Go! (band)
GO! is an American hardcore punk band that were active in the late 1980s and early 1990s and reunited in 2006.
Based in New York City, GO! were contemporaries of bands such as Life's Blood, Citizen's Arrest and Sticks and Stones. GO! play fast typical American hardcore similar to bands such as Youth of Today and Minor Threat. Lyrically politically forthright, GO! speak out against racism and sexism. Most notably, lead singer Mike BS is one of a handful of openly gay musicians involved in the hardcore scene. Mike made a point to speak about gay rights at every show.[1] They became well known for attacking the perceived homophobia of the punk band Bad Brains, and their set included one anti-Bad Brains song called "Holy Roller", which included the chorus "Justify your prejudice through religion - Eat shit dreadlocked mother fucker!". The song appears on their EP And The Time Is Now... When the band played the song live they would often point out "This is an anti 'Bad Brainian' song not an anti rastafarian song" In order to clarify that the song was specifically directed towards said individuals rather than it being perceived as possibly against all rastafarians or even having racist undertones (Rastafari, like all Abrahamic religions, teaches that sex is purely for procreation).
The band played most frequently at ABC No Rio in New York. GO! toured the U.S. in 1990 and in 1991, toured Europe.
Singer and lyricist Mike BS published his own fanzine called Bullshit Monthly which covering New York City hardcore. His publication carried the byline "proud to be gay owned and operated"[1] He was also a columnist for Maximum Rock 'N' Roll zine and became a prominent voice for gay rights in the punk scene.
GO!'s line up changed regularly, except for Mike and guitarist Aaron. GO! released several EPs and an album before breaking up in the early 1990s. In 2006 GO! reunited and began performing and recording again, releasing a new EP titled Reactive. They are part of the Queercore scene.
Members
1990s
- Mike BS - singer, lyricist
- Aaron - guitar
- John - bass
- Ronn - drums
- Ethan - drums
2000s
- Mike BS - singer, lyricist
- Aaron - guitar
- Steve - bass
- Jim Paradise - drums
Discography
Albums
- Existence: Musings on the Need To Be, LP/CD Epistrophy Records (1995)
- Time To Suffer Power LP (1991)
EPs
- What We Build Together, 7" EP/CD (2007)
- Reactive, 7" EP/CD (2006)
- (ego.), 7" EP (1994)
- There Is No Man, 10 song 7" EP (1991)
- Only Sheep Need a Leader, 13 song 7" EP (1991)
- Why Suffer?, 12 song 7" EP (1990)
- Root Canal, 11 song 7" EP (1990)
- Your Power Means Nothing, 11 song 7" EP (1990)
- And The Time is Now..., 9 song 7" EP, Noo Yawk Rehkids (1989)
Split EPs
- Split EP with Bad Trip (1990)
Compilations
- "Pizza Boy" on BLEEAARRGGHHH 7" EP Slap-A-Ham Records (1990)
- Look At All The Children Now LP (1990)