In 1983, the release of The Proletariat‰۪s debut Soma HolidayåÊwas a shocker‰ÛÓwhile American hardcore punk wasåÊbecoming more generic, The Proletariat unleashed somethingåÊstrikingly original. The album‰۪s opening is a call toåÊarms: the primitive, militaristic bass guitar and drums areåÊsliced with razor-sharp guitar dissidence and vocals fullåÊof spit and bite. Avant-garde while remaining tuneful,åÊtheir debut is considered one of the most brilliant albums toåÊcome out the early 80‰۪s American hardcore scene.
The leafy suburbs of Southeastern Massachusetts, midwayåÊbetween Boston and Cape Cod, isn‰۪t where you wouldåÊexpect to find one of America‰۪s most revolutionary sounding
and lyrically incendiary rock and roll bands, but thatåÊis where The Proletariat began. In 1980, straight from ApponequetåÊHigh School, Richard Brown, Peter Bevilacqua,åÊand Frank Michaels began pounding out noise, andåÊsoon they added high schooler Tommy McKnight.åÊInspired by The Buzzcocks, The Jam, PiL, and Wire, theåÊyoung band tapped into the high energy hardcore punkåÊswirling around and infused it with art-punk excitement.åÊBy the time that their classic debut hit, The Proletariat wereåÊbeing referred to as ‰ÛÏAmerica‰۪s Gang of Four‰ and a moreåÊsupercharged Pop Group. The intelligent anger of the bandåÊwas a lifeline to many suburban American rejects, youngåÊpeople who knew that life under Reagan wasn‰۪t right. TheåÊsound of Soma Holiday not only sounds as fresh as ever, theåÊthoughtful politics of its lyrics are just as relevant today inåÊa world of drone strikes and Donald Trump, as they wereåÊwhen Oliver North and Leonid Brezhnev were householdåÊnames.
The leafy suburbs of Southeastern Massachusetts, midwayåÊbetween Boston and Cape Cod, isn‰۪t where you wouldåÊexpect to find one of America‰۪s most revolutionary sounding
and lyrically incendiary rock and roll bands, but thatåÊis where The Proletariat began. In 1980, straight from ApponequetåÊHigh School, Richard Brown, Peter Bevilacqua,åÊand Frank Michaels began pounding out noise, andåÊsoon they added high schooler Tommy McKnight.åÊInspired by The Buzzcocks, The Jam, PiL, and Wire, theåÊyoung band tapped into the high energy hardcore punkåÊswirling around and infused it with art-punk excitement.åÊBy the time that their classic debut hit, The Proletariat wereåÊbeing referred to as ‰ÛÏAmerica‰۪s Gang of Four‰ and a moreåÊsupercharged Pop Group. The intelligent anger of the bandåÊwas a lifeline to many suburban American rejects, youngåÊpeople who knew that life under Reagan wasn‰۪t right. TheåÊsound of Soma Holiday not only sounds as fresh as ever, theåÊthoughtful politics of its lyrics are just as relevant today inåÊa world of drone strikes and Donald Trump, as they wereåÊwhen Oliver North and Leonid Brezhnev were householdåÊnames.