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
Way of Life
The Casualties Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can hear all the scenes talking against us
[Chorus]
Way of life, way of life
It's a fucking way of life
Boot boys mohicans with studs & spiky hair
While others have the same fucking patches and roll in the dirt
[Chorus]
Life ain't fucking easy for the punx of today
Even at our own fucking shows, we take their shit
[Chorus]
Nazis of the past wore boots and kicked you in the head
The new nazis wear punk clothes and talk a lot of shit
[Chorus]
The Casualties's song "Way of Life" is a raw and powerful anthem for the punk subculture, highlighting the struggles that many punks face on a daily basis. The first verse speaks to the isolation and alienation often felt by those who identify as punks, as they are often judged and put down by those who don't understand their way of life. Despite this, the punks find strength in their solidarity and their willingness to forge their own path, separate from the mainstream.
The chorus of the song is a rallying cry for the punk community, celebrating their way of life as a source of pride and identity. It emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself and rejecting conformity, even when it comes at a cost. The second verse touches on some of the specific signifiers of punk culture, including the distinctive hairstyles (Mohicans with studs & spiky hair) and the patches worn on clothing. It also acknowledges the inherent violence and conflict that can arise within the punk scene, even at shows meant to bring people together.
Line by Line Meaning
Getting put down by everyone, we are on our own
People are talking against us and we don't have any support from anyone else.
You can hear all the scenes talking against us
The different groups and communities are all criticizing us and our lifestyle.
Way of life, way of life
Our lifestyle is not just a choice, it's a way of living that defines who we are.
It's a fucking way of life
We are passionate about our lifestyle and won't change it for anyone else's approval.
Boot boys Mohican's with studs & spiky hair
We express ourselves through our distinct punk style with boots, mohawks, and studded clothing.
While others have the same fucking patches and roll in the dirt
There are others who also express themselves through punk fashion, but they don't truly understand or embrace the punk way of life.
Life ain't fucking easy for the punx of today
Living as a punk in modern times can be challenging and difficult with societal norms and judgments.
Even at our own fucking shows, we take their shit
Even in our own community, we face criticism and judgement from others who don't fully embrace the punk lifestyle.
Nazis of the past wore boots and kicked you in the head
In the past, Nazis physically attacked and harmed those they disagreed with, often using violence to assert their beliefs.
The new Nazis wear punk clothes and talk a lot of shit
Today, there are those who promote hateful beliefs and intolerance under the guise of punk fashion and ideals, but their actions often contradict these values.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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