Youth Defense League

Youth Defense League was an Oi!/New York Hardcore (NYHC) band formed in 1986.

History

The band was featured in the Revelation Records compilation album New York City Hardcore, which featured several NYHC bands, including Sick Of It All and Gorilla Biscuits.[1]

The band's usage of nationalistic slogans and struggle for the downtrodden working-class man has garnered much support from fascist groups worldwide despite the band denying such claims, arguing that they merely promoted an inclusive positive attitude towards the US and not fascism.[2] Though their lyrics were never explicitly racist, the band’s politics leaned far-right-wing, attracting many fans (and members of other bands) who did, apparently, believe in white supremacy. Y.D.L. reportedly tried to thread this needle by arguing that they believed in white pride, but not racial hegemony.[3] However, pictures from a concert show the band performing commonly associated with the Afrikaner Resistance Movement, a militant group that historically advocated for the political and racial hegemony of South Africa’s white Afrikaner population. Additionally, the lead singer was photographed in 2012 with the bassist of Skrewdriver, a band that was openly racist.

Discography

Albums
  • Skins for Skins demo (Demo-tape, 1986)
  • Skinheads 88 demo (Demo-tape, 1988)
  • Youth Defense League (New Glory Records – CD, 1999) (bootleg; contains Skin for Skin and Skinhead 88 demos, both singles, plus unreleased)
  • American History (Live at CBGB's 1987-1988 – Vulture Rock – CD/LP, 1999)
  • Voice of Brooklyn (Vulture Rock – LP w/7", 2005) (complete studio recordings, remixed)

Singles & Eps
  • "American Pride" (Oi Core – Single, 1988)
  • "Skinhead 88"/"The Boys" (Vulture Rock – Promo Single 7", 1999) (tracks from American History LP/CD)
  • "Old Glory" (Vulture Rock – 12", 2000) (remix of unreleased single)
  • "American Pride" (Vulture Rock – 12", 2000) (remixed reissue)

Compilations
  • Oi! Glorious Oi! (Step 1 UK – CD/LP, 1987) (song: Turncoat [from Skinhead 88 demo])
  • Spirit of Oi!: American Style Part 1 (Oi Core - CD, 1989) (song: Skinhead 88 [from Skinhead 88 demo])
  • US of Oi! Volume 1 (Step 1 UK – CD/LP, 1988) (songs: Skinhead 88, Youth of America, Turncoat [all from Skinhead 88 demo])
  • New York City Hardcore: The Way It Is (Revelation Records - CD/LP, 1988) (song: Blue Pride [from Skinhead 88 demo])
  • Still Out of Fucking Order (Step 1 UK – CD/LP) (song: Skinhead 88 [from Skinhead 88 demo])

References
  1. Felix von Havoc, Maximum Rock'n'Roll, no. 239, January 1, 1984. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 3, 2008. Retrieved August 21, 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Access date: August 21, 2008.
  2. "Youth Defense League - Interview WNYU Radio". YouTube. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  3. "Eater.com Editor Placed On Leave After Apologizing for Racist Punk Past". Gawker.com. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
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