Choking Victim, Leftövercrack(and Crackrocksteady in general)

[Dylstew]

What do you guys think of Choking Victim, Leftöver crack or any of the other ''Crack rocksteady'' bands? I personally love Choking Victim!. Leftöver Crack was good too, but not as good as choking victim imo. Especially the second album ''**** World Trade'' Was disappointing to me. I love the aggresive sounding vocals on happy, simple punk music.

For those who don't know, Choking Victim is a third wave ska punk band formed by STZA Crack(Scott Sturgeon) and Ezra kire.
They only have one studio album, called ''No Gods, No Managers'', released in 1999.
After the first day of recording the album, they already broke up. But they had enough material recorded already for an album.

The album has a happy ska punk and pop punk sound mixed with some hardcore punk, and sometimes crust punk elements. I guess you could also call them an anarcho punk band. The music is pretty simple. As you might expect, they use lots and lots of powerchords.
STZA Calls the style ''Crack Rocksteady''. Although Rocksteady as a genre probably doesn't have much to do with this band at all.

The lyrics are often about STZA's hate for cops and the USA, and about his use of Drugs. Sometimes about other things like their squatting life, or even..shoplifting? other than that they're ususally pretty depressing. Luckily they're also anti racist and anti discriminative. There are some songs with more interesting topics though, but as you can probably tell their lyrics are never what drove me to them. I heard that at live shows STZA tends to get pretty preachy about his beliefs about politics. From what I know, STZA's a pretty strange guy. I've heard one time he was arrested for....throwing donuts at cops. Sure STZA, throwing donuts at cops will change something...

After the break up STZA and Ezra formed the band Leftöver Crack.
It's pretty much the same band. They released two albums, ''Mediocre Generica'' and ''**** World Trade''. Although **** World Trade is the more popular of the two, I really prefer Mediocre Generica.
The sound remains pretty much the same, although the crust punk influences are a lot more noticable throughout the album this time, since the other didn't have much of that. There's also a lot more samples and interlude music at the end and beginning of songs. Sometimes they also use different instruments like pianos now.

Now STZA's made another band called Star F*cking Hipsters. To be honest, I don't like them much at all, aside from a few songs. I guess it's ..too pop punk?

There's other bands that either have band members from these bands or just a similar style. I guess you could call this the ''Crack rocksteady'' family.
Ezra did two bands called INDK and Morning Glory, If I'm correct. Than there's this thrashcore/hardcore punk band called F-Minus. I think before choking victim was choking victim it was ''The Crack Rocksteady 7'', but it only has songs from a split. Than there's this band not related to these bands , but that does the choking victim/leftöver crack style quite well, called No Cash. That's as far as I know.

Random songs(I'll try to embed them later, gotta go now):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIOsw2wK4os

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tersmvh6fFI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyO7ZMl3iLA

What do you think of Choking Victim and Leftöver crack?

[Joey90]

Hey man, I know your post is old but I have just found this forum and saw this post about Leftovercrack / Chocking Victim and couldn't not respond.

I saw leftover crack (for the second time) in London last month. (11Aug Underworld Camden). Before the gig I had mainly listed to **** world trade which I thought was good but is absolutely nothing on Choking Victim. I originally owed a choking victim EP but after they played a few of there songs at the gig I bought their album No Gods, No Managers straight away.

I love his voice and just like you mentioned the way he mixes his unique punk sound with upbeat ska of which I haven't found anyone similar.

You got any recommendations of other bands you like that I can listen too? I'm all about punk, fast, upbeat music and if there is ska involved even better! Not a massive fan of how new punk seems to have an undertone of heavy metal in it, which in my opinion ruins it as it doesn't seem as raw (don't know if that makes any sense or not haha).

Don't know if you'll ever see this but if not someone might read this post like I have and respond in 2 years time!

Peace,
Joe

PS just found a new band recently called 'meat wave' and they have a great song called 'brother' check it out if you want

[Tristan_Geoff]

Crack Rock Steady 7 is actually the name Leftover Crack uses when they play in venues they were banned in.

[The Batlord]

Only ska I give a **** about. Operation Ivy is pretty cool too.

[Dylstew]

Don't comment on my old threads, I disagree with my openings post, LOC is awesome and **** World Trade is great.

Here's some CRS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MbA-pY-txg

[Joey90]

Wow that link to Thee Infidels, never heard of them before and that song is incredible! cheers!

[Dylstew]

Originally Posted by Joey90

Wow that link to Thee Infidels, never heard of them before and that song is incredible! cheers!

Ah, glad you like it!
Here's my favourite song they did (I didn't post it cause I wanted to post a ska song):


Thee Infidels - 11 - Misery Loves Company | Thee Infidels

[The Batlord]

I have a friend who hated punk of any kind for years. Then all of a sudden he asks me to hook him up with some old punk, hardcore, new wave, post-punk, post-hardcore, so I burned a bunch of CDs for him (cause I ****ing love burning CDs for people) and on the hardcore CD I had this:



And he dug it, even though he didn't like any other ska.

[Joey90]

Absolute tune Baylor's. Don't suppose you have the song list of the CD you burnt him. Semi new to the punk seen so would be great to check out some other bands.

And Dylstew, another great song, may have to buy there album!

[Joey90]

Baylor's?? Thats was meant to say batlord