Early years
The Casualties were formed in 1990, with original members Jorge Herrera (vocals) Hank (guitar), Colin Wolf (vocals), Mark Yoshitomi (bass) and Yureesh Hooker (drums). The members aimed to return to what they viewed as the "golden era" of street punk, embodied by bands such as The Exploited and Charged GBH which they believed had disappeared by 1985.[3] During the early years, the lineup was fluid, with several changes. That first year, Colin stepped out for several months to finish his education while Rachel, TheRivits' singer, took his place.[3]
In 1991, Hank left the band, to be replaced by Fred (last name unknown) on guitar. Colin, Jorge, Yureesh, Hank and Mark put together a demo, titled Political Sin, for the Benefit for Beer compilation.[4] After making this recording, Fred left to go to school and Steve, from Distraught, fills in for a short time, until Fred returns to the band full-time. The 4 song EP, 40 Oz. Casualty was recorded at the end of 1991 and self-released.[3] 1992 saw the band touring and building up a fan base in NYC. In 1993, Mark and Fred left the band and were replaced by Mike (last name unknown) on bass and Jake Kolatis on the guitar, followed by the departure of Yureesh and Colin in 1994, to be replaced on drums by Shawn, while the band went down to a single vocalist.[3][4] 1994 sees the recording of the 4 song EP, Drinking Is Our Way Of Life, however it would not be released. The songs would later appear on the Casualties "early years 1990-1995" CD in 1999.[4] In 1995, the band's second release, the 4 track A Fuckin' Way Of Life E.P. was released on Eyeball Records. After recording A Fuckin' Way of Life, Shawn left the band, and Marc Eggers (nicknamed Meggers) of the Rivits became the regular drummer. The line-up of Jorge, Jake, Mike and Meggers continued until 1997.
In 1996 the Casualties became the first American band to appear at the "Holidays in the Sun" Festival in London. 1997 saw the release of the band's debut album, For the Pun is released on Tribal War Records, and the band embarks on its first American tour with The Varukers. Mike (the bassist) left the band in 1998, to be replaced with Johnny Rosado, from The Krays.[4][5] They released their second LP that year, Underground Army, and begin a world tour. Jon leaves the band during the European leg of the tour, to be temporarily replaced by Dave Punk Core.
Present lineup
After the world tour, Dave would be replaced by Rick Lopez from the band, Manix. The line-up was now solidified for the band and would continue to the present day.[6] The end of the millennium, 1999, saw the band produce a compilation album, Early Years 1990-1995, which included tracks which appeared on earlier ED's, as well as never before released songs, such as the four songs they had recorded on the never released EP Drinking is Our Way of Life back in 1994.
The 2000s have seen the band continue to tour[3][6] and produce albums (an album list can be seen below). They have toured with several other bands, such as The Exploited, GBH, Cockney Rejects, Slaughter & the Dogs,[4] and the English Dogs.[6] In December 2009, The Casualties toured alongside Hatebreed, The Acacia Strain, Crowbar, and Thy Will Be Done as part of the Stillborn Fest.[3] In the summer of 2012, The Casualties co-headlined the Tonight We Unite tour along with Nekromantix, where they played For The Punx in its entirety, the first time they had played the album through since its release in 1997.[3] Later that year, The Casualties released their new album titled Resistance through Season of Mist.[7][8] In 2013, The Casualties played at the largest Punk Rock festival in the world,[9] the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, England, where they shared the stage with The Exploited, Special Duties, Chron Gen and Anti-Establishment, and others
Carry on the Flag
The Casualties Lyrics
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We're still fighting strong
While others are gone
We're here to unite
That is the reason we're here tonite
We carry on the flag
We're still going strong
While others are gone
We're to unite
That is the reason we're here tonite
We carry on the flag
We're still going strong
While others are gone
We're here to unite
What's in my heart must come out tonite
We carry on the flag
We're still going strong
While others are gone
We're here to unite
That is the reason we're here tonite
The lyrics to The Casualties's song Carry on the Flag speak to the resilience and persistence of those who continue to fight for what they believe in, even as others have fallen by the wayside. The symbolism of carrying on the flag is significant, as it represents a commitment to a larger cause or community. The repetition of the line "We're still going strong / While others are gone" emphasizes the idea that perseverance is key to achieving one's goals, even if it comes at a great personal cost.
The message of unity also runs through the lyrics, as the singer emphasizes that they are here to unite with others who share their vision. The reason for their gathering that night is to come together and support one another in the face of adversity. The line "What's in my heart must come out tonite" suggests that there is a sense of urgency to their mission, that this is a moment that cannot be wasted.
Overall, Carry on the Flag is an anthem of resistance, a call to action for those who refuse to give up despite the odds. It speaks to the power of collective action and the importance of standing up for what you believe in, even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
We carry on the flag
We continue to uphold and represent the values and ideals symbolized by our flag.
We're still fighting strong
We remain committed and determined to our cause despite challenges and setbacks.
While others are gone
Others who shared our cause have given up or fallen by the wayside.
We're here to unite
We aim to bring people together in support of our cause and shared beliefs.
That is the reason we're here tonite
The purpose of our gathering is to reaffirm our commitment to our cause and to each other.
What's in my heart must come out tonite
I feel passionately about our cause and the message we represent, and I must express it tonight.
Contributed by Aaliyah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.