The Eagle flies again... this time over Washington D.C.

Here we are, back on track again to continue the American Oi! History Series for the next time, and yes, for this time we will move on to the capital city of the United States of America, to Washington D.C. and this means that this time after U.S. CHAOS and after THE EFFIGIES our next stops- yeahr, stops not stop, 'cause now we will paying tribute to two legendary, great and important bands- will be the two bands of IRON CROSS and IMMORAL DISCIPLINE from Washington D.C., so just enjoy it and get what you can get from this two bands.

So, like I've already said, after the start with U.S. CHAOS in New Jersey and the next stop with THE EFFIGIES in Chicago for this time our ride will take us straight to Washington D.C., the capital of the United States of America. Washington D.C. spilled out two very important and just pure great American Oi! bands that really made a name for themselves back in the days, and are also today still absoutely to name when it comes to bands that you must know. You'll do see, Washington D.C. not only was the birthground for a lot of great Hardcore acts, but also the Oi! and Streetpunk style established itself in Washington D.C. back in the days. First band to name ('cause they were the older ones) are the great IRON CROSS, also pretty much one of the first American Oi! bands I got known to. And beside that, they had been also one of the very first American Oi! bands in general, and the rumours go that they had been probably the first American Oi! band that recruited itself nearly solely out of Skinheads. So you can easily say that they had been pretty much the first more or less through and through pure American Skinhead Oi! band. And to point that out right from the start, the immortal hymne "CRUCIFIED" was and is a song written by IRON CROSS and not by AGNOSTIC FRONT (or whom ever else), get that clear and straight!!! IRON CROSS were founded back in 1980 by the lead singer Sab Grey ad the drum player Dante Ferrando, who also played in the band GRAY MATTER. They had all been still teenagers when they founded IRON CROSS, and the two other founding members had been the guitar player Mark Haggerty and the bass player John Falls, but very soon a lot of other, different guys should be about to play the bass in IRON CROSS. They were a part of the whole early Washington D.C. Hardcore scene, and I just name here "DISCHORD RECORDS" andhe legendary sampler "FLEX YOUR HEAD" and you all should know what I mean, if not then go and die or what so ever. Ah, and for what I know IRON CROSS never had something to do with being Straight Edge or so. Like I've already said, they had been more or less basically all Skinheads right from the start, outspoken against rascism, but it won't wonder anyone when I tell ya that they were defamed as being a Nazi band very soon, it was, is and maybe will always be the same old farce, but I tell ya nothing new at all at the end of the day. They were pretty much influenced by all the old british Streetpunk and early english Oi! bands, as well as also pretty much by the whole early U.S. Hardcore scene, just to name D.C. here. Especially IRON CROSS and the following IMMORAL DISCIPLINE are truly very good examples for the close connection between early American Oi! and old school U.S. Hardcore music. IRON CROSS used to play a damn hard and rough, raw and dirty American Oi! Oi! music style of sound, fully pumped up with power and energy, that will even today still blow you off your feet and out of your boots, I tell can tell ya easily. They were only very short lived, 'cause founded in 1980 they called it a day very soon in 1983. But they've left a huge impact, and that's still lasting to our present day. And of course, they are back again on the map, having released the great "TWO PIECES AND A BISCUIT" record some years ago (you're able to find the review of this record also on this blog, the entry is labeled 'Back with a Bang!' and should be found under the entries of march, I guess) and playing live all over the world again today. After the bandsplit back in 1983 the band members went on in several different directions, so Dante played with GRAY MATTER, Mark choosed to join the ranks of EMBRACE, and Sab decided to live in England for quite a while. Oh, yes, and Sab is also today known to be an active and gifted writer of books. Back in the days the released two now classical releases, two EP's, the first named "SKINHEAD GLORY" (1981/1982) and the second named "HATED & PROUD" (1983), and they were also featured on the legendary "FLEX YOUR HEAD" compilation record settled together by the guys in "DISCHORD RECORDS". The two EP's had been remastered (at least a little bit) and rereleased some years ago by the guys of "LOST & FOUND RECORDS" as a CD (only) release, named "CRUCIFIED FOR OUR SINS". I've reviewed this fine record quite a long while ago back in the issue no. # 01 of my respectively the "MANSLAUGHTER FANZINE BAD HARZBURG", so maybe I'll put that review on the blog here some day, time will tell. But how ever things may come or not, you should make sure that you call this record your own, if you're not do that already. Also "G.M.M. RECORDS" rereleased the old songs of IRON CROSS some years ago on a retrospective CD (which is, I think, named "LIVE FOR NOW" or something like that), and they've also added the "FLEX YOUR HEAD" songs, some rare live recordings and some also rare outtakes and demo stuff to it, to make it a complete package at the end of the day. And then in 2007 (or so) it happened and IRON CROSS came back and they came of big with their 'comeback' release "TWO PIECE AND A BISCUIT", great record, but if you want to get to know more about it just read the review ('Back with a Bang!') here on this blog and then go and make sure that you'll buy that great piece of American Bootboy Oi! Oi! music. They changed their style of sound quite a bit, the Hardcore nearly gone away out of their music, but it's still damn great stuff that you should know and call your own. Sab is also writing books, and IRON CROSS also are featured o the new "SKINHEAD CROSS CULTUR" documentary DVD as well as they are featured with a very good article in the current "Oi! THE PRINT" issue. And what shall I say more, maybe again that I think that it's a big pity that the interview I wanted to do with them somehow never came to happen... but how ever, IRON CROSS were and still are a outstanding band that's totally to find here with more than just 100% justification. Great band!!! You'll find a video of them performing their immortal larger thatn life hymne "CRUCIFIED" live on the "PUNK & DISORDERLY" festival in Berlin this year in 2010, and it's just a great song and a great performance done by a great band, so enjoy it!!! If ya want to become better known with IRON CROSS then just check out the http://www.myspace.com/ironcrosstheband and http://www.myspace.com/ironcrossthefellas links and enjoy this great and truly legendary band. Oi!

