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Local Music Scene South Carolina, localmusicscenesc.com
Bored Suburban Youths

Bio (Provided by Steve Adkins):

Inspired by a Black Flag show in Columbia, SC, Bored Suburban Youths was formed by a group of high school friends. The earliest lineup was John Hathaway - guitar, Shannon Burgess- bass, Troy Tague - drums, and John Dickerson- vocals. This lineup soon gave way to the longest lived BSY lineup of John Hathaway- guitar, Steve Sonic- guitar. Brian Mollin- bass, Troy Tague- drums, and Darren Walker- vocals. Within two weeks of this lineup coming together, BSY found themselves opening for Suicidal Tendencies. Opening slots for D.R.I., the Bad Brains, the Circle Jerks, D.O.A., and other national acts followed, along with the band contributing a song ("Annihilation") to the 1986 compilation album "There's A Method To Our Madness", which was issued in both the USA and in Germany (Phantom Records in the US, We Bite Records in Germany) The US version was issued with a black and white cover on black vinyl and the German pressing was issued on yellow vinyl with a black and yellow cover. Both versions sell in the $20.00 range today. The final BSY lineup was Hathaway and Sonic on guitars, Walker on vocals, and ex- Red Menace members Kenny Jolt (Gillam) on drums, and Carl Van Sewell on bass. It was this lineup that recorded the 7" EP "Farewell Suburbia" that was issued under the name Red Menace in 1988. "Farewell Suburbia" is one of the priciest collectible records from the Hardcore era, fetching up to $100.00 for a copy and songs from the EP still get radio airplay today. The band has made the songs available on grooveshark for free listening and download. BSY eventually self destructed, their final appearance as a group fittingly being in a Richland County courtroom, but the band is remembered as one of the first southern Hardcore bands and the best of the South Carolina HC bands.

 

THERE'S A METHOD TO OUR MADNESS

Various artists (1986)

Compilation album. U.S. release (white cover) on Phantom Records, German release (yellow cover) on

We Bite Records. Sells for about 19 USD online.

 

Bored Suburban Youths

Track:

1. "Annihilation" (Live)

 

Personnel:

Darren Walker - Vocals

Steve Sonic - Guitar

John Hathaway - Guitar

Troy Tague - Drums

Brian Mollin - Bass

 

Engineered by Mike Amos, produced by BSY and Mike Amos. This track was not a live recording. It was recorded by Mike Amos in the basement of William's Music in Orangeburg, SC specifically for inclusion on the "Method" album.

 

FAREWELL SUBURBIA- (MEP001-A)

Red Menace (1988)

7" EP Recorded January 31, 1988 at Sun Sound, Rock Hill. 8 track recording. S.C. 8 songs.

Tracks:

1. Contaminated

2. Driller Killer

3. Sorrow Falling

4. Faces

5. Police State

6. Evolution

7. Living In America

8. The Slide

 

Personnel:

Darren Walker - Vocals

Steve Sonic - Guitar, Backing Vocals

John Hathaway - Guitar, Backing Vocals

Carl Van Sewell - Bass, Backing Vocals

Kenny "Jolt" Gillam - Drums, Backing Vocals

 

Engineered by Jake Hunter, produced by Red Menace and Jake Hunter Cover layout by Jerry Axson.

12 songs were recorded at this session. Eight were used on the EP so as not to lose sound quality by

"overloading" the 7' record. The remaining tracks were never released. Trivia note- All twelve basic

tracks with reference vocal were laid down in an hour, a Sun Sound house record. The remainder of the

session was spent mixing and recording the final vocal(s)

 

This record has become somewhat a collectible, selling for up to $100.00. It has appeared on for sale in Holland, England, Russia, etc. There is a lot of information online about the EP. Google Red Menace Farewell Suburbia

 

Other Red Menace/Bored Suburban Youths information -

Steve Sonic is listed in the Orangeburg, SC wiki as a "notable native"

(I guess "City of The Dead" went over their head!)

Bored Suburban Youths are listed in the Columbia. SC wiki as "notable natives"

BSY is listed 133rd in a wiki world ranking of the best musicians of the second wave of punk.

There is a wiki article on Bored Suburban Youths and also a Facebook page. (All visitors to the

“Local Music Scene SC” page are invited to visit and "Like") I don't know who did these,

but they are pretty accurate. I suspect it was John Hathaway.

 

Bands Opened For (partial list)

Red Menace:

1. The Minutemen

 

Bored Suburban Youths:

1. Suicidal Tendencies

2. The Circle Jerks

3. D.O.A.

4. D.R.I

5. Scream (Washington, DC band. Dave Grohl was the drummer.) They may have opened for BSY, I don't remember.

6. The Melvins

7. The Bad Brains

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