In Defense Of Reality? Really?

Yes, in 1990 I was a fan a Shelter. In listening to Quest For Certainty (the CD collection of their first 7"s) I can't imagine why. The music is HARDLY hardcore, the songs are poorly written and those vocals...awful. I mean, beyond awful. Maybe we were all hearing Ray scream like in Youth Of Today in our heads. Add the crummy, bullshit religious garbage...OK, you get the idea.

But in really thinking about it, there were two things. First, there were very few hardcore bands out there at that time that would play so consistently. We were hungry for anything and back then there weren't thousands of My Space pages filled with hardcore. Second, the live shows were incredible. Any one who saw one would have to agree. Ray still had it, throwing himself across the stage, going nuts. Vic on guitar? Unreal. The early shows were amazing. And yes, they would play with all types of bands from Rorschach to Worlds Collide to Born Against (OK, this show was canceled, but still) and all the other heavies of the period.

It's hard listen now and picture those shows, but damn it, they were solid...even with the worst material possible. And that says something. Not sure what...but something.

And just for the hell of it, check out Ray's current website (Krishna yoga! How's that pose?) and Vic's Vedic astrology
readings you can order online (from $9 to $252!) Yikes.

Download Quest For Certainty