Editing Born Against

{{Short description|American hardcore punk band}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2008}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Born Against
| image           =
| caption         =
| image_size      =
| origin          = [[New York City]], United States
| genre           = [[Hardcore punk]]
| years_active    = 1989–1993
| label           = [[Vermiform Records|Vermiform]]
| associated_acts =
| website         =
| current_members =
| past_members    = <!--Members need to be arranged in order of joining, as per Wikipedia guidelines. See "Template:Musical Artist" for reference.-->[[Sam McPheeters]]<br>[[Adam Nathanson]]<br>[[Neil Burke]]<br>John Guzman<br>George<br>Nigel Schreiber<br>Javier Villegas<br>Daryl Kahan<br>Jon Hiltz<br>Bret Blue<br>[[Melissa York]]<br>[[Tonie Joy]]<br>[[Brooks Headley]]
}}
'''Born Against''' was an American [[hardcore punk]] band from [[New York, New York|New York]] active between 1989 and 1993.<ref name="St.Louis News">{{cite news|url=http://www.riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/anarchy-in-the-ozarks-whod-have-guessed-there-used-to-be-a-hardcore-punk-scene-in-the-backwaters-of-missouri/Content?oid=2483867|title=Anarchy in the Ozarks: Who'd have guessed there used to be a hardcore punk scene in the backwaters of Missouri?|date=2009-01-13|publisher=St.Louis News|accessdate=2009-01-16}}</ref> Though Born Against received little media exposure while still together, they have since been described as "legendary" by the ''[[Chicago Reader]]'' and the ''[[LA Weekly]]''.<ref name="ChicagoReader">{{cite news | url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2012/04/11/a-qanda-with-sam-mcpheeters | title=A Q&A with Sam McPheeters | newspaper=[[Chicago Reader]] | date=11 April 2012 | accessdate=27 December 2015 | author=Raymer, Miles | archive-date=9 August 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809144753/https://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2012/04/11/a-qanda-with-sam-mcpheeters | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="LAWeekly">{{cite news | url=http://www.laweekly.com/arts/sam-mcpheeters-of-the-90s-punk-band-born-against-on-his-bizarre-novel-about-las-angriest-chevron-owner-2372842 | title=Sam Mcpheeters, of the '90s Punk Band Born Against, on His Bizarre Novel About L.A.'S Angriest Chevron Owner | newspaper=[[LA Weekly]] | date=9 April 2012 | accessdate=27 December 2015 | author=Lapin, Joseph}}</ref>

==History==
The group was founded in early 1989 by guitarist [[Adam Nathanson]], bassist [[Neil Burke]], vocalist [[Sam McPheeters]], and drummer John Guzman,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://xjwalkx.tripod.com/born.html |title=Born Against Is Fucking Dead |publisher=Xjwalkx.tripod.com |date= |accessdate=2012-02-23}}</ref> who was replaced in early rehearsals by a drummer named George.{{citation needed|date=December 2015}}  George's tenure was also brief, and he was replaced after a single show by Nigel Schreiber in July 1989.<ref name="sammcpheeters.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.sammcpheeters.com/music/ba-shows.htm |title=All Born Against Shows |publisher=Sammcpheeters.com |accessdate=2012-02-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303021226/http://www.sammcpheeters.com/music/ba-shows.htm |archivedate=2012-03-03 }}</ref>  This lineup recorded a demo cassette and a track for the ''Murders Among Us'' 7-inch compilation released on McPheeters' [[Vermiform Records]] label before Burke and Schreiber left the group later that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bandtoband.com/band/born-against/murders-among-us |title=Born Against - Murders Among Us - compilation |publisher=BandToBand.com |date= |accessdate=2012-02-23}}</ref>  Born Against would continue to be plagued by rhythm section fluctuation throughout its existence.

In March 1990, the band reemerged with bassist Javier Villegas and drummer Darryl Kahan. The band issued its first two vinyl releases, the ''Eulogy'' single (whose anti-religious title track was dedicated to Steve Reddy of [[Equal Vision Records]]), a self-titled 7-inch EP, and several compilation tracks. Later that year, Kahan was replaced by drummer John Hiltz, birthing the longest lasting incarnation of the band. The group toured extensively, and released a debut LP, 1991's ''Nine Patriotic Hymns for Children'', on Vermiform. Villegas left the group in late 1991 and was replaced by bassist Bret Blue.

With Hiltz and Blue, Born Against continued its extensive touring, including a trip to Europe. By this point, the band's aggressive political message and related critique of their contemporaries had attracted media attention,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://xjwalkx.tripod.com/~xjwalkx/Presspage/noanswers.html |title=Interview by Kent McClard |publisher=Xjwalkx.tripod.com |date= |accessdate=2012-02-23}}</ref> and they endured animosity in New York City and beyond.{{citation needed|date=December 2015}} They then began work on a new record, which was stalled in July 1992 when Hiltz left the group. The final sessions that produced the resultant 10-inch record, ''Battle Hymns of the Race War'', featured Melissa York on drums, although York never performed live with the group.

