanatic following, maybe? who knows?
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT POLITICS? ARE YOU A POLITICAL BAND? ANY PERSONAL VIEWS?
Concerned...we're not really a political band, although we know the U.S. system has to be changed to help everybody, not just the rich. Don't get me wrong I don't hate them, some of them worked hard for their money, it's just that they got so much and we got so little. Our system must be changed or improved but we the people must stand together to make a change.
ARE THERE ANY SQUATS IN N.Y.C., OR REAL PUNK/HC CLUBS (OWNED & RUN BY PUNX)?
Yeah! There's squats, also real punks. I really don't know of any clubs owned by punks, maybe run by punx but not owned by them.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE N.Y. BANDS?
Wow! Many, to name a few it has to be: NUMSKULL, SHEER TERROR, WARZONE, YOUTH OF TODAY, REST IN PIECES, MENTAL ABUSE, CRO MAGS, and so on.
HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT METAL MIXED UP WITH HARDCORE? SEEING HC BANDS GOING METAL?
If that's what they want to do then I guess it's fine. As long as they keep the heart, trust, spirit, and hardness, and don't forget the people who supported them in the beginning. Stay loyal!
WHAT'S YOUR VIEW ON "STRAIGHT EDGE"? IS THERE A HIGH DRUG-ALCOHOL ABUSE IN N.Y.?
I'm straight edge, the rest of the band doesn't take drugs or shit like that, they drink beer once in awhile. Plus, they have girlfriends and shit, that's fine if they really love them. Yes too many people get drunk and start fights, if they can't handle alcohol they shouldn't drink. Drugs, not that much just smoke, that stuff is stupid and a losing game, STAY STRAIGHT, stay pure and stay hard, especially when it controls you instead of you controlling it.
WHAT ARE YOUR MUSICAL INFLUENCES AND WHAT BANDS INFLUENCE YOU LYRICALLY?
I listen to a lot of south california bands like Doggy Style, Scared Straight, Unity, Uniform Choice...etc. I like good positive thinking bands.
WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON NUCLEAR POWER, THE ARMS RACE?
We should bring it to an end! DISARM! Why should we pay for our government's ignorance and anger. We're people too, equal as they are, the first thing to do it to unite and stop this mad obsession with power.
DO YOU LIKE LIVING IN N.Y.C.?
Yes, very much but I wish I had a car or money to travel. I've been here too long, I need a vacation.
HOW ARE THE COPS IN YOUR CITY, DO THEY LEAVE THE PUNKS/SKINS ALONE OR DO YOU GET HASSLED?
The cops are pretty cool lately, but still, you give somebody a gun and a badge and they think they're better and stronger than you, a lot of them are very ignorant and don't care about helpin', just killing or beating up people. But there is good & bad to everything and everyone. I'm only one voice that will never stop expressing his views!
I HEARD THERE ARE MANY YOUTH GANGS IN N.Y.C. IS IT TRUE, IS THERE A LOT OF VIOLENCE ON THE STREETS, CLUBS, LIFE?
That was 2 or 3 years ago, not now, it's mellowed a lot. The scene is smaller, more united. Sure, there's fights, but nothing like there were back awhile ago. Besides, they're weaker and we're getting stronger, we'll take a stand for our scene.
HAVE YOU MADE ANY DEMO/TAPE/RECORD?
No, but we're recording 10 songs for a comp 7" in Feb. That should be out in late march or april with LARM, PILLSBURY HARDCORE, and ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT. MIKE RUBENSTEIN is putting out the record, called END THE WARZONE. Then we record a 7" and we're looking for a label to press it up. We might put out an official live tape in march too.
ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC OR PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HARDCORE?
We're getting stronger, the scene is more united and I see many improvements. Nothing dies in my heart, it just makes changes for the better.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ACTIVITIES BESIDE THE BAND?
I help fanzines out, but I'm not a worker or writer for one yet. I workout, practice ( drums), work sometimes, hangout with friends, write lyrics...stuff like that.
DO YOU HAVE JOBS/GO TO SCHOOL OR ARE YOU UNEMPLOYED? DO YOU WANNA WORK? AND IS IT EASY TO GET A JOB?
Bob works, Craig goes to school and I work sometimes at a moving company. It's hard to find a job and even harder finding a good job, but we manage.
ANY FUTURE PLANS?
Records, tours, and looking for a better world for you and me.
ANYTHING MORE TO SAY TO OUR READERS?
Stay pure, stay straight, stay true, stay hard. Keep the spirit and never lose the heart. Think right to unite, start to care for others. Take a stand for unity and wipe out all negative ignorance, watch out for a group of kids from washington D.C. calling themselves POSITIVE FORCE, they sound like they got cause, spirit, and heart. Take care of yourselves.
2013 Interview By Tony Rettman...
When did your interest in playing music start?
