Tag Archive: The Purpose

Raw Power-Degenerics-The Purpose-Kaboom-Dead Nation @ New Brunswick NJ 9-17-98

I absolutely could not pass up the chance to see legendary ragers Raw Power from Italy on their US tour in 1998. This is such a cool lineup too: What a great snapshot of the growing scene outside of the “88 in 96” one that was brewing in New Jersey at the time. Degenerics were becoming a really hot band in NJ in 1998 and had progressed so much from when I saw them a few years before. Dead Nation were also coming into their own. Raw Power were great and played all the hits. There was a huge pile…
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Reach The Sky-Buried Alive-All Out War-The Purpose-Count Me Out-Open Up @ Freehold NJ 7-31-99

My big memory of this show was hanging out with a dame who I had never really spoken to before at shows, but she had fallen out with some people, so we ended up bonding a bit about some nonsense that had happened to both of us. We reconnected on social media in recent years, and I am glad she is doing well. Open Up were from Massachusetts and, I think, opened up with a Chain of Strength cover, which got some groans outside where I was standing around. It was either them or Count Me Out. I never really…
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Matt Leveton Benefit 1999

The first ever benefit for Matt Leveton was in January 1999. Matt used to book shows at Manville and got seriously hurt in a car crash. These shows were a really big deal at the time and a nice showing of what can happen when the hardcore scene comes together for something good. The first day was highlighted by a reunion show for Strength 691. I remember seeing a lot of people who I had not seen in a few years, which is an odd feeling when you are 19, and hung around catching up with a lot of people.…
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Bane-Daltonic-The Purpose at New Brunswick NJ Summer 1998

This was at a house but I cannot remember which one. I could never keep any of that straight. When Purpose played a few of us went off, which bummed out emos and I think a member or two of the band. That band blurred the lines between the hardcore and emo parts of NJHC a lot. Daltonic were a melodic band from Boston, I think, right, and played occasionally in the area. They were okay but not really my thing. I went outside to hang out with some people when Bane played, which is so weird because six months later…
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Ensign-Good Riddance-Weapon X-Hands Tied-Shutdown-In My Eyes-Fastbreak @ Manville Elks Lodge Manville NJ 8-9-97

This show was one of the big end of summer shows (along with Back To School Jam and the show that Gordo did) as the summer of 1997 began to wind down. We packed a crew into my car (and literally packed lunch) and headed up to the show. Weapon X would play their only show. WX had members of Ensign, Purpose, Kurbjaw, and some others and played pretty generic 1988 hardcore. They covered Turning Point and Judge. I interviewed Nate after the show. Their 7” was released in a limited edition of 200. I ended up with a handful…
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Parade Brigade #3 The Reviews

Issue three would be the end of Parade Brigade Fanzine and, as promised in issue two, we mostly only reviewed records that were sent to us. Boy were some of these records awful! John and I handle most of the reviews with only the Carry On and Esteem records getting both of us. Issue four would have had a Carry On interview that I think John actually did…? Our friend Ryan, who did a lot of grunt work with me getting this issue thrown together as quickly as it was, jumped in to do a few reviews as well. 200…
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Vision-Ensign-The Purpose-Saves The Day In Somerset NJ 7-21-97

This show was at Aaron Leonovich’s parents house. Aaron was a nice kid a few years older than me who did Special Forces Records (who put out records by Saves The Day, Breakdown, Purpose, etc) and was around the scene for a lot of years. He did one of the early website I remember from a hardcore kid. I used to check out Talk Is Cheap every morning. This show was in a really nice neighborhood I remember hardcore kids kind of just hanging out all over the place. The basement was huge and there was plenty of room for…
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Parade Brigade Fanzine #1: The Reviews

We put out Parade Brigade Fanzine #1 in the spring of 1999. I have no idea what show we released it for, but I think it was at Manville Elks Lodge. Maybe. Amendment 18 Demo This band has members of a number of bands (Insted, Chorus Of Disapproval, Outspoken, etc) I had different expectations for this demo expecting more moshy stuff, but I got straight forward hardcore with interesting breakdowns. Lyrically, this isn’t as “militant,” as xChorusx was, but good all around especially “Eulogy.” I look forward to more. BW Bane Holding This Moment Equal Vision Records Bane sort of…
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Floorpunch @ Manville 8-3-97

Destroy Babylon recently posted this video of Floorpunch playing at Manville 8-3-97. You can see me all over this! I don’t remember a ton from this show…Vision also played (really early for some reason…I think they had to leave???) and maybe The Purpose. Someone on the Livewire Board said Fastbreak too but I don’t think they did…they played Manville the next weekend with Hands Tied, In My Eyes, and some others and then the next year with Fit For Abuse (!). A lot of familiar faces in the crowd. I can see Chris Oliver, Mickey, Matt Molnar, Matt Smith, Joe…
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Rain On The Parade

This is the interview I did with Rain On The Parade in April of 1997. Originally in What Was Said Fanzine. 1. Okay, who is in the band and all that crap? My name is Ronnie and I sing. DII plays one guitar. Justin plays the other. Matt jumps around with his bass. Chris just joined the band. He plays drums. 2. Have you guys gotten any shit for the lyrics to Body Bag? You know, with the way all this metal slop has taken over hardcore in the past few years, you’d think we’d catch some slack for writing…
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