MAD AT THE WORLD records

This is The Sound of NYHC in 1983: Teenagers.
We took our father's overcoats and painted NO EDGE on them
Flannel shirts or pajama top. Jeans and combat boot.
We hung out on the Lower East Side before it became the Upper East Side,
at CBGB's before it became a brand of t-shirt
and we were bridge and tunnel before even that too became cool.
We helped Major Conflict carry their equipment in shopping carts, and on the subway,
because cars were not an option.
And this was when no one would even consider watching MTV or listening to
the radio. How could you? Why would you! how could you afford it!!!!! Did it exist?

Would you believe me if I told you people still talk about that show at the Ravenswood Projects?
Who played that show? The Mob? Urban Waste? The Psychos? Armed CItizens?
How many of us were really there?
How many of us are still around?
Does anyone else remember it like I do?

I can go on and on about how things were bettter in the old days, but why bother?
I'll let the new jacks do it for me.
I'll let them write about it, sing about it, and even dress the part.
If you were there for this, then this goes out to you.

-A Friend.

Of course the 80's sucked if you were listening to Culture Club, left over long haired burnouts or what MTV called Rap. I'm here to tell ya there was an alternative. Before even that word got ugly.

I met Major Conflict (Billy, Dito Johnny Waste, John Dancy & Nick) in the Ravenswood projects in 1982. They were rehearsing in Johnny Waste's mothers apartment. Living room full of wannabe rappers smoking crack and dust just to the right of Major Conflict blasting straight out NYHC noise with an intensity to match anything out there. Some people may romanticize or get all nostalgic about it but here was the scene. John Dancy banging on Garbage cans, Johnny Waste, Dito and Nick all blasting out of the same amp while Billy and Dito scream to utter madness into a shared microphone plugged into a worn out old boom box. This wasn't a photo op kids this was what it was like in the projects in Queens in 1982. While Punk seems to only be remembered as a Suburban "thing" and documents seem to jump straight from The Sex Pistols to Nirvana, somewhere right in the middle, the middle of the inner-city, New York's inner city was Major Conflict and having been there that's something I cherish.

--BILLY JACK.

NYC (MP3)

Major Conflict
Sounds Like 1983
Mad At the World Records

What a punch from the past this gem is. Major Conflict is a raw, gritty hardcore band from New York, circa the early 1980's. They featured former members of Urban Waste, including singer Billy Phillips and then later Johnny Waste and John Dancy after Urban Waste faced their ultimate demise. But the same problems that plagued Urban Waste caught up to Major Conflict, after missed recording sessions, missed shows, and fights on stage, Major Conflict took on a nice face as well as a new sound. Extremely unique for the time they were playing in. The new group consisted of Dito, Mike O' Shea and Johnny Feedback of KRAUT. Shame the six songs they recorded were never released to the public until now because if they were people would still be talking about Major Conflict. The raw NYHC sound fused with the melodic punk of the Stiff Little Fingers. But after all that's what made them so good, they were uncompromising and just didn't give a fuck. Regardless, if you enjoy GREAT old school hardcore you will love this album. Songs like, Not a Fucking Song, NYC and Outgroup are fresher than most, if not all, of the new old school hardcore bands of today. Seriously, Not a Fucking Song is one of the best songs I have ever heard. Starting off with what sounds like the theme to Scarface but played by the band into straight hardcore fury. It had great leads, great changes, and overall just a great feel to the song. Buy this and get taken back 22 years. Mad props to the people at Mad At The World Records for putting this thing out because I probably would've never heard it if they didn't. The re-mastering of this thing sounds amazing, either that or the original tracks just sounded amazing. It just has the rugged recording quality that just adds to the rawness of their sound. The layout is a huge plus as well, with easy to read lyrics (as if you needed them), band photos and some fliers, as well as letters from people involved with hardcore in the 80's giving homage to Major Conflict. Also, there's a video for NYC on the enhanced part of the CD, which is really fucking cool. Pay respect to the old school and get this thing now.
Rating: 4/5
Songs worthy of replay: NYC, Outgroup, Not a Fucking Song
-- Jeff Karbow Siczine

This definitely sounds like 1983. More specifically, it's a collection capturing the tumultuous life, times and sounds of an early-'80s, pre-Cro-Mags/Agnostic Front era NYC thrash band. Major Conflict exhibit the raw grit of this early hardcore sound crossed with the melodic punk of Stiff Little Fingers and perhaps a dash of Black Flag. This band should have received wider recognition when they were around, but as much as they embodied the youthful aspirations and motivations of the times, self-destructive and reckless behaviour came as part of the package. However this genuine mix is what sets them and the scene they represented apart from the contrived Disneyland punk rock of today. There are 14 tracks of reality here, interspersed with some hilarious sound bites from live performances; there's even a short but sweet enhanced video for the song NYC on the disc. You can't go wrong with this.
-- Davey Jones Exclaim! Canada's Music Authority)

Major Conflict - Sounds Like 1983 (Mad At the World)
It's a very beautiful (but unfortunately all too rare) day when I receive a record in the mail that I actually want/and or like. Today, my friends was one such day. After ripping apart the yellow envelope I was left holding this little nugget of early Eighties US hardcore. For those not in the know, forming from the ashes of Urban Waste, Major Conflict existed for a short time in the early-80's NYHC scene and they fucking ripped it up. Some say that they were not as good as Urban Waste but listen to this aptly titled CD that documents all of the band's recorded output, including their self-titled 7", unreleased studio sessions, and several live tracks and think again! Like Stiff Little Fingers if they came from Queens and grew up in the NHYC scene. Melodic, gruff, basic but superb. Songs like, Not Just a Song, NYC and Outgroup are better than most stuff released today. They are over 20 years old! Live tracks from CBGB's and A7, excellent liner notes/photos and a video for NYC means that this is a sure bet.
www.matwrecords.com
--Tim Scott Screaming Bloody Mess