I was about 15/16 when Cleve-O 80's punk scene really took off. I don't remember a rivalry, I just remember mixing it up with local bands like DOS, Confront, False Hope, Infectious Waste (I knew people in most because either they came out of the same genre as I did or met them as a skate betty) at places like the Phantasy, seeing bands from Pittsburgh like Half Life, going to Detroit to see bands, and seeing bigger bands like DI, Exploited, TSOL, etc. at Peabody's. Coco's and the Roll & Bowl evolved into Peabody's and Impett, as we got older we saw a bigger picture. WCSB was a huge help along, with Wainstead at the wheel, Up All Night kept people connected before social media! I left Cleve to move to Denver for most of my adult life, but moving back here a couple years ago made me see how truly awesome the music scene was back then.
FWIW, there were several Cleveland hardcore bands that sprung up between '81 and '84 that aren't mentioned here. Thus, I'd consider this article more of an oral history of Cleveland hardcore part 2 or even 3. Just sayin'.
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