Tonight: Judge
Several names pop up when you hear the term “straight edge” and have been involved in the hardcore scene for some years. The go-to’s are, of course, Minor Threat, who infamously coined the term, as well as Earth Crisis, the band that popularized the movement in the mid-90’s. Both excellent bands, synonymous with the label and the lifestyle it brings. There are of course many, many others though, few of which hold as heavy of a rep as Judge. In the late eighties, Judge represented a militant version of the movement. For the NYC hardcore band, featuring members of the famed Youth of Today, straight-edge was all encompassing. No compromise, no exceptions. This garnered the band many fans…and just as many critics. When the group called it a day in ’91, their reputation was sound. They were heavy (often bordering on metal, but not quite) and they didn’t fuck around.[...]