I’ve written before about 7 Seconds but feel the need to repeat that while I never disliked them in any way, they weren’t a major influence on my punk upbringing. By the time I finally got my hands on some of their material (the “alt.music.hardcore” CD in 1995), I’d had sufficient time to climb fairly deeply into the punk rabbit hole and was getting into some really gnarly, crusty stuff. Even though I appreciated the speed and urgency of their songs, 7 Seconds seemed hokey to me, especially compared to the kind of punk I was discovering at the time. Looking back, I’d like to slap my 17-year-old self for being such a dumb shit.
Like many of the early U.S. hardcore bands, 7 Seconds would go on to experiment with their sound and style, but “The Crew” is all raging ‘80s youth fury. Its unrelenting pace is interrupted only occasionally for catchy, anthemic singalongs that scream out for cooperative mosh pits and positive cultural upheaval. If 7 Seconds didn’t invent these kinds of melodic breakdowns, they certainly perfected them – something evidenced in the endless parade of bands who’ve copied their formula in the decades since.
Unabashedly optimistic and confrontational, “The Crew” sets the tone for a decade marred in consumerism and greed by both firmly standing in opposition to these societal drains, and by offering a desperate glimpse of hope for those left behind by an increasingly selfish world. Pick a song (any song) from “The Crew” and put it on a mix CD or an MP3 playlist for your wayward cousin, bummed-out younger sibling, or high-octane niece or nephew and watch them “get it” instantly. Watch them rage to music that unpretentiously exists to help kids see through the bullshit.
James is a writer, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.