The Narrow Interview... Agnostic Front

Narrow Interview... Hardcore Legends Agnostic Front

By Danny Lore

Agnostic Front is more than a band. They are considered the Godfathers of Hardcore. They weren’t just there at the beginning… they were the beginning. The band formed in 1980 and had a few line-up changes before recording their first EP “United Blood” in 1983 and their first LP “Victim In Pain” in 1984. These seminal hardcore recordings would pave the way for many bands. When you mention CBGB’s, the first bands that might come to mind are The Ramones, Television or Blondie, but no other band has played more shows at CBGB’s than Agnostic Front.

Sunday, December 8th, Agnostic Front rolled through Gainesville on a tour to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their debut LP “Victim In Pain.” Gainesville locals, Asshole Parade, opened up the show followed by Boston hardcore legends Slapshot. The Atlantic was packed and Agnostic Front ripped through their set while the crowd danced and sang along. It was guitarist, and founding member, Vinnie Stigma’s birthday. Someone brought a cake on stage towards the end of their set and the whole place sang Happy Birthday to him. Everybody loves Stigma.

After the show I got a chance to talk to Vinnie Stigma.

Why was CBGB’s so important to the hardcore scene?

It was a staple of Hardcore. It gave us a home and kept the scene alive

It would be hard to count the amount of bands that were born from that place.

CBGB'S made Hardcore what it is today.

It’s the 35th anniversary of your 1984 debut LP “Victim In Pain.” It seems like the lyrics are just as relevant today as they were 35 years ago. How does it feel to sing those songs knowing that almost every lyric on that album reflects what is going on today in our government?

I think that album was ahead of the curve. It speaks the truth about power. I listen to a lot of bands and the music is quickly outdated. They focus on being trendy. They mingle a little rap in there with a little metal or something. It doesn’t stand the test of time because there’s no substance to it. You have to have substance.

AF isn’t a political band. You’re more known for your socio-political lyrics. You came from an aggressive place and your music reflected that. You wrote songs about what you saw around you growing up in the streets of NYC. Tell me about your approach to songwriting.

I didn’t want to be in a political band because I don’t want to pigeon hole myself. The landscape of political activities change. So does the world. So do I.

It’s almost 40 years since you guys got together. How did you guys keep it going for so long?

Well Roger went to jail for a minute. I always say “Agnostic Front: shot, stabbed, imprisoned.” 40 years ago I was changing Willie Nelson’s diapers! I’ve been on the road a long time! I see a lot of bands that break up and come back 20 years later. It’s hard for me to believe in a band that doesn’t believe in itself.

“Victim In Pain” is 11 songs of pure chaos and aggressiveness that spawned an entire genre. What was it like recording that album?

It was a lot of fun. It was out of tune, out of time, out of tempo. It was the greatest mistake of my life.

Tell me something that you’ve never told anyone in an interview.

You’re really cute

Any last words?

Support your local hardcore band. Support this magazine because it’s very important that we have books, literature and records. Make a friend. You’ll find yourself in a better place. Have a great New Year!