Ray Cappo
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Tags: Arts & Entertainment, Ray Cappo, Ray of Today, Youth of Today, Shelter, NYHC, New York Hardcore, hardcore, punk, straight edge, hare krishna By: RaviStar |
Checkered future, violent children
Ray Cappo, also known as Ray of Today and Raghunath das at different points in his life, has been an influential person in the punk/hardcore scene since the late 1980’s and has sparked much controversy since. Raised in Connecticut, he supported the local underground music scene by going to shows and promoting local bands through a college radio show he hosted. His first bands, Reflex From Pain and Violent Children, were together in the early 80’s and didn’t amount to much compared to Cappo’s future endeavors in music. In the mid 80’s, Ray and friend John Procelly, usually referred to as Porcell, started Youth Of Today, their most influential and well known band.
Breaking down the walls
In an effort to promote clean living through the straight edge lifestyle, in which people abstain from alcohol, drugs and promiscuous sex, Cappo used Youth of Today as his mouthpiece to promote positive living. To have more inclusion in the hardcore scene, the band relocated to New York City. Youth Of Today released two full length records which are heralded as some of the most influential hardcore records ever created. In addition to the straight edge ethos, Ray Cappo promoted veganism and vegetarianism, natural foods, physical and mental fitness. Toward the later years of their existence, Ray became more and more interested in Eastern philosophy and began to study it thoroughly and incorporate what he had learned into the message of the band. In 1987, Ray started Revelation Records with friend and fellow hardcore enthusiast Jordan Cooper, which would then set off a chain reaction of bands with a similar sound and positive message, coined as the “youth crew” movement. As the end of the 80’s neared, Ray found himself more and more detached from his experiences in the Western world, and traveled to Asia to further his spiritual studies.
Attaining the supreme
After spending a few years of studying Sanskrit, Aryurvedic medicine, and Hindu literature such as the Bhagavad Gita, Cappo returned to the states with a more refined perspective. Out of the desire to share what he had learned and his calling for music, Ray started the most polarizing band of his career, Shelter. Promoting Krishna-consciousness, along with all the tenets of straight edge, vegetarianism and nonviolence, Shelter took a more relaxed approach musically compared to the aggressive and in-your-face demeanor of Youth Of Today. The combination of hardcore music and Eastern philosophy would then spawn a genre sometimes referred to as Krishna-core, which would have prevalence in the 1990’s. In the wake of this, Cappo would start his second record label in the early 90’s, Equal Vision Records, with the aim to support this newly formed collective of bands. Though Ray continued to maintain Shelter, even through revolving line ups and the eventual distancing from preaching as he used to, he started a side project call Better Than 1,000 in 1997 with other well known hardcore contemporaries, to bring the fire back from the glory days of the late 80’s youth crew era which he helped begin.
Live today
Though his preaching referred less to his roots in Hinduism and the devotional in this time, Ray Cappo still maintained a staunch stance on his beliefs and incorporated them into his lyrics for Better Than 1,000. Many critics of Shelter were pleased by the return-to-roots formula of this band and it was more accessible considering it wasn’t pushing a particular ideology upon the listener. Despite the success and apparent rejuvenation in the public eye, Cappo faced a major backlash from the hardcore community, of which he was a cornerstone, after allegedly having a glass of wine in Italy with dinner while on tour in Europe. Though the truth of the incident has been debated, Ray never exactly admitted breaking away from the straight edge belief, though he did write an essay in response to his critics, in which he suggested tolerance and forgiveness to those who might make mistakes on their journey of self-improvement and may temporarily stray from the spiritual path. The hardcore scene, known to be unforgiving to “fallen heroes”, is still somewhat in a state of quarrel over the matter, but despite these allegations, Ray still upholds his commitment to Krishna-consciousness, health, and fitness both mentally and physically through teaching and practicing yoga and mixed martial arts. Though Youth Of Today has played recent reunions and Shelter continues to release albums, Ray Cappo lives quietly in California with his wife and family, and the couple owns and runs their own yoga studio.
In praise of others
I was indirectly influenced by Ray Cappo's lyrics at a pivotal moment in my life. I was very close to becoming a teenager, which can be a very dark time for a person; the world seems so big and apathetic and I felt small and insignificant. Through his message, I learned what it meant to be committed to a spiritual path, regardless of whether it was the cool thing to do or not. It reinforced all the things that I knew were right, but they were put in such a modest and agreeable manner. It was the beginning of me finding my way in life, and being able to appreciate and understand music at the same time.
