Ten Yard Fight

For the video game, see 10-Yard Fight.

Ten-yard Fight
Origin	Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres	Hardcore punk
Years active	1995–1999
Labels	Equal Vision Records
Past members	Anthony "Wrench" Moreschi John La Croix Jay Frechette Anthony Pappalardo Tim Cossar Brian "Clevo" Ristau Ben Chused Aaron Dalbec Chris Patterson

Ten-yard Fight was an American straight edge, football-themed band formed in 1995 in Boston. Along with In My Eyes and Floorpunch, they spearheaded the youth crew revival in 1997. Ten-yard Fight's "official" last show was in Boston on October 17, 1999, which would become the first National Edge Day. They would later play two additional shows with partial line-ups and a full reunion show at This Is Hardcore festival.

Biography

Ten-yard Fight played their first show with Moreschi clad in a combination of football gear and punk rock clothing. After receiving positive feedback the band decided to become more serious. Ten-yard Fight began performing on the East Coast.

Having sold 1,000 copies of their demo, Ten-yard Fight teamed up with Big Wheel Recreation to release the Hardcore pride 7-inch in 1996. The initial pressing sold out in less than a week, helping generate a buzz that resulted in the band's signing to Equal Vision. During that time they also released a split 7-inch with Fastbreak. The first result of the partnership was to compile the demo and Hardcore pride 7-inch onto a single CD. Ten-yard Fight would next release an album entitled Back on track. Line-up changes followed, as the group toured Europe and the United States through 1997 and 1998. In 1998, the band recorded six new songs that would later surface on The only way EP.

In between these releases, Ten-yard Fight appeared on many different compilation recordings. At the end of 1999, Ten-yard Fight played their last show together with friends Bane, Reach the Sky, and In My Eyes. This show was at the Karma Club on Lansdowne Street as the Yankees and Red Sox were playing right across the street in the ALCS at Fenway Park. The final line-up of the band included Anthony Moreschi, guitarist John La Croix (who started out playing bass), guitarist Tim Cossar (who later formed American Nightmare), bassist Brian Ristau, and drummer Ben Chused.

The only way: 1995-1999, a video documentary, had its release celebrated a year later with Ten-yard Fight taking the stage, unannounced, at Edge Day Two, coinciding with the final performance of Boston's In My Eyes. During the 4+ years that Ten-yard Fight was around, the band played all over the world, including several US tours, a European tour, many shows in Canada and even a weekend of 2 shows in Puerto Rico where Steve Reddy caused permanent spinal damage to La Croix. At some point between May 2000 and June 2005 La Croix had penned the first edge confession letter when he broke edge. This was followed closely by Ray Lemoine (former tour driver) penning a similar letter known to scholars as the State of the edge address.

Aftermath

Ristau and Moreschi reunited as «First and Ten» at National Edge Day 2007 in Haverhill, MA. They played another show under the same name and at the same place with Slapshot on November 8, 2008.

Moreschi went on to front Stand and Fight (Bridge 9 Records), and, later, formed Resist, featuring members from Drug Test and Since the Flood.

John La Croix moved to California and started the band that would become Terror. He now plays guitar in Portland hardcore band Unrestrained.

Ten-yard Fight reunited for just one show headlining the first day at This Is Hardcore 2018, in Philadelphia, PA. The line-up was the same active twenty years before: Moreschi on vocals, La Croix and Dalbec on guitars, Chused on drums and Ristau on bass.

Discography

• Demo '95 (1995)
• Hardcore pride (April 15, 1995)
• Back on track (July 17, 1997)
• The only way (1999)

See also

• Youth Crew
• Straight Edge
• Posicore

External links

• Ten-yard Fight interview on RAP AROUND part 3, 1995