Reagan Youth
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Reagan Youth was a band started by singer Dave Rubinstein (Dave Insurgent) and his friend and guitarist Paul Bakija in Queens in the early 1980s. They have been labeled peace punk as well as hardcore. An important group in the New York/New Jersey hardcore scene, they performed very regularly at CBGBs and toured the U.S. extensively, often with other early punk bands such as the Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains and the Misfits.
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Discography
They were in existence for almost ten years, but only managed to release one album during their existence as a band (in 1984): originally titled Youth Anthems for the New Order, it was rereleased as Reagan Youth (Volume 1) by the small independent label New Red Archives in 1989. This album eventually sold 40,000 copies. A second album, titled Volume 2, was completed and released in 1990, after the official breakup of the band. Both are still available on vinyl, as well as a CD titled A Collection of Pop Classics that combines both records. A collection of live recordings was issued in 1998 as Live and Rare.
Style
Known for their use of Ku Klux Klan and Nazi Party imagery, the band expressed its political views through ironically donning actual uniforms from the two hate groups. Their intention was to draw the audience's attention to the perceived parallels between the policies of Ronald Reagan and the Religious Right and the beliefs of the hate groups. Their songs included "Jesus Was a Communist," an interesting stab at the Christian fundamentalists in the United States, and "New Aryans," an anti-Ronald Reagan/yuppie and also anti-racist anthem. It should be noted that Dave Rubinstein was well aware of the irony and shock value inherent in these images and lyrics; several close relatives were Holocaust survivors.
History
Formed while Dave and Paul were still in high school, they quickly gained a good reputation and were soon playing the punk clubs of Manhattan. Dave's science teacher became a roadie for the group. After graduation and the release of their first album, they began touring nationally and were regulars at the Sunday-afternoon hardcore matinee shows at CBGBs.
By the late 1980s the extensive touring had taken its toll on the group, both physically and emotionally. Despite the many shows played and the relatively large album sales (for a hardcore punk band), the members of the band continually found themselves broke. When Reagan left office, the band split up.
By this point Dave had become a heroin user and occasional dealer. In a conflict with another dealer, he was severely beaten with a baseball bat, requiring weeks of hospitalization. In 1993 he began seeing a girl, Tiffany B., who supported both their drug habits by prostitution. Later that year his mother was killed in a car accident. Soon after, Dave and his girlfriend were on Houston Street looking for customers and drugs. A familiar customer in a truck hired Tiffany and the two of them disappeared. A few days later, police on Long Island stopped the same truck and discovered Tiffany's body in the back. The driver was Joel Rifkin, later convicted as a serial killer responsible for the murder of several prostitutes. Despondent over his continuing drug addiction and the loss of his mother and girlfriend, Dave Rubinstein committed suicide in 1993.
References/External Links
- Reagan Youth page at New Red Archives site (http://www.newredarchives.com/bands/reaganyouth/bio.htm)
- Reagan Youth at CDBaby (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/reaganyouth/from/evor)
- Reagan Youth at LoveCatMusic (http://www.lovecatmusic.com/releaseA.php?q=3673)