Gorilla Biscuits
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Key people | Anthony "Civ" Civarelli, Walter Schreifels, Arthur Smilios, Luke Abbey |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
| Parent | Revelation Records |
Gorilla Biscuits is a hardcore punk group originating from New York City, established in 1986. The band’s members consist of Anthony "Civ" Civarelli, Walter Schreifels, Arthur Smilios, and Luke Abbey. Affiliated with Revelation Records, they hold a significant position within the New York hardcore movement.
The band was initiated by Smilios and Civ following their encounter during high school on Long Island. Their initial release was a self-titled 7" record in 1988, which was succeeded by the influential album Start Today in 1989, substantially enhancing their underground status. They are widely regarded as a foundational youth crew ensemble.
Formation and beginnings (1986–1987)
Gorilla Biscuits came together when Arthur Smilios and Nick Drysdale met Anthony "Civ" Civarelli at a high school located in Queens. Admirers of Agnostic Front, they regularly attended hardcore shows at CBGB, where they connected with prominent figures such as Ray Cappo and John Porcelly from Youth of Today.
Despite initial hesitation and stage anxiety, Civ was persuaded by Smilios to become the vocalist. Their debut performance, organized with support from Token Entry members who provided drummer Ernie Parada, required a band name. Drawing inspiration from a local slang term for quaaludes—“gorilla biscuits”—they adopted this moniker, originally meant to be temporary but ultimately permanent.
Their early output included low-fidelity demo tapes sold at low prices, and their first merchandise featured hand-drawn T-shirts depicting a gorilla riding a skateboard.
Gorilla Biscuits and Start Today era (1988–1991)
Revelation Records featured the band’s track "Better Than You" on a compilation before releasing their self-titled 7-inch EP in 1988, which quickly became influential within the hardcore community. The group embarked on two tours across the United States and Europe. In 1989, they unveiled their first full-length album, Start Today, which remains Revelation Records’ top-selling release and was notable for being issued simultaneously on CD, vinyl, and cassette formats. Although they began composing material for a second album—including the unreleased track "Distance," showcased in the 1991 documentary Live In New York—the band dissolved around 1992. Subsequently, members formed CIV, with Civ operating a tattoo parlor on Long Island. Walter Schreifels went on to establish the post-hardcore band Quicksand and also played a role in producing CIV’s debut album.
Reunions and ongoing activities (1992–present)
Gorilla Biscuits reunited for benefit concerts at CBGB in 1997 and again in 2005, followed by another show in 2006. That year saw Revelation Records release a remastered edition of Start Today, featuring liner notes penned by Schreifels. During summer 2006, the band toured for roughly one month, offering exclusive 7-inch records and Paul Frank-designed T-shirts sold only at tour venues.
In September 2007, they toured several European countries—including Germany, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and England—with Paul Frank producing limited-edition Gorilla Biscuits wallets available exclusively through his global retail outlets.
On May 28, 2011, Gorilla Biscuits headlined the Black N Blue Bowl event held at Webster Hall in New York City. In June 2012, they performed at the Epic Revelation Records 25 Year Anniversary shows alongside bands such as Youth of Today, Sick Of It All, Shai Hulud, Bold, among others.
During their August 6, 2016 set at Philadelphia's This Is Hardcore festival, frontman Civarelli introduced the song "Degradation," which addressed issues related to neo-Nazi elements within the 1980s punk scene and referenced the Black Lives Matter movement. Some attendees misunderstood his commentary as supporting 'All Lives Matter.' Civarelli later clarified via Facebook that his message promoted unity and emphasized universal truths:
“…My point was and I thought it was clear that in 2016 we as a people should not need such things to be on a shirt and they should be universal truths. We are all in this together… Also look at the lyrics to ‘degradation’ and ‘things we say’ especially the line, ‘some people are so quick to judge let’s get the judgement straight’…”
On September 4, 2019, guitarist Alex Brown passed away due to a basal ganglia stroke. He was replaced by Charlie Garriga, known for his work with Judge, Quicksand, and former involvement with CIV.
Current
- Anthony Civarelli – lead vocals (1986–1991, 1997, 2005–present)
- Walter Schreifels – guitar (1986–1991, 1997, 2005–present)
- Arthur Meow Smilios – bass guitar (1986–1991, 1997, 2005–present)
- Luke Abbey – drums (1986–1989, 1997, 2005–present)
- Charlie Garriga – guitar (2019–present)
Former
- Sammy Siegler – drums (1985, 1990–1991)
- Eric Fink – bass guitar (1987–1988)
- Mike Clark – bass guitar
- Mark Haworth – bass guitar
- John Porcelly – guitar
- Tom Capone – guitar
- Alex Brown – guitar (1987–1989, 1997, 2005–2019; deceased)
Discography
| Album | Release Year | Details | Record Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original 1987 Tape Demo Gorilla Biscuits | 1988 | Bootleg recording; also included on Walter Sings The Hits | 99 Records |
| Gorilla Biscuits | 1988 | Debut 7″ EP release | Revelation Records |
| Start Today | 1989 | Second and last album before breakup | Revelation Records |
| Having A Great Time... Wish You Were Here | 1991 | Live performance recorded in Germany | 99 Records |
| Walter Sings the Hits | 199? | Bootleg featuring alternate vocals and demo tracks (Germany) | Unlabeled |
| A Puzzle of 38 Pieces | 199? | Bootleg release | Unknown |
| Live At CBGB =8/14/05 | 2005 | Bootleg live concert recording | Unknown |
| 2 Song 7-inch | 2006 | Released during reunion tour; contained two new tracks by original members | Self-released |
Compilations
- New York City Hardcore: Together, 7″ vinyl (1987, Revelation Records)
- New York City Hardcore: The Way It Is, CD (originally 1988; reissued in 1992, Revelation Records)
- Where the Wild Things Are (1989, Blackout Records)
- Rebuilding (7" vinyl) (1990, Temperance Records)
- Threat: Music That Inspired The Movie, CD compilation (2006, Kings Mob Productions)
External links
- Articles with short description
- Musical groups established in 1987
- Hardcore punk groups from New York (state)
- Straight edge groups
- Musical groups from New York City
- Revelation Records artists
- Musical groups disestablished in 1991
- Musical groups reestablished in 1997
- Musical groups disestablished in 1997
- Musical groups reestablished in 2005
- 1986 establishments in New York City