‘It was the hardcore equivalent of being a Deadhead’: consciousness-raising punk movement Krishnacore returns

The useful part

First-wave punks rejected religion – but come the 90s, bands embracing eastern thought found legions of devotees. As the 80s ticked into the 90s, however, something curious began to happen: a clutch of bands emerged who were wise to the hardcore classicism of Minor Threat and SSD but also looked east to Krishna consciousness. He and guitarist John Porcelly had "witnessed enough young people screwing up their lives that we thought, as simple as it is, it's a positive message.

Details worth keeping

The Damned, Crass, the Germs and the Dead Kennedys all proffered early potshots and takedowns, and if Bad Brains received a grudging pass for their Rastafari leanings, in general, songs kowtowing to gods or masters were about as likely to win you scene cred as praise for Reagan, cops or nuclear war. Leading the way was Ray "Raghunath" Cappo who, barely into his 20s, had already broken down walls as frontman for Youth of Today, a New York band who combined a straight-edge philosophy with animal-rights advocacy and a sense of full-throated positivity. "And it became big, bigger than we expected." Continue reading...