Leftöver Crack

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Image:Loc.JPG Leftöver Crack is a band that rose from the remains of the seminal ska/punk band Choking Victim, which released a small number of very-low budget albums in the mid-90's. By the turn of the century, LöC was formed with a higher production value than anything attached to Choking Victim, and new topics were explored.

Contents

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Line up

Permanent:

  • Stza - Lead vocals / Some guitar parts
  • Ezra- Guitar / Vocals
  • Brad Logan - Guitar / Some backing vocals
  • Alec Baillie - Bass / Some backing vocals

Sometimes:

  • Ara Babajian - Drums (Current & 2000 - 2002)
  • Candy - Drums (Fuck World Trade & various tours)
  • J.P. Otto - Drums (2002 Tour & Various)
  • Brandon Possible - Drums (2004 Tour - Deceased - December 17th, 2004)

Leftöver Crack, combined with Choking Victim and two other bands, Morning Glory and INDK, share a total of seven members between them. These seven musicians are collectively referred to as the "Crack Rock Steady Seven" (CRS7). The line-up of Leftover Crack changes fairly often, drawing on members of other NYC punk bands such as The Stockyard Stoics and The X-Possibles, with Stza, Alec and Ezra the only completely permanent members (Though Ezra was absent for most of the few 2005 gigs due to a blood infection). Brad Logan, or "Brad Minus" from F-Minus was not around for Mediocre Generica.

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Influences and History

Leftöver Crack, along with the rest of the CRS7, combines elements of ska, hardcore, crust punk, and death metal. Choking Victim in particular also referred to itself as squat-core. The term "squat-core" comes from its focus on the lives of abandoned tenement squatters in New York City and writing songs about the poor. In fact, several members of Leftover Crack through the years have lived in a squat (which often served as a venue) located on 9th and C (155 Ave C) known as C-Squat. C-Squat references can be seen and heard on most Crack Rock Steady albums. Examples: "9C Lo-Cash crime family" & a heart with "155" written in it (from Morning Glory liner notes), "9th and C" (as heard in the background of the song "Homeo-Apathy"), and various others.

One of the most groundbreaking developments Leftöver Crack accomplished was with their song "Gay Rude Boys Unite", which seems to borrow some stylistic elements from Operation Ivy. The song accuses the ska scene of being homophobic, and called for the inclusion of all minorities in the struggle for social equality, which is especially evident in recent developments in dancehall and reggae culture that seem to have become even more violently anti-gay.

Leftöver Crack has been banned from performing in many venues in New York City, such as ABC No Rio, the Knitting Factory, and North 6th. However, they still play at banned venues sometimes, usually under different guises or Sturgeon individually as a solo act.

In November of 2004, at "Cracktoberfest," an annual event hosting squat bands and other ska/punk/hardcore bands, the police cut the power towards the end of the show, causing an uproar. A riot was incited, which included violence by the police (who called in backup), broken windshields, and soaring helicopters. The event received little press attention, despite the magnitude of chaos. The New York Post's tiny blurb sided with the police, implying that the punks caused the riot and that the police action was appropriate. There was a permit for the event, and the decision to end it was the police's, not the performers'.

The band took an indefinite hiatus after the death of drummer Brandon Possible. Stza spent the interim playing Leftöver Crack and Choking Victims songs by himself at a few solo acoustic shows. Leftöver Crack began touring again in the summer of 2005, including some dates with the Subhumans and The World/Inferno Friendship Society, as well as playing dates in October 2005 in California after the Wasted Fest was cancelled. The so-called "Crack Rock Steady 7" also embarked on a small European tour in November, however this incarnation consisted of only Stza and The Infested, in some cases billed as the "Crack Steady Rockers".

Stza also started a band called the Star Fucking Hipsterz, the line up of which includes vocalist Kisston from Help Me Help Me I Can't Breathe, guitarist Jamie Toulan from Doomsday Cauldron and Old Skull, and drummer Gigi from Another Dying Democracy. The band started playing shows in the NYC area early August 2005. Although it was rumored that Brad would also be playing with this band, he never did. Stza claimed that the Star Fucking Hipsterz are no more because everyone in the band (except Kisston) was too busy with other projects.

Currently Stza is said to be in D.F., Mexico learning Spanish, going to crust punk shows, drinking, and learning new things from the Zapatistas. Stza did a drunken solo set of a few songs at a Death Mold show in D.F. He's currently assembling a band (called The Crack Rock Steady Seven Mexico) for a handful of shows in Mexico. Leftover Crack plan to tour the USA in April and June 2006, and Europe that August. According to Stza, after touring Leftover Crack plan on recording their follow up to Fuck World Trade. They also recently contributed one song on a 4-way split 7", Look Who's Talking Now, which was released in March 2006, and also included songs by Morning Glory, F-Minus, and Bent Outta Shape and was limited to either 900 or 1000 copies (the liner notes indicate 1000, while the record label says 900). The first 100 included limited edition patches designed by Brad Logan's wife, Kristen.

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Selected discography

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Splits

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Compilations

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Bootlegs

  • Fuck World Trade (Demo), 2004.
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See also

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External links

it:Leftöver Crack

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