And now there's still a damn good and also very legendary band to come, and I'm talking 'bout no one else than the hard stomping IMMORAL DISCIPLINE also from Washington D.C. coming. They are also a very good example for the close linking of early American Oi! and old school U.S. Hardcore. Comparable a little bit with IRON CROSS, but they somehow don't have that reputation like them and my feeling is that they got a little bit lost when it comes to remembering them. But to change this at least a little we're here, writing and reading about them. And with chage this for a lot of damn good reasons, 'cause they had always been a great band hammering out some unpolished and just hard stomping Skinhead Oi! Oi! Core music that also today knows just to triumph about the rest, so here we go!!! IMMORAL DISCIPLINE were founded in the november of the year of 1986, like IRON CROSS also roaring out of Washington D.C., with the intended goal to create something unique and self-contained, something different to the then current Underground Subculture Music Scene of that time in their environment. Founding members had been the lead singer Shawn Garard and the guitar player Bill Gerber, the line up was completed by Jimmy Wood playing the bass and the hard search for a fix drum player. Before the band really started Jimmy was murdered, and to honour him IMMORAL DISCIPLINE decided to play a tribute and benefit show for him and his family, supported by John Allen playing the bass and Bryan Kelly playing the drums. They played the memorial show at the 14th of december 1986 in the "HUNG JURY PUB" in Washington D.C., even at this time they had only six songs in their live set. After that show Bryan Kelly stayed with the band, and with Todd Greene they managed finally to find a new bass player. In this formation IMMORAL DISCIPLINE started to play plenty of shows in and around Washington D.C., and in the following time Bryan went to study to the college and was replaced by 'Bhatman' on the drums, and with Bill Meeks they also recruited a second guitar player to their line up. This IMMORAL DISCIPLINE formation finally made it's way to the studio to record their first, five songs including demo "BOOTS & BRACES - STARS & STRIPES", and two songs of that demo made their way on the legendary "THE U.S. OF Oi!" compilation released by "LINK RECORDS". After the recording of that demo Bill left the band again, got replaced by Brian Robinson on the second guitar. In this formation IMMORAL DISCIPLINE went on and recorded the two EP's "BATTLEFIELD" (1987) and "IMMORAL DISCIPLINE" (1988), both EP's were released by "SMASH RECORDS", and some songs of them were also featured on the "THE SPIRIT OF Oi! - AMERICAN STYLE" sampler released by "Oi! CORE RECORDS". They played hell a lot gigs up and down the Eastcoast of the U.S.A. with other American Oi! legends (for example with FORCED REALITY and THE ANTI-HEROS), well known Punkrock bands (like THE EXPLOITED) and a lot of Hardcore champs (for example WARZONE and BIOHAZARD). Then in the year of 1989 it was sadly enough all over, 'cause IMMORAL DISCIPLINE decided to split and to call it a day in the august of that year. Currently shall be worked on a complete retrospective CD of them, and it would be great and about time that this disc will finally see the light of the day. Their damn hard, very aggressive, grim, raw and rough combination of Oi! Oi! music and Hardcore sound, 100% authentic and full of energy and aggression and power, really makes them today to an at least 100% relevant band that you should not have missed!!! And also like IRON CROSS they had always been very outspoken against rascism without walking the fences!!! Go and check out the band by using the http://www.myspace.com/immoraldiscipline link and get better known to this great band. Shall be worth your time, especially if you beside American Oi! also a faible for some good old tymed Hardcore style of sound!!! Ah, and make sure that you check out IRON CROSS as well as IMMORAL DISCIPLINE.

IRON CROSS - "CRUCIFIED" (live at the german"PUNK & DISORDERLY" festival in ther german capital Berlin this year in 2010)
Lyrics to "CRUCIFIED" of IRON CROSS:

They ask why we dress this way / Living for now don't understand today / They see the kids but don't hear what they say / They close their eyes and look the other way/ They say the end justifies the means / They'll lock us up and throw away the key // CRUCIFIED - Crucified for our sins / CRUCIFIED - Crucified for our sins // But they don't know our feelings / Our only desperate cry / They seek protection through distorted glass / They won't hear our truth because it breaks their views / We've got to learn to fight to live / Before they grind us under heel // CRUCIFIED - Crucified for our sins / CRUCIFIED - Crucified for our sins // We're the targets so easy to find / We're the ones that won't stay in line / I find myself nailed to a cross / For something that I didn't do / It's your fault you've ruined our lives / But we're the ones you crucify / You're the ones who commit the crimes / But it's always us who do the time ///