This is a fan site for the 1990s Richmond, Virginia punk band the (Young) Pioneers. I was a teenager at the time, and first saw them with popular local bands like Avail, Inquisition and Action Patrol. But the Pioneers would also play with more left field acts, and through going to their shows, I got to know bands like Karp, Modest Mouse, Men’s Recovery Project and The VSS. The (Young) Pioneers existed from roughly 1994-‘99, and were lead by singer/guitarist Adam Nathanson, formerly of the hardcore bands Born Against and Life’s Blood. Their longest-running lineup featured bassist Marty Key, who later played with Ted Leo and now runs the record store Steady Sounds, and drummer Brooks Headley, formerly of Universal Order of Armageddon and now a lauded pastry chef in NYC. Their sound was rootsy punk: a distorted take on rock ‘n’ roll, early Bob Dylan and the Civil Rights-era soul of Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions. They were a definite precursor the early 2000s folk-punk movement, made most popular by Against Me! and This Bike is a Pipe Bomb. The Pioneers’ lyrics combined tales of lumpen Richmond with allusions to 20th century rebel politics: Black Panthers, Zapatistas, Carlos the Jackyl… The band’s aesthetic fit the bill, using photocopiers to marry iconic black power and punk imagery with leftist political propaganda. I consider their album and poster art to be the apotheosis of the photocopier manipulation that defined 1990s punk scene through zines like Cometbus and clip art loving bands like Nathanson’s old group Born Against. I made this site to share and preserve the incredible imagery created by one of my all-time favorite bands. These pictures are all from my personal collection, and I was inspired to share them after checking out RVA80SHC.tumblr.com and rereading “Banned in DC,” a photobook documenting the early ’80s DC hardcore scene. If you have any (Young) Pioneers art that you don’t see here, please email me. You can contact me through ChrisLTerry.com. My name is Chris Terry and I am a writer living in Chicago. I am also seeking (Young) Pioneers MP3s to stream on this site - I have most of their music on vinyl.Tumblr (3.0; @youngpioneersflyers)http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/<p>I don’t have the TGR recordings, but have contacted bassist Marty Key to ask if they are available for download or purchase. I found them streaming at http://www.myspace.com/teargasrock.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/33900910633http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/33900910633Fri, 19 Oct 2012 12:29:48 -0500ctwashere<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxcdg3F80C1r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>From bassist <a href="http://www.facebook.com/steadysounds">Marty Key</a>’s personal collection.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15357063302http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15357063302Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:12:00 -0600young pioneers(Young) Pioneersmonorchidchris thompsoncoffin pricksdcdchvcdischordcircus lupusmao tse helencrainiumctwashere<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxcdgkUCJy1r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Color version of an older post. The red was done in toner, the yellow with a highlighter. 1996?</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15357075915http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15357075915Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:12:00 -0600punkhardcoreindieted leothe van peltthe ruby dareyoung pioneers(Young) Pioneersborn againstrichmondrvashowsflyersartzinesctwashere<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxcdezSmF81r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>From bassist <a href="http://www.facebook.com/steadysounds">Marty Key</a>’s personal collection.</p> <p>This show was in ‘97 or ‘98, long before Modest Mouse blew up.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15357032666http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15357032666Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:11:00 -0600punkhardcoreindierockemoflyersartrichmondrvawashingtonk recordskill rock starsmodest mousefloat on764-heroisaac brockyoung pioneers(young) pioneersborn againstalley katzctwashere<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx8rtdtjJd1r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>From bassist <a href="http://www.facebook.com/steadysounds">Marty Key</a>’s personal collection.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15256494930http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15256494930Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:32:00 -0600(young) pioneersyoung pioneersfresh-o-maticsdelta 72born againstlookout!vermiformpunkhardcoregaragerichmondrvaflyersartctwashere<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx8rs0a4c31r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>From bassist <a href="http://www.facebook.com/steadysounds">Marty Key</a>’s personal collection.</p> <p>Duke University campus, Durham, NC.