James: When you first formed the band and recorded the demo were you planning on remaining a three piece?

Mike: Believe it or not I wanted it to remain a one piece. This whole project started out as a demo called “Bullshit”. Me just playing all the instruments. Ron from SFA said “You know Mike, you really can’t play guitar.” The he said “You really can’t play drums either.” From there I wrote some songs and we got together and played as a three piece. I wanted it to remain a three piece because I kinda fancy myself a musician.

Aaron: Then he heard the demo and woke up!

James: You were the original singer and founder of SFA. But at one point both you and Brendan were singing. I would imagine that being pretty uncomfortable and hard to pull off live.

Mike: Well we only played four or five shows like that and it would be fun.

At the halloween show we would each sing a line and then hit eachother on the head with the microphones. It was pretty bad and their were around twenty people there. But it was fun. Me and Brendan are really good friends and get along pretty good. (At this point a side conversation about Aaron's social life breaks out and the answer gets lost.)

James: Were you happy with the sound and how the demo was received?

Mike: I wasn’t too happy with the vocals. But then again I’m never to happy with my vocals.

James: Your next step with be the 7 inch on “Noo Yawk Rehkids”. What went into the decision to do it yourself?

Aaron: No one in their right mind would do a record with GO....not ever.

James: Yeah Mike, you seem to have a knack for the D.I.Y. thing. Why not wait for someone to come along and say “Hey Mike, that GO shit is pretty hot. Let us do the work.”

Mike: Oh yes, my shining prince. Come and get me please!

James: You’ve been playing a lot of shows around the city lately. Have you gotten a chance to play out of town yet?

Mike: We just played the Pipeline in Newark New Jersey yesterday. We played Populous Pudding in Connecticut and we’ve played upstate. We’ve really just started to play.

The first few months were pretty desolate. Shows getting cancelled a lot. Now all of the sudden were getting all these shows. I try not to book three or four gigs a month. It causes tension in the band.

James: Does booking so many shows cause problems while you’re already in charge of ABC-No-Rio?

James: Over the past year or so you’ve spent a lot of time and energy promoting Gay Rights. One thing in particular has garnered a lot of intention. Your feelings on H.R. and the Bad Brains. A band that is loved and respected by almost anyone involved in Punk and Hardcore.

(At this point Aaron goes for a long walk. Maybe knowing  what is about to unwind.)

Mike: The Bad Brains have spent the better part of the last decade putting down Gays and being extreme Sexists. I’ve known that for quite a while now. Once that song “Blowing Bubbles” (song on the Quickness) was released saying AIDS was the cure for Homosexuality. A song that was direct, blatant and in your face Homophobic. They weren’t even hiding their prejudice. I don’t think the Bad Brains are positive. I think they’re full of shit. I don’t like them. I think they’re just as bad as Skrewdriver. If you want to support them..... fine, do it. Just know what you’re supporting. The choice is yours. I’m not going to judge you for it.

James: Aaron, what got you into Hardcore in the first place?

Aaron: I came into it a little late. I was never a Metal Head or anything. I liked and still like Progressive and New Wave. At the time Hardcore was really different and exciting. Though I don’t like to use the term “Positive” but in a world of Bauhaus, Gothic Death, Joy Division and black clothes I was encouraged to always feel like shit. I’ve been out of that scene for about two years now and it’s a welcome relief to shed my heavy black clothes and feel good about getting out my anger,

James: Aaron, are you still playing with Team Effort? How did that project get started and did it ever get off the ground?

Aaron: Yes, Team Effort started in early 1988. At the time I was really into the concept of Youth Crew. I call it being close with my friends, hanging out and skating all the time. It wasn’t just about music for me. It was the lifestyle. We’ve put out a demo which I like a lot. We’ve also played a handful of shows.

James: So it’s more of a side project?

Aaron: Yeah, I’d consider it to be more of a side thing. I was also playing in SFA.

James: Are you going to be playing on the upcoming album?

Aaron: No, Dray plays on the album because they don’t like me.

Mike: They don’t dislike you.

Aaron: oh and then there’s the Manacled. They’re going to be a great band.

