FRANK 33: Da Mad Scientist by Frank151

Contents 26 30 38 46 52 60 68 74 76 84 86 88 96

Once Upon A Time In New York Da Mad Scientist Set It Off Jah Chemistry Down By Law TCOB Demonstrating My Style Roll Call Masta Killa Pitchfork N.Y.H.C. DMS 4 Life Pride

Contents 98 102 104 106 108 110 112 114 118 126 128 132 138

Nothing To Prove Black And Blue Hardcore Cold As Life Pay Back BQ Experience For My Family For My Brother In Memory Of Drugs, Money, Sexxx Brotherhood Age of Quarrel United And Strong

FRANK151 Founding Publishers Publisher Creative Director Guest Curators Editor In Chief Managing Editor Editor At Large Assistant Editor Reality Editor Photo Editor Production Director Production Manager Lead Designer Graphic Designer Contributors

Editorial Interns Director of Legal Affairs Sponsorship & Ad Sales Director Partnership Marketing & Events Manager Industry Relations Chop Shop General Manager Top Chopper Distro League Management US/Japan Ambassador Far East Operations Directors Far East Logistics Advertising Inquiries Creative Submissions General Information Japanese Inquiries

STAFF Mike and Stephen Malbon Chris Nagy Sir Frank The DMS Family Frank Green Stefanie “Schui” Schumacher J. Nicely Adam Pasulka Dan Tochterman Craig Wetherby Sherry Brody Anton Schlesinger Shanti Garcia Thomas “Bongi” Bongiorno Freddy ‘Madball’, Skid, Hoya, Lord Ezec, Toby 1, Rico, Jere, Scot E. Banks, and The Entire DMS Family, Poke 1, AKS, Chino BYI, Norm MSK, Sever MSK, John Joseph, Janet, Lash, Jeff “Stress” Davis, Estevan Oriol, David Shadi Perez Asa Turner Roman Espejo, Justin Briggs Brian J. Marvin Eric Shorter Domingo Neris Christian Alexander, Daks, Max Perlich Todd Nisbet Mr. Bee Dave Cove Daisuke Shiromoto Lyntaro Wajima, Takayuki Shibaki Yosuke Nakata, Yoshiharu Kudo, Halmi Shioya advertising@frank151.com content@frank151.com info@frank151.com tokyo@frank151.com

FRANK is published quarterly by Frank151 Media Group L.L.C. “Frank”, “Frank151”, and “Frank151.com” are trademarks of the Frank151 Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited.

DMS is more than a crew, more than a squad, more than a group of brothers united by shared experience and culture. While it is all of those things, it is more. DMS is equally a mentality, it’s about being down-for-life with one another, and it’s about the deep values of honor, respect, friendship and pride that inform the daily habits, decisions and overall points of view of its increasingly diverse worldwide membership. Most of all, it’s a true family in every sense of the word. What began deep in the belly of New York City as a group of multi-ethnic friends from the worlds of hardcore and hip-hop under the banner of Doc Marten Stomp or Doc Marten Skins has grown to encompass areas on the map from New York City to L.A., Europe, Japan and South America. The DMS family was born in the streets and is bringing each other up further every day. With fallen brothers along the way watching over them from above— Boston Mike, Double O, 2 Hips, Sob, Chino and Yas, among others—the DMS squad stands tall over twenty years later. The rep, the respect, the blood, the sweat and the stark street honesty have stood the test of time, growing stronger each and every day, as members of DMS infiltrate the system in 2008 and beyond, infusing the decaying mainstream with real values and belief.

Interview Rico “I think the problem with DMS, is that, to be completely honest it has a reputation, so anything that has a reputation is limited. People are like, ‘this is who they are, this is what they do.’ Because this has been attributed to the behavior of this crew or this act— that’s complete bullshit. You know what I mean? If it’s made up of many different people, there are infinite possibilities of what it can be.” – Jere Rico: How did you get down, how did you start all this? Actually, what’s an even better question, who is it that actually coined the name? You or Scot E.? Jere: It was me, yeah, but where it came from was from these guys that were hangin’ out with us early on that had like an invisible band, the band never materialized, but they had this idea that they were gonna have this song called “The Doc Marten Stomp.” They were like, “This is gonna be our intro, it’s gonna be called ‘The Doc Marten Stomp.’” And I was like, “That’s a good name for a graffiti crew,” you know? But at that time I was just writin’ graffiti by myself. There was me hangin’ out with a bunch of guys who smoked weed or fuckin’ smoked dust or fuckin’ whatever. No one wrote graffiti at that point.

Rico: You were the writer of the crew, so to speak, and pretty much the guy who brought the name, the letters— Jere: I always been writin’ it out. I’ve been writing graffiti probably since I was ten, you know what I mean? Coppin’ tags here and there, you know, growing up in Queens and shit, Jackson Heights, and being this white kid and shit, in the middle of nothin’, you’re in the middle of no world, you know what I mean? And you kinda do stuff solo a lot. There was no real crew, everybody else had a crew, everybody else had this whole thing, but I was like writing graffiti by myself and, I knew a couple of people. Rico: How did the marriage come between that and when it started becoming more of a graffiti thing, Doc Marten Stomp, whatever you were

taggin’. When did it transition to more of a family? Jere: Well, that happened with Scot E. He was an L.E.S. guy who came to Jackson Heights a lot. Jackson Heights was a different aggro in a different way because there were Columbian drug dealers. You grew up there and you had static basically that was real gang shit, you know what I mean? We didn’t call them gangs then, that was corny. The 70s had gangs. In the 80s we called it a crew. The thing with Scot E. is that he kinda got in this whole thing, he saw me tagging DMS a lot. A couple of weeks later, we’re hangin’ out, he’s like, “Yo, this is DMS, motherfucker!” Rico: You were thinking of some other shit, but Scot E. had a different vision, more than just a graffiti thing? Jere: It’s what we were already, you know what I mean? We had a big crew of people, you know, a lot of it had to do with Jackson Heights, Jackson Heights again. We had people who were illegal aliens, we had skins, you know, whoever was a fuckin’ castaway and a loser, we were hangin’ out with, you know what I mean? And it wasn’t by society’s standards. It was the same when we were hangin’ out at CBs. The first time I went to CBs, I must have been about 13 years old and the whole Bowery is like, girls with mohawks and spots on their heads and all that kind of shit. That was the best, man. That’s where I belonged, man. I think everybody sort of felt that, no matter where they were from, you know? Everybody’s like, “Yo, I don’t fit in here, I don’t fit in there” and you know what? Fuck it. We do fit in somewhere. I think when you’re young, that’s what that whole thing is about, you’re tryin’ to not be lost. And you know, don’t forget, most people, their parents threw them out in the street. They’re fuckin’ wanderin’

around the Lower East Side squattin’. Who the fuck throws their 15-year-old kid out? Rico: What was CBs representin’ to you? Jere: Do you know what I thought about CBs? Some people, they’re gonna wind up on the fuckin’ deuce, and they’re gonna wind up gettin’ fucked up and being prostitutes, or they’re gonna wind up downtown, and they’re gonna be safer, you know what I mean? There was like only two places for runaways to wind up in this city, and I mean that’s part of it, I don’t think that’s the whole thing. But I think for a lot of people it was definitely an outlet, the CBs thing and all and that was a positive. When I was goin’ there, man, I was like, probably for the first time in my life, I felt like I met reasonable people. Rico: They understood you. Jere: People were smart, you know, that cared, and were fuckin’ angry because other people don’t give a shit. It’s like they don’t, they’re coldhearted motherfuckers, you know what I mean? That’s the thing, everybody had this image at that point, you know, like skinheads, punk rockers, they’re just like degenerates, they don’t give a shit. Actually, I think they gave more of a shit. I think that’s the important thing that always gets lost. Rico: How did the crew stand out in the whole CBs scene? From my knowledge that also brought a lot of people together. Guys came from everywhere. CBs, if I’m not mistaken, brought other elements into this thing. Right? Jere: Brooklyn was always there. Queens was always there. More or less around that time everybody went from punk rock CBGBs to a skinhead CBGBs almost overnight. And that was kind of bizarre. I was a skinhead

anyway, I remember standin’ at the Ritz at the second Superbowl of Hardcore, and there were 4,000 skinheads jumpin’ around, I was like, Where the fuck do these people come from? (laughter) It’s like, Who are these people? I’ve never seen those guys! There was a time in the scene when there were a lot of baldheads. Rico: It was the look. If you wanted to get laid in the Lower East Side, you shaved your head. (laughter) Jere: That’s where we stood out. We were part of a dynamic of people, a collective group of guys that came from mixed backgrounds. I think that the way DMS made an impact initially was that no one wore braces, really. Boots maybe, braces not as much. And everybody kinda wrote graffiti, ‘cause there was a hip-hop influence. Now, here’s the thing, the important thing about that is everybody grew up in New York City. There was no difference between getting up in the morning, writing graffiti, going to shows, breakdancing. That was just fun. I wore what I owned, you know? I mean, I lived with my mom and my sister in a basement in Queens, man, I didn’t have any fuckin’ money, you know what I mean? I had t-shirts, jeans, and

I got the fuckin’ boots, and you know that’s where it’s at.... And I think from that point on there was no serious sort of dress up, you know what I mean? I think that very few people from DMS were straight up impeccable skinheads, you know what I mean? Like I said, very few people. But I think that it’s mostly because they were totally drunk all the time, fuck and they’d get into brawls to get a t-shirt, ripped up. I remember someone buyin’ a new Fred Perry, a white Fred Perry, I was like, “What are you, what are you doing?” Fifty bucks! Five hours later a fuckin’ knife fuckin’ slashed through it, you know (laughter). “You fight all the time, what the hell’s wrong with you, man? You’re the last person who should have a white Fred Perry, get a black one!” Rico: Boneheads would come out and buy all this lovely clothing and we would wait for them to relieve them of their— Jere: Of their gear?! Rico: That’s pretty much how we shopped! Jere: And here’s the contrast to that. Everybody didn’t fit in which is sort of how they wind up in this scene to begin with, you know what I mean?

