YOTCCME

back on the workforce. not much time lately.

Youth Of Today - can't close my eyes 7" - 1985 Positive Force Records 04

Youth Of Today was one of the first hardcore bands I came across. But somehow I never got as religiously into them as a lot of other folks. I always liked them and appreciated for their importance in the history of hardcore music but that's that. I never felt them like I did Uniform Choice, Wide Awake, Turning Point and others who except for UC maybe might not have been as crucial but for some reason spoke to me a lot more. Not that I could explain it. Just a feeling.

That being said as a collector I still had to have a first press of their first 7" and now I finally have one. If it wouldn't have been for a friend of mine selling his collection I would probably still not have picked it up. It just wasn't that high up on my priorities list. But I must say once I put the needle to this platter and heard the original recordings for the first time I can understand where all the worship is coming from better. This is a fucking killer. At the time of it's release it must have ripped the whole scene a new one. And of course even today it puts a lot of efforts to shame.

I never intended to collect this release but I definitely had to have at least one copy for my collection so what better to get than a first press. Yeah I know it's not the most impressive version to get but I don't mind. There are quite a few different pressings and variations out there but as I already mentioned I'm not too much into YOT which is why I'm perfectly satisfied with what I got. Somehow I feel that a first press trumps any other pressing no matter how rare. A rarer first press variation might have been better. If there is one. I don't even know because I never cared enough. Besides I'm a regular guy so a regular 1st press is best for me

Can't close my 12" eyes

I saved todays best for last

Youth Of Today - can't close my eyes 12" - 1988 Schism, Caroline Records CAROL 1353

I have to admit not being the biggest YOT fan. I like everything they did but I never understood the kind of love some people feel for them.
Having said this it might not be hard for you to believe that I heard these songs for the first time when I put the needle to this record. Now I can understand a little better why people are into Youth Of Today the way they are. Before this I most appreciated them for the fact that they are the originators of the Youth Crew style and were very important for Hardcore in general.

As most of you will know Can't Close My Eyes was originally issued as a 7" on Positive Force Records with I don't know how many variations and different pressings. Ultimately Schism decided to also do a 12" repress and what you see here is the 2nd pressing on that format.
Still looking for a first press of this for my Schism collection. Maybe that one actually has the track We Just Might from the Another Shot For Bracken compilation on it. This one doesn't although it's listed on the backcover.