The last time we caught up with Philly’s leading hardcore show organizer and promoter Joe “Hardcore” McKay, we were just 72 hours away from the kickoff of This Is Hardcore Fest 2011. In our interview, we zipped back to the early 80s and discussed the foundation for what was to become the Philadelphia hardcore scene. We touched on the early days of American hardcore, life in Philadelphia, and brought it all the way up to the final preparations for one of the East Coast’s largest and most respected music festivals.
If you missed Part I of our Joe Hardcore Interview, be sure to check it out.
Our senior Staff Photographer Dante Torrieri was on hand for all four days of TIH 2011 and he was able to capture incredible photo sets of almost all of the performing bands, including From Ashes Rise, Bane, Strife, Terror, H20, Reign Supreme, Rival Mob, Victims, and Cruel Hand, to name just a few. Be sure to check his Day 1 & II, Day III, and Day IV galleries of TIH 2011.
Our last interview focused more on the written word, but today we have a 45-minute video interview with Joe in the intimacy of his newly settled house. We pick up right where we left off in August, as Joe reflects on This Is Hardcore Fest 2011 and discusses preparation and band selection for This Is Hardcore 2012. We touch on upcoming events for his Philly Hardcore Shows booking and promotion group, the launch of Philly-Shows.com, Joe’s recent brush with the law and subsequent benefit show, politics in general, and much more. We are very pleased to offer you this exclusive interview with one of Philadelphia’s most notable music scene figures. Enjoy.
Joe Hardcore Interview pt II
[youtube width=”560″ height=”315″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c69Mw-pifNI[/youtube]
Words and video by Joshua T. Cohen