And I think that it has to do with intelligence more than anything else. It’s that they see what’s going on, they’re like, “Nah, I don’t think so, you know, this doesn’t make sense,” they wind up in the hardcore scene or punk scene. I think there was a certain kind of racial tension to begin with on the scene because I think it was a very static environment for a long time. And I think when DMS started hanging out, I think a lot of people were taken aback by the idea. We got Asian kids who are skinheads, we got black kids who are skinheads, we got Spanish kids who are skinheads, we got a lot of them, not like one guy, two guys, suddenly you have like 30 people hangin’ out and people are like, “Who the fuck are those guys? Where the hell did they come from?” Rico: And they all called each other brothers. Jere: And we were little kids. Everybody else was older. Rico: When did you meet Hoya and them? Jere: I remember when Hoya, Double O and MQ came down the first time. They showed up out of nowhere. That’s how it was in those days. People would just come in and hang out. You know, like skinheads would just show up and you’d just be talking to them like, “Oh, we’re from Corona,”

and we’d be like, “There are skinheads in Corona? Fuck, man, really?” Cause I’m thinking like that’s DTC Land, that’s just straight up ‘Hood’ you know what I mean, there are skinheads over there? So MQ and Hoya started hangin’ out. I was buggin’ out then, MQ was a graffiti writer, I had seen his tag for years. I just never knew who MQ was. He’d be bombin’ with Scam and Nom. They would catch all these straight-letter tags, they had a very distinctive style. I don’t think they had a crew. They all bombed together but they didn’t put up a crew. As far as Hoya, he’s a character, you know from the fucking first second I met him I was like this guy is cool, man, a trip, absolutely. When they came in they definitely brought a different dynamic to the whole thing—actually, ironicly enough, a much more sober dynamic. You know I think that at that point I was probably the youngest person hangin’ out, you know, I was maybe 17. But I was hanging out with a lot of older guys. I was hangin’ out with guys who were like 20 when I was 13, you know what I mean? They were degenerates, like fucking punk rock degenerates, and I thought, oh, those guys got it figured out, you know what I mean? But most of the people were kinda really all into that whole obliteration thing. Everybody’s like I’m gonna get as fucked up as I can, you know, Hoya and MQ were like I ain’t drinkin’, I’ll just smoke some weed, you know, it’s like fucking everybody’s all doing their thing. Hoya shows up, you know, MQ shows up, they’re kind of like straight-minded people, not straightedge, not what I’m saying, you know, they’re really observant and funny. These guys are cool, I’m gonna hang out with them. They got a whole other perspective on the scene.

Interview Rico “I see through bitter eyes, and the fact still remains, I read between your lies, you got beat at your own game!” – Madball Rico: Hoya, when did you first start coming around and going to shows? How old were you? Hoya: When I was 15, and I’m 28 now! Used to chill out, me and M, we used

to go bombing all the time and we met niggas through bombing. We’d go bombing, run into some dudes, they all knew each other. Basically it ended up being Jere and some other dudes

later on. You know people started putting who and who was together and it ended up, they knew who M was...it just happened to be they was hardcore dudes—some of ‘em. We were from Corona, they were from the Heights and then, we just clicked. We got the music connection, the neighborhood connection, the graffiti connection, so we started chillin. Rico: Seems like you were a hip-hop kid before you were into hardcore. Hoya: (laughs) Fifty/Fifty. It was like me, MQ, Double O, Ezec—well, Ezec I met later on—it was me, Double O, the guys from Corona. We was the Corona boys and all the rest of the dudes was the Heights. Everybody knew who MQ was ‘cause he was all-city. Rico: When did you meet Scot E.

Banks and start hanging out at CBs before things changed? Hoya: First people I met was Jere, Bundy, Ronny and Ritchie who wound up being my drummer in Dmize. That was when me and MQ was walkin’ around bombing and we went by the Heights and people saw us bombing, “Yo, what are you writing? What are you writing? Yo, this is MQ,” and that’s how we met everybody. Then we started hanging with Scot E. When me, Double O, MQ and Scot E. started mixing, that was when it started getting serious. Rico: But the idea was to be sober for a minute. Hoya: Yeah, yeah. No drugs or nothing cause they was on some soldier shit, like yo, we got people rolling up shooting at us whether they be hanging out drunk or high or whatever

Photo Asa Turner

they’re gonna get caught. So the idea was like trying to be a little more militant about how we were doing our thing but it didn’t last that long. But that was when people started seeing that the group should organize itself a little more, or that we had enough people to make something. And you have enough hype or whatever, enough of a rep or something to make it serious. Rico: I have to say, in the beginning, when we first met, we were family. I didn’t have a place to go, and I stayed at your house. You know what that means. So, I mean, on that, you were a cool motherfucker. Hoya: My outlook, I was one of the few lucky dudes who had a family together. I had a family that had my back, good or bad. A lot of people don’t have that. I know what I got. But, my family being the way they are,

also could never turn anybody away. Because the fam don’t see a bad person, they first see, “What went wrong to somebody to do what they did?” And that’s how everybody should think. Because, can you imagine painting a picture about somebody when you don’t know them? You know, Rico said that, E said that, when everybody had tough times or whatever, “Well, everybody, yo, come crash at my house.” It was something I never had to ask. Cause you know, knowing my mother, how she was and she is, and my family was like, “No no no no. You got nowhere to stay, you stay with us.” Because we know what it is, God forbid one of us is homeless. We know what we would want people to do for us. We were kids. At the time, you think you’re a man, but you’re 15, 16 years old. They let all of us be men, but still took care of us at the same time.

Rico: So I hear you are doing movies now. Hoya: Trying to do the movie thing. Raptorious is an underground horror movie. Kamal, from the Jerky Boys, is directing movies now. Basically wrote a part for me, a pretty decent part. So I’m doing a little bit of that! And trying to

open up a tattoo shop in Queens. It’s part of our lifestyle, the tattoo game, the music game. So, we’re trying to make a mecca shop of tattooing in Queens. There’s no place in the city and in Long Island and we wanna lock down Queens.

Harder Than Fiction: The Journey of a DMS Warrior Words Scot E. Banks When we reflect on our past, our memories often seem like a dream. My memories are a dream only the whimsical mind of a screenwriter could capture. 1986 New York City, urban decay is a new religion. Yuppies run to the Upper West Side (or Long Island). Crack is king to street thugs in awe of easy money (produced by a “war on drugs” that never happened). The Apartheid is in full swing. Reganomics is kicking everyone’s ass, as Hannah and Her Sisters offer blowjobs to Oliver Stone’s Platoon after returning home from killing Sandinistas. I was 16 years old then, nine months after getting kicked out of my father’s house. Angel-faced with a bald head. 185 pound detonator with enough aggression to single handedly end the Cold War, and only the code of the streets to guide me. Punk Rock music was my education, it gave me social identity. Hardcore was my faith. It

gave me purpose. Multi-racial working class Nationalism was my philosophy, and skinhead was how I lived it! We were beautiful and strong in our Doc Martens and flight jackets. Passionate and meticulous in our views. And beneath this all, naïve and sometimes stupid in our youth. We lived

on an endless quest for the jewel between a girl’s thighs, the next great high, and the thrill of a vain moment of glory. DMS was founded in 1987 by a small crew of graffiti writing hardcore kids, and the remnants of some hardcore street thugs called The Chosen Few. I was a co-leader of The Chosen Few, and my brother, Jere, coined the acronym DMS from “Doc Marten Stomp.” If there’s strength in numbers, DMS was the family that understood and protected us. The perfect mix of honor, pride, loyalty, fear and fearlessness. To all true warriors of our brotherhood, DMS was, and still is, etched on our hearts. In a year’s time, we would take over the New York hardcore scene, filling local venues and haunts where punk rockers hung tough. Never once missing an opportunity to support the Godfathers and innovators of our scene: Agnostic Front, Murphy’s Law, the Cro-Mags, Warzone, Sheer Terror, Biohazard, Leeway and Sick Of It All—we were at every show! And when the Bad Brains and Slayer came to town, you knew the moshpit was going down! All of this gave birth to the early DMS bands: Occupied Territory, Dmize and Crown of Thornz. This steppingstone would uplift the throne of our kings; the legendary fathers of New York thugcore—Madball, Danny Diablo (aka Lord Ezec), Skarhead, Vietnom, Hazen Street, and of course (yours truly) DMS God Emperor Jah Chemistry. Between the years 1987 to 1990, I gained my high school diploma (in 1987), all the while graduating through the drug trade. I sold ganja, crack, power coke and by late 1988 had a small spot in a bar on the Lower East Side. On a cold night (March 15, 1990),

