Hardcore punk band 7Seconds’ 1984 debut album The Crew is receiving a deluxe reissue via Trust Records and BYO Records. The LP is being repressed on vinyl and will available on digital platforms for the first time on June 25th.
As the brevity in their name happens to imply, 7Seconds rip through 18 songs in 20 minutes, pioneering the melodic hardcore style on their debut full-length. The Reno punk act can be seen as a precursor to groups like the Gorilla Biscuits, promoting a positive lyrical message and communal camaraderie, as seen on the album cover for The Crew.
The deluxe edition features remastered audio from the original analog tapes by producer David Gardner. Also included with physical copies is a 20-page book with an oral history of the band, flyers, photos, and various ephemera. The oral history follows 7Seconds from their inception, with anecdotes and insight provided by punk luminaries such as Ian MacKaye, Jello Biafra, Keith Morris, Damian Abraham, Brian Baker, Fat Mike, Roger Miret, BYO founders Mark and Sean Stern, and many more.
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As a tease for the reissue, the remastered version of the LP’s iconic track “Young Till I Die” has been unveiled. Restored from the original tapes, the song explodes like never before, crackling with joyous energy.
“‘Young Till I Die’ was written in ’83,” frontman Kevin Seconds recalled, as recounted in the press release. “I was working at a casino and I remember writing the lyrics on the back of a Keno ticket. I was working this eight-hour shift as the guy that gave change out to people playing slot machines. The worst, most depressing job. The only thing that saved me was I was constantly writing lyrics on the back of these Keno tickets.”
7Seconds would enjoy a long and storied run, releasing 11 full-length studio albums before disbanding in 2018. Remarkably, the band’s core members Kevin Seconds, bassist Steve Youth, and drummer Troy Mowat would remain intact from 1983 until their official breakup.
Both 7Seconds and the The Crew have earned praise from a number of punk luminaries, with Jello Biafra declaring, “7Seconds’ The Crew set the template,” and Refused’s Dennis Lyxzén stating, “7Seconds is one of my favorite bands of all time.”
Pre-order the deluxe edition of The Crew via Trust Records. Listen to the remastered version of “Young Till I Die” below.
The Crew Deluxe Reissue Artwork:
The Crew Deluxe Reissue Tracklist:
Side A:
01. Here’s Your Warning
02. Definite Choice
03. Not Just Boys Fun
04. This Is The Angry Part 2
05. Straight On
06. You Lose
07. What If There’s War In America
08. The Crew
09. Clenched Fists, Black Eyes
SIDE B
10. Colorblind
11. Aim To Please
12. Boss
13. Young Till I Die
14. Red & Black
15. Diehard
16. I Have A Dream
17. Bully
18. Trust
