Malignus Youth

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Malignus Youth
Origin Sierra Vista, Arizona
Genre(s) Hardcore Punk
Rock
Years active 1987–1994, 1999–2001
Label(s) Youth Inc. Records
Associated acts Doggy Style
Pathos
Former members
James Martin
Octavio Olaje
Tom Shelden
Mike Armenta

Malignus Youth was a hardcore punk band from Sierra Vista, Arizona that was active from 1987-1994 and again from 1999-2001.

Known as punk rock pioneers for their unique sound featuring exceptional complexity in musical arrangements, vocal harmonies, melodic structure, classical music influences, as well as their runaway breakneck speed, Malignus Youth released one LP, two 7" EPs, and a retrospective CD compilation of unreleased tracks. Their vinyl output was also collected onto one CD.

Despite its relatively short existence, Malignus Youth is also noted by its unusually devoted fan base, even many years after their breakup.[1]

Band members included:

  • James Martin (guitars/vocals)
  • Octavio Olaje (vocals)
  • Tom Shelden (bass/vocals)
  • Mike Armenta (drums/vocals)

Contents

[edit] Musical Style

As was typical of traditional hardcore punk, early Malignus Youth songs featured fast tempos, 4/4 time, slow introductions followed by fast verse-chorus-verse, and lyrics with social relevance.

However, as they developed their musical style, song tempos became even faster while maintaining impressive tightness and control. Shouted vocals (as per the punk tradition) developed into an elegant singing of unified harmonized melody. The traditional verse-chorus-verse structure was scrutinized and altered into even patterns, each with its own structure. Bass lines became more melodic and experimental. Guitar lines served to counterpoint the melodic basslines creating a musical point-counterpoint, perhaps at this point, unheard of in punk rock.

One feature that characterized later Malignus Youth was a rush of lyrics from Martin as Olaje sang in the background, which would be seamlessly "switched" so that Olaje sang in the foreground as Martin sang in the background. By taking turns on the lead lyrics, the impression would be created that a single singer was belting out ultra-fast lyrics without interruption.

Additional musical innovations and style are noted below.

[edit] Punk Rock Ethos

Throughout its existence and despite its widespread popularity in the Arizona punk scene and beyond, Malignus Youth's music was entirely self-produced and distributed. This choice reflected a deliberate adherence to the "punk rock ethos" against the commercial mainstream production of music art in an industrial fashion.

For the band, the creative freedom afforded by a Do It Yourself (DIY) philosophy, and the consequential rejection of industry perception and "mainstream audience" expectations would allow their brand of punk rock music to remain artistically unencumbered.

Malignus Youth believed that punk rock itself was to be regarded as a movement with high artistic integrity, unfettered by limitations on expression, production, and/or performance that a major or even minor label status would certainly demand to ensure mainstream success.

Thus, in the interest of keeping from "selling out" and losing the unhindered, creative expression that punk rock offers, it was decided among the band not to accept any such offers.

[edit] History

[edit] Formation (1988)

[They] tried to come up with a name to outdo them all... "malignus" (the Latin root of the word "malign") literally meaning "ill-born."
1990s flyer promoting Malignus Youth[2]

Malignus Youth began its career with a first show at a party in Tucson. Soon, they were playing gigs in the Phoenix and Tucson area throughout 1988. One of these shows was with California punk band Doggy Style.

[edit] First Self-Titled EP Release (1988)

In January 1988, using a late 1970s model four-track reel to reel, eight songs were recorded live in James' parents' bedroom-turned-studio. These eight tracks were released on a clear vinyl extended-play (EP) album, self-entitled "MALIGNUS YOUTH" on their new label YOUTH INC RECORDS. Only a limited number were ever released.

[edit] The Southern Arizona Hardcore Scene (1988-1990)

In the late 1980s, a punk scene was beginning to grow in the deserts of Cochise County, Arizona. Beginning with the now legendary DOVER TRENCH, in Bisbee, a new band HEADSPACE were playing its first shows with Malignus Youth. Simultaneously, smaller towns like Tombstone was also seeing the rise of punk rock. HELLDAY, Tucson punk legends BLOOD SPASM (with legendary guitarist Paul Young), and AMERICAN DEATHTRIP began playing shows together with Malignus Youth.

Soon, the punk rock scenes of each Arizona city (Sierra Vista, Bisbee, Tucson, Tombstone, and Phoenix) were connected to each other and became a single "Arizona Punk Scene", especially concentrated in the southern part of the state.

For anyone who was a part of that scene, the incredible feeling of family created a life long bond despite its several thousand of members.

[edit] Punkstock (1989)

The greatest expression of this close knit scene was an ambitious three-day orgy of punk rock held in the Arizona desert. It was the Punk Rock Woodstock, a "Punkstock" featuring Punk Rock bands from around the state including OPINION ZERO, HEADSPACE, BLOOD SPASM, CIVIL ORDER, FUCT, COSMIC JACKHAMMER, and many more. Later in 1989, Malignus Youth was booked on the same bill as BAD RELIGION at the Magnum Sound Warehouse in Tucson with COSMIC JACKHAMMER and F.U.C.T.

[edit] "Crisis" 7-Inch EP (1990)

IN 1990, a second EP was recorded live. This second EP, titled "Crisis", was released as a limited edition red and green vinyl, containing a 2 poster lyric sheet which has since become rare. "Crisis" was so-titled as it was released amid a tragic period in which personal friends within the Arizona Punk Rock Family were killed. The album was dedicated to them. The music contained themes of conflict, personal loss, fear of growing up, hopelessness and suicide.

"Crisis" would become the first of a two-part series in which "More To It", the following LP, would serve as the resolution.

The two posters within the "Crisis" package contained a photographic collage by artist Beth Guinter, representing the Cochise County arm of the Arizona Punk Rock Scene.

[edit] Stylistic Notes

Malignus Youth's musical tastes were maturing. "Crisis" marked a diversion from punk rock conventions by adopting compositional techniques more traditionally associated with classical music.

Unique use of cadences in the guitar created vamps, or "riffs", each with a tension-release tension-release pattern. This created a dramatic element that merged into musical ideas, themes and phrases. Songs drifted away from 4/4 time to 3/4 and back, sometimes one after the other, even occurring simultaneously. Two-part harmonies, "call and response" singing patterns, as well as use of counterpoint-- a concept of 18th century Baroque music-- blended seamlessly with more traditional punk vocal styles.

[edit] "More To It" LP (1991)

These unique elements of Malignus Youth's music were put on full display in the 1991 full length LP "More To It", recorded in Martin's bedroom studio and released on blue vinyl.

"More To It" took the shape of a punk rock concept album, the resolution of the "crisis" explored in the previous EP. The songs on "More To It" were a "song cycle", united by keys and themes, and partially inspired by the writings of philosopher Emmanuel Kant. The album developing the themes from "Crisis" into a psychological tapestry of "humanity as the ends as well as the means",or the mind's contribution to its own knowledge and the resulting epiphany that there truly is "more to it".

Visually, "More To It" suggested these themes with its cover art, the 1568 painting by Pieter Brughel the Elder, "The Misanthrope", currently at the Museo di Capodimonte in Naples.

[edit] Stylistic Notes

Arguably, "More To It" represented Malignus Youth musical style at its most sophisticated. The album featured artistic elements that pushed the limits of artistic expression in the punk rock genre. Style choices included ascending and descending keys, two and three part harmonies in counterpoint, singing styles in guitar and bass playing against standard power chords, sophisticated tempo changes, complex polyrhythic drum parts, innovative use of musical cadences for dramatic effect, experimental tangents in different musical styles, and even slight canonic variation.

This range of borrowed styles demonstrated a familiarity with advanced musical theory mostly uncharacteristic of punk rock music of the time.

[edit] On Tour (1992)

In June of 1992, Malignus Youth played a show with the legendary band ALL in Phoenix. DESCENDANTS/ALL guitarist Stephan Egerton, together with BLACK FLAG/ALL drummer Bill Stevenson, offered to record Malignus Youth for Cruz/SST Records. Although the recording session never ended up happening, this "praise from Caesar" reflected a growing respect for Malignus Youth even by established artists within the punk rock world.

Over the next three years, with the help of an independent investor, Malignus Youth toured the western United States. The band played at the legendary Tacoland in San Antonio, at Southern California's punk rock Mecca 921 Gilman Street with GREEN DAY, in Salt Lake City with THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES and in Fort Collins, Colorado with THE OFFSPRING.

In the audience of one show in Eugene, Oregon was the legendary guitarist of CANNED HEAT and Frank Zappa's original MOTHERS OF INVENTION, Henry Vestine, who happily praised the band.

[edit] "Missa Brevis" and "Ephemeral"

Between tours, and with the free studio time won in a "Battle of the Bands" contest, Malignus Youth recorded and released on CD its most conceptually ambitious work to date. Inspired by the classical music tradition of composing music for liturgical texts, as had been done by Beethoven (Roman Catholic Mass the "Missa Solemnis") and Mozart (Roman Catholic funeral mass, "the Requiem"), Malignus Youth produced its own setting of the Mass. This CD was released with additional unreleased tracks, collectively called "Ephemeral".

[edit] Stylistic Notes

The heavily experimental and haunting "Missa Brevis" (literally "Brief Mass") was released almost entirely in the original Greek and Latin texts with additional English lyrics. The composition, including its traditional introduction (or "Introit") was divided into five sections:

  • Prelude
  • Kyrie
  • Gloria
  • Credo
  • Sanctus
  • Agnus Dei

For many Malignus Youth fans, "Missa Brevis" represented their best work, a swan song that illustrated the depth and scope of the band's musical abilities. "Missa Brevis" demonstrated that punk rock, perhaps, could now be seen as having evolved from its simple minimalist style into a genre of unrestricted artistic expression that challenged and won the right to stand among "sophisticated" genres such as classical and jazz.