I started a fight that resulted in the death of a beautiful young man named Lee Wells. I say beautiful because Lee came to the aid of the guy I was beating up. I did not kill Lee Wells, and I wish every day I could bring him back, be his friend, tell him I love him, and ask for his forgiveness. The saddest aspect of all this (next to Lee’s death), is the fact that Lee’s parents think I killed him. I was arrested May 15, 1990, convicted in June 1991, and sentenced to 22 years to life. I was 19 years old. Seventeen years later, I’m still here with a positive mental attitude and bright view of the future. I’ve poured my heart into writing and performing poetry. I am the author of Obsidian Castles & Third Eye Lanscapes, and co-author of Fending Off Debutantes with my brother King Chimera. I am also the 2007 PEN Award Winner for poetry in the Dawson category. My journey has been long, depressing and difficult, yet I stand gloriously in my fight, and forever triumphant over all adversity. With time, and wisdom, all things and people change. I plan on using my gift as a performer and writer to uplift the consciousness of young and older people, so they will not make the same mistakes I made in the past. I look forward to reuniting with my DMS brothers, and complete the vision we had in the beginning: unify people, exchange progressive thoughts, show love, and defy the social norm. Scot E. Banks is who I am. Jah Chemistry is what I am. DMS is my family. Hardcore is my religion. For more information visit www.myspace.com/jahchemistry

Interview Freddy “We stuck together no matter what, my brother.” Freddy: Tell me what a New York skinhead’s about. Talk about skinheads. Rico: New York skinheads…the skinhead movement—I don’t know if you guys know, but it started in Jamaica. It was a labeling word to get the records out. If you weren’t a Rasta, you shaved your head, and if you had your head shaved, you were a skin. It was a slang word for a shaved head. But there were a lot of people who you see—Jamaica was split up with two groups. Rastas were more going back to the earth and the hippie movement. The ones who shaved their heads were—the commonwealth was England, so they followed English ways. Because the Governors down there were all English, not Jamaican, so you had those who were positive and that. You know then, there were crazy fucking rivals against it. So, from that era came us, and then, when the commonwealth was taken— because England had Jamaica as this commonwealth—they sent their

– Madball

kids to England for school, because that’s how you conquer back. You get an education. So, their culture migrated to England, and that’s how they adopted this lifestyle. When the national movement broke out, part of them went that way, and we stayed traditional with the traditional roots, meaning rock steady, reggae, etc. Freddy: And hardcore, of course. Rico: Yeah. Of course. But, that’s how we started. Simply said, a skinhead is a skinhead, a Nazi is a Nazi. Freddy: That was something I wanted to make clear. As soon as you throw skinhead on something, people imagine some big white dude with a swastika across his chest. Everybody says, “Nazi.” And that’s inaccurate. Rico: Well, that’s what Geraldo’s show was trying to portray—we were on all those shows during the 80s speaking out against racism. We got on every show. It was like yellow journalism. It sold, you know?

Freddy: Agnostic Front. My brother’s band. For years and years, they got a bad rap because they were skinheads, with the look, the image and the whole nine. Rico: It’s just, the media during that time didn’t have nothing to write about, and that was the best way to sell papers. Robert Downey, Jr., put a backwards swastika on his head and said, “Look at me, I got beat up by skinheads.” It was a quick way to get attention. Freddy: So, a skinhead doesn’t mean a big white guy with a swastika on his chest. Rico: No. No. Freddy: I know that, because I grew up with it. With black, white, Hispanic— every kind of skin you could think of. Rico: Every skinhead we knew growing up in the Lower East Side was a different ethnic background. But in

Brooklyn and Queens, Hispanics were the majority! (laughter) Freddy: What happened in New York when there was some type of racist skinheads? Rico: That’s who got beat up! All of them. We just went after them. There was no way they could get around us. That’s how we started—that’s how we really started the little family of ours, because we stuck together in the pit at CBs. We had a group of us looking after each other. If you last at CBs for six months in the pit, you became someone’s brother. Because you either looked after him, for falling, breaking his neck, or you got him out of some situation he almost got himself into, just by dancing, you know what I mean? So, if another group were to come in there as a bunch of Nazis, we fought. And those who

fought stuck around and stayed with us. Those who didn’t, it was kind of like—we took care of them at the end of the day, you know? Freddy: What bands were you into? Rico: Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags. That was like, you know, the essentials. I listened to a lot of old ska. You know, Desmond Dekker, Toots & the Maytals, The Skatalites. That’s the stuff I listened to. For me, coming up, you know—there were great punk bands, but hardcore was what helped get the skinheads into that music, you know what I mean? For Bad Brains—I used to crack up. There was a big show at the Ritz that happened a long time ago. I guess they didn’t know that Bad Brains was not white. ‘Cause a whole bunch of Nazis happened to come in there, and they wanted to see Bad Brains. And the whole crowd turned around, and there’s these guys on the corner, on the wall. You never seen a whole fucking show rush a group of guys like that. It was like a wave, a tsunami. If I had to describe what it looked like, it was a tsunami. They cleaned ‘em up, and then they went back, and then there were all these bodies laying there. We couldn’t believe they showed up.

came out. It was a way to weed people out. It was called demonstrating. If you were hanging out with us, and you didn’t have, as the English would say, the mustard, to kick it and hang out with us, you had to demonstrate. And if you did demonstrate, all you gotta demonstrate is heart. But that was the way to just show your loyalty, because it wasn’t about politics, it was about looking after your brothers. You could always scold your brother after the fact. But you don’t scold him during the fact, because you had to be there for him. And that’s how we always were. Freddy: Name the people who should be mentioned. Rico: Double O, Scot E., Bundy, I mean these guys were legends. Still are. The best people, all around. And I’d like to dedicate this chapter in my life to my sons Gabrielle, Alex and Ritchie.

Freddy: Rico, let’s bring it back to the fam. Let’s put it all in perspective here. When did you become part of the fam? Rico: 1986/87. Everyone went to CBs for matinees, and that’s where we hung out and got to trust each other. And what I mean, trust each other—it wasn’t just like, “Oh, hey, buddy, how you doin’?” No. You’re in the pit, you’re sweating, you’re dancing to this band, but you looked after each other. And those times it was pretty dangerous, because you didn’t know what crew was what, and that’s how the family

Photo Estevan Oriol

Interview Jere “Welcome to my world, a labrynth of death and deceit. I’ve been on the frontline of the streets.” – Skarhead Jere: Talking with Danny Diablo, AKA Lord Ezec. When did you first start hanging out with DMS? Ezec: They say ’87. Jere: And had you heard of them before you started hanging out with them, or you just bumped into them? Ezec: Actually, I was in the neighborhood. I had a bombing partner, writing graffiti, and his name was JM. We lived on the other side of Jackson Heights, by Burger King—69th street, by Boston Pines over there. And we were

bombing, killing that area, and we always saw Jere and Mod tags in the neighborhood. So, basically, we came down to the schoolyard or wherever, and we bumped into everyone, and we said “What’s up?” and that’s it. We became friends. I actually bumped into MQ, like a week earlier than that, on the 7 line with one of my boys, my boy KMA. I was taking pictures of shit I did on 69th street and 5th—my first fill-ins and stuff. Then I went down to 46th street and took some pictures

of some stupid tags I did. And I was on the tracks, and MQ was across the street with a big DA and a Polo shirt. Shorts and like, white sneakers. He said, “What you write?” and I was like, “What you write, nigga?” And we started arguing across the platform. I was sitting—I was on the train tracks across the platform, yelling at him. I said “Ezec-1.” He’s like, “MQ.” Then the next week, we saw each other and we became boys. At the schoolyard, at 145.

everything was at that place. Not that many people listen to the same music, like hardcore, but they had a hardcore section, so we didn’t have to go to the city to Bleecker Bob’s and get hardcore. We had it right there, in Jackson Heights, called Numbers and Records on Avenue. And that’s where I bumped into Hoya the first time, and almost beat his ass. (laughter)

Jere: So, you weren’t involved with the band stuff that was going on around that time? Ezec: Well, the only band stuff at the time was Occupied Territory and Dmize. Oh yeah, I had a band. I played bass for this band called Disciplined, with Gus Straight Edge and Mike Hooney. Mike Hooney from Jackson Heights and Harry. And Sacha Jenkins also played guitar in a band, in high school. The band was called Sluggo. So, yeah, I was in bands. You know, I played bass. It was cool. But I just wanted to be a part of something, so I started playing bass or whatever, because it’s the easiest instrument you can play. But later on, I was like “Fuck that.” The singer’s the one that’s gettin’ all the ass. The singer gets everything. No one looks at the bass player, the drummer, the guitar player—who cares about them?

