Leftöver Crack is an American punk rock band formed in 2000 in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York. Risen from the remains of the seminal ska-punk band Choking Victim, which released one very-low budget LP and a couple of EPs in the 1990s, Leftöver Crack espouses left-wing, anarchist themes, and they practice a lifestyle of squatting and veganism. They write music that is anti-capitalist, which also opposes all forms of bigotry and authoritarianism. Their influences have sometimes ranged outside of punk, as their sound is often characterized by a mix of crust punk, ska, hardcore punk, metal and, occasionally, classical.
Natives of New York City, band members have a well-documented history of back-and-forth conflict with the NYPD which precedes the band’s formation.[1]. The name “Leftöver Crack” is explained by Stza as being “an oxymoron”, based on the idea that crack cocaine addicts are known for vigorous use, and are unlikely to have any “leftover” crack.
Leftöver Crack was formed with a higher production value than Choking Victim. LöC, combined with Choking Victim and two other bands, Morning Glory and INDK, share a total of seven members between them. These seven musicians are collectively self-labeled as the “Crack Rock Steady Seven.” The line-up of Leftöver Crack changes fairly often, drawing on members of other NYC punk bands such as The Stockyard Stoics and The X-Possibles, with Stza, Alec and Ezra the only completely permanent members (Though Ezra was absent for most of the few 2005 gigs due to a blood infection). Brad Logan, or “Brad Minus” from F-Minus was not around for Mediocre Generica.
They have been banned from performing in many venues in New York City, such as ABC No Rio, the Knitting Factory, and North 6th; however, they still play at banned venues sometimes, usually under different disguises or Sturgeon individually as a solo act. |