[edit] Breakup and Compilation "Vinyl CD" (1994-1998)

Following their 1994 tour, the members of Malignus Youth separated to pursue different academic and musical goals and unofficially disbanded.

In the next few years, as the original vinyl pressings became rarer and rarer, demand for Malignus Youth on CD prompted a 1998 re-release of the MALIGNUS YOUTH EP, the "Crisis" EP and the full length LP, "More To It" on a single CD entitled VINYL CD.

[edit] Reunion (1999-2000)

In 1999, due to increasing public interest, Malignus Youth experienced a sort of revival.

A series of sold-out "reunion" shows occurred at the legendary Vaudeville era theater, the Rialto, in Tucson. Bands from the now legendary "Southern Arizona Hardcore" scene, including HELLDAY and THE AMERICAN DEATHTRIP, played on the same bill as Malignus Youth. Also, each former members' side projects played, including James Martin's band Pathos, Tom Shelden's band MYNDBENT with THE AMERICAN DEATHTRIP's vocalist RIC EVARIAN, and Mike Armenta's band ANYFACE and SHRUNKEN MONKEY PAW including THE AMERICAN DEATHTRIP bassist Eric York.

For many who attended, these shows were a symbol of the past, present, and future of an Arizona Hardcore scene, which still thrives today.

Malignus Youth followed these shows at the Rialto with a series of shows around Arizona in which Malignus Youth joined tours of some of the most legendary bands in the entire genre, including D.R.I., FEAR, THE MISFITS, and a reunion with CITIZEN FISH. There, some SUBHUMANS and CITIZEN FISH members, not only remembered playing with Malignus Youth many years before, but also claimed to being fans. Bassist Jasper Trotsky even admitted to video recording them for his bands' personal collection.

After this reunion "tour", each member of Malignus Youth again went their separate way.

[edit] Post-Malignus Youth (2000-present)

As of October, 20007, James Martin is married with children and holds a Master's Degree in Information Technology. Octavio Olaje is also married with children and works as a massage therapist. Tom Shelden has recently become the father of a baby girl, and Mike Armenta is composer of several musical and dramatic works exclusively for Flagstaff Youth Theater in Flagstaff, AZ as a free-lance musician, musical director, choral director, vocal coach, composer and musical consultant.

Youth Inc. Records went on to produce releases from "Pathos" and Cochise County's "G-39" and then disbanded.

[edit] Legacy

Malignus Youth maintains a Web site on MySpace, and drummer Mike Armenta has posted a series of musical analysis of their songs. Fans continue to discuss Malgnus Youth and their music. From time to time, Armenta has been known to post the entire catalog, free of charge, on the Internet for the world to download and enjoy.

In 2001, in the 25th Anniversary of Punk Rock issue of Spin Magazine's Web site, JIMMY EAT WORLD vocalist and guitatrist Jim Adkins was asked his opinion on the best or favorite Punk Rock albums and/or singles of all time. He responded, "Malignus Youth, More To It. Yup. That's pretty much the best."

[edit] Discography

[edit] 7" EPs

  • Malignus Youth (Youth Inc., 1990)

[2 pressings of 500 copies - clear vinyl first pressing, black vinyl second pressing]

  • Crisis (Youth Inc., 1991)

[1 pressing of 1000 copies - 500 on red vinyl, 500 on white vinyl]

[edit] Albums

  • More To It LP (Youth Inc., 1992)

[1200 copies pressed on blue vinyl]

  • Missa Brevis/Ephemeral CD (Youth Inc., 1998)
  • Vinyl CD (Youth Inc., 1999)

[edit] Home video

Live at the Sweatlodge - March 24, 1990 - Bisbee, Arizona (Youth Inc.)

[edit] Compilation Appearances

  • Yeah But It's a Dry Heat (West World Records, 199?)
  • Southern AZ compilation with Malignus Youth, Fells, Lonely Trojans, Zero Tolerance Task Force, Skinnerbox, Feast Upon Cactus Thorns, Mondo Guano, Bloodspasm, etc.
  • Malignus Youth tracks "I.U.T.Y." (CD only) and "Shadows" (on both the LP and CD)

[edit] Trivia

Malignus Youth would often play a cover version of "Paint It, Black" by The Rolling Stones, where they would turn off all the lights in the venue.

Although James Martin is often credited as the sole songwriter for Malignus Youth, each band member worked in collaboration as a team to produce songs, their arrangements and their lyrics.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Malignus Youth MySpace page
  2. ^ http://www.killrockstars.com/basement/images/Fullsize/Witchypoo_MalignusYouth.jpg

[edit] External links