Tonight's show is the third band in the Tomorrow is Too Late series, which is the radio interviews from the early Toronto hardcore bands that were conducted for the book by the same name. Tonight's band is Micro Edge, Toronto's first skate-core band. They shredded in a way that those early skate bands did (think JFA). They wrote one of the most memorable songs from the era called "(So You Think You're) Hardcore, eh", which is where we start this interview. The song appeared on the limited edition compilation that came with the first pressing of the book. But all of us wanted to see that song come out on vinyl. I had interviewed the band once before back when Sudden Impact did a reunion show at our old studio. The interview was lost and consequently never aired. It was one of my biggest regrets. So when they agreed to take a chance again and do this do over, I was super grateful.
We get talking about how the band got into punk and skating and how the two things intertwined. Reminiscing about the early days of skateboarding reliving the spirit of skaters and that can do spirit, and developing their own culture with a zine that Dave put out called "Bong Out". "Bong Out" had interviews., show reviews, skate shots, and raditorials. I am going to put some pictures of the issues that Dave shared with us on the Facebook page under a Micro Edge photo album. They play with S.C.U.M. who were skaters. They skate with JFA. Reid's editorial and artwork, Dwayne skating shots, reviews of a lot of early shows in Toronto - it's a fantastic time capsule.
In the interview we talk about some iconic shows in Toronto's hardcore history. We start out by talking about the Circle Jerks for shows in Toronto which included their gig at the Bev under the Spankin' Monkeys. The Dead Kennedys gigs at the Concert Hall were paradigm shifting in terms of the punk scene at the time. Their first gig at the Wexford Battle of the Bands with Boris sporting a mohawk (see right). They talk about Quarantine's all ages matinees. They opened for the F.U.'s from Boston which gets covered in Bong Out. DRI and JFA slept on Boris' kitchen floor. JFA skated the parking garages in Kensington Market. They got to play Start Dancing and saw some of the shows at the Desh Bhaget which is the hall that Start Dancing broke in. Micro Edge spend some talking about the scene back then. Getting to see Teenage Head at the Wexford school dance had an impression on Boris. They shared a practice space with YYY and NJF after losing Dave's dad's basement. Dave meets Brian Taylor by chance at the York Mills subway station and wind up being gifted a "Why Pay More" demo which becomes a fought over prized possession. Chronic Submission's association with the skinhead scene. The importance of the Record Peddler on finding out about music, finding out about shows, and meeting people. And the Young Lions who had the Garage, supported Rock Against Racism, and set the groundwork for this scene.
You can download the show here. Download the full interview here. Pick up their LP through Ugly Pop. The playlist looks like this: MICRO EDGE - (So you think you're) Hardcore, eh? (Ugly Pop) MICRO EDGE - Attitudes, Feelings and Ideas (Ugly Pop) MICRO EDGE - United We Skate (Ugly Pop) MICRO EDGE - Energy through Noise (Ugly Pop) SUDDEN IMPACT - Bent OK (Marquee) MICRO EDGE - School (Ugly Pop)
Start Dancing was an all ages punk dance
organized by kids in the scene. Vera Bigall and Paul Dakota were the main organizers. Gerry Doyle provided the sound system, Dan Hughes provided the music, and Mark Sanders did security. Andy Ford would help lug the equipment down to the space whatever it would be. Sometimes it was a Legion Hall, other times it was a church basement or a synagogue. Start Dancing was like a high school dance but for punk rockers and mods. They happened between 1981 and 1985 every
Friday night and soon they added bands to the mix. When i think back upon it now I think that Start Dancing had something to do with why Toronto has a propensity towards all ages shows. be a reason for why Toronto has always had
such a strong all ages scene. They were a lifeline for a kid like me who didn't know how to get fake ID but still wanted to meet kids like me. One of my main recollections was the way that people brought records and put them on this portable turntable. It was a great way to turn people onto your new singles without everyone having to go out and buy the single. Money was tight. It was like a community
jukebox. Thanks to Mark Sanders for agreeing to get everyone together with exception of Paul Dakota. This interview originally ran on the radio show, but I really wanted more people to know about this special part of Toronto's punk past. You can download a PDF of the zine here. http://archive.org/download/Volume12-Issue4/Volume12-issue4-small.pdf
Vera Bickle, Gerry Doyle, Mark Sanders, and Dan Hughes were interviewed on October 16th about a weekly event that they organized called Start Dancing. This was a unique all ages punk event that had DJs and bands playing. They took place in halls, curling clubs, church basements and other unlikely community spaces that they could find around the city. Four years of these events entrenched the spirit of an all ages scene in the early hardcore era. These events allowed for various levels of alternative scenes that include mods, skins, punks, new romantics and others. It was one of my first exposures to the local scene and in hindsight it had a big impact on my life.
