LET THEM KNOW - The Story Of Youth Brigade
And BYO Records Boxed Set (BYO Records)
You know, I have several faults as a reviewer,
one of which is I put off reviewing the really
good stuff cause I think if i ruminate over
the material for awhile I may be able to accurately
describe it's attributes in a way no one else
has quite encapsulated (a typical egotistical
vice present in anyone who writes for the
public). Another fault of mine as a Jersey
Beat writer is that I often procrastinate
reviews of bands I have been or still am involved
with, although really that's all Jim sends
me cause he likes the dirt I dish on the bands
I know, so it's a double edged sword really.
That said, let me say from the outset that
since this compendium was released two months
ago, I have made my roadie living selling
this very product at YOUTH BRIGADE shows on
two tour jags, so while I am hardly the impartial
reviewer here, this thing is broad and awesome
and I'll tell ya why.
First off, the CD here is really kinda getting
the short shrift, in light of the whole celebration
of BYO's 25 years and the hugeness of the
package here which contains a cd (or 2 colored
vinyl lps if you get the deluxe version) compilation,
a full color 108 page book, and the 90 minute
film, "Let The Know", a documentary
on YOUTH BRIGADE and their record label Better
Youth Organization (hence "BYO")
and the quarter of a century they have both
been impacting the underground scene. The
CD compilation contains many well known punk
bands covering their favorite cuts from the
BYO catalog- YOUTH BRIGADE does SNFU, BOUNCING
SOULS do SEVEN SECONDS, NOFX does BATTALION
OF SAINTS, DROPKICK MURPHYS do YOUTH BRIGADE,
etc. There are some truly great recorded moments
on this compilation like IN THE RED doing
a faithful but buoyant LEATHERFACE cover,
or THE FILTHY THIEVING BASTARDS version of
ONE MAN ARMY's "It's Empty". Lots
of great BYO acts were left off here however,
no one chose to cover ROYAL CROWN REVIEW,
PINHEAD CIRCUS, AGRESSION, or HAGFISH.
Next is the book which really is best appreciated
in the vinyl version where it's 12x12 format
makes it truly a coffee table book. While
you will get the same content, photos, etc.
with the cd version the shrunken 10 1/2 x
6 1/2 format just doesn't bring the color
photos and story to life like the deluxe version.
The book of course tells the story of BYO
Records and YOUTH BRIGADE and follows the
two and a half decades of both through quotes
from folks like Jack Grisham of T.S.O.L, Keith
Morris of The CIRCLE JERKS, and even our humble
Jersey Beat editor, Jim Testa. The book is
hardbound in both versions and contains a
thorough discography of all 116 BYO releases
with color photographs of each.
Johnny Puke and BYO/Youth Brigade's Shawn
Stern
The real centerpiece of the whole package
though is the excellent, informative, and
funny 90 minute film, "Let Them Know-The
Story Of Youth Brigade And BYO Records".
Directed by Jeff Alius, who also directed
the little seen but inspired "Backstage
Passport" series featuring NOFX that
ran last year on Fuse, this film balances
humor with history, and features tons of punk
types like Ian Mackaye, Fat Mike, The Bouncing
Souls, and Seven Seconds all spinning their
piece of the tale. All of the Stern Brothers
participate as well, but the film as well
as the Sterns themselves never let this get
turned into some sort of tribute to their
greatness, there is a humility and sense of
luck and timing about the whole tale that
I believe allows us to see the brothers as
the accidental but responsible torch bearers
for their corner of the scene. The story takes
us through the early days of L.A. punk when
the Sterns ran a sort of punk flophouse called
"Skinhead Manor" and the beginnings
of The Better Youth Movement as a concert
promoter/label/movement. The best parts of
the film for me are those that recall the
1984 film "Another State of Mind",
the classic punk documentary that follows
YOUTH BRIGADE as they embark on an ambitious
North American tour alongside SOCIAL DISTORTION
in a broken down school bus. Those that remember
the film usually remember fondly a segment
where a guy shows you how to slam dance while
earnestly describing his "dance"
moves as he demonstrate3s. One of the funnier
parts of "Let Them Know" is when
said dancer, now very middle aged, is revisited
by the filmmakers and gives us all an updated
trip down memory lane. The film brings us
to the present with the Sterns who still tour
with Youth Brigade but whom may be best known
these days for the Punk Rock Bowling Tournament
in Las Vegas, and the film gives us all a
peek into the ten years of wackiness the Sterns
are responsible for there.
So, it took me awhile to tell you folks about
this because I wanted to make sure I really
got across what a great achievement this package
is itself, let alone the 25 years of achievement
it celebrates. I am proud of the Stern brothers
and all they have accomplished, lifelong punks
like them should be celebrated as die-hard
heroes because that's exactly what they are.
When I was a 13 year old punk buying BYO records
through mail order, I could never have imagined
I would one day call the Sterns my friends
and am quite thankful for that. If you have
any care for real punk rock, there will be
something for you to cherish in this set,
I guarantee it.
