HardLore Podcast: Craig Ahead

Episode: Craig Ahead: Straight Ahead Reunion, Sick of it All Hiatus, Quitting Youth of Today, Agnostic Front

Date: January 1, 2026
Hosts: Colin Young, Bo Lueders
Guest: Craig Ahead (Craig Setari: Straight Ahead, Sick of It All, ex-Youth of Today, Agnostic Front)

Episode Overview

This special New Year’s episode features legendary New York hardcore bassist Craig Ahead. With a career spanning four decades, Craig shares stories from formative years in Queens, his initial draw to music and baseball, the formation and impact of his iconic bands—including the return of Straight Ahead!—life in the NYHC scene, and touring the world with hardcore staples. The conversation flows naturally, jumping from band lore to personal anecdotes and even topics like Bigfoot. Throughout, the discussion is marked by Colin and Bo’s enthusiastic camaraderie and respect for their guest.

1. Craig’s Early Life and Entry into Hardcore

[02:51 – 07:49]

• Upbringing in Queens: Raised by a loving mother and older brother after his father, an alcoholic, left. Early exposure to tough street culture, but not a criminal himself.
• Music as Salvation: Started playing bass at 10-11 years old. Early musical influences were classic rock and metal, introduced by his brother and friends who were creatively linked to the burgeoning hardcore scene.
• Baseball: Played on championship teams as a kid and later in adult leagues; modest, not a standout (“average to good player”) [04:27].
• Music, not Hardcore at First: Early exposure was to music in general, not hardcore specifically. Influences included Aerosmith, Black Sabbath; later merged with punk/hardcore due to his brother’s high school classmates.
• First Bass: Got his first bass via his brother’s connection with future Anthrax member Dan Lilker, who also introduced him to records and bass guitar.

Notable Quote:
“I was a bass player before I was a hardcore guy. It kind of came together in a way, but I didn’t start playing bass because of hardcore. I was a bass player that found hardcore.” – Craig Ahead [09:39]

2. Scene Genesis: NYC Mayhem & Straight Ahead

[11:00 – 18:49]

• First Hardcore Show (1984): Instantly captivated by the energy and community, including old NYHC figures like Big Charlie Hankins.
• Meeting Tommy Carroll: Fast friends over music sharing; recruited into NYC Mayhem soon after.
• NYC Mayhem & Blast Beats: One of the earliest uses of blast beats in recorded music—possibly the first. Napalm Death later credited Mayhem as a prototype.
  • Notable Quote:
    “That band was one of the first Blast Beat bands.” – Craig [13:29]
• NYC Mayhem Transforms: The metal/hardcore crossover direction leads to Gordon’s departure and morphs into Straight Ahead, with Armand taking up drums despite initially being a guitarist.

Memorable Moment:
Tommy Carroll wanted to be a frontman. Armand, originally a guitarist, volunteers for drums having never played, gets ready in just two weeks for the first show [17:34 – 18:49].

3. The Early Hardcore Scene: CBGBs and Community

[19:36 – 22:21]

• Community Spirit: Nostalgic depiction of matinee shows, smoky rooms, and instant acceptance by scene leaders.
• First Experiences: Chicken fights on Charlie’s shoulders, immediate sense of family and safety.
• Straight Ahead’s Perennial Appeal: The band’s distinct, energetic, short-lived discography becomes legendary.

Notable Quote:
“The whole place smelled like clove cigarettes. Early 84 Club cigarettes. Cigarettes and people either had a shaved head or a Mohawk and they all had on trench coats and Doc Martens.” – Craig Ahead [21:00]

4. Straight Ahead: Reunion & Lore

[23:16 – 29:06]

• Reunion Announced!
  • April 25, 2026: Straight Ahead’s first show since 1988, as main support for Gorilla Biscuits at the Brooklyn Monarch [23:16, 25:18].
  • Original Lineup: Craig, Tommy, Armand, and Rob. Material sounds better than ever in rehearsal, with Tommy’s vocals in top shape.
  • Digital & Social Media Update: Music will be officially available on streaming and the band now has dedicated social accounts (@straightaheadnyhc).
• Mystique vs. Accessibility: Historically, Craig resisted putting Straight Ahead material out to preserve its underground aura. Now, “it feels right.”