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15256449831http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15256449831Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:31:00 -0600punkhardcorescreamoemoskramssoutheast hardcore fuck yeah!young pioneers(young) pioneerssleepytime triothe sleepytime triomaximillian colbyassfactor 4richmondrvaflyersdukecoffee housenorth carolinaflyersctwashere<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx8rqooEHw1r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>From bassist <a href="http://www.facebook.com/steadysounds">Marty Key</a>’s personal collection.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15256407605http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15256407605Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:30:00 -0600young pioneers(young) pioneerscars get crushedrye coalitionkarpflying shovelsrichmondrvapunkhardcoreindiefolk punkborn againstctwashere<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx8rraaw5i1r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>From bassist <a href="http://www.facebook.com/steadysounds">Marty Key</a>’s personal collection.</p> <p>Columbia, SC.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15256426867http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/15256426867Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:30:00 -0600young pioneers(young) pioneerseagle bravoassfactor 4punkhardcoreemoscreamofolk punkskramssouth carolinacolumbiavets hallflyersborn againstctwashere<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwy94fzsVf1r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Hole in the Wall is that small building by the alley on Laurel, between Grace and Broad. It’s called The Nile right now, and has been a showspace on and off for about 20 years.</p> <p>**Just got back from Richmond, and Marty lent me a handful of flyers for the blog. I’ll scan the bigger ones once I go back to work next week. In the meantime, check out Marty’s awesome all-vinyl record store <a href="http://steadysounds.tumblr.com/">Steady Sounds</a>.**</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/14958883719http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/14958883719Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:12:15 -0600musicrockpunkrichmondhole in the wallthe nileborn againstflying shovelsyoung pioneers(young) pioneersrvactwashere<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwy90pHd2w1r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Moondance was a club on 17th St. in Shockoe Bottom, just north of E. Main St. I was at this show. 99% sure it was in 1997, but it may have been ‘98.</p> <p>**Just got back from Richmond, and Marty lent me a handful of flyers for the blog. I’ll scan the bigger ones once I go back to work next week. In the meantime, check out Marty’s awesome all-vinyl record store <a href="http://steadysounds.tumblr.com/">Steady Sounds</a>.**</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/14958765975http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/14958765975Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:10:01 -0600punkhardcoreflyerscomet gainthe pee cheespeecheeslookout!punkgaragepop-punkborn against(young) pioneersyoung pioneersrichmondshockoe bottomvirginiarvactwashere<a href="http://rvamag.com/articles/full/13309/check-out-a-blog-devoted-to-young-pioneers-flyers-and-artwork">RVA Magazine Wrote Up The Blog!</a>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/14315789728http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/14315789728Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:34:15 -0600(young) pioneersyoung pioneerspunkrockhardcorefolk punkrichmondrvaborn againstctwashere<p>From an email from bassist Marty Key, Dec. &#8216;11:</p> <p>&#8220;Fred Lapier: drums on Free The (Young) Pioneers Now and touring drummer for the last year we were around</p> <div>John Harrison (ex-Bells On Trike): bass on a few live shows while I played drums</div> <div>Jonathan Fuller (ex-Engine Down &amp; Sleepy Time Trio): drums for a short east coast tour and he also plays on the live tracks on the Crime  Wave CD</div> <div>James Canty: Organ on a few tracks&#8221;</div>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13910535788http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13910535788Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:27:38 -0600punkhardcorerichmondrvasteady soundsmarty keyyoung pioneers(Young) Pioneersbells on trikeengine downsleepy time triojames cantyctwashere<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvv8w3F89h1r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>The gray parts are red on the original 11x17 flyer.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13906150459http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13906150459Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:40:00 -0600young pioneers(young) pioneersthe van peltvan peltted leothe ruby darepunkhardcoreindieemoborn againstrichmondrvactwashere<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvv8qwH5O41r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>1995. This was when the Pioneers were moving from their “Food Stamps/White Like Me” set to their “Great White Hope/Pioneers Liberation Radio” set. Sam McPheeters from MRP wore a cardboard mask of a Bob Dobbs-ish clip art face. “Suplex”-era Karp were bombastic and amazing and I thought I was dizzy from the bass, but it turns out I was coming down with a fever. D’oh.