Raymond James Barbieri 1961-1997 R.I.P.

I hate to post a bootleg for this, but I wouldn’t feel right not doing at least one WarZone related post today and there’s not that much there right now. But at least the one that burningfight55 is selling is a nice one…

I own one of these myself, though it doesn’t have the sleeve print as it’s from a batch that were rejected. Seller angryoxblood69 has this 3rd lp era shirt up as well, but again, it feels weird posting something from an era of WarZone that was “dismissed by Ray himself, who felt pressured by band members who wanted to experiment with their newfound Joe Satriani influences”*.

The demo for that 3rd lp though? Hunt that down, it’s great. Same songs, just done hardcore. The wacky dot matrix/80s arcade game printing on the back of this shirt falls somewhere in between that and the actual 3rd lp.

Anyways, the entire point of posting these today is because, as I would hope you all know, today marks the 13th anniversary of Raybeez passing. I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news: 3 days later, while in line at The Rat waiting for doors to open for the first Back To School Jam.

Floorpunch opened their set with As One in honor of Ray, the place went nuts and I went off my chain. And by that I mean that I was swept up in the tidal wave of people going nuts and ended up grabbing on to one of the chains for the monitors that hung from the ceiling to get my bearings again. I sincerely remember it as being exactly that, like getting caught in a giant wave while swimming and losing all bearings. People talk about those moments when hardcore gives off an actual energy and feeling of unity… this was one of those moments.

I also had the privilege of seeing WarZone before Ray died, tho alas it was just the once. This show was also at the Rat, in late 1996 I believe, with Reason Enough, Sub Zero, and Merauder. All of whom were great, but WarZone was my absolute favorite band at the time, and the band that made me love not punk or hc punk but straight up HARDCORE, so I was there for them. And I was not disappointed. Ray spent the whole set in the pit with people piled on him, Power by Agnostic Front was covered, and when Free At Last was sent out the Straight Edge kids The Trusters took over the back up mic that was on stage. After the show, they then hung out with Ray in the van while I left to grab the next train back to my college. A train it turns out I could have taken at any 15 minute interval over the next 3 hours. I have been bummed out on that ever since. Black Flag and Circle Jerks got me into punk, and Minor Threat made me Straight Edge, but it was WarZone that made me want to be a part of the scene. So yesterday, in a long overdue gesture of love and respect, I got this:

Raybeez R.I.P. Always keep the faith.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXMDVBhDgRw
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_rrm_9H8_A

*- from the liner notes for the DFTS, DFTS/Open Your Eyes cd that Another Planet put out.