sXe hardcore
If you like Youth of Today you'll probably like this.
Artist Biography
by Ryan Downey
Ten Yard Fight reinvigorated the stiff and nearly
forgotten genre of fast-paced, upbeat, singalong straight-edge hardcore
almost all by themselves. As heralds of what would become the old-school
revival movement, they championed not only the drug-free lifestyle, but
their hometown in a way reminiscent of scene forerunners Wolfpack, DYS,
and SSD or Washington, D.C.'s Minor Threat. Ten Yard Fight began in
Boston in 1995. The band was originally intended to be little more than a
tongue-in-cheek project combining straight-edge philosophy with
football jargon. Vocalist Anthony "Wrench" Moresschi had never sung for a
band before recording his shouts on Ten Yard Fight's demo, crafted
together with notable hardcore producer Brian McTernan. The band played
its first show with Moresschi clad in a combination of football gear and
punk rock clothing. The crowd response was so enthusiastic that the
band decided to become more serious. Ten Yard Fight began performing on
the East Coast, igniting a new interest in the old-school style of
hardcore. Having sold 1,000 demos, Ten Yard Fight teamed up with Big
Wheel Recreation to release the Hardcore Pride 7" single. The initial
pressing sold out in less than a week, helping generate a buzz that
resulted in the band's signing to Equal Vision. The first result of the
partnership was the compiling of the demo and 7" onto a single CD. Ten
Yard Fight next released an album called Back on Track, helping
re-establish Equal Vision as a prominent force in the hardcore scene in
the process. Lineup changes followed, as the group toured Europe and the
United States through 1997 and 1998. In 1998, the band recorded six new
songs that would later surface as The Only Way EP. The following year,
Ten Yard Fight decided to call it a day, organizing a final show in
October that was packed with kids and internationally recognized as
"Edge Day." The final lineup of the band included Wrench, guitarist John
LaCroix (who started out playing bass), guitarist Timmy Cosar (who
later formed American Nightmare), bassist Brian "Clevo" Ristau, and
drummer Ben Chused. The Only Way: 1995-1999, a DVD/video documentary,
had its release celebrated a year later with Ten Yard Fight taking the
stage, for the last time and unannounced at "Edge Day Two," coinciding
with the final performance of Boston's In My Eyes. LaCroix briefly
played bass in Reach the Sky before he and Wrench relocated to the West
Coast.
Tracklist
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1 |
Hardcore Pride |
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2 |
Forever |
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3 |
Where I Stand |
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4 |
Believe |
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5 |
Proud To Be Straight |
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6 |
Holding On |
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Demo 1995
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7 |
First And Ten |
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8 |
Line Of Scrimmage |
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9 |
Enough |
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10 |
Pit Of Equality |
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11 |
Drug Free Nation |
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12 |
Offsides |
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13 |
Till Death |