My first show was November 1989; Wrecking Crew and Nuclear Assault at the Paradise Rock Club.
In 1990, I saw The Exploited, Biohazard, Type-O Negative and Toxic Narcotic at The Channel.
I began hanging out at The Pit in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, nearly every day, during the summer of 1991.
I became a crusty punk in 1992.
That summer I saw ASSÜCK, ECONOCHRIST, RORSCHACH and DISRUPT and many more legendary bands play live.
Today is March 26, 2023; I am pretty sure I am a crust punk for life.
I forced myself to begin writing this blog today, because I have been feeling very, very sad, and I needed to walk my talk and improve my state of mind.
It’s July 19th, 1996… the first ever Aus-Rotten gig in Boston; I booked it at the Unitarian Church in Harvard Square. We had waited so long to have them play our city! It was great!!!!
As it was often the custom, when punk bands played Boston, after the gig; we would feast at Buddha’s Delight, an all vegan Asian restaurant in Brookline.
Earth Crisis played Boston that day as well, and had the same idea.
The restaurant had two large rooms separated by a wall.
It was silent as our 20+ strong black clad crust punk crew walked past the 20+ strong Straight Edge Crew.
All was good. The food was great and our crusty bonds of friendship were strengthened.
I am sure our straight edge counterparts feasted just as well, and strengthened their bonds of friendship, with the same passion.
Earth Crisis and their crew were still seated when Aus-Rotten and our crew went out to the parking lot.
After 27 years; It is time…
This is before the internet. There was no delete option.
EARTH FASCIST, being written in black marker on the back of Earth Crisis’ huge white van would be a funny and significant form of 1990s era protest!
The problem is that the words that were written in that black marker did not say EARTH FASCIST.
I have always imagined what Earth Crisis thought upon finding the words EARTH FACIST written in black marker on the back of their van.
I am sure they were pissed but can you imagine how hard they laughed when they realized….
My name is Crusty Craig and here in Mexico I am Gregorio or Goyo. Mail-order punk rock and recovery oriented books.
I have a bi-monthly PUNKS IN RECOVERY column in the Canadian based ABSOLUTE UNDERGROUND Magazine that you can download.
Writing these blogs and publishing these books keeps my head above water. Turns out, I am that cliche: “Punk rock saved my life”.
Thank you to every band and thank you to every person who I have met in my life. If you are reading this then you are alive. Stay strong and keep doing your very best. Be kind.
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.