Jere: Were you writing a lot of graffiti at the time? Ezec: Yeah. It’s funny. JM was killing all the vans in the neighborhood. I would catch a nice tag here and there, but most of it was just for vandalism. MQ would kill stuff, and he would do like 45 throw-ups, and I would do like 3. But I’d roll with the biggest. You know, I’d go with him. And plus I was always the guy on the scene. MQ and JM never really hung out that much, so I would fight everyone over their beef. That’s why I got my reputation for fighting, because I had to fight, because I was the only one there, in a club, and they’d be like, “Yo, you DMS?” And I’d be like, “Yeah.” And that’s how it went down. But back in the day, the neighborhoods were way different. Everyone knew each other, because everyone went to the same schools. Everyone grew up with each other. But there’d be beef with someone else in the group, so you had to fight a fair one. There’d be no jumping. We were fighting fair ones. That’s how it went down. Everyone knew each other in the neighborhood back then. It was a kind of respect.

Jere: So, were you a singer? Ezec: Yes, I was. It was funny, because the neighborhood store was called Numbers and Records on Avenue, and that’s where we got all our shit. It was metal heads, skinheads, hip hop, everything…reggae,

Jere: So, before you were writing graffiti, were you a brawler? Ezec: Yeah. Kind of. In Jackson Heights. I grew up right by McClancy High School. We would have beef with other neighborhoods, too. We would have beef with Gardens, Woodside

Jere: So, you’re primary involvement with DMS was writing graffiti at first? Ezec: Yes.

Projects, stuff like that. But the older guys of my neighborhood were the Zugu kids. They ran the neighborhood, it doesn’t matter what you were. They were mostly—my neighborhood was mostly Spanish and white, so it would be like, Irish, German, Cuban and Columbian and Puerto Rican. So, if you weren’t from the neighborhood, you couldn’t get there. There was mad beefs. Then it’d be McClancy beefs. Then it’d be, like, the Brothers, the O’Briens. It was just crazy. No one could go in the neighborhood. Everybody knows DMS had wars with all these crews from the city because we would come out there and all of us were running the city. Heads from Brooklyn, Queens, everywhere.

I remember Chino BYI and all those kids—Ghost and them. I give mad respect to Chino. Always did. I fought Ghost for like 23 minutes. And everyone knows I busted his ass. And when he sees me, he shakes my hand, and I shake his hand, like, in respect. Because he’s an older dude, and when we were young, we were always scared—like, “Ghost! Oh my god! He’s crazy! He’s a ninja!” So when I fought this crazy fuckin’ white trash guy, I was like, “Oh shit. I gotta fight this nigga?” And I fought him, and I busted his shit. When I caught Ket out there, he did the same thing, and I said “Yo, champ. Hey, how you doing?” Like it’s over. But then he’s like, “I have beef with your boy MQ. Your boy MQ—we have beef.” And that’s when I beat his ass.

Photo Estevan Oriol Most of these guys, they wanna talk— they do big talking. But they don’t think they’re gonna get caught out there. My thing is, I never sleep, ever. I go anywhere, I always know what’s going on and I don’t get too fucked up around people. I always have some of my crew members with me. Because a long time ago, I used to be crazy, and that’s how I caught people out there. Everyone gets their ass kicked, you know what I mean? I haven’t got my ass kicked since I got beat up by Steven King in 6th grade… but still, I caught a beating and I didn’t never wanna have to go through anything like that again. Jere: The guy who writes the horror novels? Ezec: No, some kid from Jackson Heights. I’ll bust his shit now if I see him. (laughter) But, the thing is, back then it was so much easier. We used

to beat people up and that’s it. You might get a broken collarbone, broken toe or whatever, but nowadays people shoot, it’s whack. We’re from old school neighborhoods. Now there’s kids… lot of kids forget about what can happen to ‘em, because I know kids from the neighborhoods… I don’t wanna get into that. Jere: So what was your first serious band, not a side project. Ezec: Crown of Thornz was the first band that I started. I started the band after I got out of the hospital. I got stabbed. Stabbed up with a screwdriver while I was in the city, I was hanging out with MQ and 2 Hips. We were working together in Sally Graham’s apartment. It was Sequoia and all these people. I went downstairs, some guy was breaking into my car. I punched the guy in the face. The

guy stabbed me with a screwdriver, 8-inch flathead. Then, I pulled it out— right across the street from Bruno’s, right by Bruno’s bakery. And I pulled the screwdriver out, went across the street, beat the shit out of the guy—me and MQ. We beat the shit out of the dude. People thought we were just beating up a bum for no reason. I had been stabbed. So people were trying come up to us, I was punching people in the face, get them to mind their business. So, I came out of the hospital. I was in the hospital about a month and a half. And I started a band called Crown of Thornz, with Frank from Jackson Heights, Frank, Dimi from Astoria and Mike from Astoria. And, basically, that was the beginning of the fucking end. My life, you know. I started doing music full time from there. Jere: How long did that last? Ezec: Crown of Thornz was around ’93 to ’97. Jere: And what followed that? Ezec: Skarhead. We put that out in ’95. But Skarhead was a serious band, from ’98 to 2002. And then I stopped doing that; I started doing a solo thing in 2003, Danny Diablo. I got signed to UW Records, working with Don Imez— who is another part of DMS, Donny. And he signed me as a solo artist, so 2003 did that. Then I got signed by Travis Barker, from Blink-182. And now I’m signed to Suburban Noize. Just put out a record called Thugcore 4 Life,

but my real record’s coming out on Epitaph/Hellcat. It’s called International Hardcore Superstar, and it’s produced by Tim Armstrong from Rancid. Jere: So, these are all hardcore bands? Ezec: No. Danny Diablo is a mixture between hardcore, metal, blues, funk and hip hop. Jere: So, it would be the only band in the DMS crew that’s doing hip hop, kind of. Ezec : No. Freddy and Madball does some hip hop stuff, and the Shotblockers is a lot of m e m b e r s of DMS. The Shotblockers got… Hoya’s in the Shotblockers, KO is in the Shotblockers, Slaine, and Big Left from La Coka Nostra is in the Shotblockers. CK, who’s DMS-LA, he’s in the Shotblockers...also, my hype man on Danny Diablo—he travels with me. Who else? A whole bunch of people. But Shotblockers is like the Wu-Tang thing. It’s like, Shotblockers was before La Coka Nostra, and La Coka went their way and Shotblockers went the other way, but we’re all one family. Jere: And what’s the other band? Ezec: Icepick. And that’s for the retarded, heavy metal, Hatebreed fans. The hardcore fans. You know, like, “Hey! Hatebreed! Slayer!” That’s for those retards. It’s me and Jamey Jasta singing. It’s pretty hard. (laughter)

Demonstrating My Style Interview Toby “To those who put us down, we won’t see you around, cause you’re too scared of me, to those who’ve helped us out, you know what we’re about, you’ll get respect from me.” – Madball Toby: Yo, so when did you first hear about the fam, and when did you become part of it? Freddy: Well, I became part of the fam, I would say, around ‘92. I had actually just moved up to New York in ‘91. Toby: I met you in ‘90, the Agnostic Front (AF) tour. Freddy: That was even before I officially moved into the city, but I was on the road with my brother when we met. I was born in Passaic, New Jersey. My family relocated to Florida. I lived there for a bunch of years, and then I moved to New York City when I was 16, officially. You know, as a kid I always came up to New York for the summers, this, that, Jersey, New York, but I officially moved to the city, L.E.S., when I was about 16. And my connection to the fam was initially you, Toby. Toby: Oh, that’s right. Freddy: Contrary to popular belief, that’s really the way I met everyone. Started with you, and then once I met E, I met Nark. Then, once that happened, E took me to Hoya’s house and I met him. They all kinda knew who I was because of the Madball stuff. The first seven inch, Ball of Destruction,

they had all heard about that through the hardcore scene. So they kinda knew who I was. That’s how it all kinda happened. We all started hanging out, and then we all started realizing that we had a lot in common. We were part of the hardcore scene, in one way or another, but we were all like b-boys too. We all liked hip hop and the whole hip hop culture. We were all into street stuff, you know what I mean? I was, I think, the youngest of the bunch back then. Nark seemed younger than me, but he’s actually, a month or two older than me. Toby: What year did Droppin’ Many Suckers come out? The crew was more like a graffiti thing/street thing, down with hardcore/hip hop, but before people actually had bands that were actually putting out records and touring on them, and traveling outside the tri-state area, you guys came out with Droppin’ Many Suckers. Freddy: The second seven inch, that was my—you know, it’s funny, because Hoya wasn’t even on that. Roger still played on that, but soon after that, Hoya joined the band. But, you know, I was tight with them. I was hanging with them at that time. It’s

