Citizens Arrest
Encyclopedia
Citizens Arrest is a New York
-based band that existed from 1989 to 1991 and reformed in 2010. The group often blended hardcore punk
, Grindcore
and Powerviolence
styles. Their main inspiration in the early days of the band were from Boston area hardcore from the 1980s like DYS
and SSD
. They also derived influence from early Powerviolence
pioneers, Infest
The demo tape was released in early 1989 and featured Ted Leo
on vocals and future vocalist Daryl Kahan on drums. The demo tape showed the most direct linkage to Boston area hardcore sound from the 1980s. "Serve and Protect" is arguably their most recognized song to date. It also featured the song "Start Again" which was of a more melodic and emotional sound then they would do in future efforts. They did not play this song often in live shows unless Leo was available to attend. Leo departed shortly after the demo release to attend college at Notre Dame. This initiated the move of Kahan to vocals. In search of a replacement drummer, Kahan turned to friend Patrick Winter who had played in his previous band True Colors. The timing of this move was perfect as well since Winter's current band, Our Gang
had broken up the previous month.
The first release by the band, A Light in the Darkness, a 6-song e.p. showed their most direct and raw hardcore approach. This was most apparent by the switch to Kahan's guttural vocal style. Showing a range of melodic high screams and deep tonal growls that became an essential, identifiable part of their sound. Winter brought a hard-hitting straightforward hardcore style to the drums. Janis Chakars guitar seemed more distorted and raw than on the demo release. This was also helped by the production of Don Fury, who had recorded countless hardcore releases and was known for bringing the best energy out of bands during that era. Joseph Martin's pickless bass style served as the pulsating backbone to the rhythm section. The cover of the e.p featured a painting by Caspar David Friedrich
"Monastery Graveyard in the Snow". They would continue to use classic art as design elements in future releases. During the same time as the e.p. release, the band released two notable tracks, "Death Threat" and "I Won't Allow" on a compilation record "Look at all the Children Now". This record contained the work of many great bands from the ABC No Rio
hardcore scene. This e.p. is commonly regarded to as one of the best hardcore records of the era.
Citizens Arrest went on to play 25 shows all on the East Coast of America as well as one in Canada. They never did any extensive touring. During this time they began writing material for their full-length release, "Colossus". Named after the Francisco Goya
mezzotint etching which also graces the front of the album. The Colossus album incorporated much of the intensity in sound as in previous releases but also showed some musical expansion that was not completely embraced by fans. The album touched on a variety of topics. The opener "Utopia", was a masochistic embrace of suicide. "Briviba" was a plea for freedom for the Baltic states
by guitarist Chakars, who himself is of Latvian ancestry and tells the story of a family relative of the same name who suffered under the oppression of Soviet colonization. Oddly enough, Latvia's sovereignty was restored in 1991, the same year the song was released. "Number", regarding the inadequate American education system. "Suffer Now", a plodding animal rights effort. "Paper Cuts", a somewhat tongue-in-cheek anti pornography song as well as "Agony God" (a rework of "Grand Mal") which criticized extreme dependence upon religion. Other songs that featured more atmospheric and gothic themes, "Pain", "Burst of Silence" and "Through the Mist" rounded out the album. The variety of material was a result of all 4 members of the band being involved in the writing process lyrically and musically. Shortly after the release of "Colossus", the band found themselves hitting a creative wall and the members all sought out new music outlets. Chakars and Martin formed the progressive hardcore band Hell No (band)Hell No, which also marked the return of Leo to the fold on guitar. Chakars and Leo left Hell No a few years later. Leo went on to a notable career recording alternative rock in bands Chisel
and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
, among others. Martin continued on to play with Hell No for the remainder of its existence. Martin also was a co-vocalist in the band. Kahan and Winter continued on to play in the grindcore band Taste of Fear
, as well as thrash metal band Colossus. Winter later played in the short-lived hardcore band One Sided War. Kahan is presently in death metal bands Disma (guitar) and Funebrarum (vocals).
In June 2010, Citizens Arrest reformed as a 5-piece with all previous members, adding Ted Leo as a second guitarist. They are currently planning shows and have hinted at possibly recording new material.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
-based band that existed from 1989 to 1991 and reformed in 2010. The group often blended hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
, Grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
and Powerviolence
Powerviolence
Powerviolence , is a raw and dissonant subgenre of hardcore punk. The style is closely related to thrashcore and grindcore.-History:...
styles. Their main inspiration in the early days of the band were from Boston area hardcore from the 1980s like DYS
DYS (band)
DYS is an American straight edge hardcore band from Boston, Massachusetts who were part of the notorious "Boston Crew" in the 1980s, along with contemporaries such as SSD and Negative FX...
and SSD
SSD
-Computing:* Solid-state drive, a type of data storage device which uses memory rather than rotating media* Seven-segment display, a display which uses 7 segments to display mostly numbers* System sequence diagram, a type of UML software engineering diagram...
