Feature of REMAIN FOCUS

Sometime in your life there can be a band who come from your town, city, or area, and everybody from your town love and take influence of them, but they do not have any fan or knowledge outside of that small group. That band for us have been REMAIN FOCUS.

REMAIN FOCUS come from BOCHUM, GERMANY. This is where my uncle Manfred live, and where I go many summers. This is where I begin to become a hardcore kid... In the late 1990 and early 2000, it seem like so many hardcore in germany have become just metal music. Like Maroon, Caliban... This music was fine and fun to see them live when I go see them live when they play a gig, but I want to see a band that represent that spirit that we loves. The ones like YOT and Bold. And also Uniform Choice. Then REMAIN FOCUS come out and they destroy everyone minds. They play the first of their show in 1998, and then they remain a band until 2001. REMAIN FOCUS line up consist of:

Jonas Youth - Vocal (1998 - 2001)

Günter - Guitar (1998 - 2001)

Schnickelfritz - Bass (1998 - 2000) (then he move to GUITAR 2)

PosiTimm - Bass (2000 - 2001)

Helmut - Drum (1998 - 2001)

Of the member, 3 member is still straight edge, which is rare to find! Jonas Youth remain straight edge, as well as PosiTimm, and also Schnickelfritz. Günter have lose the spirit of straight edge a few year after the band End in 2001. Helmut die in 2008, and in the 2009 one time reunion show they still play but with Herbert Edge from the band POINTING FINGER to fill in for the drums.

It make me so sad to announce it... But REMAIN FOCUS end their band in 2001.

They only have one record that come out here on CDs, it is name after the band itself, it is just name REMAIN FOCUS, but now CONE RECORDS plan to issue the record in vinyls for the first time. it is 10 song of just positive straight edge hc like YOT and Bold and Uniform Choice. The record have so much influence on so many band from here in Germany, but it never really grew out from here (in Germany, and some other place in europe as well that we show our friend).

But instead of tell you myself.. I ask many friend from HC bands what they want to tell of REMAIN FOCUS and the influence they leave behind. I let them tells you. Here, please read:

BERTRAM (ARMY OF KIDS)

"One of the most intense live show of hardcore I ever seen was the first REMAIN FOCUS show. They jumps on last minute when another band pull out of the TEN YARD FIGHT show in Bochum. It was so a big deal for REMAIN FOCUS first show to be with Ten Yard Fight, and in their home town too as well... When they begin to play, the room was so full of kids, and they go CRAZY. The spirit was known. Everyone could see the spirit coming out of the kids. REMAIN FOCUS had no demo or record at this time, so the kids could not even known the words, but I remember clearly they were so move by the spirit going deep inside them that they begin a sing along pile, even though they do not know the words! The kids was just screaming whatever come to their minds! It was crazy! Jonas hand the mic out to the singing pile and the kids climbing upon the singing pile just grabs the mic and scream "AHHHHH!!!!" I have never see anything like it before or after in my entire life, or even in my entire time in hardcore. I am glad Cone Records is to release the REMAIN FOCUS LP again for a new generation of kids to hear it and feel the spirit enter them.

FABIO (CONE RECORDS)

"REMAIN FOCUS create one of the most greatest real deal hardcore record ever to emerge from Germany. It have been packed with spirit to the brim. Every song create positive spirit and big sing along. I am lucky to see REMAIN FOCUS many time, and become friend with JONAS YOUTH who make the vocals for REMAIN FOCUS. Many do not knows of this, but the label cone records have actually been name after the REMAIN FOCUS song, "Cone Of Unity". I ask Jonas once in a show "Why does the Cone have to do with unity? A cone is simple, a triangle that have become 3D." and he respond me that to him, the cone represent unity within HC. At first when you first begin to look to it, it seems wide with difference. Everyone seem so different, youth crew, straight edge, skinhead, nyhc, crossover, newschool... It is many space between the bands and kids. But then as you begin to inspect closely, you see that they all are similar. they are close together, like the end of the cone. This stick with me through my whole life. That is why I name the label CONE RECORDS. That is why."

YANNICK (MONKEYFELLOW)

"I am more young to have seen the original show perform by REMAIN FOCUS, but one of my older friend show me it and I listen every day for years. I am lucky to go see them when they reunite, even though they play like shit then, to see the song and sing along to them still ignite the spirit deep within me and was amazing to drive there from Zurich to see him perform."

GERBER (ARMY OF KIDS)

"Army of Kids have covered REMAIN FOCUS"

MARCEL (MONKEYFELLOW)
"The reason I become straight edge is when I hear the song "Point of Focal" by REMAIN FOCUS. when I hear the lyric:
"Remain focus at all time!
Remain focus!
Do not lose it!
Remain focus!"
That is when I know I am to become straight edge. For life!"

POSI HANS (MONKEYFELLOW)

"When we commence Monkeyfellow, it have so much influence from REMAIN FOCUS. It is the perfect mix of sounds between YOT, BOLD, and UNIFORM CHOICE. JONAS YOUTH sound so much just like Ray of Today, except slower! He's voice match the musics and the spirit and the lyrics and also the guitar. They is my favorite europe hardcore band of all times."

Keep your eye peel for the record reissue on CONE RECORDS that is coming soon!