After the 2001 ‘break-up’ of the Cro-Mags, bassist/vocalist Harley Flanagan wasted no time going out with his solo project Harley’s War. Harley’s War’s first disc, entitled Cro-Mag, came out in 2002 and featured seven new tracks (which included a ‘who’s who’ of NYHC), four demos 1982-1983 (which include early versions of “Do Onto Others” and “Don’t Tread on Me”) and a live track from 1981 from the Stimulators.

In 2009, MVD reissued Cro-Mag as a CD/DVD set entitled Hardcore All-Stars. This reissue adds five additional studio tracks and a complete sixteen-track live show from the final hardcore matinee at CBGB (Oct. '06) but drops the Stimulators live track (which sounded a bit dodgy so no great loss).

Genre labels can be a dangerous thing…A number of reviews have called the Cro-Mags the “first cross-over band” but I always considered them strictly hardcore (and later metal). My definition of “cross-over” is the hip-hop/metal hybrid of bands like Biohazard and Anthrax. Getting back on point, the twelve new studio tracks on Harley’s Hardcore All-Stars CD capture the raw intensity of this hip-hop/metal crossover sound and Harley throws a bit of old-school punk and oi into the mix.

These new tracks features Harley on vocals and bass; ‘Crazy’ Jay Vento and Rocky George are the primary guitarists but Vinnie Stigma and Gabby Abularach (x-Cro Mags) guest on a couple of tracks; Ryan Krieger (x-Cro Mags) is on drums and Harley shares the mic with Micky Fitz (of The Business) on “Spirit of ‘77”. This later track also includes Vinnie Stigma and the band pays tribute to the Ramones with a chorus from “Blitzkrieg Bop”. This portion of the disc ends with the gang vocal sing-along on “NYHC X-mas”, which also features Vinnie Stigma along with Mike Gallo, Jimmy G. and Phil Calvano.



The next four tracks are demos from 1982-3 that feature Harley on all instruments and vocals and these tracks give an early look into the rage and power of the Cro-Mags. One can also hear the common theme of coming from “the streets” in Harley’s music from the early version of “Don’t Tread on Me” and the previously unreleased demo “Dead End Kids” to the newer tracks “Criminal” and “Who Survived”. The disc closes with a 16-track live performance from Oct. 2006 from the “final hardcore matinee” at CBGB (the video portion can be found as a bonus feature on the Cro-Mags “The Final Quarrel” DVD).

Harley’s War (new tracks):
• "Hardcore LAMF"
• "Nightmare"
• "You Don't Know"
• "Hardcore NYHC-OG"
• "Last Days"
• "Criminal for Life"
• "Parasite"
• "Spirit of '77"
• "Urban Screams (C-Squat)"
• "Scarred for Life"
• "Who Survived"
• "NYHC X-Mas"

1982 Demos:
• "Don't Tread on Me"
• "Wake Up (Do Unto Others)"
• "Dead End Kids"
• "Why Don't You"

CBGB, NYC Oct. ‘06:
• "Intro"
• "Signs of the Times"
• "World Peace"
• "Show You No Mercy"
• "Malfunction"
• "Days of Confusion"
• "Street Justice"
• "Survival of the Streets"
• "Don't Tread on Me"
• "Do Unto Others"
• "Last Days"
• "Crush the Demoniac"
• "It's the Limit"
• "Life of My Own"
• "Hard Times"
• "We Gotta Know

The real bonus is the DVD which includes high-quality live footage from CBGB along with an in-depth interview with Harley. The NYC live footage is classic – while Harley’s War featured a rotating line-up, most of the footage is split between a 2002 show where the lineup was Rocky George and "Crazy' Jazy Vento on guitar and Gary Sullivan on drums and the "Last Hardcore Matinee" show which took place in October 2006. Various special guests on some of the other footage include Vinnie Sitgma, Sean Kilkenny, John Joseph, Daryl Jennifer and Jorge Merauder.



The DVD also includes live footage from Germany and Japan, music videos for the songs “Hardcore” and “Who Survived” along with Harley reminiscing in CBGB post-closure (also found on The Final Quarrel DVD).

Live footage from various CBGB shows:
• "Death Camps"
• "Criminal"
• "Who Survived?"
• "Spirit of '77"
• "Urban Screams"
• "Down But Not Out"
• "Sign of the Times"
• "Regulator" (Bad Brains cover)
• "Life of My Own"
• "Can You Feel"
• "World Peace"
• "Malfunction"
• "Steal My Crown"

Remaining tracks Are From the "Last Hardcore Matinee" show:
• "Street Justice"
• "Survival of the Streets"
• "Don't Tread on Me"
• "It's the Limit"
• "Crush the Demoniac"
• "Life of My Own"
• "Hard Times"
• "We Gotta Know"
w/ Will 'Cavman' Dahl, Joe Affe, Walter Ryan and Craig Ahead (on two tracks)

Links:
Harley Flanagan