Boston Hardcore and the Rise of a Fiercely Local Scene

This episode charts how Boston’s early '80s hardcore scene sprang up from tight-knit clubs, DIY labels, and an uncompromising straight‑edge ethos. We examine key bands like SSD, DYS, Jerry’s Kids, and Gang Green; the venues that hosted their ferocious shows; the mail‑order and local pressing networks that kept records circulating; and how regional pride shaped a sound that reverberated beyond Massachusetts. The narrative traces scene politics, exclusionary practices, and the underground infrastructure that sustained it—all through the lenses of real recordings, fanzines, club flyers, and firsthand accounts from the era.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices