Cro-Mags

How the Cro-Mags formed is disputed by the band's founding members. In Tony Rettman's 2014 book NYHC: New York Hardcore 1980-1990, guitarist Parris Mayhew states that the band formed after he had put up a number of posters around New York in search of band members, to which Flanagan responded.[6] In the same book, other people involved in the New York hardcore scene suggest that the band formed under the name Mode of Ignorance, with an original lineup consisting of Dave Hahn on drums, Mayhew and Dave Stein on guitar, John Joseph on lead vocals and Flanagan on bass. During its early existence, the band went through frequent lineup changes. Mayhew explains that this was because "Harley would see some kid with a shaved head and think 'This kid is hard... let's bring him into the band.' Then I would end up tolerating some horrible, talentless person for however long it took Harley to realise that the guy had no talent". Joseph left the band soon after to live in Puerto Rico and then Hawaii,[7] and was replaced by Eric Casanova. One Cro-Mags lineup from this time consisted of Flanagan on drums, Mayhew on guitar, Todd Youth on bass and Casanova on vocals. By the time the band played their first live performance, Youth had been replaced by Roger Miret, however soon after Casanova was kicked out of the band due to the birth of his son interfering with scheduling.[8] By this time, Joseph had returned to New York and so rejoined as the band's vocalist.[7] Youth briefly re-joined the band after Miret's departure, at the same time Robb "Nunzio" Ortiz joined as an additional guitarist. A few months later, the band changed their name to the Cro-Mags.[6]

However, Flanagan claims in his 2016 autobiography Hard-Core: Life of My Own that he and Mayhew met in 1980 after being introduced by Paul Dordal, they began writing music together soon after and formed the band with vocalist Eric Casanova, who only performed with the band twice.[9] Following this, they would go on hiatus as Flanagan went to California then Canada, during which time he wrote and recorded demos for the songs "Everybody's Gonna Die", "Don't Tread On Me", "By Myself" and "Do Unto Others". After returning to New York in 1983, he regrouped the band and he, Mayhew and Casanova began writing again, using his demo tracks as a basis.[10]

Flanagan also claimed in a 2018 interview with Blabbermouth.net that he formed the Cro-Mags in 1980 with guitarist Dave Stein, drummer Dave Hahn and vocalist John Berry and that the band's first performance was at the Peppermint Lounge opening for the Stimulators the same year. He thought the band was not ready to debut using their real name, so instead performed as Disco Smoothy. After this performance, the group disbanded and in 1982–1983, Flanagan recorded four tracks in Songshop Studios in New York City with Denise Mercedes of the Stimulators, the tracks set to be released by Rat Cage Records but issues regarding management prevented the project to come to fruition. He then recruited Eric Casanova on vocals, before meeting Parris Mayhew in 1983, who then joined as guitarist, along with drummer Mackie Jayson.[1] This final story by Flanagan is supported by John Joseph in his 2007 autobiography The Evolution of a Cro-Magnon, however Joseph instead states the band formed in 1981 and that he was the band's vocalist prior to Berry but left prior to the Peppermint Lounge performance because he thought the name they were performing under wasn't serious enough.[2]

The band's debut album The Age of Quarrel was released in 1986, which was mostly written by Parris Mayhew and Flanagan,[11][12] some songs being based on a four track demo that Flanagan had recorded solo in 1982 while on the West Coast.[7] Joseph parted ways with the band again after The Age of Quarrel, leaving Flanagan to sing on the following the Cro-Mags release, Best Wishes (1989), which had a more heavy metal-influenced sound. The next record Alpha Omega saw the return of Joseph singing along with Flanagan. According to cofounder Parris Mayhew, he wrote most of the album with guitarist Rob Buckley. However, neither Mayhew or Buckley played on the actual recording, and the writing has been disputed by Flanagan and others. The Cro-Mags disbanded but later recorded the album with the return of Doug Holland and a new rhythm guitarist, Gabby Abularach.[13]

The album, Near Death Experience was released in 1993, after which the group disbanded for several years. They began touring again in the late 1990s with Flanagan on vocals and bass and Mayhew returning to the fold. Eventually, the band released Revenge in 2000. For many fans, this album signified a return to the Cro-Mags' early hardcore roots. Many songs were comparable to those on The Age of Quarrel, although some featured a more melodic/punk rock style. The release of Revenge and its subsequent tour resulted in yet another break up, which caused lasting resentment between Mayhew and Flanagan. In 2001 Flanagan asked Joseph to join him once again, but the short-lived reunion ended in 2002.

Harley Flanagan performing in 2019

In 2008, John Joseph and Jayson began playing shows under the Cro-Mags name with other established hardcore musicians such as Craig Setari from Sick of It All on bass and A.J. Novello from Leeway on guitar. In an October 2010 interview, Joseph revealed that they were planning to release a new album in 2011. This album never happened, as Joseph did not have the legal right to release music using the trademarked name Cro-Mags.

In 2018, Flanagan filed a federal trademark infringement against John Joseph and Mackie Jayson In Federal Court, in the Southern District of New York. In April 2019, Flanagan announced a settlement wherein he would own exclusive rights to the name Cro-Mags; simultaneously, Joseph announced his recognition of the settlement, and that he and his band would perform as the Cro-Mags JM, having been granted a limited license to use the name in this manner, beginning in August 2019.[14][15] Later infringement by Joseph in 2022, resulted in a permanent injunction granted by the Federal District Court of the Southern District of New York. The rights to the Cro-Mags name now belong exclusively to Flanagan.

On June 28, 2019, the Cro-Mags released their first new music in nineteen years, while heading into a 5-show run with the Misfits[16] sharing three new songs "Don't Give In", "Drag You Under", and "No One's Victim",[17] and toured in North America and Europe. The line-up consisted of Flanagan on bass and vocals, Abulurach on guitar, Rocky George on lead guitar and long time drummer Garry "G-Man" Sullivan on drums.

At the end of 2019, they released "From the Grave" featuring former Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell on lead and slide guitar.[18] A three-song 7-inch EP of the same name was released on December 6, 2019, in various colors and have the tracks "PTSD" and "Between Wars" included. The band was set to perform with Body Count in New York City on March 15 at Webster Hall. The show was postponed due to the COVID-19 virus. The band decided to live stream a free performance from SIR studios,[19] one of the first bands to do so during the pandemic.[20] On March 31, 2020, the band offered a free download of the track, "The Final Test" and announced the June 19 release date of their first studio album in twenty years, In the Beginning.[21][22]

In July 2022, Flanagan announced that the Cro-Mags have been working on new material for their next album.[23]