CRO-MAGS frontman Harley Flanagan has blasted the upcoming reissue of the band’s 1986 debut album, “The Age Of Quarrel”, saying that he and the other musicians who appear on the LP “have never been paid a dime” since the record’s original release.
Earlier this month, it was announced that “The Age Of Quarrel”, will be re-released as part of this year’s Record Store Day Drops, set for June 12 and July 17 at independent record stores nationwide.
Coming on July 17 via Rock Hotel/Astor Place is a vinyl version of “The Age Of Quarrel”, limited to 3,600 copies, featuring all 15 songs from the original LP, which was released on then-independent Profile Records in September 1986. It was subsequently re-released by Another Planet in 1994, along with CRO-MAGS‘ second album, 1989’s “Best Wishes”, on the same disc.
Earlier today, Flanagan issued the following statement via his publicist: “The band members who played on ‘Age Of Quarrel’ will not be paid and have not been consulted about this release and have never been paid a dime since its original release in September 1986 or its re-release by Another Planet in 1994. The rights are contested and the players will not see anything from this.
“We have been working for months to try to officially re-release ‘Age Of Quarrel’ and ‘Best Wishes’ and to have each person who played on the two albums paid equally for their contribution; something that has never happened before. Nobody has ever been paid, been given any accounting, or even given a copy of the contract, we were not even represented by counsel when we signed.
“We are still working to resolve this so all the players are finally paid for their work on these historic albums. It is not over yet, but If these albums are re-released without a resolution the CRO-MAGS and those who played on these albums will be fucked over once again by the same people who robbed us in the beginning. My legal team and I are working hard to resolve this so that there can eventually be a proper reissue where me and John, Parris, Doug, Mackie and Pete Hines are all finally paid for our work.”
CRO-MAGS‘ latest EP, “2020”, received a digital release last month. The record itself is unintentionally 20 minutes and 20 seconds, and plays out more like a time-capsule look into the dumpster fire known as the year 2020.
CRO-MAGS feature Flanagan pulling double duty with bass and lead vocals, guitarists Gabby Abularach, Rocky George (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, FISHBONE), and drummer Garry “G-Man” Sullivan.
The history of the CRO-MAGS is integral to the history of hardcore, its evolution from punk and the development of alternative music genres such as hardcore, cross-over, thrash metal, post punk and grunge, to name a few. Numerous iconic bands from METALLICA to GREEN DAY, and individuals such as Dave Grohl have credited CRO-MAGS with having had a primal influence on their development.
Born out of the violence and depravity of the Lower East Side of New York in the late ’70s and early ’80s, the CRO-MAGS was the brainchild of a very young Flanagan (at the time 14 years old) when still playing with THE STIMULATORS. By 1982/83 he wrote and recorded the very first CRO-MAGS demos consisting of four songs that would become the blueprint for “The Age Of Quarrel”. He wrote all of the music, played each instrument and sang. Before long, he connected with Parris Mayhew and the two started writing music and auditioning band members.
In 2019, Flanagan reached a settlement with singer John Joseph and drummer Mackie Jayson regarding ownership of the CRO-MAGS name. Flanagan is now performing under the name CRO-MAGS while Joseph and Jayson are performing as CRO-MAGS “JM”.
