Gorilla Biscuits

Formed in 1986 on New York’s Lower East Side, Gorilla Biscuits emerged from the hardcore punk and youth crew wave associated with the East Coast straight edge scene. Centered around vocalist Anthony “Civ” Civarelli and guitarist and principal songwriter Walter Schreifels, the band forged a fast, compact sound characterized by melodic guitars, chant-along gang vocals, and lyrics focused on friendship, life choices, and independent/DIY culture. After a first demo in 1987, Gorilla Biscuits released a self-titled EP in 1988 on Revelation Records, followed by the 1989 album Start Today, which became closely tied to the rise of New York’s melodic hardcore. Active across a network of clubs including CBGB and other Manhattan venues, the group split in the early 1990s; its members went on to play in outfits such as Quicksand, CIV, and Youth of Today, further cementing Gorilla Biscuits’ ties to the broader American hardcore scene. From the late 1990s onward, Gorilla Biscuits have periodically returned to the stage for reunion shows and tours across North America and Europe, upholding a repertoire centered on direct energy, concise song forms, and collective writing rooted in the hardcore aesthetic.