James: Okay Mike, tell me about the song Section 28.

Mike: Section 28 was a law passed in England. It states that public funds could not be used to promote homosexuality. Besides the fact that the term itself is totally ridiculous term. A few months after the law was passed a few English newspapers which by the way are a lot more biased than our own papers here, printed an article saying that AIDS is an exclusively gay phenomenon and anyone who says different is completely crazy.  So all of the AIDS services funded by the government were terminated. It’s really scary.  It may not sound like much but measures like that can be used in extremely negative ways.

James: What did they mean by “Funds that promote Homosexuality?

What exactly would fit under that umbrella?

Mike: Things like safe sex information in schools that would include anal and oral sex. For someone who’s straight it might not mean too much. But for someone who’s gay it means a whole lot. For younger kids who are gay it can destroy ones self esteem.

I really love it when bands like the Bad Brains and the Cro-mags say things like they do. They don’t realize they don’t know what they’re talking about.

James: I heard John had some problems with CBGB’s? What exactly happen?

Aaron: It’s true. John had a bad experience there. It was the whole folded arms, harder than you attitude. He didn’t want to be a part of it. All of that stuff that was going on there at the end. We did not want to play CBGB’s because of it. It took us a few months and it was pretty ridiculous.

Mike: With ABC I try to get bands shows faster.

James: I’ve only been there a few times. But in the times I’ve been there I haven’t seen any fights or violence. It has a close knit family feel to it. How do you create that and more important.... How do you maintain it?

Mike: CBGB’s last Hardcore matinee was November 6th. ABC’s first show was November 9th. The first month of shows weren’t really publicized. So for most of the kids in New York City there weren’t any Hardcore shows for two months. It was sort of a process of weeding out. The kids who were only in it for the violence left.

Aaron: It was so good in the beginning. It gave me this stupid feeling as if I were on drugs. It was a natural high. It’s still good there. The shows upstairs aren’t as good as the basement shows though.

James: I’ve only been to the basement gigs.

Aaron: It’s a lot different than the basement shows. There’s a lot more temptation fro violence.

Mike: There were some people there. I won’t give any names. People who everybody knows. People who start a lot of fights. Who supposedly don’t start fights anymore.

I talked to them. Brendan talked to them as they came in. We both talked to them and told them “If you fight you leave.”

James: Do you think CBGB’s banning Hardcore shows was inevitable?

Mike: Yes, I think people took CBGB’s for granted. Like now, the fist Hardcore show they had that night. Someone got killed.

James: You mean the Warzone show?

Mike: Yes, no one died at the Sheer Terror show. It’s just not a good place for shows anymore. Once upon a time it was the ultimate.

James: What else are you trying to accomplish with this band. I mean besides gay rights and issues. I ask this because there are three other people in the band who are not gay.

Mike: I write most of the lyrics. I can’t speak for everyone in the band.

Aaron: I back Mike up on what he writes. I can more appreciate the lyrics in songs like “Take Route”. Songs that don’t necessarily deal with bettering yourself. Analyzing what you’re doing.

Mike: A lot of our songs deal with Racism.

James: We’re in a time now where people seem to contradict what their saying when it comes to race. Where White Power is immediately deemed racist. (and rightly so) While Black Power is treated with respect and grace. Meanwhile people like Louis Farrakhan and Al Sharpton are as racist and hateful as they come.

Aaron: That’s true.

Mike: I can understand with being Gay and having no real role models. Growing up being Black. Seeing White families on television. Bread winners are white. White cinema. Growing up in a society where you play no part.

I don’t fully support Black Power. I think the Black community should be more empowered in the State. Where it has more financial power and more decisive power.

I don’t think of it as power. Power is an illusion. I think power is just something you can lose or gain. Like in our song “Your Power Means Nothing”. People scramble around for power. Like Gay Power. White Power is ridiculous. Everyone should have pride in themselves. Blacks and Whites should have respect for themselves and others. I believe in unity. It’s a lot better when people work together. Nothing good ever comes from building up walls, starting fights and carrying chips on your shoulder.

Interview and images James Damion. Interview appeared in the Third issue of Unite.