Heart Attack

Releases

Bio

Heart Attack was formed 1980 in Whitestone Queens, when Malin, drummer Javier Madariaga and bassist John Frawley, were between the ages of 12 and 17.  Malin remembers, “We started to check out clubs on Avenue A, which was a scary, blown-out neighborhood.”   In their four blazing years, the band went from A7 and 171A to Max’s Kansas City, CBGB’s, the Ritz, Los Angeles and even Mexico City.  “Somehow, without cell phones and the internet, we all found each other on an East Village corner.  We came from all boroughs in the New York area and the tri-state.   Tours were booked on stolen credit cards that you bought in Times Square. You bought a used van, built a loft in the back, and went across the country.”

 

Heart Attack was part of a thriving scene alongside their heroes, Bad Brains, Circle Jerks, Dead Kennedys, on the early noise scene with Sonic Youth and Swans and shared bills with Beastie Boys, Murphy’s Law, Misfits, Cro-Mags and Agnostic Front.  Heart Attack was also featured on Rick Rubin’s first ever Def Jam live production, Uptown Meets Downtown, with art funk combo Liquid Liquid and Bronx-based hip hop trio Treacherous 3 at the infamous Hotel Diplomat.

 

“I’ll never forget the summer of ’81 when we first heard this record on the radio,” adds Malin.  “I’m really happy to see this EP get a re-release 40 years later.   I’m very grateful to still be making music.  As much as the world changes, some things remain the same—waiting for the van to come, writing a set list, getting the jitters before you go on, putting your boots on tight, and playing every show like you have a gun at your back.”