. They also derived influence from early Powerviolence
Powerviolence
Powerviolence , is a raw and dissonant subgenre of hardcore punk. The style is closely related to thrashcore and grindcore.-History:...
pioneers, Infest
Infest (band)
Infest was an influential American hardcore band, formed in September 1986 by Joe Denunzio, Matt Domino, Dave Ring and Chris Clift. They disbanded in 1996.Infest, while not coining the term "powerviolence", were pioneers of the style...
The demo tape was released in early 1989 and featured Ted Leo
Ted Leo
Theodore F. Leo , called "Ted," as a short form of "Theodore," is an American punk rock/indie rock songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, though he is most known for his singing and guitar playing...
on vocals and future vocalist Daryl Kahan on drums. The demo tape showed the most direct linkage to Boston area hardcore sound from the 1980s. "Serve and Protect" is arguably their most recognized song to date. It also featured the song "Start Again" which was of a more melodic and emotional sound then they would do in future efforts. They did not play this song often in live shows unless Leo was available to attend. Leo departed shortly after the demo release to attend college at Notre Dame. This initiated the move of Kahan to vocals. In search of a replacement drummer, Kahan turned to friend Patrick Winter who had played in his previous band True Colors. The timing of this move was perfect as well since Winter's current band, Our Gang
Our Gang
Our Gang, also known as The Little Rascals or Hal Roach's Rascals, was a series of American comedy short films about a group of poor neighborhood children and the adventures they had together. Created by comedy producer Hal Roach, the series is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively...
had broken up the previous month.
The first release by the band, A Light in the Darkness, a 6-song e.p. showed their most direct and raw hardcore approach. This was most apparent by the switch to Kahan's guttural vocal style. Showing a range of melodic high screams and deep tonal growls that became an essential, identifiable part of their sound. Winter brought a hard-hitting straightforward hardcore style to the drums. Janis Chakars guitar seemed more distorted and raw than on the demo release. This was also helped by the production of Don Fury, who had recorded countless hardcore releases and was known for bringing the best energy out of bands during that era. Joseph Martin's pickless bass style served as the pulsating backbone to the rhythm section. The cover of the e.p featured a painting by Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich
Caspar David Friedrich was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning...
"Monastery Graveyard in the Snow". They would continue to use classic art as design elements in future releases. During the same time as the e.p. release, the band released two notable tracks, "Death Threat" and "I Won't Allow" on a compilation record "Look at all the Children Now". This record contained the work of many great bands from the ABC No Rio
ABC No Rio
ABC No Rio is a social center located at 156 Rivington Street on New York City's Lower East Side that was founded in 1980. It features a gallery space, a zine library, a darkroom, a silkscreening studio, and public computer lab...
hardcore scene. This e.p. is commonly regarded to as one of the best hardcore records of the era.
Citizens Arrest went on to play 25 shows all on the East Coast of America as well as one in Canada. They never did any extensive touring. During this time they began writing material for their full-length release, "Colossus". Named after the Francisco Goya
Francisco Goya
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker regarded both as the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns. Goya was a court painter to the Spanish Crown, and through his works was both a commentator on and chronicler of his era...
mezzotint etching which also graces the front of the album. The Colossus album incorporated much of the intensity in sound as in previous releases but also showed some musical expansion that was not completely embraced by fans. The album touched on a variety of topics. The opener "Utopia", was a masochistic embrace of suicide. "Briviba" was a plea for freedom for the Baltic states
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
by guitarist Chakars, who himself is of Latvian ancestry and tells the story of a family relative of the same name who suffered under the oppression of Soviet colonization. Oddly enough, Latvia's sovereignty was restored in 1991, the same year the song was released. "Number", regarding the inadequate American education system. "Suffer Now", a plodding animal rights effort. "Paper Cuts", a somewhat tongue-in-cheek anti pornography song as well as "Agony God" (a rework of "Grand Mal") which criticized extreme dependence upon religion. Other songs that featured more atmospheric and gothic themes, "Pain", "Burst of Silence" and "Through the Mist" rounded out the album. The variety of material was a result of all 4 members of the band being involved in the writing process lyrically and musically. Shortly after the release of "Colossus", the band found themselves hitting a creative wall and the members all sought out new music outlets. Chakars and Martin formed the progressive hardcore band Hell No (band)Hell No, which also marked the return of Leo to the fold on guitar. Chakars and Leo left Hell No a few years later. Leo went on to a notable career recording alternative rock in bands Chisel
Chisel
A chisel is a tool with a characteristically shaped cutting edge of blade on its end, for carving or cutting a hard material such as wood, stone, or metal. The handle and blade of some types of chisel are made of metal or wood with a sharp edge in it.In use, the chisel is forced into the material...
and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are an American rock band formed in 1999 in Washington, D.C. and currently recording for Matador Records. They have released six full-length studio albums and have toured internationally...
