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07 May 2007

punk scene history Anyone have any first person stories/history/information about FSU? (and I'm not talking about the university)
[More:]A friend this weekend reminded me about FSU (F*ck Sh*t Up) - the punk subculture that was big in the late 80s and early 90s. From what I understand it was centered in Boston and New York, was all white male, and were extremely violent. The dressed like jocks, would crash parties, shops, and anything they can knowing that they could get away with it because they were big and dressed like 'normal kids'. They were basically overgrown school bullies who continued the same MO as adults and they gave themselves the name FSU. Anyone have any specific information about them?
Hell, I thought you were referring to the "Former Soviet Union."
posted by PaxDigita 07 May | 15:40
I probably have the same info you do. I did a summer jazz composition program at Berklee in 1992 (I was 25 at the time) and lived in a house with a group of friends in Brookline, just off the Green line.

We had a party on a Friday night in July, about 8 of these jerks showed up (they had been at a party in Kenmore the previous weekend and had given a woman friend of mine a nasty cut in her scalp with a broken beer bottle). They started out quickly, generally making asses of themselves, picking fights, hitting people, breaking stuff. A couple of friends of mine and I, who were upstairs when they came in, heard the commotion, called the cops and then went downstairs to try to see what was what, and to protect our guests and property.

A couple of them came at us, but were able actually to subdue them and and then engaged another two, scrapping a bit, and eventually tackling them and putting them in some wrestling holds until the cops showed up. The other four took off (I think) when they saw that it wasn't going to be an easy. We held the four of them, a couple of whom were crying by the time the cops got there and took them off our hands.

Pretty stupid all around, and unnecessarily risky, as it could have been very bad if they had had weapons of any kind.

After that, we had some nervous times. I was convinced that they'd come back in force later that summer, but it never happened. I'm not sure if it was because the BPD looked out for us (first and last time ever), or else the FSU had decided they picked the wrong house.

At any rate, I never got the full scoop on these guys. They looked like BU frat guys, rather than roughnecks from Southie. I suspect they were just suburban jerks with too much to drink and not much else to do.

Weird. I have not thought about that shit in a long, long time.
posted by psmealey 07 May | 15:53
FYI, I had just moved from NYC at that time, and it was the first I had ever heard of FSU. I had no idea that they were a NYC phenomenon.
posted by psmealey 07 May | 15:59
Ah, you mean Friends Stand United, who could be thought of as the East Coast followup to the Suicidal Gang (scroll down).

The late 80s to Early 90s were also part of the Hardline Era, where self-described "militant straightedgers" (Hardliners) would beat up anyone smoking, drinking, etc. that they thought they could take on. This spread to beating up punks who stood out (wearing leather, dyed hair), and performing minstrel-show parodies of hip-hop culture.

In those days, you also had Scum Rock, ("grassroots" grunge acts in NY-NJ who believed they were keepin' it real), but that's another story.
posted by Smart Dalek 07 May | 16:07
I know a few punks who lived in the Boston area during that time and who would travel between Boston and NYC a lot. One of them mentioned that Manitoba's use to be an FSU hangout (I was there this weekend for the meetup and he mentioned it casually) so it might have been more of a Boston thing but he remembers being involved with FSU in NYC as well.
posted by stynxno 07 May | 16:08
Smart Dalek : huh. never heard of Friends Stand United but I knew about militant straight edge kids. These guys were different. They drank and fought a lot. If you didn't bow to their demands they would Fuck your Shit Up (thus the name).

posted by stynxno 07 May | 16:11
yeah, i was gonna say that f.s.u. probabaly had its origins with the suicidal punks. they were some scary motherfuckers.

of course, none of them could hold a candle to g.g. allin.
posted by syntax 07 May | 20:32
Here's a link to a documentary on the violent Boston hardcore scene of the 80's and 90s. As well as some propaganda bout FSU.

I still think that the FSU I faced down, as of a different variety than the FSU flavor that is mentioned here, but I guess I'll never know.
BOSTON BEATDOWN IS AN INDEPENDENT FILM COMPANY – AND ONLY AN INDEPENDENT FILM COMPANY. BOSTON BEATDOWN IS NOT FSU AND FSU IS NOT BOSTON BEATDOWN.

FSU, to the extent that the group relates to Boston Beatdown provided us with on-camera interviews and background information relating to the history and social evolution of the underground hardcore music scene. As the group was highly influential in the hardcore music scene, they were an important aspect of the documentary. However,

DO NOT LET THE MEDIA FOOL YOU INTO BELIEVING THAT YOU ARE WATCHING MEMBERS OF FSU ENGAGED IN STREET FIGHTS AND BRAWLS.

They are misleading you. They are fraudulently presenting unrelated images taken from our film under the pretense that they are FSU related street brawls.

Furthermore, it was not our intention to insinuate that FSU was behind any of the violence shown on the DVD. Members of FSU provided interviews because they were and continue to be a highly significant and influential group within the hardcore community. They are or have been founders of some of the most notable and legendary hardcore bands, they have organized hundreds of concerts, put together charity events and benefit shows, and have provided safety and security at shows. Most importantly, they have been around to witness the evolution of the hardcore scene. While others have come and gone, they have been a staple of the community.
posted by psmealey 10 May | 08:57
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