funny, because Hoya, Ezec, all these guys are in the picture. If you look at the front of the seven inch, it’s just me and there’s no band and all the heads are cut off, because we were up in the air about who the band was gonna be. It was obviously Matty, Willy, guys from AF but, we didn’t wanna continue riding the coattails of AF in a way, you know? So we kind of just made the image with me, some people behind me, it kind of left if mysterious, like maybe it’s the dudes from AF, maybe it’s a couple of other guys, who knows? And it just so happens that those guys behind me are Nark, Hoya, Ezec—my boys. And at that time, soon after that, Hoya ended up being in the band, so it’s kind of appropriate. Toby: Was it your idea to name it “Droppin’ Many Suckers”? Freddy: Yeah, that was my way of giving props, you know? And I wanted to figure out a cool way to throw the letters in there, but I wasn’t gonna call the record DMS. Let me use some kind of street slang or something, with the letters in it. And I think we’re probably one of the first groups in hardcore to take street slang and throw it into our music. I don’t think a lot of bands did that throughout the years. Roger wrote a lot of the lyrics on Droppin’ Many Suckers, because I still didn’t know how to write then. I was still learning. But, come Set It Off, that’s when we really started throwing in a lot of slang and crew stories. Guys like Scot E. and Double O had already been down for years, and there were a lot of things happening. And you can hear it on that record, it reflects on the record. The same with all the records after that. Toby: Set It Off was like your first full-length, and you guys started hitting Europe, you started getting a

fan base and touring, and when you came back you were hanging out with everybody and there’s the same stuff. And so, even now you’re playing music and going to shows, you’re still coming home and hanging out with your friends, not always necessarily getting into trouble, but you were still in the streets. Freddy: Madball was always a positive thing, because I was always a rambunctious, rebellious kid, even before Madball. I was not the best student and stuff like that. I always had a rebellious side. So music kept me out of trouble for the most part. But we still managed to get into things. We live, we learn, right? Toby: When did you start taking other peoples’ bands with you and hooking them up? Freddy: It started with Crown of Thornz, which was Ezec’s first project, first real band. Also, the Bruisers, Al Barr’s first band. There were a few more. Toby: You looked out for a lot of bands over there, and brought ‘em out there, man. Freddy: Yeah, I mean, you know… it’s a brotherhood, and when we all started doing stuff, we had a little bit of a head start, with the whole AF connection. But at the same time, we had to bring it. We had to have something that appealed to people. I don’t think the AF connection was gonna give us a career. It was gonna give us a head start, give us a little push in the beginning, but we had to bring it with our own flavor. Toby: You actually got your DMS tattoo, gigantic, on your leg while you were in Europe on tour with Madball. Freddy: Yes, indeed. Toby: I remember because I ran

Photo Craig Wetherby into you over there. I was a roadie or something, I wasn’t even in a band then. Some festival or something and you got it done. Crazy big. Freddy: Yep. And I waited a few years, you know? I waited some time. I definitely earned that. Toby: Hell, yeah. Freddy: We were all boys, and I was part of the fam, and it was all good, but I waited to get that because I was waiting for the right time, the right moment. And that time came somewhere in Germany. We definitely brought the crew international notoriety, or whatever you want to call it. But that was a good and a bad thing. The good was that we were paying homage to our family, our brotherhood. The bad thing was that people started wanting to be a part of it. It was relative to the music, in a sense, but we had to start explaining to people that, you know, we appreciate you being fans of our music and our band but when it comes to the crew, it’s more personal. It’s more intimate. It’s a fam-

ily thing. It’s an exclusive thing. Toby: That especially happened after your bigger record, Demonstrate My Style, because a lot of kids started getting the tattoo, going, “Oh yeah, because I love the album!” They didn’t know any better in Europe. They’re fans of the band. They think it’s like a thing that everybody can get. I remember all that. There was a couple of Madball shirts in the beginning that had the letters on it, but only because of that record. But you shut that down quickly after that. Freddy: Yeah, that was a little bit of a mistake on our part, because we were trying to give the crew props, and just trying to give the guys back home props, and the guys locked down props, and ourselves props, because we had this unique brotherhood. And that’s cool, but at the same time, like I said, fans are gonna start gravitating towards it and wanting to be part of it, and then we gotta explain that one thing’s got nothing to do with the other. Now, people

get the Madball tattoo. I love that. That’s, like, the most flattering thing. I’m very honored that people respect our band that much that they would get the Madball tattoo. Toby: I got one. Freddy: It’s an honor, for me, that somebody would have that. But when people started with the DMS thing, that’s when things got touchy. And it’s partly our fault, ‘cause like you say, we put it on shirts, we put it on album titles and stuff like that, but it wasn’t meant for people to just jump on board. It was us giving props to our thing. At the end of the day, it’s our thing. Now, we had to do some clean-up work for a few years, and just kind of let people know that the one thing’s got nothing to do with the other. We appreciate you loving our band very much, but don’t get a DMS tattoo. Don’t go home and make a shirt that says “DMS” on it because there’s a lot more to that crew than you know. Like I said about earning stuff, I earned my shit, and it’s not something that people should take lightly because there’s a lot of history that goes with it, and a lot of different things. Blood, sweat, tears...and more. Toby: You feel like the music and the band definitely kept you off the streets and out of trouble? It definitely helped you vent. Freddy: Definitely. Me, Hoya, Ezec.

A lot of us. Music saved all our lives in a sense. Toby: That’s why nobody’s doing a 9 to 5. Freddy: Yeah. God knows, if we weren’t doing music, who knows what we’d be into, you know what I mean? But whatever. We do music. That’s what we do. And luckily enough, it did give us an outlet, and it also gave us a lot of…it was a big learning experience. It still is. We traveled the world and we became more cultured, and we brought that back to the L.E.S. and Queens and everywhere. It helped us grow as people, but I think it helped the crew even, too, because there would be guys that would come with us, that were part of the fam, that would come as roadies, and they would come and be techs and tour managers, etcetera, etcetera. Toby: Do you think you inspired other people in the fam to start doing bands and try to do it, too? Freddy: We all inspired each other. We were one of the first ones, and then E came soon after us with his stuff, and we all just continued to help each other stay off the streets and travel the world, and it’s great. I mean, you know, we’re still street guys, but it doesn’t hurt to become more worldly and learn about different things and cultures and people. That’s Evolution.

Roll Call 75

Interview Hoya & Rico “I am the master killer, fall to me, pray for a way out which you can’t see, I the master killer, strike you down can’t be detected, I own the crown.” – Merauder

Rico: What’s the first thing you tagged, and did you ever tag a cat? (laughter) MQ: We were kids. We saw all these kids do it, and then we started. Rico: What year was that? MQ: Early 80s. Technically, 1980. Rico: What did you use? What was the first thing you used?

MQ: A pen, whatever was going on at the time. When you’re young, you do what the other kids do. Markers, cans, anything. Rico: And with the graff and all that, that’s how you pretty much met Jere and all those guys, right? MQ: That’s right, we were from different parts of Queens, and me and Hoya, we went out to their part to see

who these kids were because they were making noise. And they were mad cool with us, they heard of us. Rico: Right, right. So you and Hoya grew up together, obviously, but you guys came up together. MQ: Yeah. Rico: And then you met up with the other guys and then the family started becoming what it is. So we got a lot of history. Fast forward to the early 90s. What was the status, what was going on in the early 90s in the city, graffwise, just everything? MQ: We were having a good time ‘cause homie, Hoya, started Dmize

and that was the first official music of the crew, you know what I mean? So we were all backin’ it. That was a great time for us. We were all together, everybody was just putting their energy into our crew—it gave the crew some identity besides graffiti. Rico: Cool, let’s talk about Nark and the other writers. MQ: Everyone around me wrote or I made them write. But when we went to Manhattan, there were writers. When we went downtown to shows, there were writers. So, we let them know how DMS rolled. Rico: A thing about New York is,

back then, it was such a mixed group of graff writers, hardcore kids, skinheads, everybody. It was all mixed, it was street kids at CBGBs. Everything was all mixed together. MQ: With us, we had all walks of life. That’s what makes it what it is. In New York, graff is a big thing. All through the 70s, 80s, 90s you had crews. Everyone had their own crew. It was always that way. And for us, that’s what happened. It was our neighborhood, cats bombin’ stations, and beef that started through graff became cats coming out to destroy us. So, graffiti got some real beef. But, people were getting shot for it. Not only that, there was gang shit everywhere and then there was crack, all kinds of shit.

Hoya: Let’s go back to what Toby was saying and keep it in the early 90s. We were a pretty interesting bunch, hanging out on the corner, we listened to music. Then we’d go to a hardcore show, then go to a club, and then bombin’ and this and that was happening? MQ: Yeah, downtown was where all that shit met. The hip hop, hardcore, graffitti, street shit, underground, beef, drugs—fucking all of it. Lower East Side, downtown Manhattan. RICO: Any last words, shout outs? MQ: Graffitti never dies, only toys quit, DM$ 4ever.

