I am writing this honor blog about SIEGE out of respect for their massive impact on hardcore punk, metal and grind that is the result of their 1984 cassette tape. Four guys from Weymouth Massachusetts created something insane and unheard of.
Their noise has had a forever impact on hardcore punk, as we know it, and that is valuable beyond words.
Seems like everyone has a “I met Kurt from Siege story” or “I met Rob from Siege story”, yeah; if you are from Boston you already know where this is going!!!
In 1991, I ordered a bootleg tape of SIEGE’s “Drop Dead” demo tape from Infection distro run by Charlie of Massachusetts punk legends PSYCHO.
I bought this tape because I was obsessed with anything and everything to do with hardcore, punk, metal and related genres in my home state of Massachusetts.
For those who don’t know, we Bostonians and New Englanders (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut), often have a special sort of hardcore pride.
If you are a real hardcore metal punk kid from where we come from, then you know that we have that classic Boston attitude and you know what that means!!
If you don’t love the core of what makes you the fucked-up you that you are, then no matter how great and amazing your life is; you will always have some regret deep within; and in my opinion that is sad.
I was standing in line at the Middle East Rock Club upstairs and Rob Williams was standing behind me. Of course I knew it was Rob. He was a legend.
I told him that I got the “Drop Dead” tape from Infection distro and Rob gave me a piece of his mind about people bootlegging his music for profit.
Okay so I loved that tape and it is awesome and I am glad it was bootlegged because I could listen to it and as I was obsessed with all the hardcore punk and metal bands from Massachusetts and New England; I got my fix.
For those who have not yet figured it out; I am a weirdo.
I am a good weirdo these days because I escaped Psychiatry and then escaped the United States because Big Pharma does not like it when people stop taking their pills and get better.
I was a bad weirdo for a long time because those pills made me sick!
In the mid-late 2000’s, I lived in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. I would see Rob Williams walking around from time to time. I was my own version of a drugged out psycho maniac zombie while I lived in Jamaica Plain so I don’t care to remember very much.
However, somehow, Rob and I, developed a regiment of me treating us both to colossal hot fudge sundaes, with all the fixings, even mixed nuts, at Emack & Bolios. Rob and I enjoyed at least a dozen or more hot fudge sundaes together.
In 2013, I published a book titled “You’re Crazy” Volume One. This book is an anthology of hardcore punks from around the world sharing of their personal lived experiences of living with addiction, mental health and trauma challenges.
Rob Williams submitted his story and it was cool.
If you have “You’re Crazy” Volume One, then you know Rob’s story is not in the anthology.
Sometimes, if two “nuts” mix then things don’t always go well.
My name is Crusty Craig and I love SIEGE.
The distributor of ‘You’re Crazy – Volume One’ had to delete this 2013 review of “You’re Crazy”, from their website, but before they did; I cut and pasted it into an email because I knew someday it would be funny to share with the world. The only thing I request of my haters is that they publicly own their “hate” because that is solid gold in getting your book into the hands of the people. This comment was written by a person with a made up name.
“crap. grandeous self fullfilling trite rubbish. this guy (craig) can not run his own life let alone help others. quackery, that is, if he was qualified to even be at that level. dangerous in its claims, leave the work to the experts and maybe you all should see some yourselves. Eeek.”
“You’re Crazy” Volume Three is the works and will be published in mid-2023.
The opportunity for Rob and for anyone else who would like to to submit their story is open, just send an email to: yourecrazybook AT gmail DOT com and we will send you submission guidelines.
Special thanks to Napalm Death; for helping give SIEGE the respect they deserved and are worthy of.
I grew up a mere 20 minute car ride from where the Godfathers of Grindcore punk, SIEGE, created their necessary, legendary and permanent impact on the music scene forever.
Boston is my first home! Long live the Boston hardcore punk and metal scenes! Thank you to SIEGE and every single band and person back home who made my life as good as it could be during the hardest of my times.
Crusty Craig “Gregorio” Lewis is a longtime contributor to IDIOTEQ. Gregorio is a punk rocker from the United States, living in México, and after traveling to forty countries around the world giving talks and workshops on how he has Survived the Impossible, both professionally and for the Punx, he has been living in his mountain pueblo for nearly four years. Contact Gregorio directly at [email protected] and check out his numerous published books, at Sanity is a Full-Time Job.