Tommy Carroll: I started working when I was 14 at the boathouse on Nineteenth Street and First Avenue and saved up my money and bought a drum set. I played with a few friends in the neighborhood and my friend introduced me to Gordon Ancis (guitarist of NYC Mayhem) and Tony Marck (first bass player for NYC Mayhem) They were taking lessons and were pretty decent musicians. Metal was our thing. Sabbath, Priest, Maiden and then, of course, Metallica.
How did you get into Hardcore?
We were aware of Circle Jerks, GBH and Discharge; the Metal bands liked. I went to CBGB’s and saw Adrenalin O.D. I liked the scene. There were so many restraints in Heavy Metal and these guys were jumping off the stage and dancing around. I wanted to be a part of it. I was a young kid and I was still searching for things. I wanted something more real; purer. After that show, we got more into Hardcore and replaced Tony with Craig Satari. I knew Craig through Danny Lilker (Nuclear Assault). Looking back now, it all went by so quick. There was a two-year window and then I was out of music. But I really fell in love with the scene. I ended up meeting a woman through the scene and having a child with her. It became more of a lifestyle after a while. I always thought I was an outcast, so I fit right in with all the other broken toys.
What do you remember from the early days of NYC Mayhem?
Back in the day with Mayhem, I used to make our demos by taking my sisters’ cassettes, erasing them and putting our shit on there to send out to all the Metal ‘zines. I was really into the tape trading shit. That was fuckin’ awesome. You had the Metallica demo with Dave Mustane on it and then Death from Florida. It was a great, great scene. You’d be on the phone with these guys and the long-distance bill was building up. I guess the internet is a good thing since it saves these new bands a lot of money on phone bills!
What bands do you feel best exemplifies NYHC?
Up until this day, Agnostic Front is NYHC as far as I’m concerned. When I see them playing in front of tens of thousands of people, I couldn’t be more happy for them. I used to look at my parents listening to all their 50’s shit and laugh at them. Now, I look at myself and all I listen to is the Bad Brains, Agnostic Front and the Cro-Mags. I came to realize that’s my era. That’s the stuff no one can take away from me. That music is connected to the best memories of my life and I hang on to them. I had the privilege of being Roger’s roommate for a couple months way back. When you come into something new, there are guys who are reluctant to befriend you. Roger and Jimmy are still here, so that’s the kind of guys they are. They welcome people in to keep the scene going. New blood, new bands.
What were some of the more important shows for you at CBGB’s?
The first time I saw Agnostic Front at CBGB’s was a big thing. The vibe was great. But even the small bands that played there made an impact on me like Malignant Tumor and The Neos. There was just so many good shows.
Wasn’t there supposed to be an NYC Mayhem seven-inch at some point?
NYC Mayhem recorded fourteen songs for a seven-inch that Dave from Mental Abuse was going to put out on his label, Urinal. He didn’t like the way it came out. I remember him telling me he thought it was going to be more Metal.
You played drums and sang in NYC Mayhem. Barring The Mentors, that’s a pretty unique thing for a punk band.
Yeah, someone who did both those things in Hardcore was hard to find. I had a lot of energy and I could play drums. I have a regret that I didn’t stick with singing and playing the drums because I was actually a pretty decent drummer. Some of that stuff you hear on the NYC Mayhem tapes, I was only playing drums for six to eight months. My ego took over and I wanted to be a singer. In all honesty, I didn’t think I was a good enough singer to sing on a record and carry a band into anything further than playing Hardcore at CBGB’s. Back then, I wouldn’t admit it. I think my talent fell into playing drums. It was my ego that got me to sing but also stopped me from playing music. NYC Mayhem jumped from being this super-fast thrash band to being a full-on Straight Edge band with Straight Ahead. I wanted to be accepted. We started shaving our heads and I admit to losing some of my identity. I was trying to emulate H.R. and John Joseph. I got more into satisfying the crowd and playing something that was the norm. When we did Mayhem, we didn’t give a fuck. We did whatever we wanted to do. Straight Ahead consciously followed the blueprint to be an NYHC band.
Why did the Straight Edge thing appeal to you at that time?
It was easy for me. I grew up with a lot of alcohol and drugs. I did them at a young age and got burnt out on drugs by the time I was fourteen years old. It was an easy choice for me. It was a better way of life.
What do you remember about being in Youth of Today?
Ray had been into Hardcore for way longer than anyone and he wanted to get a crowd, he was trying to find the pulse of what people wanted.
What do you remember about touring with them?
People embraced us. Our van broke down and we were starving and all that, but I guess that’s a typical story for every Hardcore band from that time. People in that scene let us come into our house and fed us. It was cool. Back then, I was very liberal, but then you get more conservative as you get older. You’re a bit more naïve when you’re younger because everything’s new and fresh and the friendship and unity held it together. Let’s face it, people are a lot stronger the more unified they are. That scene was a strength; it was the power of a movement. Everybody tried to grasp that and wanted to be a part of something. I’m a New York guy. I’m cynical. I’m a pessimist. As much as I try to be positive and optimistic, that’s the way I’ll always be. Maybe it was because of the way I was brought up and the things I’ve seen and experienced. But it was nice to take a break from that; even for a small period of time. It was a very enjoyable part of my life.
