Youth Of Today

Formed in Danbury, Connecticut, in 1985, Youth Of Today was part of the rise of American hardcore punk in the second half of the 1980s, with a fast, tight, and upfront sound associated with the straight edge aesthetic and the Youth Crew movement. Around Ray Cappo and John Porcell, the band quickly moved from the local circuit to the New York hardcore scenes and the East Coast, before touring the United States and Europe. Their trajectory was defined by recordings that became references for the genre, from Can't Close My Eyes (1985) to Break Down the Walls (1986), and then We're Not in This Alone (1988), where the lineup refined a more compact and collective writing style, driven by shouted choruses, tense tempos, and a militant, no-nonsense approach. Through lineup changes, Youth Of Today also gathered musicians linked to Gorilla Biscuits, Judge, or Underdog, including Walter Schreifels and Sammy Siegler. After splitting in 1990, the band reformed sporadically from the 1990s onward and more regularly since 2010, reuniting on stage that articulation between punk urgency, rhythmic discipline, and a communal dimension that has characterized its career.