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DYS
United States - Boston, MA

DYS ("Department of Youth Services"), along with fellow band SSD, was the backbone of the so-called "Boston Crew" - a group of guys who lifted weights, ate lots of red meat, and advocated the straight edge. DYS formed around singer Dave Smalley, a Washington DC native attending school in Boston, and bassist Jon Anastas, previously of Decadence (see the This Is Boston Not L.A. comp). The band released a classic 12" in 1983 on SSD's XClaim label and played shows in Boston and elsewhere on the East Coast. After a few years, DYS traded hardcore for hard rock, and added a fifth guitarist (Ross Luongo from Impact Unit) in order to be able to play complex metal riffs and solos. 1984's self-titled LP attracted major label interest, but this attention eventually brought about the demise of the band. Afterwards, Anastas played bass in Slapshot for a while, and Smalley sang for ALL and the seminal DC band Dag Nasty, before starting Down By Law.

DISCOGRAPHY Releases: BROTHERHOOD 12" (XClaim Records, 1983) DYS LP (Modern Method Records, 1984) Reissues/Etc: WOLFPACK LP (Taang! Records, 1990) FIRE & ICE LP/CD (Taang! Records, 1991) Compilations: A COMPILATION DEDICATED TO TIM YO LP (bootleg, 2000) INFO Interviews: