Due to the lack of recent new content posted on this archive, one may conclude that not much as been going on with More Than a Witness. This couldn’t be any further from the truth!
I’ve been working vigorously to finish up everything for my first release on More Than a Witness Product, the vinyl only reissue label closely associated with this archive. Again, this will be an official reissue of CIA’s classic first EP released under the title of “God Guns Guts and More” as a full length LP. This release will feature the original “God Guns Guts” 7” EP (originally released in 1983) along with all of the original 7” session outtakes and the best tracks from their two other pre 7” demo recordings. Needless to say, all of this material is essentially teeth-grinding driving American hardcore!
The CIA master was sent out the other day and I’m making final adjustments on the insert as I make this post. Expect this LP out in roughly 3 weeks. Many people have asked about a preorder for this release. I will be announcing information regarding a preorder this week. Please hang in there.
The second release on More Than a Witness Product will be the Young Republicans “Sabotage Your Cookout” 7” EP. This effort is a split-label release with longtime Connecticut hardcore punk label Incas, run by my good friend and fellow hardcore punk lifer, Joe Snow.
This demo is truly a special item. Both Joe and I have been hunting for this recording for years and have always come up empty handed until recently. Some people have even doubted its existence due to any tape of it ever surfacing. The Young Republicans are of historical relevance because they were comprised of 75% of the original lineup of Youth of Today. In fact, many Young Republicans songs that will be featured on the “Sabotage Your Cookout” 7” would become Youth of Today and Project X songs a year or so later: “High School Rednecks” became “Straight Edge Revenge”, “Respect For Authority (None)” became “Stabbed In the Back” after some minor revision, and “Backyard Bomb” became “Expectations”.
Last week we went into the studio to do a professional transfer of the tape we received from Graham Phillips. Graham was the bass player in the Young Republicans and went on to play in Youth of Today with Darren Pesce and Porcell. Joe and I had feared that the cassette would be in awful shape but it turned out it only needed a minimal tweaking to get it to sound great and fit for a vinyl release.
Yes, there will be a limited edition version of this release. We're trying to think of something that is untraditional and wacky in detail. (Come on, anyone can crank out 100 copies of a release on a limited color of vinyl.) Information regarding the preorder will be posted here in approximately 3 weeks. Hang in there!
