Cro-Mags

The band was formed in 1981 by Flanagan, who, in 1982/ 83 wrote and released a 4 song EP entitled "Here's to the Ink in Ya," which w would be the template for the band's first album Age of Quarrel released in 1986. On the EP, Flanagan played all instruments and sang. Flanagan was then joined by Parris Mayhew on guitar, Mackie Jayson on drums and Eric Casonova on vocals, which lineup constituted the first line-up playing under the name Cro-Mags.

The band's debut album The Age of Quarrel was released in 1986, featuring Flanagan, Jayson, Mayhew and Jayoson, who were joined by Doug Holland. The album was mostly written by Flanagan and Mayhew, with Lyrics by Flanagan, Casanova and McGowan, some songs based on a four track demo that Flanagan had recorded solo in 1982 while on the West Coast. Jayson and Joseph parted ways with the band after The Age of Quarrel, at which time Flanagan played bass and vocals on the following Cro-Mags release, Best Wishes (1989), which had a more heavy metal-influenced sound. The next record was released in 1992 Alpha Omega saw the return of Joseph singing with Flanagan. Cro-Mags disbanded but later recorded the album with the return of Doug Holland and a new rhythm guitarist, Gabby Abularach. The album, Near Death Experience was released in 1993, after which the group disbanded for several years. They began touring again in the late 1990s with Flanagan on vocals and bass and Mayhew returning to guitar. In 2000 the band released Revenge. The release of Revenge and its subsequent tour resulted in Mayhew leaving the band for the last time. In 2001 Flanagan asked Joseph to join him once again, but the short-lived reunion ended in 2002.

Harley Flanagan performing in 2019

In 2008, John Joseph and Jayson began playing shows under the Cro-Mags name with other established hardcore musicians such as Craig Setari from Sick of It All on bass and A.J. Novello from Leeway on guitar. In an October 2010 interview, McGowan revealed that they were planning to release a new album in 2011. This album never happened, as McGowan did not have the legal right to release music using the trademarked name Cro-Mags.

In 2018, Flanagan filed a federal trademark infringement against John Joseph and Mackie Jayson In Federal Court, in the Southern District of New York. In April 2019, Flanagan announced a settlement wherein he would own exclusive rights to the name Cro-Mags; simultaneously, Joseph announced his recognition of the settlement, and that he and his band would perform as Cro-Mags JM, having been granted a limited license to use the name in this manner, beginning in August 2019.[4][5] Later infringement by McGowan in 2022, resulted in a permanent injunction granted by the Federal District Court of the Southern District of New York. The rights to the Cro-Mags name now belong exclsuively to Flanagan.

On June 28, 2019, Cro-Mags released their first new music in nineteen years, while heading into a 5-show run with the Misfits [6] sharing three new songs "Don't Give In", "Drag You Under", and "No One's Victim",[7] and toured in North America and Europe. The line-up consisted of Flanagan on bass and vocals, Abulurach on guitar, Rocky George on lead guitar and long time drummer Garry G-Man Sullivan on drums.

Before the end of 2019 they released "From the Grave" featuring former Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell on lead and slide guitar.[8] A three-song 7-inch EP of the same name was released on December 6, 2019, in various colors and have the tracks "PTSD" and "Between Wars" included. The band was set to perform with Body Count in New York City on March 15 at Webster Hall. The show was postponed due to the COVID-19 virus. The band decided to live stream a free performance from SIR studios,[9] one of the first bands to do so during the pandemic.[10] On March 31, 2020, the band offered a free download of the track, "The Final Test" and announced the June 19 release date of their first studio album in twenty years, In the Beginning.[11][12]

On September, the band premiered the video for "Between Wars",[13] which features footage from an independent film of the same name starring Flanagan and The Sopranos star, Michael Imperioli.

In June 2020 Cro-Mags, (Victory Records in the United States and Arising Empire in the EU), released their 6th full length studio album "In the Beginning" written by Flanagan.

In 2022, post-covid restrictions, Cro-Mags, with their current lineup (Flanagan, Dominic DiBenedetto (guitar), Garry-G-Man Sullivan (drums) and Hector Guzman (lead guitar)) completed a 16-country 88-show tour, kicking off with a 2-week East Coast/ West Run with the Exploited and including performances at Hellfest (FR) and Rebellion Fest (UK). They began 2023 with a 3 week US run and are booked across Europe and in Mexico for what will be more than 100 shows and festivals.