Supertouch
Supertouch are the great unsung band of late 80s New York Hardcore. In a scene known for it's preoccupation with survival on the city's mean streets, they looked inward and asked questions. As others spouted reactionary politics and religious dogma they stood firm against racism and blind conformity. While everyone else worked on perfecting their mosh breaks and metal chops they strived to progress musically beyond resorting to past clichs. Their music combined the soulful fervor of Bad Brains (not surprising considering they were named after a song on the ROIR cassette) with the melodic surge of DCs Revolution Summer bands and the dynamic power of childhood heroes The Who. Though beloved in their home town, they were still an enigma on matinee bills however by 1990 any band worth their salt was taking cues from them on how to update their music and take it into the future. For a band so ahead of it's their time their roots actually stretch back to the dawn of New York Hardcore and singer Mark Ryan's first band Death Before Dishonor (not to be confused with the current Boston band of the same name) who played landmark shows at legendary clubs like CBGB and A7 and also featured future members of Judge. DBD evolved into Supertouch with the arrival of guitarist Jon Biviano whose skilled playing and songwriting exhibited more than a passing familiarity with the finer points of classic rock. The band was soon caught up in the second great wave of NYHC, contributing the anthem "Searchin For The Light" to Revelation Records era-defining compilations the Together 7" and New York City Hardcore: The Way It Is LP. The ultra-rare What Did We Learn 7" followed in 1989 and their full length album on Revelation, The Earth Is Flat, was released in 1991. The band toured the US and Europe several times in the years following before breaking up amidst the confusion of the mid-90s while recording their sophomore full-length leading to rumors of a great lost Supertouch album. 2015 will see the release of Supertouch's first full length LP since "Earth Is Flat" on Triple B Records.