Since I posted the Breakdown 7inch I came up with posting this one, to continue a series of posts on NYHC records. This one has been silently sitting in the collection for more than 7 years. I don’t know why I never came to post about it. There are more records that I buy but don’t post. Can’t exactly determine why I do it this way. I remember that I bought it from Edward Good Life who was selling some records from his private collection back then. I got into their music through the Where The Wild Things Are compilation.

Maximum Penalty Lower East Side story 7 inch: front cover

I like the cover since the title ‘East Side Story’ is elaborated with a picture of the Lower East Side New York. You get sucked into the neighborhood’s atmosphere. They are originally from the 80’s wave of New York Hardcore but one of the last bands from that wave that created relevant music and releases. NYHC was not so alive, let stand relevant during the 90’s decade in my eyes. Except for some good Madball, Merauder, Stigmata releases, this and maybe some more, the scene was dead.

Maximum Penalty Lower East Side story 7 inch: back cover

They had a demo tape released at the end of the 80’s, according to Discogs.com but their first records seem to be from the mid nineties. So there is quite a hiatus between them releasing a demo and having their first proper releases. Which raises questions. I only know the demo from the combo release with this release on CD. That 1989 demo is damn good and exists on a 7 inch to. I begin to feel a slight urge to hunt one down…

It feels weird to go back to that phase of learning about collecting records and Hardcore’s history. I probably did some useless and stupid purchases also. Records that are not so collectible and relevant. There are historical factors, musical and aesthetic tastes and collectors factors like rarity or exclusivity. All determine the fact that something slips into oblivion or remains fancied. Not everything collectors fancy is relevant to. This one can be acquired for 5 to 10 euro. But despite that I feel it to be relevant.