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13905997547http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13905997547Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:37:00 -0600karpbig businessthe melvinsmelvinspunkmetalhardcorestonermen's recovery projectborn againstsam mcpheetersk recordskill rock starsvermiformyoung pioneers(Young) Pioneersadam nathansonctwashere<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvv8mefMIM1r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZHoyX-Hchc">Action Patrol</a> were one of the most popular punk bands in Richmond when I was in high school. This is from their last show, in 1996. If I remember right, Twisters was sold out and full of people singing along. The generation of kids singing along at the show had mostly gotten into punk during the Green Day/Rancid/Offspring boom in ‘94, and now high school was drawing to a close and we were starting to look to the future. Bands broke up, people moved away…or stuck around and got weird.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13905863954http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13905863954Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:35:00 -0600young pioneers(young) pioneersaction patrolsleepytime triocorneliusrichmondrvaflyerspunkhardcoreborn againstctwashere<iframe class="tumblr_audio_player tumblr_audio_player_13816006267" src="http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13816006267/audio_player_iframe/youngpioneersflyers/tumblr_lvroi8Oa6A1r7e7k7?audio_file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tumblr.com%2Faudio_file%2Fyoungpioneersflyers%2F13816006267%2Ftumblr_lvroi8Oa6A1r7e7k7" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" scrolling="no" width="500" height="85"></iframe><br/><br/><p>From the “On Trial” EP, Lookout Records.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13816006267http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13816006267Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:27:44 -0600musicpunkhardcoreyoung pioneers(young) pioneersadam nathansonborn againstrichmondrvaon triallookout recordslovers on trialctwashere<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvot2pxC6P1r7e7k7o1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p>(Young) Pioneers live photo from the <a href="http://lookoutrecordsbands.blogspot.com/2010/08/young-pioneers.html">LookoutRecordsBands</a> blog. Click through for a band bio.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13730754196http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13730754196Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:13:37 -0600punkhardcorerichmondrvayoung pioneers(young) pioneersloolookout recordsctwashere<iframe class="tumblr_audio_player tumblr_audio_player_13730644125" src="http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13730644125/audio_player_iframe/youngpioneersflyers/tumblr_lvosxwJdVN1r7e7k7?audio_file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tumblr.com%2Faudio_file%2Fyoungpioneersflyers%2F13730644125%2Ftumblr_lvosxwJdVN1r7e7k7" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" scrolling="no" width="500" height="85"></iframe><br/><br/><p>From “The Fall Of Richmond,” their split with Avail. Lookout Records, 1996.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13730644125http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13730644125Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:10:00 -0600musicpunkhardcorefolk punkrichmondrvaavaillookout recordsyoung pioneers(young) pioneersctwashere<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvosm64RW51r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvosm64RW51r7e7k7o2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvosm64RW51r7e7k7o3_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvosm64RW51r7e7k7o4_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvosm64RW51r7e7k7o5_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvosm64RW51r7e7k7o6_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvosm64RW51r7e7k7o7_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvosm64RW51r7e7k7o8_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvosm64RW51r7e7k7o9_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvosm64RW51r7e7k7o10_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><p>Pioneers Liberation Songbook</p> <p>Marching Blue Ants Tour</p> <p>Jan 1996</p> <p>Images from the inside of a (Young) Pioneers lyric zine. <a href="http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/#13730203072">Here’s</a> the cover.</p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13730397274http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13730397274Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:03:00 -0600punkhardcorerichmondrvazinesartyoung pioneers(young) pioneersctwashere<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvosdnNO571r7e7k7o1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvosdnNO571r7e7k7o2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><p>Front and back cover of a (Young) Pioneers lyric zine. </p>http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13730203072http://youngpioneersflyers.tumblr.com/post/13730203072Sun, 04 Dec 2011 09:58:00 -0600punkhardcorezinesartrichmondrvaborn againstyoung pioneers(you(young) pioneersctwashere