Ray Cappo, also known as Ray of Today and Raghunath das at different points in his life, has been an influential person in the punk/hardcore scene since the late 1980’s and has sparked much controversy since. Raised in Connecticut, he supported the local underground music scene by going to shows and promoting local bands through a college radio show he hosted. His first bands, Reflex From Pain and Violent Children, were together in the early 80’s and didn’t amount to much compared to Cappo’s future endeavors in music. In the mid 80’s, Ray and friend John Procelly, usually referred to as Porcell, started Youth Of Today, their most influential and well known band.
Breaking down the walls
In an effort to promote clean living through the straight edge lifestyle, in which people abstain from alcohol, drugs and promiscuous sex, Cappo used Youth of Today as his mouthpiece to promote positive living. To have more inclusion in the hardcore scene, the band relocated to New York City. Youth Of Today released two full length records which are heralded as some of the most influential hardcore records ever created. In addition to the straight edge ethos, Ray Cappo promoted veganism and vegetarianism, natural foods, physical and mental fitness. Toward the later years of their existence, Ray became more and more interested in Eastern philosophy and began to study it thoroughly and incorporate what he had learned into the message of the band. In 1987, Ray started Revelation Records with friend and fellow hardcore enthusiast Jordan Cooper, which would then set off a chain reaction of bands with a similar sound and positive message, coined as the “youth crew” movement. As the end of the 80’s neared, Ray found himself more and more detached from his experiences in the Western world, and traveled to Asia to further his spiritual studies.
Attaining the supreme
After spending a few years of studying Sanskrit, Aryurvedic medicine, and Hindu literature such as the Bhagavad Gita, Cappo returned to the states with a more refined perspective. Out of the desire to share what he had learned and his calling for music, Ray started the most polarizing band of his career, Shelter. Promoting Krishna-consciousness, along with all the tenets of straight edge, vegetarianism and nonviolence, Shelter took a more relaxed approach musically compared to the aggressive and in-your-face demeanor of Youth Of Today. The combination of hardcore music and Eastern philosophy would then spawn a genre sometimes referred to as Krishna-core, which would have prevalence in the 1990’s. In the wake of this, Cappo would start his second record label in the early 90’s, Equal Vision Records, with the aim to support this newly formed collective of bands. Though Ray continued to maintain Shelter, even through revolving line ups and the eventual distancing from preaching as he used to, he started a side project call Better Than 1,000 in 1997 with other well known hardcore contemporaries, to bring the fire back from the glory days of the late 80’s youth crew era which he helped begin.
Live today
Though his preaching referred less to his roots in Hinduism and the devotional in this time, Ray Cappo still maintained a staunch stance on his beliefs and incorporated them into his lyrics for Better Than 1,000. Many critics of Shelter were pleased by the return-to-roots formula of this band and it was more accessible considering it wasn’t pushing a particular ideology upon the listener. Despite the success and apparent rejuvenation in the public eye, Cappo faced a major backlash from the hardcore community, of which he was a cornerstone, after allegedly having a glass of wine in Italy with dinner while on tour in Europe. Though the truth of the incident has been debated, Ray never exactly admitted breaking away from the straight edge belief, though he did write an essay in response to his critics, in which he suggested tolerance and forgiveness to those who might make mistakes on their journey of self-improvement and may temporarily stray from the spiritual path. The hardcore scene, known to be unforgiving to “fallen heroes”, is still somewhat in a state of quarrel over the matter, but despite these allegations, Ray still upholds his commitment to Krishna-consciousness, health, and fitness both mentally and physically through teaching and practicing yoga and mixed martial arts. Though Youth Of Today has played recent reunions and Shelter continues to release albums, Ray Cappo lives quietly in California with his wife and family, and the couple owns and runs their own yoga studio.
In praise of others
I was indirectly influenced by Ray Cappo's lyrics at a pivotal moment in my life. I was very close to becoming a teenager, which can be a very dark time for a person; the world seems so big and apathetic and I felt small and insignificant. Through his message, I learned what it meant to be committed to a spiritual path, regardless of whether it was the cool thing to do or not. It reinforced all the things that I knew were right, but they were put in such a modest and agreeable manner. It was the beginning of me finding my way in life, and being able to appreciate and understand music at the same time.
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From: luke
93 days ago
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