When I left Cleveland for Seattle and quit
Names for Graves, lots of things were going well, Cleveland was a young scene (I'd say mostly class of 2003-2006) full of optimistic people and kids doing shows, doing bands, going to shows, repping the edge hard. Somewhere in that good time, I decided that I needed a change of intellectual pace and the
University of Washington was a place abound with opportunities over
CSU.
I also wanted to play in bands out west, but aside from a scab job every now and again, I was never quite at home band wise in Seattle and stayed a student and hardcore kid.
The scene was great when I got out here, Champion, Go it Alone, In Stride, Betrayed, The Answer, Sinking Ships, Shook Ones were all busting ass and Trial had just reunited for one ridiculous last show. Shows were big and frequent and for a while, The I-5 corridor got more touring bands than anywhere.
At Both Ends was the best thing since Steinbeck (if nine ever makes it out, it still will be!). Somehow, in all that amazing hardcore, I managed to not be in a band and aside from occasional contributions to ABE, working at
el camino and moshing for Blue Monday, I wasn't doing too much with the core. Yeah I was in school, yeah I traveled every month to some random far off place to research and read and write--no I never did a band.
I returned from work on my
Senior Thesis a few weeks early in 2008 and while sitting at the court date of one
Mr. Alex Kellar, got a call from
Mr. John Millin who basically said, "Straight Edge band, you in?"
I'd been starved of playing in a band for the better part of two years, my edge, soooo tight through visits to Australia, New Zealand, the rural intermountain west, working in a bar. I was, and still am, very much 'in.' I have a chance to play straight edge hardcore with friends of old (and new, word up Chuck!) based out of a town I'm very proud to be from--Cleveland, Ohio.
At casa de la Millin, smiles were had writing the demo--every practice. There were posi jumps in the studio. I played drums X'ed up for the recording on a borrowed drum kit (thanks Alex!). We agreed that merch will only be on white shirts and that crew necks are not dead. I believe that we now have the right idea.
Four friends playing youth crew hardcore.
The Right Idea: Cleveland Straight Edge
