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
On The Front Line
The Casualties Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
where the cops dont care if a bullet hits a bone
where theres unemployment and no work for you and me
a youth culture will rise to fight you all
on the front line(4x)
this is my town not a pretty place to be
see him fucking drown each day more and more
rebel youth wake up and hear the call
on the front line(4x)
these boots i wear are stong and they are for work
for the dead end jobs with no future or hope
ive been victimized and oppressed for too long
generation of scars fucking hear the call
on the front line(4x)
-casualties army new breed of today
-generation of scars will fucking have their say
-rejected and unwanted by the system
-casualties army rebel youth take a stand
we were taught to be hard to survive in theis world
if you dont like my ways then fuck you all
this is a call to all the rebels of today
to unite and be counted and fucking be heard
on the front line(4x)
The Casualties use "On The Front Line" to express the frustration and despair of those who come from the ghetto, where there is no future for the poor. They paint a picture of a place where police do not care if their bullets hit innocent people, unemployment is rampant, and people are forced into taking drugs as a means of escape. The band sings about a youth culture rising up to fight back against these conditions.
The song is written through the perspective of someone who has experienced living in the ghetto first-hand. The lyrics talk about the experience of witnessing fellow peers pass away due to drugs and the hopelessness of being victimized and oppressed for too long. The band uses a militant tone to encourage their listeners to rebel and stand up to the system that has rejected them.
The chorus, "on the front line," repeats four times after every verse, and serves as a rallying cry for unity and fending off those who oppress them. The Casualties implore their listeners to unite, be counted, and make their voices heard by those in power.
Line by Line Meaning
coming from the ghetto there's no future for the poor
Growing up in poor neighborhoods, there seems to be no way out from the cycle of poverty and hardship.
where the cops dont care if a bullet hits a bone
Police brutality is rampant and those in positions of authority are not held accountable for their violent actions.
where theres unemployment and no work for you and me
Lack of job opportunities creates a sense of hopelessness and desperation for young people trying to survive in dire circumstances.
a youth culture will rise to fight you all
Young people, marginalized by societal systems, will resist and fight against oppression and inequality.
on the front line(4x)
The battlefront of the revolution, where rebels and activists stand up against oppression and fight for their rights.
this is my town not a pretty place to be
This is my home, but it is not a picturesque or comfortable environment to live in.
where a kids life is lost taking him into drugs
Young people are vulnerable to drug addiction due to the hardships they face and the lack of support and resources available to them.
see him fucking drown each day more and more
The effects of drug addiction are overwhelming and devastating, and society seems to turn a blind eye to those who suffer.
rebel youth wake up and hear the call
Young people are being called upon to awaken and join the fight against the oppressive societal systems that have held them down for too long.
these boots i wear are stong and they are for work
These boots represent the strength and resilience of the working class, who have been denied opportunities and forced into dead-end jobs.
for the dead end jobs with no future or hope
These jobs provide little hope for the future and lead to feelings of despair and frustration.
ive been victimized and oppressed for too long
The artist has experienced firsthand the effects of systemic oppression and marginalization.
generation of scars fucking hear the call
The scars inflicted by oppressive systems have created a generation of rebels who are determined to fight back and demand change.
casualties army new breed of today
The Casualties represent a new wave of rebellion and activism, a fresh voice among those fighting against oppression.
generation of scars will fucking have their say
Those who have been scarred by the effects of oppression will not be silenced, and their voices will be heard.
rejected and unwanted by the system
Those who are marginalized and oppressed by societal systems are cast aside and devalued by the powers that be.
casualties army rebel youth take a stand
The Casualties and other rebel groups are calling on young people to take a stand and fight for their rights and freedoms.
we were taught to be hard to survive in theis world
Society has instilled in us a need to be tough and resilient in order to survive the harsh realities of life.
if you dont like my ways then fuck you all
Those who challenge the status quo and refuse to conform to societal norms are often met with resistance and hostility.
this is a call to all the rebels of today
This is a rallying cry for all those who refuse to accept the oppressive systems in place and who are fighting for change.
to unite and be counted and fucking be heard
The call for unity and solidarity among those who are fighting against oppression, to be heard and their voices amplified.
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Ken Oath
great song classic hc
deeonesauce
Ah the prefix to me fist fighting someone
sick fuk patrol
Would kill to see you guys live : /
KingLavaLemuel
Yo
Autismo
Every school shooters soundtrack..
Oi! Drunx
On to Fortnite! :D
Ben Hammer
xD... but Dauntless is much better