While it’s no secret music and fashion have gone hand in hand long before even the days of be-bop, one must look with a discriminating eye when examining the differences between clothing inspired straight from the fresh, vibrant culture of underground music and the mainstream’s attempts to mimic this kind of authenticity. In 2003, three longtime friends, Nark, LDEE and Warren were thinking about putting together a business that not only reflected their camaraderie, but also their passion for music and the lifestyle that runs in synchronicity with it. Facing the same aforementioned conundrum, these New York natives decided to start a clothing line that represents both their stylistic and artistic interests and, like a mirror, would reflect what was happening within underground music today. What they came up with was Pitchfork New York Hardwear—one of the fastest growing clothing lines affiliated with the underground scene. As 2008 shifts into high gear, Pitchfork has become one of the most soughtafter brands of street wear and underground music inspired clothing to grace store shelves in quite some time. How did this company establish such an esteemed reputation so quickly? The answer is quite simple. According to Nark, “We wanted to come out with a product that people from the music scene and our lives could relate to.” Underground music fans with a penchant for fashion have taken notice of Pitchfork’s clothing line ever since

it began its operation only a few short years ago. Originally focusing on the creation of t-shirts, hoodies and hats, Pitchfork has rapidly expanded its horizons, as well as its product line— all of which reflect the authentic flavor music fans continually clamor for. “We create styles that we would wear ourselves and I think that says something about the validity of our company,” Nark affirms. While Pitchfork’s primary goals have remained the same, the company takes pride in its steady growth and constant refinement, which have helped turn heads and improve sales on a continual basis. “Our goal for 2008 is to come out with more intricate designs and more products,” Nark says. “We want to produce items that will fit into different lifestyles. Our main goal is to grow—we have no limitations.” As Pitchfork continues to evolve, look for the company to remain firmly entrenched in the roots of its inspiration in the first place: underground music—a sure sign that these trend setters are focused on authenticity. Look for the fresh 2008 Pitchfork clothing designs today available at pitchforkny.com with more to hit the streets soon!

N.Y.H.C. “We’re the targets so easy to find, and 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, and we’re the ones you crucify, you’re the ones who commit the crimes, but it’s always us who do the time.” – Iron Cross / Agnostic Front Hardcore icons Jimmy Gestapo and Vinny Stigma founded New York Hardcore Tattoo in 1999. NYHT became a meeting place, a pre-show destination, and the place to be for the occasional backyard barbeque. New York Hardcore Tattoo has been involved in numerous conventions accompanied by Murphy’s Law and Agnostic Front. Over the years well-known guest artists have tattooed at the shop, as well as talented full-time artists. For more information visit www.hardcorenyc.com

Photo Asa Turner

“Tattooing commenced at puberty, accompanied by many rites and rituals. In addition to making a warrior attractive to women, the tattoo practice marked both rites of passage and important events in a person’s life.” – Maori Warrior

Photo David Shadi Perez

“I know my family is there for me, and without them where the hell would I be, but still I gotta try to be my own man, make good of what I got—do the best that I can.” – Madball State your name for the record. Skid DMS. What’s your occupation? Man of Steel, Blockwork Clothing. How did you become part of the fam? My old friend Rude KAC introduced me to Ezec back in ‘94 and it was a wrap from there. What does DMS mean to you? Loyalty, respect, brotherhood. I can go on and on. That’s my family. What do you think the future holds for us? The future is looking real big for us. Between the bands like Agnostic Front, Madball, H2O and Skarhead, playing shows all over the world, Slaine with Special Teams and La Coka Nostra, the clothing lines like Pitchfork, Blockwork, Familia and Better Be Bombing, the tattoo shops, NYHC Tattoos, etc. There’s a big future ahead of us.

Photo Juan Puente

Nothing To Prove Interview Hoya “Me and all my friends, we have nothing to prove, nothing to lose.” – H2O Hoya: In the old days, what was it like for you two to hang out? Toby: My dad died when I was three, got two brothers, my mom raised three boys on her own. I grew up all over the East Coast and I ended up moving to New York City from MD in 1988. Actually got droped off at CBGBs with my bags at this Token Entry sunday matinee. In my yearbook, it said go to NYC and support NYHC scene, I kid you not. I went not knowing anybody but a band, Token Entry. After going to shows and meeting people I met Sick Of It All. I went on my first tour with them and that’s where I met Freddy on a 1990 (Sick Of It All/AF) tour. He’d just moved up from Miami, I think. I had already been hanging out with Ezec. I lived in Jackson Heights, Queens, in the GB house and Ezec worked in the neighborhood. I remember seeing this kid with boots and braces working at C-Town grocery store in Jackson Heights. And then a couple years later I realized it was Ezec after we had become friends. I wasn’t born in NY like alot of my friends I grew up with, but it didn’t matter. We were a tight fam of kids and I feel like my life started in NYC and that’s were I grew up for sure and these guys looked out for me. That meant a lot to me, especially having no family in NYC. I never tried to act like anything I wasn’t. I was always myself, I didn’t try to front.

Hoya: When did you become part of the fam? Toby: I don’t know. I was hanging out with Ezec and then I met Freddy in 1990 (and introduced him to E) and we all started hanging a lot on the Lower East Side and going to shows etcetera. Later on when we all started bands, we all started touring a lot, and even when we weren’t hanging out and we were across the globe, we’d prop each others bands either taking each others bands on tour or shouting ‘em out in magazines and wearing each others’ shirts. We actually got to play on Conan O’Brien (I think one of the only NYHC bands to do so) and I wore a Madball shirt and Rusty rocked a SkarHead shirt and we had the fam writen in duct tape on one of the amps! Always giving props when we could. Hoya: What does that symbolize? Toby: It’s family showing up, helping each other up, propping each other up. We were rocking each others’ shirts, the magazines, helping each other with the shows. Hoya: You know I love you because you didn’t act like you were hard, you weren’t one of those guys.

Toby: I had a couple fantasy moments when I was younger, bro (laughter). Hoya: I couldn’t live your lifestyle. You’re straight-edge. You do it with conviction. Toby: That’s the main thing. I was the only straight-edge person and still to this day I never drank, smoked, or did drugs—nothing. I was always that dude hanging out with dudes who did coke, who drank, who got in fights. I was at places where people— Hoya: —Had your back. Toby: Crazy situations. Like I said, without getting emo, is that, you know, the perception of my friends, especially Freddy, Ezec and you, is that they are like heartless animals and that kids get beat at every Madball show. That’s so wack! People are always gonna talk about the negative shit. But the main thing was about respect for each other, respect for one another, like a decent, normal human being. I’m cool with you unless you fuck with me, you know what I’m saying? That’s the mentality that we’ve had, especially Madball. They live by their lyrics. A lot of bands—hip-hop, everybody—it’s all image. It wasn’t image for us, it was

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straight shit, real shit that happened to us. And, I definitely think, especially going to see Freddy in jail, it was really sad for me to see him like that! Seeing my boy in Rikers Island in a jumpsuit. You can’t even shake his hand or give a pound, it’s fucking horrible, you know? And that was such a bum out— and Madball just made one of their most incredible records, Hold it Down. And they signed to Epitaph Records, and they never got to fucking tour on it. You know? Because they fucked up! (laughter) I’m just kidding! I love you. But listen, you know, I really feel like music changed Freddy’s life! A lot of things go hand in hand with being in the fam. You’re gonna be judged by all these different rumors. But it’s a test of time how we’ve been friends after all these years. How long we’ve been in the same bands, making mad records, traveling the world— that’s the real shit right there. Nobody can take that away from anybody, and that’s real friendship, growing up together. The whole thing man, it’s crazy, it’s a huge history. It’s definitely a movie that couldn’t be made—or maybe it can be.

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Black and Blue “I’ve been scarred, I’ve been bruised, I’ve been beaten up by life, I’ve learned the hard way, I know how to survive!” – Agnostic Front State your name for the record. My name is Joseph Cammarata, aka Cuzn, aka Matone (given to me from my Puerto Rican family). What’s your occupation? Electrician/Black N Blue Productions Inc. Co-founder/Warrior. By day I am working on buildings, banks, and a ton of shit that I learned through my trade that will forever exist. And by night organizing underground events. How did you become part of the fam? Having my family from Brooklyn assisted in this meeting of the minds!!! Living life how “WE” live—Together!!! BNB for Life. Was one of the meant to be things, animals find animals (laughter). Seriously though, becoming part of the fam has been a growing process that I will never forget! What does DMS mean to you? Undying LOYALTY. Strength. A movement within a movement! And spreading the word of this music and ways we love! What do you think the future holds for us? A worldwide acknowledgement in the underground and above! I can easily say that the sky is the limit right now—so much going on with everybody!!! If people dont know wassup, they will! And for those who don’t, they don’t deserve or don’t “need” to know anyway. Feel me?

