Great hardcore band from Connecticut who released one incredible demo in 1982, played some shows and called it a day. If ever an '80s hardcore band should have stuck it out and released more material, this would be it. Youth Korps were way ahead of their time, being maybe the first band to throw quick 2 second bursts of speed into slower paced hardcore songs. Listen to JB Theme, it's pretty much the blueprint for what bands like Crossed Out perfected 10 years later. Amazing how one obscure demo from 1982 had such an influence, although it's rarely acknowledged in the same way bands like Deep Wound and Siege are. The demo remains an absolute classic of the genre and will always be a personal favorite.
The demo seems extremely popular now though, and litters the internet on various blogs and message boards. I figured i'd post the version i have, as it's the best sounding rip i've heard. As a bonus, i've added on a great sounding rehearsal track (the vocals on this one are vicious), and a quick 4 song live set, with 2 unreleased tracks and an alternate, slower version of Hang On Belushi (thanks to Damaging Noise). All ripped at 320. Enjoy.
Youth Korps 1982
Jon Bauer - vocals
Ed "Wedge" Feltch - guitar
Mike Hurley - bass
Bobby "Pin" Pyn - drums
The demo was recorded on September 18, 1982 at Radiobeat Studios in Boston. Produced and engineered by Lou Giordano. Finally released as a 7" in 1991 by Crucial Response Records out of Germany.
I've seen the demo labeled as the "Quick and the Dead" demo, although i've never seen an actual copy. The demo cover that i've seen online (shown in this post) has an illustration by Al Feldstein, which was used for a cover of an old issue of EC Comic "Tales From the Crypt".
Youth Korps contributed tracks from their demo on the Birth Defect comp tape (1983), and the Brain of Stone comp tape (1984 BCT).
According to online sources, the band formed on November 14, 1981 and broke up on October 25, 1982.
As a side note - there's a file floating around the web of a supposed rehearsal set. Only the first track is legit (the one in this collection), the other 3 or 4 songs are badly recorded versions of demo tracks being passed off as rehearsals.
For more Youth Korps posts, check out Pay No More Than blog, and Rare Punk which has some great scans.
