(EDITOR’S NOTE — The following story on Classic-Core records marks the 200th story to run in 1120 Press since we started in April 2022. And we couldn’t think of anyone better to help us mark the occasion than Classic-Core founder MikeUnion Jeffers, a presence on Buffalo’s hardcore scene for 30 years and an institution unto himself. Simply known to most as ‘Jeffers,’ the man has played drums in an unending parade of well-known bands since the mid-90s, including Union, Longest War, Face the Panic, Wrong the Oppressor, Dead to the World, Herod, and presently with Juggernaut and G.O.A. His curmudgeonly persona notwithstanding, Jeffers is a great ambassador to the Buffalo scene, often helping to guide young bands, making himself available to those who cover the community, and working to preserve and release Buffalo’s hardcore/punk music — past and present — through his Classic-Core label. Recently, Jeffers sat down with 1120 to discuss Classic-Core’s mission and place in the scene. It was a great talk and we’re very thankful for his time. — Make sure, too, to visit the Classic-Core store HERE.)
1120 PRESS: Thank you for speaking with us. We’ve long wanted to do a piece on Classic-Core because we’ve always been intrigued by its stated mission: A “record label for rare and out of print underground recordings.” That’s unique to the Buffalo scene. What inspired you to create a label like this? And given that it reaches back into Buffalo’s punk, hardcore and metal history, we’re wondering too how much your profession as a history teacher plays into an endeavor like this?
MIKE JEFFERS: I’m not sure if my profession necessarily creeps into running the record label, but it hasn’t hurt. Growing up, I would always read magazine after magazine, book after book, and all the liner notes in regard to music that I liked. I’ve always enjoyed history. It’s that love of history that also spilled over into other areas such as skateboarding and sports history. There must’ve been some sort of self-defense mechanism as well when I was a teenager to make sure that I couldn’t be called a poser. I enjoy knowing the truth about how, where, and why things happened. The label is a reflection of that. Since I didn’t grow up in Buffalo, I had to do some work to see how we got here in regard to the hardcore/punk scene.
1120: Classic-Core doesn’t only focus on music of the past, it also works with current bands. One of the upcoming releases the label has coming out is by Buffalo hardcore band Hold Out. A lot of people are looking forward to that release, which contains both new music from the band as well as previously released material. What can you tell us about that project and how it came about?
MJ: Mark (Miller) from Hold Out and I have been close friends for 30+ years. He always has supported my bands. He’s been present at the most important junctures of my adult life outside of music. I wanted to put out the Hold Out CD because his band is awesome and as a sign of respect for our long-term friendship.
1120: In discussions we’ve had, you made it clear you are not a fan of streaming. What is it about the physical product — CDs and vinyl — that appeals to you to the extent that it does, and why in the age of streaming is that content still important?
MJ: Outside of the fact that streaming pays negligible amounts to artists, I personally don’t stream music because I feel I have no connection to it unless I have the physical media to examine as I listen. There’s nothing like liner notes and lyrics and ‘thanks’ lists to read through. Combing over artwork and appreciating the effort that went into it is something you can’t get when you’re streaming something. Plus, if you really want to support a band, you should be buying physical media.
1120: One of the recent releases by Classic-Core was Asherah ‘In Memorium.’
When you are dealing with music from bands no longer around, and music that’s out of print, does that pose any particular challenge as opposed to releasing newly recorded music, such as the CD version of Selfish Act’s excellent new release ‘Wellness Check’, which the label is also putting out?
MJ: The only challenge of putting out defunct bands with out-of-print releases is making sure to get the rights from the previous label. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the former label doesn’t care because the label is no longer around. The bands that I’ve worked with so far are all friends of mine, and have either reached out to me or I’ve reached out to them because I believe that the music they made represented a specific time in Buffalo’s hardcore history that needs to be documented and the music needs to be kept alive. There were a ton of bands that were very important in the scene that history often forgets about in favor of the bands that were around for a very short time, but were very gimmick-oriented.
1120: Last year before the sold-out reunion show at Rec Room with Union, Despair and Integrity, you had mentioned to us that the show served as the perfect opportunity for kids who may want to learn about the history of Buffalo hardcore and learn, too, why they have a scene and why it’s still here. I imagine you view the label the same way?
MJ: I see the label as a vehicle for those younger people in the scene to find out every aspect that made up the Buffalo underground community over the past 30 years. It’s not even about buying all of the label’s releases, but rather making sure documented proof exists going forward. It’s there for people to check out if they want to learn.
1120: There’s also some who feel that there’s a renewed interest in older Buffalo hardcore bands and that there’s a sort-of renaissance happening in the genre here as a whole. Does that resurgence — if, in fact, there is one — influence what the label decides to put out? Or is it more a case where you are following your interests and if people come along for the ride, all the better?
MJ: My goal initially was just to put out reissues of all older releases. Obviously, that’s changed because I have been releasing new material from newer, younger bands, as well as new bands with older members. My hope is to show that the punk community, both young and old, can coexist and learn from one another.
1120: What does the label have planned for the future, either in what you are going to put out, or a direction you want to explore?
MJ: My biggest holdup is getting artwork and layouts finished in a timely manner. I’m at the mercy of my friends who handle that for me. I have an enormous amount of bands I’m going to do releases for.
1120: Thank you again for speaking with us. Before we end, is there anything you want to add that we haven’t touched on?
MJ: We need people to stay around the hardcore and punk scenes in Buffalo for longer than five years. You don’t have to age out of hardcore punk. If you’re gonna stick around though, you have to contribute to the community as a whole. For way too long, the community here has been transactional. It’s not always what someone can do for you. It should be about the community and doing what’s right without expecting anything at all in return.
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