What can you tell me about the tracks Straight Ahead recorded for the End The War Zone compilations?
Those End the War Zone tracks were really makeshift. I played drums and sang on them and we threw it together really quick. I don’t even think it was mixed. Matter of fact, I don’t even think it was on a reel. I think I sent him a cassette tape.
And how about the recording of the Breakaway twelve-inch?
Chuck Valle (Ludichrist, Murphy’s Law) started getting into the other side of music and started working at Chung King Studios. I was a good friend of his and he was a fan of Straight Ahead. He wanted to start using the studio to record. We had to come in there at three o’clock in the morning to record. We had no intentions of doing anything with it but seeing how it would come out. It was a twenty-four track board and we had Chuck producing. Duane Rossignol (owner of Some Records record store) approached me about putting in on vinyl. Straight Ahead didn’t last too much longer after that. We were already broken up by the time it was pressed.
What are your memories of Duane Rossignol?
Duane was a good man. I know at one point, he called me down to the store and gave me some money from the profits of the record, which I didn’t really expect. The money wasn’t something I was really interested in. Even today, I’m not someone who cares about money. I probably should! But I don’t! At that point, I wanted to be famous, but on my terms. I didn’t want to be a sellout. I guess I was just too much of a Hardcore communist. But Duane was very knowledgeable about music. He was a big blues guy. At some point, people found out Duane and his politics, made it public and that brought about the store closing. Duane seemed real out there sometimes, but his love for Hardcore was incredible. He was a good man and treated me right. I think everything he did was for the love of the music and nothing else.
Around the same time, Some Records was in business and pushing DIY ideals, Chris Williamson was putting on his mega-shows at The Ritz. What did you think of those shows?
I was never a fan of Chris Williamson. I thought he was a money-hungry cheeseball, but I did enjoy the shows he put on. I thought the Cro-Mags hooking up with Chris Williamson and recording The Age Of Quarrel did them a disservice. I thought the album was produced horribly. They could have been bigger. They got short-changed I think. I mean, Agnostic Front made Victim in Pain for nothing and that record is still a monster. That record was proof that it wasn’t the quality of the sound, it’s what you capture in the recording and they captured something really special with that record.
There’s an infamous story of you harassing or attacking Kirk Hammett of Metallica at a CBGB’s matinee when he jumped up to play with the Crumbsuckers.
I don’t know, when Kirk came in with his big bouncers, it bothered me. I was there to see a Hardcore show, so I grabbed the mic and said ‘Get this fuckin’ rock star out of here!’ Maybe I was wrong about it, but I was a fifteen-year-old kid at the time. I honestly didn’t think he heard it! But then I saw him make a face at me. He took his guitar and jammed me in the chest with it and then made a motion like he was going to spit on me. I don’t know if he actually spits, but then I spit on him. And then he definitely spits back! Then his two big bouncers grabbed me and Billy Milano said something on the mic. Then one of the guys from the Crumbsuckers said something like ‘It looks like you bit off more than you could chew’. I’m a fifteen-year-old kid, I’m not going to take on two six-foot bouncers. I don’t care how tough I thought I was. Everybody was pissed off at me, but fuck this guy! If he ain’t a rock star, then why is he affected by what I said in the first place? I don’t want to rehash things. Like everything else in Hardcore, it’s made out to be more than it was. There’s no question Metallica is a great band.
Why did Straight Ahead break up?
Rob Echeverria is an excellent guitar player and started getting bored with it. I don’t blame him. We were purposely playing three-chord songs because it had to be a certain way. Don’t get me wrong, Straight Ahead was a good band, but we short-changed ourselves musically. We dumbed it down so to speak. I can’t speak for all the other guys, but that’s how it felt to me. I did something to be accepted. I definitely followed the format to be accepted into the Hardcore scene and by the time I was 17, I was done. I’m just being honest. After we broke up, we got back together for a little bit. When Craig was still playing with Youth of Today, Rob and I said to him, ‘Quit and come back to Straight Ahead’, so he did. But we really didn’t have enough steam to keep going. I’m just so glad to have had a part in it. It’s like CBGB’s, everybody puts their stickers up on the wall, and that’s what we did. We put our sticker up on the wall just like everybody else.
After Straight Ahead, you sang briefly in the band Irate. What do you remember about that?
Sergio Vega (Collapse, Quicksand, Deftones) was a real good kid who had something going on. He brought me along to sing in the band, but I was really done by then and went through the motions. I was washed up at twenty!
In the present day, NYHC is something celebrated worldwide. From your perspective, why is that?
Back then, I thought NYHC was the only thing on earth. Over the years, people have looked in, idolized others and I guess I can see why. It made history, it made a wave. To me, it was just about being young, being from New York and our personalities and being what we were as people. I thought L.A. was soft and I think they still are. I was never a big fan of the West Coast and I never will be. New York IS Hardcore, period! Why is NYHC great? Because New York’s great!