Notable Quote:
“We rehearsed, and Tommy sang every song without any problem. Good timing, sounded great... it feels right. Like, we rehearse. I get, like, goosebumps. It's really fun.” – Craig [23:16]

5. Songwriting, Sound, and Recording

[30:23 – 44:18]

• Straight Ahead Recording: DIY ethos; 12 songs recorded in 3 hours for $75 in a small studio [29:52].
• Origins of “Straight Edge”-ness: Band’s name chosen by Tommy, not all members were straight edge at first. Craig eventually became straight edge for several years.
• Youth of Today:
  • Joining: Craig recruited by Tommy; Ray Cappo sent him a sermon-like letter about unity and youth crew ideals.
  • Recording “Break Down the Walls”: Played bass, contributed a song (“New Beginning”) that later became a Straight Ahead track [39:20]. Discusses the influence and movement surrounding Youth of Today and bands like Murphy’s Law.
• Musicianship: Craig details his approach to bass, switching between pick and fingers. He and the band members learned about studio work quickly; more “players” than many peers of the time.

Notable Quote:
“I was a little more on... We were more players, I think. [...] I was always doing music... musical. So I’m always doing music and doing all... You know, I’m very like, if I’m in your band, like, I’m totally involved.” – Craig [50:04]

6. Hardcore Camaraderie: Youth, AF, Sick of It All

[44:18 – 116:41]

• Band Interconnection:
  • Craig joined AF after Stigma’s persistent invitation: “Kid, you play that bass great…One day you’re gonna be in my band.” [85:25]
  • Played briefly in Murphy’s Law, but Chuck Val got the gig.
• Touring & Band Swaps:
  • Details overlapping member roles (e.g., subbing in Sick of It All), constant scene cross-pollination.
  • AF, Murphy’s Law, Youth of Today, Rest in Pieces, Underdog, and more all share DIY roots, shows, and stories.
• Songwriting and Recording:
  • Shared details about recording with Chuck Val, the origin of the iconic “Red” bass guitar, and the “double bass strap” he invented due to back issues [122:01].
  • “Bass Mafia” and helping hands in the scene.

Notable Moment:
The double bass strap is invented after Craig suffers serious back issues, allowing him to continue performing energetic shows without nerve numbness [122:01].

7. NYC in the 1980s: Life, Lore, Danger, and Magic

[70:22 – 78:39]

• Lower East Side: Portrait of NYC as dangerous but alive—a petri dish for music and art, “time and place.”
• Community Ethics: Being “cool” and respectful was essential for survival and acceptance, not toughness.
• Infamous Soup Incident: Serial killer Daniel Rakowitz used to hand out soup in the park—Craig and friends wisely avoided it.
• Hardcore as Home:
  • For Craig, hardcore was the only environment that recognized and appreciated his heart and talent.

Notable Quote:
“That’s what’s beautiful about hardcore. That’s what makes it so unique. It’s a simple music by misfits and there’s a lot of beauty that comes through with this pain.” – Craig [76:03]

8. Iconic Shows & Scene Legacy

[79:00 – 83:35]

• Straight Ahead’s 1988 Reunion at CBGBs: Unplanned, packed to the gills. “People are pushing me out of the way to play my own song... it was a little weird in a way, but it was—people were so enthusiastic. I was like, this is pretty cool.” [80:48]
• Joining Agnostic Front:
  • Stigma picks Craig over the phone, recounted as a classic “NYHC godfather” story.
  • “I went into AF with sneakers, and I came out with boots. Made a man out of me.” [82:44]
  • Scene’s flagship album: AF’s “Victim in Pain.”

9. Sick of It All: The Modern Age & Worldwide Touring

[110:16 – 168:35]

• Finally Joining Sick of It All: After AF’s 1992 breakup, replaced Richie to tour Europe and the US back-to-back (13–15 weeks straight).

• Band Dynamics: Deep lifelong friendships with Armand, Pete, Lou, and extended family from AF, Madball, and more.

• Classic Albums:

  • Scratch the Surface (1994): First record with the band; collaborative writing sessions in Chinatown.
    • Step Down Music Video: A massive influence on slam/dance culture, joked about on Beavis & Butthead [128:45].
  • Built to Last (1997): Capitalizes on Scratch’s success. “I wanted to bring back the pile-up.”
  • Call to Arms (1999) & Fat Wreck Era: Great working relationship with Fat Mike; support for the band, if not always by the label’s fanbase.
  • Continuing Evolution: While the musical landscape changes, the band adapts but remains true to their roots.
    • Consistency: “Every album sounds different, but it still sounds like us.” — Craig [167:10]

• Tour Life: Jokes, mafia games (Unearth guys introduced), slapstick humor on tour.

