Go! Just Say Go: 1989–1991 and The Time is Now LP
GO! may just be the perfect example of when a band is more than just a band. They represent something far beyond the music they created. Vocalist Mike BS had an influential zine called Bullshit Monthly and founded ABC No Rio, an iconic, long-running DIY venue that offered a more inclusive alternative to the notoriously violent CBGBs hardcore matinees. GO! was an integral part of a scene that broadened what NYHC encompassed, with a blatantly anti-racist, anti-sexist, pro-queer message. Their brand of hardcore subverted the tough-guy machismo while delivering speedy, youth-crew-style tunes with sarcasm and wit to boot. GO! was a unifying force in a genre that talked outwardly about unity but has traditionally had a narrow scope for who that ideal could apply to. Their first gig was with NAUSEA! In the sixteen-page booklet that accompanies this record, you’ll find many fliers from when they shared bills with bands like BORN AGAINST, CITIZEN’S ARREST, and RORSCHACH. In 2026, mixed-genre shows are anomalous, but in GO!’s heyday, this formula made unity something more than an empty slogan. The period of the band collected here may have been brief, but they were prolific. This album contains just shy of sixty songs, with a gatefold cover and aforementioned booklet, courtesy of ever-reliable Refuse Records. This is essential listening for anyone with even a passing interest in this style of hardcore, and it lands at a moment when violence at shows is a pressing topic yet again.