| Reagan Youth | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Forest Hills Queens New York City New York  United States |
| Genre(s) | Punk Hardcore punk Anarcho Punk |
| Years active | 1980–1988; 2006–present |
| Label(s) | R Radical New Red Archives |
| Members | |
| Al Pike Johnny Aztec Paul Cripple Pat SpEd |
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| Former members | |
| Dave Rubinstein Andy Bryan Charlie Bonet Steve Weinstein Rick Griffith Victor Dominicis Javier Madriaga Pat McGowan |
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Reagan Youth (a play on Hitler Youth) was a band started by singer Dave Rubinstein (Dave Insurgent) and his friend and guitarist Paul Bakija in Queens in early 1980. They have been labeled peace punk as well as hardcore. An important group in the New York/New Jersey hardcore scene, they performed very regularly at CBGB and toured the U.S. extensively, often with other early punk bands such as the Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains and the Misfits.
Contents |
Style
Though known for their use of Ku Klux Klan and Nazi Party imagery, Reagan Youth were a very anti-fascist/racist band, playing with such black bands as Bad Brains. The band expressed its political views through irony, using images from the two hate groups for their album/CD covers. Their intention was to draw the audience's attention to the perceived parallels between the policies of Ronald Reagan and the Religious Right and the beliefs of the hate groups. Their songs included "Jesus Was a Communist," a stab at the Christian fundamentalists in the United States, and "New Aryans," an anti-Ronald Reagan/yuppie and also anti-racist anthem. It should be noted that Dave Rubinstein was well aware of the irony and shock value inherent in these images and lyrics; both of his parents were Holocaust survivors. Musically, the band played hardcore punk, but other songs have more mellow rhythms with slower tempos, including guitar riffs and solos not seen in many other punk bands at the time.
History
Formed while Dave and Paul were still in Forest Hills high school, they quickly gained a good reputation and were soon playing the punk clubs of Manhattan. Reagan Youth played their first gig on August 22, 1980. Paul's physics teacher (Jack DePalma) shaved his head and became a roadie for the group. After graduation and the release of their first album, they began touring nationally and were regulars at the Sunday-afternoon hardcore matinee shows at CBGBs. By the late 1980s the extensive touring had taken its toll on the group, both physically and emotionally. Despite the many shows played and the relatively large album sales (for a hardcore punk band), the members of the band continually found themselves broke. When Reagan left office, the band split up.
Post-breakup
By this point Dave had become a heroin user and occasional dealer. In a conflict with another dealer, he was severely beaten with a baseball bat, requiring weeks of hospitalization. In 1993 he began seeing a girl, Tiffany Bresciani, who supported both their drug habits by prostitution. Later that year his mother was killed in a car accident. Soon after, Dave and his girlfriend were on Houston Street looking for customers and drugs. A familiar customer in a truck hired Tiffany and the two of them disappeared. A few days later, police on Long Island stopped the same truck and discovered Tiffany's body in the back. The driver was Joel Rifkin, later convicted as a serial killer responsible for the murder of several prostitutes. Despondent over his continuing drug addiction and the loss of his mother and girlfriend, Dave Rubinstein committed suicide in 1993. A version of their song "Degenerated" was used as the theme song for "The Lone Rangers," the fictional heavy metal band portrayed in the 1994 comedy Airheads, but they were not given credit in the movie's credits.
Reformation
The band has recently reformed with Al Pike, the bassist from Volume One, Johnny Aztec, the drummer from Volume Two, and Paul Cripple, the guitarist that started the band. They are now playing shows after a vow of silence that lasted 18 years. While there is no replacement for Dave Rubinstein, they now have Pat from the local New York City band DISTRACTION on vocals. The Band is being managed by Cutie Calamity, who helped to reform the band in it's new incarnation. The Resurrection Tour began August 2007, touring w/ Mouth Sewn Shut from Boston.
Discography
They were in existence for almost ten years, but only managed to release one album during their existence as a band (in 1984): originally titled Youth Anthems for the New Order, it was rereleased as Reagan Youth (Volume 1) by the small independent label New Red Archives in 1989. This album eventually sold 40,000 copies. A second album, titled Volume 2, was completed and released in 1990, after the official breakup of the band. Both are still available on vinyl, as well as a CD titled A Collection of Pop Classics that combines both records. A collection of live recordings was issued in 1998 as Live and Rare.
Released Material:
- Youth Anthems for the New Order (1984)
- Volume 1 (1989)
- Volume 2 (1990)
- A Collection of Pop Classics (1994)
- Live & Rare (1998)
- Punk Rock New York (2003)
Bootlegs:
- Live At CBGBs August 7, 1982
- Live At CBGBs November 20, 1982 (Ratcage Records Benefit) [1]
- Live At CBGBs Vol. One 7" [2]
