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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

#1 Fan Youth Crew Tuesday: Gorilla Biscuits "Start Today"

Posted by Derek Erdman on Tue, Aug 23, 2011 at 3:38 PM

A classic in motivational hardcore, "Start Today" was the title track on the first and only LP by Gorilla Biscuits. The band came together when Arthur Smilios, Nick Drysdale and Anthony Civarelli bonded over a love of Agnostic Front while in high school in 1986. The lure of the infamous matinee shows at CBGBs had the trio start traveling to New York City, where they met members of Youth of Today and other NYHC stalwarts. The name Gorilla Biscuits was a last minute choice for the band, pressed to call themselves something when they were chosen to open for Token Entry. Methaqualone was a popular drug at the time and Gorilla Biscuits was a slang term for the drug, because of the large size of the pills.

Start Today remains the best selling LP on Revelation Records and was the first of that catalog to be pressed onto CD. Material for a second LP was written but the band broke up in 1992, before it was recorded. Civarelli and Smilios started a band called Civ which made a dent in mainstream charts with the dreadful swing-punk single "Can't Wait One Minute More" in 1995. Walter Schreifels formed the not-so-bad postcore band Quicksand. Eventually Gorilla Biscuits reformed for some reunion tours, one of which featured exclusive t-shirts by Paul Frank. OH, BROTHER.

Comments (8) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Quicksand fucking rules. Not-so-bad article be damned.

Posted by Andrew Chapman

on August 23, 2011 at 5:31 PM

Andrew said what I came here to say.

Posted by bunnypuncher

on August 23, 2011 at 6:01 PM

I love Youth Crew Tuesday.

however, Quicksand was never "not-so-bad." They were a brilliant band.

Posted by gayballs

on August 23, 2011 at 6:09 PM

Fuck yeah, Quicksand was totally great.

Posted by Travis Ritter

on August 23, 2011 at 7:42 PM

HAHAHAHAHA! You guys are dorks!

Posted by derek_erdman

on August 23, 2011 at 8:36 PM

At least you're right about the dreadfulness of CIV. Start playing with CIV, and before you know it, you're drumming for Fred Durst.

Posted by crackedmachine on August 24, 2011 at 12:27 AM

I always hated GBs...whats w/the weird Fugazi breakdown and then the HARMONICA?! Ugh. NYCHC after 1985 was always SUCH a swiss cheese of worth...like it was mostly the holes...useless air.

Posted by nipper on August 24, 2011 at 10:00 AM

Gorilla Biscuits were just about the only NYCHC band i ever liked, and i still think Start Today is one of the best hardcore LPs of all time.

Quicksand, on the other hand, was always just a really tediously tempo'd and melodically monotonous Fugazi knock-off, IMO

Posted by Brian Cook