Biography
Formed in Oakland at the start of 2014, the quartet Hard Left fused an openly leftist stance with the raw punk energy of Stiff Little Fingers, Cockney Rejects, and the Dils while adopting a classic Mod aesthetic. Its lineup brought together indie-rock veterans Mike Schulman of Black Tambourine and Slumberland Records on vocals, Tim Brown and Donna McKean of Lunchbox handling guitar and bass, and Stewart Anderson of Boyracer and countless other projects on drums. When Anderson could not travel from Arizona for certain concerts, Mario Hernandez of Kids on a Crime Spree took over behind the kit. During concentrated sessions in Flagstaff, Arizona toward the end of 2014, the group tracked an uplifting holiday track called “Skinheads Home for Christmas,” material for a split single with Bad Daddies, and an entire album. Issued on Future Perfect in early 2015, We Are Hard Left delivered the band’s political convictions with unmistakable force yet kept the tone buoyant and enjoyable. Issued alongside the album, Version Excursion appeared as a cassette of jungle and dub reworkings of its songs, crafted by Echo Wanderer and Downpour.