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Breakdown | |
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| Origin | Yonkers, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Members | Jeff Perlin Don Angelilli Carl Porcaro Rich McLoughlin Anthony Drago |
Breakdown is an American hardcore band formed in Yonkers, New York, in late 1986. [3] The band emerged from the mid-1980s New York hardcore scene, where they helped to pioneer the sound of beatdown hardcore. [2]
Breakdown was started in 1986, during the resurgence of the hardcore scene. Despite being a NYHC band based in Yonkers, Breakdown did not have the Lower East Side Crew-mentality of Warzone and Agnostic Front. By a similar token, unlike some of their other contemporaries like Gorilla Biscuits and Youth of Today, Breakdown was not a straight edge positive band. They are considered more along the lines of Sheer Terror for their more metallic sound and less-than-positive lyrics. However, Breakdown always had somewhat of a tongue-in-cheek element to them, mostly due to singer Jeff Perlin's humorous live banter and lyrics.
Contrary to popular belief, the original Breakdown lineup only lasted for less than a year. The band continued on with new members over the years, with Jeff Perlin being the only original member.
Through all the years Breakdown never did a tour of the U.S., concentrating mostly on the Northeast and Canada. They toured Europe 4 times (1999, 2001, 2009, 2010) with European bands including Rykers and Backfire. They also toured Japan in 2001.
Starting in 2003 through 2007 Perlin was the vocalist for Slumlords, a Baltimore-based hardcore/punk band. Slumlords allowed Perlin to write lyrics with a much less serious slant while allowing for a more diverse vocal delivery by adding punk, rock n roll and some heavy metal to the mix while still relying on hardcore for the basis of their sound.
Breakdown started playing gigs again in 2008, most notably the Black N Blue Bowl held in Brooklyn, NYC and the Built to Last Festival in Providence, RI in May 2009. They have also played gigs in NYC in September 2009 and the Baltimore "Fall Brawl" in October 2009. They played two gigs in Europe in November 2009 (Antwerp, Belgium and Leipzig, Germany) to support Backfire for their last two performances as well as a four-date tour of Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium in August 2010. In November 2010, they made their return to New York City's Webster Hall (which they last played 1988 when it was called The Ritz) opening for Sheer Terror. There have been rumors of Breakdown working on new material for general release, which would be their first output since 2001. But these rumors have been laid to rest after Breakdown decided to pack it in and not record or play any additional shows as of February 2011.
In February 2012, it was formally announced that the original 1986 lineup was reforming to write, record and release new material. This lineup consists of vocalist Jeff Perlin, guitarists Carl Porcaro and Don Angellili, bassist Rich McLoughlin and drummer Anthony Drago. This is the first time in 25 years that this lineup has performed together.
Breakdown released a demo (cassette) in 1987, [3] as well as a track on the NYHC compilation, Revelation Records' New York City Hardcore: The Way It Is and the equally important Blackout Records' Where the Wild Things Are compilation. The "'87 Demo" was eventually released as a 7-inch EP (Blackout/Noiseville), but did not include all of the songs that were available on the original cassette demo. Breakdown also recorded several demos over the years, including "Running Scared" cassette. Notable releases include the classic EP Blacklisted (Eyeball Records) along with the popular Plus Minus LP (Eyeball Records) and not as well-received Battle Hymns for an Angry Planet LP (Thorp Records/I Scream Records). Breakdown performed at least four live sets on Crucial Chaos, WNYU's hardcore radio show between 1987 and 1994. Dead Serious Records has re-released the demo 7 with a modified artwork. This 7 re-release was a part of the NYHC HALL OF FAME series. The notorious Lost & Found Records also released a semi-unauthorized bootleg of their material entitled "Dissed and Dismissed".
Jeff Perlin is the only member to remain in the band from its inception.
Ludichrist is an American band formed in 1984 in Long Island, New York. Their musical style broke from the conventions of New York hardcore by adding aspects of rock, heavy metal and jazz, such as musical interludes and extended guitar solos. Ludichrist is one of the crossover movement's most prominent groups, alongside D.R.I. Drummer Dave Miranda saw Ludichrist as "crossing into both, punk and metal without firmly belonging into either camp." He observed that "the band was readily influenced by bands around them such as Crumbsuckers and Agnostic Front."
Agnostic Front is an American hardcore punk band from New York City. Founded in 1980, the band is considered an important influence on the New York hardcore scene, as well as a pioneer of the crossover thrash genre.
Poison Idea was an American punk rock band formed in Portland, Oregon, in 1980.
Gorilla Biscuits are an American hardcore punk band from New York City, New York, United States, formed in 1986. The band currently consists of Anthony "Civ" Civarelli, Walter Schreifels, Arthur Smilios and Luke Abbey, and is signed to Revelation Records. Gorilla Biscuits are part of the New York hardcore scene.
Cro-Mags are an American hardcore punk band from New York City. The band, which has a strong cult following, has released six studio albums, with the first two considered the most influential. With a Hare Krishna background, they were among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal.
New York hardcore is both the hardcore punk music created in New York City and the subculture and lifestyle associated with that music. New York hardcore grew out of the hardcore scene established in Washington, D.C., by bands such as Bad Brains and Minor Threat. Initially a local phenomenon of the 1980s and 1990s, New York hardcore eventually grew to establish an international reputation with little to moderate mainstream popularity but with a dedicated and enthusiastic underground following, primarily in Europe and the United States. With a history spanning over more than four decades, many of the early New York hardcore bands are still in activity to this day. Some of them have been continuously or almost continuously active since their formation as well as having reunion shows.