• Mob Deep’s Use of the Dragon Logo: Legal drama over use of the sick of it all symbol—ultimately, the band wins in court [157:42].

• Moving Upstate: Now “farm-adjacent”, with stories blending NY life and rural living. Bigfoot and Dogman stories are a favorite off-topic.

10. Hiatus & Looking to the Future

[168:35 – 175:43]

• Sick of It All on Hiatus: Due to Lou’s health issues (cancer returned after remission; current treatment day-to-day).
• Straight Ahead’s Return as Uplift: With Sick of It All paused, Straight Ahead can fulfill unfinished business and keep the spirit of NYHC alive.
• Unreleased Songs: Demos and song sketches from both bands may see the light of day in the future.
• Next SOIA Album: Already written (“Pete has, like, 26 songs”), on hold until Lou recovers.

11. Quickfire Insights & Favorites

[175:58 – 184:01]

• Modern Bands That Inspire: Turnstile, Speed, Wisdom in Chains (“knew how to use a chorus”), among others [176:09].
• Memorable Gigs at CBGBs: Guillotine benefit (1986) riot, base saved by a Warzone woman.
• Fast Food on Tour: West Coast—In-N-Out, Del Taco; Australia—Lord of the Fries [180:24].
• Favorite Thing to Cook: Simple pasta pomodoro with fresh homegrown tomatoes, garlic, and basil [181:32].
• Hardcore Record Pantheon (Craig’s Top 4):
  1. Minor Threat first two 7"s (counts as one)
  2. Bad Brains “ROIR” cassette
  3. Agnostic Front “Victim in Pain”
  4. Negative Approach “Tied Down” [182:49]

Notable Quotes & Moments (in order of appearance)

• On blast beats and influence: “That band was one of the first Blast Beat bands.” – [13:29]
• On hardcore and scene acceptance: “I was a little kid with, like, wide eyes. All I wanted to do was play music. I wanted to play music and I was—I was like a freak. I was a kid from a broken home in Queens. I didn’t want to play music. Like, I wasn’t cool. I wasn’t a cool kid. I was like a misfit. And when I came to hardcore, people just looked like, hey, kid, come here. Hey”—Craig [76:03]
• On joining Agnostic Front: “I went into AF with sneakers, and I came out with boots. Made a man out of me.” – [82:44]
• On band dynamics: “Musically, Armand and I are like very...it’s just, it’s like somehow...before we were born, it was like, alright, I chose to be this guy. You chose to be that guy. We’re gonna see a lot of each other.” [65:02]
• On straight Ahead’s enduring reputation: “It’s got, like, a bright—it bursts out. It pops like crazy, you know?” [65:45]
• On inventing the double bass strap: “I invented the double bass strap because it put the weight on both sides, and it stopped me from getting numb when I would play shows.” [123:29]
• On hardcore’s sense of possibility: “It’s the only genre where if you stick around long enough and if you work hard enough, you will go from the pit to the stage or somewhere, some higher echelon in music in your life.” [77:32]
• On band relationships: “No matter what happens between people, I love these people. There’s no way around it.” [121:46]

Timestamped Key Segments

• Reunion Announcement: [23:16, 25:18]
• Straight Ahead’s legacy and mystique: [26:57 – 28:40]
• Recording blast beats and influence on earliest death metal: [14:30 – 15:06]
• Youth of Today, Break Down the Walls, and leaving the band: [35:31 – 51:10]
• First time playing with Armand: [17:34 – 18:49]
• Favorite Hardcore Records: [182:49 – 184:01]
• Bigfoot & Cryptids: [160:24 – 165:51]

Conclusion

This epic interview is a journey through four decades of hardcore, with Craig’s wit, humility, and deep love for the music and the people he’s met along the way at center stage. The anticipation surrounding the Straight Ahead reunion and his candid discussion of band histories, friendships, NYC lore, and personal passion projects provides invaluable insight and inspiration for anyone interested in hardcore and its enduring legacy.

Event to Remember:
Straight Ahead Reunion—April 25, Brooklyn Monarch, main support for Gorilla Biscuits

Listen/Watch for:
Old school lore, the “true” origins of the blast beat, rare stories of the NYHC golden era, thoughtful reflections on the passage of time, and a loving look at the power of community—all in Craig’s real, unaffected, classic NY voice.