About Me
Youth Of Today was formed in 1985 by two members of the New York Hardcore band VIOLENT CHILDREN: Ray
Cappo (vocals) and John Porcelly (guitar) . They wanted to start a Straight Edge band, at a time when almost all
the old school Straight Edge bands were gone. It wasn't easy to find bassist and a drummer to complete their band,
so Ray and John were helped out by two friends from highschool, Graham Philips and Darren Pesce.
In 1985 Youth Of Today recorded their debut EP for Positive Force Records: "Can't Close My Eyes". After touring
for a while both Graham and Darren left the band, and two members of New York band STRAIGHT AHEAD joined
Ray and John: Craig Setari (bass) and Tom Carroll (drums). During their second tour Tom left, and Drew Thomas,
drummer of brotherband CRIPPLED YOUTH, was asked to finish the rest of the tour. A short while later UNDERDOG
vocalist Richie Birkenhead joined Youth Of Today on second guitar. With this line-up the first Youth Of Today album
was recorded. It was titled "Break Down The Walls" and released by Wishing Well Record, the label of California
S.E.-ers UNITY and UNIFORM CHOICE.
Soon after recording the album Drew was replaced by Mike "Judge",
who played In DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR and SUPERTOUCH.
Bassist Craig left to reform STRAIGHT AHEAD, and Walter Schreifels, who played in the New York hardcore band GORILLA
BISCUITS, became the bassist. At the end of the "Break Down The
Walls" tour, that followed the release of the LP, second guitarist
Richie left YOUTH OF TODAY, and with this line-up Youth Of
Today appeared with two songs on the Revelation Records sampler
"New York Hardcore - The Way It Is", alongside New York bands like
BOLD, GORILLA BISCUITS, SIDE BY SIDE and SICK OF IT ALL.
At the end of 1987 Mike left the band,a nd Sammy Siegler (ex-
SIDE BY SIDE) became the new drummer. In 1988 Youth OF
Today recorded their classic second LP "We're Not In This Alone", which was released in America by Caroline
Records and in Europe by Funhouse Records. The beginning of the next year, Youth Of Today, whose
line-up was steady at last did a Europe tour, playing shows in
Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy,
France, Belgium, Holland and England. In 1990 Youth Of Today
decided to quit and recorded 4 songs for a farewell 7" on Revelation Records. 3 of those songs appeared on the single
"Disengage". Ray Of Today started the Hare Krishna band
SHELTER, and was later joined by John Porcelly. Walter was
playing guitar in Gorilla Biscuits from 1987 on, and was joined
on the European tour of GORILLA BISCUITS in 1990 by Porcell
and Sammy on guitar and drums. After split of GORILLA
BISCUITS, Walter started QUICKSAND. Sammy is playing drums
in CIV these days, with former members of GORILLA BISCUITS
and UNDERDOG.
When Youth Of Today split, it seemed the beginning of the end for the second Straight Edge wave, which has begun
in 1985, and which was at its height in 1988-1989. Together with bands like Uniform Choice, Unity, Insted, No For An
Answer and Gorilla Biscuits, Youth Of Today were an inspiration for hundreds of bands all over the world, who combined
the message of Positive Thinking and Straight Edge with energetic and fast hardcore.
