HERE'S WHERE YOU CAN ORDER THE YOUNG REPUBLICANS "SABOTAGE YOUR COOKOUT" 7" EP (MTAWP 002)

Many of you have written about ordering just the Young Republicans "Sabotage Your Cookout" 7". I had this record listed in the recent distro update list but failed to realize that many people would simply just want to order this conveniently via Paypal. Sorry about that.
Here's some information about the release:

The Young Republicans were a snot-nosed foursome of skinheads who lived in suburban upstate New York near the Connecticut border. Their demo cassette from late 1983 has been one of the most speculated upon and infamous demos in the history of hardcore; some claimed to have heard it, some old-timers claimed they had the demo cassette in their closet only to not deliver anything, and previously the only known copy was hoarded by the owner, refusing to tape it for anyone, including band members.

Perhaps the Young Republicans are best known for what they'd become: 75% of the band (Porcell, Darren Pesce, & Graham Phillips) would later form Youth of Today with Ray Cappo who was playing in Violent Children & Reflex From Pain at the time. The Young Republicans formed the majority of Youth of Today and this lineup recorded the "Can't Close My Eyes" 7" and the rest is history...

This 9 song EP captures the absolute essence of spirited hardcore under the shroud of Reagan: snot-nosed teens going faster MPH while standing in opposition to teachers, parents, rednecks, & suburbia. Highly catchy & classic sounding, this could easily be considered the crucial missing NYHC or CT 7” EP from 1983.

Three tracks on this Young Republicans 7" EP would later be reworked and rerecorded for the debut Youth of Today "Can't Close My Eyes" 7” on Positive Force; “Respect For Authority (None)” became “Stabbed In The Back”, “Backyard Bomb” became “Expectations”, and “High School Rednecks” became Project X's “Straightedge Revenge” note for note on their sole 7" EP on Schism.

I strived to give this the packaging I felt a release like this deserves: a thicker 14 pt glued 7" jacket with an old school style "dip cut" (like a late 70's UK punk 45) along with a nicely done 2-sided 14" x 7" insert that includes lyrics and tons of photos that Porcell excavated from his archive.

The limited "Cookout Edition" sleeve version on red vinyl sold out within a few hours so it's safe to say that it's long gone. The first 150 orders will receive that variation of this release. I wanted a way in which I could show how much I respect when people make the effort to order directly from the label like it was done in the good old days.

ALL OF THESE PRICES INCLUDE POSTAGE:

USA: $7.25 PPD
CANADA: $8.50 PPD
WORLD: $10.75 PPD

PLEASE SELECT WHERE YOU LIVE:

USA $7.25 CANADA $8.50 WORLD $10.75

MORE THAN A WITNESS PRODUCT TO RELEASE THE LONG LOST YOUNG REPUBLICANS DEMO

I’m very excited to announce that the house label for this blog, More Than a Witness Product, will be releasing the long lost 1984 demo recordings of the Young Republicans. I’ll be teaming up with the classic Connecticut hardcore label, Incas Records, to finally make this demo available. This release will be the second release for me after the CIA "God Guns Guts & More" reissue LP I have coming out in a month or so. Incas Records and I are working closely with Porcell to make this release the best we can.

The Young Republicans demo is one of the most elusive and obscure items in the history of such recordings. Until recently, I had all but given up on ever finding a copy of this demo as it had evaded me for a decade of looking. Being from Connecticut, one would assume that a copy would eventually turn up after rummaging through the tape collections of many first generation Connecticut hardcore people. Simultaneously, I received a copy of the demo via the singer Sam Collin while Porcell had taken his cassette copy to be digitally preserved in a friend's studio.

Shortly after they broke up, 3/4 of the Young Republicans would go on to play in Youth of Today. In fact, many tracks on the Young Republicans demo would later become tracks on the debut Youth of Today 7” on Positive Force; “Respect For Authority (None)” became “Stabbed In The Back”, “Backyard Bomb” became “Expectations”, and “High School Rednecks” became “Straightedge Revenge” note for note.

There will be a preorder for this release. This will consist of a limited version of the record as a way of paying thanks to the people who made the effort to order from the label. More information about this as the actual release date draws closer.

If you’re interested in carrying this record for a store or distro, please write me at the email posted on this site for wholesale prices.

The above photo was taken by Jamie Keever at the Anthrax in Stamford.