By early 1993, Nathanson and McPheeters had relocated to [[Jersey City]], [[New Jersey]] and begun a new version of the band with bassist [[Tonie Joy]] (of [[Moss Icon]] and [[Universal Order of Armageddon]]) and drummer [[Brooks Headley]] (also from Universal Order of Armageddon). Although only extant for seven months, this was a prolific incarnation, as they continued to tour and released split 7-inches with [[Screeching Weasel]] (in which both bands swapped lyrics) and Universal Order of Armageddon. Their radical leftist stance became increasingly drenched in cynicism, which slowly threatened to overtake their message{{citation needed|date=December 2015}} – the results of this evolution are evidenced in the nonsense song "Lillian" and other non-sequitur pieces from this time. Their final release was a split 8" record with [[Man is the Bastard]]. Born Against played its final show in July 1993.<ref name="sammcpheeters.com"/>

Two posthumous CDs containing the entire Born Against catalog (aside from their demo tape) have since been released – ''Patriotic Battle Hymns''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Born-Against-Patriotic-Battle-Hymns/master/60322 |title=Discogs page about "Patriotic Battle Hymns" |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date= 1994|website=discogs.com |accessdate=16 October 2013}}</ref> (featuring ''Nine Patriotic Hymns for Children'' and ''Battle Hymns of the Race War'') and ''The Rebel Sound of Shit and Failure''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Born-Against-The-Rebel-Sound-Of-Shit-And-Failure/master/60324 |title=Discogs page about "The Rebel Sound Of Shit And Failure" |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date= 1995|website=discogs.com |accessdate=16 October 2013}}</ref> (featuring all other material).<ref name="StylusMagazine">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/on_second_thought/born-against-the-rebel-sound-of-shit-and-failurepatriotic-battle-hymns.htm | title=Born Against - The Rebel Sound of Shit and Failure/Patriotic Battle Hymns | magazine=[[Stylus Magazine]] | date=1 September 2003 | accessdate=27 December 2015 | author=Smith, Chris | archive-date=4 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111713/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/on_second_thought/born-against-the-rebel-sound-of-shit-and-failurepatriotic-battle-hymns.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="AllMusic-TheRebelSound">{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-rebel-sound-of-shit-and-failure-vermiform-mw0000945428 | title=The Rebel Sound of Shit and Failure [Vermiform] | website=[[AllMusic]] | accessdate=27 December 2015 | author=Kott, Paul}}</ref>  Initially released on the now-defunct Vermiform, these records have since been taken on by the [[Kill Rock Stars]] and [[Prank Records]] imprints.<ref name="AllMusic-Biography">{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/born-against-mn0000090160/biography | title=Born Against | website=[[AllMusic]] | accessdate=27 December 2015 | author=Kott, Paul}}</ref>

==Members==
* [[Sam McPheeters]] – vocals <small>(1989–1993)</small>
* [[Adam Nathanson]] – guitar, vocals <small>(1989–1993)</small>
* [[Neil Burke]] – bass, vocals <small>(1989)</small>
* John Guzman – drums <small>(1989)</small>
* George – drums <small>(1989)</small>
* Nigel Schreiber – drums <small>(1989)</small>
* Javier Villegas – bass, vocals <small>(1990–1991)</small>
* Daryl Kahan – drums <small>(1990)</small>
* Jon Hiltz – drums <small>(1990–1992)</small>
* Bret Blue – bass, vocals <small>(1991–1992)</small>
* [[Melissa York]] – drums <small>(1992)</small>
* [[Tonie Joy]] – bass, vocals <small>(1993)</small>
* [[Brooks Headley]] – drums <small>(1993)</small>

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
*''Nine Patriotic Hymns for Children'' LP (1991, [[Vermiform Records]], later reissued by [[Prank Records]] and [[Kill Rock Stars]])
*''Battle Hymns of the Race War'' 10-inch (1993, Vermiform Records, later reissued by Prank Records and Kill Rock Stars)

===EPs and splits===
*''Eulogy''/''Riding With Mary'' 7-inch (1990)
*''Born Against'' 7-inch (1990)
*''Born Against/Suckerpunch'' 8" flexi-disc split with Suckerpunch (1992, [[Ebullition Records]])
*''Born Against/Screeching Weasel'' split 7-inch/CD with [[Screeching Weasel]] (1993, [[Lookout! Records]])
*''Born Against/Universal Order of Armageddon'' split 7-inch with [[Universal Order of Armageddon]] (1993, [[Gravity Records]])
*''Born Against/Man Is the Bastard'' split 8" with [[Man Is the Bastard]] (1994)

===Compilation albums===
*''Patriotic Battle Hymns'' compilation CD/LP (1994, Vermiform Records, later reissued by Kill Rock Stars)
*''The Rebel Sound of Shit and Failure'' compilation CD/LP (1995, Vermiform Records, later reissued by Kill Rock Stars)

===Compilation appearances===
*''Murders Among Us'' (1990, Combined Effort Records/Vermiform Records)
*''Forever'' ([[Irate]])
*''Bllleeeeaaauuurrrrgghhh!'' (Slap-a-Ham)
*''Our Voice, Pro Choice ([[Hands On Records|Hands On]])
*''[[Give Me Back]]'' (1991, [[Ebullition Records]])
*''The Dignity of Human Being Is Vulnerable'' (1993, Anti War Action Records/[[De Konkurrent Records]])
*''God's Chosen People'' ([[Old Glory]])

==See also==
*[[List of hardcore punk bands]]
*[[New York hardcore]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.killrockstars.com/artists/born-against/ Born Against website]
*[http://www.bandtoband.com/band/born-against Born Against - BandToBand.com]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Hardcore punk groups from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1989]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1993]]
[[Category:American political music groups]]