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“Can’t live for tomorrow, got to live today, hardcore, still struggling to get by every day, hardcore, and nobody can tell us what to do, hardcore, when we were down where the fuck were you!” – SKARHEAD State your name for the record. KO. What’s your occupation? Construction/stagehand, MC/Shotblocker. How did you become part of the fam? When I was younger, I used to go back and forth to N.Y. a lot. Go to shows, hang out, you know, I was young and always running the streets. Most likely that’s the type of kids you surround yourself with. So I loved N.Y.C. The city never sleeps. And most of the time we didn’t either! I knew a lot of the fellas from going to shows, chillin’. On the street looking out for each other means a lot. And by doing that we became closer. I’ve known most of these guys almost 20 years now. A lot has happened and changed. Good and bad! One thing that won’t ever change is what we got!!! What does DMS mean to you? To me this is a family. People I’ve shared some of the best and worst times with! The highs and the lows. When you’re a street kid you have a tough time trusting people. I show you respect. I want the same thing back. If not, there’s a consequence. There’s a code in the streets. That carries through the rest of our lives. This ain’t on some gangster or thug shit. Every man should live by this. Listen, this right here is something most people don’t have in there lives. These are my brothers wrong or right! This here is loyalty, respect, honor, pride!!! This here is DMS. What do you think the future holds for us? Bigger and better things. For the most part, we struggled our whole lives. Doing whatever had to be done to survive. No more of that shit! No more worrying about getting locked up, and all the other maddness that comes with the streets. I’ll keep it real simple. Boat drinks my brothers! Boat drinks!

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“And before you tell me how hardcore you are, move here, now your gone and we’ve seen your kind before. We’ve been through it all.” – Cold As Life State your name for the record. Mike “the Gook,” Di Quan, Sir Gook, Zoo Face, Super Chink. What’s your occupation? Bass Player; Vehement Serenade, Cold As Life, Danny Diablo featuring SkarHead. Career Direction for bands at Cricien & Couls, Black N Blue Productions in NJ. How did you become part of the fam? Growing up in Detroit with extended fam CTYC, then moved to east coast. It was pretty natural. What does DMS mean to you? Family, Respect, Love, Unity. What do you think the future holds for us? Positive momentum, successful ventures, a whole new level of achievement!

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“It’s just me and you kid. So what you gonna do?!” - District 9 State your name for the record. Puerto Rican Myke, aka D-Nizzu. What’s your occupation? Right now I’m what they call a lineman. Those are the niggas you see up on those electrical poles fixin’ shit, except I do the cable for Comcast. SAGE TELECOMMUNICATIONS BABY!!! FREE CABLE MY NIGGAS!!! I’m also the frontman for District 9, the second vocalist in SkarHead and part of the Shotblockers. How did you become part of the fam? Through Ezec, my partner in crime. What does DMS mean to you? Put it this way, I’m blood in blood out, I’m dyin’ for my niggas!!! What do you think the future holds for us? Bigger and better things from music to whatever the fuck niggas put they minds to. DMS BABY takin’ over the game, east coast, west coast, and world wide. PEACE.

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BQ Experience “Brooklyn and queens can’t be stopped. Oi! Oi!, If you try your going to get dropped.” – Skarhead State your name for the record. Jorge Rosado, Jr., aka Satata or Da One DMS! What’s your occupation? I’m da front man for Brooklyn, NY’s very own Metalcore Kings and Legends, Merauder!!! I’m also a construction worker—Local 235, husband and father of two awesome kids, Devin my three-year-old boy, and Dahlia my 20-month-old girl. And a full time Black N Blue brother! How did you become part of the fam? To tell you da truth meng, I was a part of a skinhead crew way back called Sunset Skins. A very small crew that terrorize da scene!!! Ask anyone, but some dudes vanished and so did da crew but anyway a few of us stood holdin’ it down! Until I met Ezec, Hoya and Double 0 who were with Scot E. Banks that day. I remember that day clearly dawg, as soon as we met, we got connected, bro!!! Yo! I’m a Latino from da ghetto so them dawgs were da same as me...real ghetto ass hardcore kids, who weren’t about to conform and be like everyone else. In other words...gangsters!!! I respect that, that’s a part of me, so I knew that they were gonna be familia one day!!! Destiny, meng!!! Real people always find each other, nah mean? Then everything else was DMS history...da fights, parties, our fallen homies, da bands Madball, Skarhead, Merauder, etcetera. A lot has happened and there’s more to come. It’s just da way it is and it’s not for everyone. What does DMS mean to you? It means family!!! Not like you see everywhere now, I mean real family. Brothers who go that extra mile for each other. It means blue for our loyalty and respect for each other and black for the past and for the path we’re ready to walk for each other!!! And thats fuckin’ deep, meng! What do you think the future holds for us? Whatever we want!!! Seriously it’s all about work, meng!!! And that’s one thing this crew does! T.C.O.B.!!! We can take this as far as we want, for real! We got it all—music, artists, businessmen, whatever, meng. We got something a lot of crews don’t have and that’s a purpose!!! Look what we’ve done so far! Look at da crews now runnin’ around in HC!!! They either spawned out of us or just perpetrating cause they can’t be like us or down with us!!! We’re da past and da future. We’re forever!!!

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“For my family, for my friends, for those that we’ve lost, I sing. This is a message, this is for you, never forget the Lower East Side crew.” – Agnostic Front State your name for the record. Roger Miret. What’s your occupation? Musician/CEO Dirty Devil Apparel/Founder of Rumblers CC.

and

International

President

How did you become part of the fam? Direct family ties and through hardcore music. What does DMS mean to you? DMS is a brotherhood. What do you think the future holds for us? Only God can answer that but my goals and the goals of my brothers are to keep our association tight, strong and genuine.

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Words Lord Ezec Artwork David Singer My brother David was always escaping our world through his art. David and I were total opposites and were born exactly a year and nine days apart. So this means we were inseperable when we were kids. I always knew that David was different as far back as I can remember. He always looked at things differently then I would. He was a hell of a lot smarter and nicer then I was! Unlike me, David would think before he opened his mouth. Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;his clothing, choice of music, words and, of course, his artwork, was unique and eclectic. He immersed himself in art and it made him happy. When I was fighting the world and tagging the streets of N.Y.C., David was creating his own world and taking care of our younger sister Cheryl. Unlike the rest of the world, David never judged me. He kinda looked forward to hearing my war stories and what chaos I had caused over the weekend. He would take one of my stories and make a comic strip outta it. Most of his characters were based on my stories and on my friends. I remember I brought poor David to Rockaway Beach with me and the rest of the DMS Crew. We got into the biggest fight/riot with the entire beach section of 116 and I got arrested. Poor David got chased and our mother

kicked my ass while my father laughed at the story. David even got chased a few times in the neighborhood cause my beef thought he was me. Sorry lilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bro!

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was a snow storm that cold January day and his body was laying on the bathroom floor for 12 hours before the coroner came due to the storm. My family was devastated. It was the first time I saw tears in my father’s eyes (It is even crazier ‘cause my father would die in my arms five years later on my mother’s birthday only five feet from where David left us). Since that tragic event I looked at the world differently. I needed an outlet that wasn’t violent or that would get me in trouble. I took up art. My specialty was lyrics and music. Now I am a singer, songwriter and producer. Look out Dante Ross! Dan Singer is a muscian thanks to his lil’ bro! David, I want to thank you for all of your love and for showing me that the world dosen’t have to be miserable, angry and sad. The world is like art. Full of colors and adventure. David was only on this planet for a short period of time but he had an important impact on my life. He taught me that art is in everything in life. It wasn’t only in graffiti. He taught me that it is alright to be different. He is the first person who introduced me to The Cure. I cry to this day when I hear the album Disintegration. Especially the song “Pictures Of You” because it reminds me of my little brother. I hope you like his art ‘cause when I look at it it reminds me of David’s smiling face and his gentle heart. It reminds me of innocence which I lost a long time ago when David decided he didn’t want to be part of this world. David Singer left this cold world in the winter of 1994. He took his own life with my father’s police issued handgun in our family’s bathroom in front of the mirror. All I remember was that there

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Whenever I finish recording something in the studio and listen back to it I think about what you would say if you were here... I know what I would say... Thank you. I love and miss you, little brother. See you on the other side and save me a spot on the handball courts up there... Love always, Your Big Brother!!! Danny