, among others. Martin continued on to play with Hell No for the remainder of its existence. Martin also was a co-vocalist in the band. Kahan and Winter continued on to play in the grindcore band Taste of Fear
Taste of Fear
Taste of Fear is a 1961 British thriller film directed by Seth Holt, shot in black-and-white by Douglas Slocombe, and released by Hammer Films...
, as well as thrash metal band Colossus. Winter later played in the short-lived hardcore band One Sided War. Kahan is presently in death metal bands Disma (guitar) and Funebrarum (vocals).
In June 2010, Citizens Arrest reformed as a 5-piece with all previous members, adding Ted Leo as a second guitarist. They are currently planning shows and have hinted at possibly recording new material.
Members
- Daryl Kahan - Vocals (Drums on demo)
- Janis Chakars - Guitar
- Ted LeoTed LeoTheodore F. Leo , called "Ted," as a short form of "Theodore," is an American punk rock/indie rock songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, though he is most known for his singing and guitar playing...
- Guitar & Vocals - Joseph Martin - Bass
- Patrick Winter - Drums
Discography
- A Light in the Darkness" - 7" (Wardance Records) 1989
- Look at all the Children Now (2 compilation tracks) - 12" (Evacuate Records) 1989
- CxA live Flexidisc" - 8" (Rebound Records) 1990
- BBllleeeaaarrrggg" (compilation track) - 7" 1990
- Forever" (compilation track) - 7" Irate Records 1990
- Colossus" - 12" (Wardance Records) 1991
- "Soaked in Others Blood" - digital EP - Coexticntion Recordings 2010
Related bands
- Hell No (band)Hell No - Janis Chakars, Ted Leo, Joseph Martin
- Taste of FearTaste of FearTaste of Fear is a 1961 British thriller film directed by Seth Holt, shot in black-and-white by Douglas Slocombe, and released by Hammer Films...
- Daryl Kahan, Patrick Winter - Colossus - Daryl Kahan, Patrick Winter
- One Sided War - Patrick Winter
- Born AgainstBorn AgainstBorn Against was an American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989–1993. In addition to their radical leftist politics, the group espoused a DIY punk message and challenged what they perceived as problematic within the punk subculture of their time.-History:The group was founded in...
- Daryl Kahan - Our GangOur GangOur Gang, also known as The Little Rascals or Hal Roach's Rascals, was a series of American comedy short films about a group of poor neighborhood children and the adventures they had together. Created by comedy producer Hal Roach, the series is noted for showing children behaving in a relatively...
- Patrick Winter - True Colors - Daryl Kahan, Patrick Winter
- AssuckAssückAssück was an anti-capitalist and anarchist grindcore and deathgrind band from Saint Petersburg Florida, active from 1987 to 1998. The band proved influential, with their album Anticapital voted number 4 in the Terrorizer list of their top 20 US grindcore albums, who described it as a "low-calibre...
- Daryl Kahan - Disma - Daryl Kahan
- Funebrarum - Daryl Kahan
- ChiselChiselA chisel is a tool with a characteristically shaped cutting edge of blade on its end, for carving or cutting a hard material such as wood, stone, or metal. The handle and blade of some types of chisel are made of metal or wood with a sharp edge in it.In use, the chisel is forced into the material...
- Ted Leo - PuzzleheadPuzzleheadPuzzlehead is a Sci fi drama starring Stephen Galaida, Robbie Shapiro, and Mark Janis. It was written and directed by James Bai and the film debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 21, 2005 before opening in limited release in New York City on March 23, 2006.- Plot :Walter, a scientist living...
- Ted Leo - The Sin-Eaters - Ted Leo
- Ted Leo and the PharmacistsTed Leo and the PharmacistsTed Leo and the Pharmacists are an American rock band formed in 1999 in Washington, D.C. and currently recording for Matador Records. They have released six full-length studio albums and have toured internationally...
- Ted Leo - Animal Crackers - Ted Leo, Janis Chakars
- The Manacled - Ted Leo, Janis Chakars
- Antiem - Patrick Winter, Joseph Martin
- Half Acre Plot - Janis Chakars
External links
- http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/CITIZENS-ARREST/104197239684 - Official Band Facebook page.
- http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/WARDANCE-RECORDS/129297670428683?ref=ts Official Wardance Records Facebook page.
- http://www.coextinction.com Coextinction Recordings