Immortalizing Toronto’s hardcore punk scene of the 1980s

The '80s is a decade best known for its leg warmers, shoulder pads and spandex, but beneath the shimmer and glean of dance-pop and walkmans seethed an emphatic subculture of politically charged aggression and took the form of the hardcore punk scene. Co-authored by Graphic Communications Management (GCM) alum Derek Emerson (‘93) and Shawn Chirrey, Tomorrow is Too Late is an ode to Toronto's gritty hardcore punk scene of the 1980s that takes us back to an important socio-political and cultural movement.

An anti-movement born from DIY ethics

Hardcore punk made its debut in the early '80s in part as a response to the Cold War and the commercialization of the music industry. The entire ethos of hardcore punk harboured a DIY mentality, from setting up their venues, booking their tours, and rejecting deals from record labels. "We weren't looking for approval, and we definitely weren't looking for handouts," asserted Emerson. And it was this type of DIY attitude that was distilled and disseminated among hardcore punk rockers and listeners alike. 

Fran Grasso, a fashion alum at The Creative School, was one such teenager that found a sense of community in an otherwise unfamiliar place. She recounts the overwhelming sense of friendship amongst the misfits, skaters and geeks that frequented hardcore punk shows in basements across the suburbs, community centres and clubs. In this sense, the scene offered refuge for countless people who felt cast aside by their government and the mainstream in a visceral way. 

The music scene peaked in notoriety in metropolitan hubs like New York and Los Angeles, although Toronto had its rich history of local hardcore punk bands performing at hole-in-the-wall bars such as Larry's Hideaway and the DMZ. Emerson himself was in one of these bands known by their stage name as More Stupid Initials (MSI), which is one of the reasons why it's so fitting Emerson is involved in recapturing Toronto's hardcore punk scene in his new book. 

Cutting-edge print technology 

When discussing how they wanted to immortalize the sentiment of Toronto's hardcore punk scene, the permanence of a physical book was far more appealing than a documentary or podcast. Even better, Emerson's academic career in graphic communications management provided the perfect avenue, with the book being printed in Emerson's printing shop, Flash Reproductions (external link, opens in new window) . This independent DIY approach permitted Emerson and co-author Shawn Chirrey full autonomy and control over how the final product would look and be released to the public. 

The behemoth coffee table book took over two years to create. In the process, Emerson and co-author Chirrey catalogued over one million words from 150 interviews, with a significant amount of transcription and interview legwork completed by a core team including Fashion alum and hardcore rock enthusiast alike Fran Grasso. Additionally, the book features never-before-seen photos, concert flyers, zines, and a 7-inch EP featuring local Toronto talent, most of which would have been lost to history if it weren't for this project. The fact that the book is self-published is even an ode to the DIY ethos of hardcore punk as they decided against going through a publishing house.

 "We never asked for permission, and we're not about to do that now," asserted Emerson. "We wanted this book to represent Toronto's hardcore punk scene the way we knew it and lived it, and not listen to anybody's opinion on how it should be done for the sake of commerce."

Passion before profit

The GCM program played an integral role in leading Emerson to where he is today. From the hands-on experience to the job fair that solidified the direction of his career, Emerson was grateful for the GCM program for turning his passion into a profession. And while making a salary is nice, Emerson reiterated how important it is to love what you're doing. “Creating artbooks such as this one is something that we love to do and feel good about; it’s not just about the paycheck,” claimed Emerson.

Like all good projects, Tomorrow is Too Late was a labour of love created by the very people who helped shape the scene. Hard work paired with passion always reaps good results. This remarkable tribute is all thanks to hardcore punk rockers like Emerson who wanted to commemorate their youth and had the DIY attitude to get it done. 

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