Esat “OO” Bici December 6, 1971 – October 2, 2002

Jason “2 Hip” Jaynal October 12, 1973 – September 28, 2003

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“To all my friends who passed away, friends and family, memories will never fade with me, and I will never forget you, you’ll never die as long as I’m alive.” – Hazen St. 2 My Brothers, Sometimes I feel guilty about being alive. Why, you ask? Well, when you lose someone (family, friends) or something that you are connected to, it feels like you’ve lost pieces of your soul. Naturally, you want to follow or join these loved ones on their journey. To protect them, to comfort them, or simply said, out of LOYALTY! Of course it hurts, of course it’s sad, profoundly so. It’s life changing when you lose someone, as many of us know. And then you always wonder what it would be like if they’d taken that path. Or if this action or that action would have had a different result. One filled with LIFE! Those questions and the mystery of Life and Death will not be answered for me, or any of us, until it is our time. As I write this, I can’t help but think of how my picture could have been in this section along with all of theirs. Myself, Ezec, MQ, KO... quite a few of us have been “lucky” on more than one occassion! Near death experiences teach you a lot! They give you a broader and deeper appreciation for LIFE and those you LOVE. It’s a hard lesson learned. It makes us stronger, yet more vulnerable at times. The scars are always a reminder. That’s

good and bad. But this is not about us. This is about our less fortunate brothers, who by their hand or God’s...have moved on. You ALL were, and still are, very special in your own ways. You left an everlasting impression on us, your relatives, and everyone you came in contact with. This tribute is the very least we can do, for all the contributions you made to this family and to life in general. We love and miss you all dearly. I am not one who likes to show favoritism. So I hope this is not perceived in this way. Like I said, you are ALL in our thoughts, hearts, and prayers. ALWAYS! That being said, maybe out of selfishness. I have to bring up certain individuals with whom I had very strong connections with, an extra special bond. These guys were some of the last “True Architects” of this BROTHERHOOD. They embodied that term, and respected a structure that was still in the building process. They are a special part of our BLACK AND BLUE PRINT, along with so many others. DOUBLE O, I met you when you got out of prison on an appeal. We gave each other a pound, and a hug. It was

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Michael “Boston Mike” Foster November 7, 1970 - November 27, 2003

mutual respect instantly! I was eager and happy to have a brother of your stature come back into the fold. The circumstances surrounding your imprisonment/case need not be mentioned right now. Although I must say... the system is not always JUST! That’s another story that will be told when the time is right. I write this more so for Hoya than myself, though. Don’t get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for you. You had leadership qualities to say the least, among your many other qualities and natural abilities. But I know that when we lost you, Hoya lost another sibling (RIP VICKY). Along with the rest of your FAM of course. You were a true warrior in every sense of the word! America’s Most Wanted... But there’s a lot more to the story of you as an individual. That will be told at the right time as well. Keep it GANGSTA wherever you are. Semper Fidelis

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O.G. DOUBLE ‘0’. We’ll hold it down for you! BOSTON MIKE, or BM as I liked to call you. Also, gorilla, cachupa, and a few other names that I’ll leave out...hahaha. I miss your laughter, BRO! The many nights and days we spent together in Boston/Brockton, the L.E.S, and on the road, will forever stick out in my life as some of the best times ever! Whether we were just hanging, hustling, or performing together your presence always commanded attention and respect, nothing less than regal! I met my future wife while running the streets with you. She was my saviour. I’m sorry I couldn’t bring you along! Semper fidelis...You know the rest... 2 HIP, if ever there was an exemplary brother, that was you. Your style,

Yasunori “Yas” Suyama May 20, 1970 - June 26, 1997

Ernie Cortez November 4, 1967 - December 16, 2004

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Ahileas “Archie” Kalafatis August 15, 1971 – March 22, 2005

grace, taste, and your undying loyalty to me and all of us will never be overlooked or forgotten. They are part of me now. Part of all of us. We looked up to each other for various reasons. But, you were never too proud to take a back seat in certain situations. Selfless was your nature, you’d give more than the shirt off your back to just about anyone. A man beloved by so many, from so many walks of life, there’s something to be said for that. But on a more personal note, I’ve come to realize that you were one of my “kindred spirits.” Yes, of course, we were different in so many ways. You had a way better sense of humor! But at the core, you were my brother from another mother. Words can’t describe how much I miss you, homie! The happiness you showed when I met Lisa, sums up how much you truly cared. It’s as if you knew

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she was coming to my rescue. Had I known you were going to leave us in Vegas, just hours after we spoke on the phone, I would have come to your rescue! I’m sorry I could not be there! I get the messages you send me every now and again. It gives me hope! I no longer feel guilty for being alive, because now I know my mission. To do the right thing by you, my FAMILY and my self. I won’t let you down JJ. I heard you once referred to me as “A General” behind closed doors. Whether joking or not, I appreciate the sentiment and the respect you always gave me. Especially coming from you! To the Ultimate “GOODFELLA” I say SALUTE. Jameson coming right up! See you on the other side for boat drinks. Love Always, Freddy DMS

Javier “SOB” Carpio September 18, 1972 – May 1, 2006

Richard “Chino” Vega 1973 – May 10, 2001

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William “Dominican Bill” Peralta

Sime “Sammy” Krslovic January 21, 1971 – July 8, 2004

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“Check this out, money talks, bullshit walks, it’s all about that green. Gotta get paid, keep foes afraid, gotta get the cream.” – Skarhead State your name for the record. Robert Mora aka Payaso. What’s your occupation? CEO of Nautica Thorn Productions. I run an adult production company with my girl, Nautica Thorn. How did you become part of the fam? By hanging out with some of the boys and meeting everyone in the family. What does DMS mean to you? DMS means to me that everyone with these letters are my family true till death. What do you think the future holds for us? The future of the family looks great each day that passes. It gets bigger and stronger.

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1 Tunnel â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;78

Age of Quarrel Interview John Joseph & Chino BYI “Hard times are coming through, but if you’re hard they won’t get to you, they’re gonna try to drive you into the ground, but never surrender, never go down!” – Cro-Mags John: I’m sitting here with O.G. graffitI artist and legendary drummer Mackie. What’s up Mac? Mackie: What up blood? John: All right, first question out the box I wanna know is, why drums? Mackie: I always liked the sound of drums. In the 70s New York City schools had these fucked up hollow wooden tables, we would play beats on them with our hands all day, drove the teachers crazy. Then banged on pots and pans at home and drove moms crazy. John: How the fuck did you end up playing hardcore and punk? Mackie: I wasn’t really down with punk when I first heard it...the music, the clothes, anarchy and all that shit. Couldn’t fuck wit’ it. I think musicians felt me back then ‘cause I was a homeboy and I would play different styles of music like it was my thing. I started getting into hardcore when the Bad Brains first moved to the L.E.S. around ‘81. I made my first hardcore band with three other graffiti writers (Frontline) we used to try to cover

the Jimmy Castor bunch and James Brown tunes. I used to get looks at shows back then, almost everyone was either punk, new wave or a skin. I’d be at shows with my b-boy crap on. (laughter) John: The first time I ever saw you play drums was with Frontline at Great Gildersleeves opening for the Exploited. You were killing it! Now I sang on the first Cro-Mags record Age of Quarrel and I know had you not played on it, those songs would not have the groove, the feel that they have. You influenced a hell of a lot of drummers. Who were some of your influences? Mackie: I dont know ‘bout me influencing anyone. I liked Stax, Motown, and Bruce Lee. (laughter) John: Man, you always keep it humble...love that. So what’s the latest project? Mackie: Been painting again, did some walls, Amsterdam and L.A. Doing canvases for some European collectors, auctions and some gallery shit.

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1 Train ‘79

John: I know you wrote graffiti back in the day. When and how did you start? Mackie: Early 70s on some neighborhood gang shit. The Pearls. It wasn’t a grafitti crew, we were more about gapping (stick ups) and racking then graff. You could rack anything back then. Only a few of the members wrote and they were the first cats I went hitting with, GEE-1(RIP) MP-1(RIP) PEARL167(RIP) and FLIP-131 my first partner, the first names I wrote were FLY-1 and CHINOMALO. That was around ‘72 through ‘74. John: Where the fuck did you paint on those trains? Mackie: From ‘76 to ‘81 I would go all over the city to bomb. 2 and 5s at Gun Hill Road in the Bronx; 3 yard on 137th Harlem; 4s in Kingston Layup Brooklyn, As Ks Bs in the ghost yard, AA’s on 175th, CCs, Ds in the D yard

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in the Bronx, E and F layups on 75th, RRs on the Ls in Queens, M and Js in fresh ponds, LL yard in Canarsie, 7s in Flushing. Got pinched in that yard by Curly and FerrarI and took King of Broadway hitting every spot where they layed up 1 trains, 1 yard, 1 tunnel, and 215th and 225th layups. John: We recently did a Cro-Mags Age of Quarrel 20th anniversary tour, crazy slam-dancing crowds all over the stage, packed hot clubs in Europe and in the States. You were playing drums on some crazy high energy shit! What keeps you going? Mackie: Coffee! If the bands tight, songs are hot, and I’m playing music with my friends and fam, I’ll keep bangin’. I hadn’t played or listened to those songs in ten years, so just playing them again, seeing you out front... shit put me back in the day.

Age of Quarrel Session ‘85

Los Angeles ‘08

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Photos Craig Wetherby “In a scene all divided with no unity, we gotta stick together and fight for what we believe in, there won’t be a second chance we’ve got to have it soon, got to stick together and fight ‘em all now, our friends are more important, we gotta stick together, support one another, united and strong.” – Agnostic Front

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