L’ETRANGER - Barricades (Sensible Record Company) Interview – Start Dancing PURPLE HEARTS - What am I gonna do (Captain Mod) Interview – Start Dancing YOUTH YOUTH YOUTH - Apathy (Fringe) Interview – Start Dancing SHAM 69 - If the kids are united (Captain Oi!) Interview – Start Dancing THE ENGLISH BEAT - Mirror in the bathroom (Sire) Interview – Start Dancing THE CLASH - White man in Hammersmith Palais (CBS) Interview – Start Dancing THE YOUNG LIONS - We wanna riot (Schizophenic) Interview – Start Dancing MARK MALIBU AND THE WASAGAS - Wasaga run (Self-released) Interview – Start Dancing COCKNEY REJECTS - East End (Captain Oi!)
This is issue #20 of Smash It Up, which is a Toronto punk fanzine put out by Nick Smash. This issue came out in December 1981. The issue starts out with a road trip diary for the Young Lions and 20th Century Rebels for a nuclear disarmament benefit show they play in Montreal. It didn't go so well.
There is an article on the Professionals who played the Voodoo Club. there is bits of an interview with Paul Cook in the piece.
There is an interview with Simple Minds who are from Scotland. This was the second time they had come to Toronto and was around the time that "Sons of Fascination / Sister Feelings Call" had come out because the band talks about it in the interview. They are pretty chatty and down to earth which is surprising to me because I saw them play Maple Leaf Gardens when they were a bit full of themselves and scolded the audience for coming up on stage. Difficult to think of them as the same band.
There is an update on Toots and the Maytals who had broken up and then gotten a new band together to come back up to Toronto. This is the man who wrote "Pressure Drop".There is a lengthy interview with Echo and the Bunnymen at their second show which took place at the El Mocambo. I think all the shows were happening there after the Edge closed down.
Jill Heath does an interview with the Young Lions where she starts out with the show in Montreal. They also cover:
- the song "United" - the song "Goodnight Belfast" - the Toronto Sun newspaper - the song "One Little Nazi" - and a big show they have organized featuring seven of Toronto's newest punk bands.
Jill Heath also does an interview with the ska band from Vancouver called the Villains. it was at a sold out show at the Masonic Temple on November 14th, 1981 and they were booked to come back for the end of December to play the Headspace for 8 days which was unheard of back then.
There is an update on Toots and the Maytals who had broken up and then formed with a new line up. This is the guy who wrote "Pressure Drop".
There is an article written about Youth Youth Youth, which is one of the only pieces I have ever seen written about what I would consider Canada's best hardcore band. The article provides some insight into motivations behind their songs and some interpretation into lyrics. There are a couple of quotes from Rob Mallion the guitarist and they mention that the third issue of Civil Disobedience had come out. They refer to Civil Disbobedience as a political zine that members of the band published.
There are some record reviews of John Foxx of Ultravoxx and Bow Wow Wow.
There is an interview with a band from Toronto called Boys Brigade. They sound like a percussion based dance new wave band similar to bands like Bow Wow Wow or Pigbag or Parachute Club or Norda. There was lots of other bands doing that same sound. Boys Brigade formed out of members of Arson and the Androids. I don't think they ever went anywhere because I never heard of anything about them outsude of this interview.
There is a write up on the Pinkertones who relocated to Toronto from Halifax.
There is an interesting scene report on Liverpool that writes about bands like Big in Japan, the Spitfire Boys, Crucial Three, the Nova Mob, the ID which became OMD, Dalek I Love You, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Teardrop Explodes.
There is a show review of Siouxsie and the Banshees at the El Mocambo.
There is a review of a Start Dancing show at a hall on Claremont that motsly describes the V-Necks.
There is also a review of an Iggy Pop show at the Music Hall.
This is courtesy of Daibhid James and his archive. Daibhid hosts Moondoog Ballroom on CIUT.
Broadcasting on CIUT 89.5FM since May 1999, ExD is dedicated to playing underground punk, hardcore, and garage from around the world. Tune in Sunday nights from 10pm to Midnight EST - live streaming audio available at www.ciut.fm Bands/labels: send us your stuff! We're looking for records and CDs to play on our show. Contact Equalizing-X-Distort by e-mail at equalizingxdistort@gmail.com.
