Cro-Mags

Cro-Mags
Origin	New York City, New York, United States
Genres	Crossover thrash Hardcore punk Thrash metal Youth crew[1]
Years active	1981–present
Labels	Century Media, Mightier Than Sword Records
Associated acts	108 Agnostic Front Bad Brains Danny Diablo Harley's War Hazen Street The Icemen Kraut Leeway Madball Murphy's Law Samsara Shelter Sick of it All The Stimulators Suicidal Tendencies Youth of Today
Website	www.cro-mags.com
Members
John Joseph "Bloodclot!" McGowan A.J. Novello Craig Scully Maxwell Mackie Jayson
Past members
Eric J. Casanova Harley Flanagan John Berry Dave Stein Kevin "Parris" Mitchel Mayhew Craig Ahead Doug Holland Rob Buckley Gabby Abularach Scott Roberts Rocky George Craig Setari Franklin Rhi Dave Hahn Winston Churchill Petey Hines Dave DiCenso Ryan Krieger Gary "G-Man" Sullivan Leo

Cro-Mags are a hardcore punk turned crossover thrash band from New York City. The band, which had a strong cult following, released many records, their first two considered the most influential. With a skinhead background, they were among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal and were associated with the birth of a tougher attitude within the hardcore scene in the late 1980s, related to the world of martial arts. John Joseph McGowan and Harley Flanagan are practitioners of boxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu respectively.

History

They first released a demo with songs that would eventually find themselves on their debut album The Age Of Quarrel (1986). Singer John Joseph subsequently parted ways with the band, leaving bass player Harley Flanagan to sing on the following Cro-Mags release, Best Wishes (1989), which had a more heavy metal-influenced sound. The next record Alpha Omega (1992) saw the return of Joseph. According to guitarist and songwriter Parris Mitchell Mayhew, another guitarist - Rob Buckley wrote most of the album along with him, though neither of them are featured on it as the group broke up but reformed with previous members.^[2] This was followed by Near Death Experience (1993), after which the group finally disbanded. However, the band had since reformed and continued touring some years later, and then in 2000, they released Revenge, which marked a return to their early hardcore roots, featuring songs that were comparable to those on their first release, as well as some songs with a more melodic/punk rock feel. After the release of Revenge the band broke up once again, and the internal hostility amongst band members (mainly between Mayhew and Flanagan) has never been resolved. The Cro-Mags eventually reformed again and had since continued playing live sporadically.

In 2008 John Joseph started playing shows, including one at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, using the name Cro-Mags (jam). The band included drummer Mackie Jayson, Craig Setari of Sick of It All on bass, and AJ Novello of Leeway on guitar. According to John Joseph, the Cro-Mags are planning to release a new album in 2011.^[3]

Discography

Main article: Cro-Mags discography

Albums

• The Age of Quarrel (1986)
• Best Wishes (1989)
• Alpha Omega (1992)
• Near Death Experience (1993)
• Revenge (2000)

Members

Current members

• John Joseph McGowan – vocals (1981, 1984–1987, 1991–1999, 2002–present)
• A.J. Novello – guitars (2002–present)
• Craig Setari – bass (2008–present)
• Maxwell Mackie Jayson – drums (1984–1986, 1996–1999, 2008–present)

Former members

• Eric J. Casanova – vocals (1982–1984)
• Harley Flanagan – vocals, bass (1981–1993, 1999–2002)
• John Berry – vocals (year?)
• Dave Stein – guitars (1981)
• Kevin "Parris" Mitchel Mayhew – guitars (1982–1991, 1999–2001)
• Doug Holland – guitars (1985–1989, 1991–1993, 1996–1999)
• Rob Buckley – guitars (1989–1991, 1993–1995, 2001)
• Gabby Abularach – guitars (1991–1995)
• Scott Roberts – guitars (1996–1999)
• Rocky George – guitars (1999–2001, 2002–2003)
• Craig Setari – bass (1996–1999)
• Franklin Rhi – bass (2002–2003)
• Dave Hahn – drums (1981)
• Petey Hines – drums (1986–1989)
• Dave DiCenso – drums (1989–1995)
• Ryan Krieger – drums (1999–2001)
• Gary "G-Man" Sullivan – drums (2002–2003)
• Leo – drums (year?)
• Harley Mckaye - bass (2009–2010)
• Ann Hao Dinh - drums (1987–2003)

At various times in the 90s and 00s both Harley and John Joseph simultaneously led 2 separate versions of the Cro-Mags with completely different line-ups. These groups billed themselves as "Cro-Mag Jam", "Cro-Mags-NYC", "Age of Quarrel", "Fearless Vampire Killers", "Cholo Mags NY" or "Cro-Mags" (whether or not the name was owned legally by the certain version of the band in question). Sometimes only one original member would be present, sometimes two or three, and sometimes even both John Joseph and Harley together. The five members that played on the recording of "The Age of Quarrel" are generally considered to be the "classic line-up", or "original members", but the truth is that membership in the Cro-Mags was frequently fluctuating from the very start.

Related bands

• Alloy – Pete Hines
• Antidote – John doing back-ups vocals on the 7" EP Thou Shalt Not Kill (1983)
• Bad Brains – Mackie Jayson, J, Joseph(few live shows)
• Bloodclot – John Joseph
• Both Worlds – John "Joseph" McGowan
• F.V.K. or Fearless Vampire Killers with John Joseph on vocals
• Front Line – Mackie Jayson
• Handsome – Pete Hines
• Harley's War – Harley
• Hazen Street – Mackie Jayson
• The Icemen – Mackie Jayson
• Sick Of It All – Craig Setari
• Kraut – Douglas Holland
• Madball – Mackie Jayson
• M.O.I – John and Harley
• Murphy's Law – Harley, Pete Hines
• Samsara (U.S. band) – Harley and Parris
• Shelter – Mackie Jayson
• Stimulators – Harley
• Urban Blight – Mackie Jayson
• White Devil – Harley and Parris

References

1. ^ Schreifels, Dylan. "Youth crew memories". Double Cross Webzine. http://doublecrosswebzine.blogspot.com/2008/05/dylan-schreifels-memories-of-youth-crew.html. Retrieved June 8, 2008. 
2. ^ Response to xSampax from Pariss
3. ^ Punknews.org | Cro-mags plan 2011 album

External links

• Parris Mayhew's Cro-Mags Website
• Harley Flanagan on Myspace
• Cro-Mags fan site
• Interview with Quarter-Life Crisis
• Artist: Cro-Mags – MusicBrainz

See also

• New York hardcore