Subzero is a New York hardcore / punk metal band that was formed in 1989.
Sheer Terror are an American hardcore punk band from New York City. The band was one of the first to combine elements of heavy metal with a hardcore punk base, pioneering a heavier style of hardcore that would create many bands in the following decades. Formed in late 1984, the band stayed together until 1998, through numerous lineup changes and shifts in musical style. In October 2004, the band reunited for two shows at New York City's CBGB Club.
Cable is an American band formed in 1994 in Rockville, Connecticut. They combine a hardcore punk and emo aesthetic with a rhythmically complex, often discordant metal-influenced musical approach. Lineup changes and delays between recordings may have hindered their notoriety over the years.
Killing Time is a New York hardcore band. From their beginnings in 1988, under the name Raw Deal, they went on to record two full-length albums and several EPs, singles, and compilation tracks. The band went through three hiatuses before formally disbanding in 1998. However, the band re-formed in 2006 and has been touring/playing since. Work on their third full-length album was completed in March 2009.
Brightside was the first of three full-length albums released by New York hardcore band Killing Time. It was released in November 1989 on In Effect Records, a division of Relativity Records, and subsequently re-released in 1995 by Lost & Found Records in Europe, and Victory Records in the U.S. – both with bonus tracks. Both re-issue versions have three tracks from the Happy Hour EP released in 1992. The Victory Records re-issue also has material from the first Raw Deal demo made in 1988, of which five tracks were re-recorded for this album.
The Method is the second full-length album by New York hardcore band, Killing Time. It was recorded between June and August 1996 and released on Blackout Records in April 1997. It was the band's first full-length release since 1989's Brightside, but the band split up soon after its release, despite its success in the hardcore punk field. Drago is now a police officer, Comunale works in the field of finances, and the rest of the band are still involved in the scene – either playing with bands, or managing and producing them.
No Grounds For Pity is a compilation album of early demo material by the New York hardcore band, Sheer Terror. The tracks were recorded between 1985 and 1988 and released in Europe on Blackout Records in 1996 – a year after the band made their first major label release, Love Songs For the Unloved, on MCA Records.
Crown of Thornz are a hardcore punk band, formed in New York City in 1994. By their 1998 disbandment, they were one of the most prominent groups in New York hardcore. They released only one EP, Train Yard Blues (1995); one studio album, Mentally Vexed (1996); and one split single with Aggressive Dogs (1998). Following their 2012 reunion, they have release the two track single Nothing But Tragedy.
Kill Your Idols is an American hardcore punk band from New York, active from 1995 through 2007 and again from 2013 to the present. They were signed to SideOneDummy Records. Their releases on SideOne were Funeral for a Feeling (2001), a split with 7 Seconds in 2004, and From Companionship to Competition (2005). Other notable releases by the band were No Gimmicks Needed and This Is Just The Beginning... which were released on Blackout! Records. The band released several 7-inch EPs, splits with other bands, multiple compilation tracks, and two full-length LPs in their 11-year run. Most of their records were released on vinyl as well as compact disc. Some were released on different colors of vinyl, different sleeve covers, hand numbered tour presses, and picture discs, making their records a favorite among collectors.
Tripface was an American hardcore punk band from Long Island, operating between 1993 and 1997. Band members went on to join Glassjaw and In This Moment.
The Stimulators were an American punk rock band from New York City. Although they have a limited discography, they are notable for being consistently cited as an important transitional band between the late-1970s New York City punk rock scene and New York hardcore, and for being the musical entry point for future Cro-Mags founder Harley Flanagan.
Beatdown hardcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk with prominent elements of heavy metal. Beatdown hardcore features aggressive vocals, gang vocals, heavy guitar riffs and breakdowns and lyrics discussing unity, brotherhood, volatile interpersonal relationships and machismo. The genre has its origins in late 1980s New York hardcore bands such as Breakdown, Killing Time and Madball, and was pioneered in the mid-1990s by bands like Bulldoze, Terror Zone and Neglect. The definition of the genre has expanded over time to incorporate artists increasingly indebted to metal, notably Xibalba, Sunami and Knocked Loose.
Straight Ahead was an American straight edge hardcore punk band formed in Queens, New York City in 1984 by drummer and vocalist Tommy Carroll, guitarist Gordon Ancis and bassist Tony Marc Shimkin.
Bulldoze is an American beatdown hardcore band formed in Irvington, New Jersey in 1992. Originating from thrash metal band Retribution, Bulldoze's mid-tempo, heavy metal-inspired take on hardcore punk developed the beatdown hardcore genre. They have released a single studio album, The Final Beatdown (1996), along with the Remember Whose Strong (1994) EP and Cleaning Shit Up!! (1993) demo.
Breakdown is considered one of the first 'tough guy' bands to come out of New York. When Breakdown started playing, the Sick of It All demo had just come out a few months earlier. Sheer Terror was still slogging it out with demos, trying to make a name for themselves. The Krakdown demo had just come out, along with Leeway's Enforcer demo, plus Rest in Pieces and stuff like that. Some of the original NYHC bands were slowly disappearing, like Major Conflict, Reagan Youth, and Antidote. Around 1986 and 1987 a whole new wave of bands emerged that were influenced by the original New York bands but added something different.
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