By now I’m sure you all have heard the sad news of the passing of Ray Barbieri aka Raybeez from NYC’s Warzone. Having been a force in the NYHC scene since the mid-80’s Warzone has released many records. I’m sure many of you reading this have at least one of their records. “Don’t Forget The Struggle, Don’t Forget The Streets” still remains one of my all time favorite hardcore records and it will always be one of my favorites since it had such a big influence on me when I was first getting into hardcore music. Ray’s death brings the end to a legendary band that in my eyes have been around forever. So many band members came and went, other bands came and went. The NY scene took a hiatus for a couple of years in the early 90’s but the one thing that never faltered was Raybeez and his band. They were always there. I was supposed to interview Ray and the rest of Warzone for this issue but plans obviously had to be changed. I wrote a show review in my last issue for their show at the Crocodile Club in Queens. That was the first and only time that I talked to Ray. I remember Warzone playing their asses off even though there were maybe 20 or so people in the club.  I remember them playing a lengthy set although they were already paid and could have easily called it a night after 20 minutes. I remember Ray giving out free shirts out to the few kids who did stick around after the show. I didn’t know Ray except for what I saw on stage the many times I saw Warzone and from that brief encounter. What I wanted to do with this piece is get the people who did know Ray. Whether it be a long standing friendship or just fellow scene people that have a particular story about him. So what I ended up doing was going out with my tape recorder, emailing people, some wrote down what they had to say cause they had a lot on their minds and this is the finished product. It was an open forum and most had a story or a thought right off the bat. The first part is a short chat with Ray’s bandmates Todd, Jay and Vinnie. They were interviewed on October 22nd at Jay’s apartment in Astoria, Queens. The rest were tracked down one way or another. That’s all I have to say right now and hopefully this will be the first and last interview of this kind.

(October 22, 1997  Todd, Jay and Vinnie of Warzone)

IE: So what exactly happened surrounding Ray’s death. There have been negative rumors floating around but what really happened?

Todd: Anybody who is talking shit about how Ray died doesn’t know the real facts. Maybe one day they will have a little cut on their hand, go to a hospital, and come out in a bodybag. The city hospitals have too many people to deal with on a day to day basis in a city like New York.

Jay: From what I know the VA Hospital punctured his lung. It wasn’t one of the better VA Hospitals. I’m not going to say where it was (under his breath 23rd and 1st). He died of bacterial pneumonia.

Vinnie: He was allergic to the number one anti-biotic they were trying to give him.

Todd: When he went into the hospital it was like a chest infection. We had a rehearsal and he came in and told us he wasn’t going to sing too hard because he wasn’t feeling too good. Half way through the rehearsal he runs out of the room in the middle of a song. He comes back a few minutes later and told us that his chest is killing him and he just threw up. Ray stopped singing, we finished rehearsal, and then he went to work. The next day Ray’s girlfriend contacted me and told me that he went to the hospital for a checkup because he was throwing up all night at work and his chest was killing him. The doctors wanted to keep him for observation and run some tests for a couple of days. That’s where it started.

IE: What was Ray doing besides the band more recently?

Todd: He actually worked at a hotel in Manhattan as the head of security. He worked nights doing that. Usually right after rehearsal he would cut out and go to work.

Jay: He looked pretty good in his Armani suit I might add.

Todd: There were times where either me or Jay would show up in the middle of the night to pick up or drop off band shit or whatever and one of us would be fucked up one way or another. I’d be sitting in this really nice hotel while “Ray in security” is coming down to see us. The first time I ever saw Ray in a suit was maybe three or four months after I had joined the band and we were recording for this 7” comp. Our drummer at the time quit that day. So Ray shows up at the studio in a suit and tie and pants. It was one of the funniest things I ever saw.

IE: Do you remember the first time you ever met Ray?

Todd: It was outside CB’s during what was supposed to be AF’s last show. I think he was fucked up that day because he seemed a little out of it even though it was 11:30 in the morning. I met him and this guy Rob who worked with the band for awhile.

Jay: I met him at an Underdog show where Bad Religion opened up for Underdog at CB’s. He was at CB’s with his skinhead girl click. I will add that Bad Religion did open up for Underdog.

Todd: When I met Ray he had on a ski hat, a red flannel, light blue jeans and these really really big Nike’s or Adidas. They were huge, like size 14. I remember them as being like the biggest fucking feet I had ever seen. With his hat pulled down to his eyes.

Vinnie: That would be at The Tilt in 1993. I went down to see them play. I was in another band at the time and I gave him a tape of the band because I wanted us to get some shows with Warzone. The next day he called and wanted to get some show together with us.

IE: Any funny or weird stories from the numerous tour dates Warzone has played over the last couple of years?

Todd: We had this driver on one of our tours that Ray didn’t like too much. He was getting jumped by these kids at this bar after we played with the Business in Houston. We were all in the van waiting for this guy and all of a sudden we hear him calling our names. We look out the window and these guys just tackled him and he was on the floor. We tore ass out of the van and we started helping out our driver.

Jay: When the whole thing is over we look over and Ray was in his long johns, wifebeater and socks. Before we went out I told Ray I had a bat so he told me to give it to him. He started wailing this guy, going crazy and I looked over when we were done and he’s just there in his underwear! Ray kind of avoided things like that on the road and he always told us we fucked up if we got into some kind of beef.

Todd: I remember when we were going to Chicago to record our last record. Me, Jay and Vinnie pass through the metal detector at the airport and as we were there Ray and his girlfriend show up. We figure we’d see Ray on the plane. The plane starts moving and I ask Jay if Ray is sitting a few rows ahead of us. I figured he had to be somewhere on the plane but after flying for a few minutes I don’t see him. Vinnie came over to me and he didn’t see him either. We’re half way through the flight and I picked up one of those in flight phones they have on the plane and I call Victory (Victory Records). I call them and say “Hey, this is Todd from Warzone” and as soon as I said that they said “Ray said…” and at that point I started cracking up because I knew he missed his flight. The person at Victory was telling me that Ray got stuck at the metal detector because the guy in front of him had a gun. Bullshit!!! Re-confirmed Bullshit!

Jay: So we all stood there laughing at him when he did show up at the airport.

Todd: He kept telling us that the guy in front of him had a gun. We were all like “Yeah, sure Ray”. It was real funny.

IE: Is there something you guys want to say to the hardcore community in general on behalf of the band?

Todd: Thanks to everyone who went to the benfit, both benefits, paid money to get in, bought a shirt.

Jay: Yeah, cause everyone knows that when Ray was working at The Wetlands he got half of you mother fuckers in the back door so you can pay $10 for a benefit for his family.

Vinnie: I just wanted to say that I’m going to miss Raybeez’ humor. He was a really funny guy and I’m going to miss him.

Jay: Gorilla Biscuits played the second benefit show and they played “Young Till I Die” and they sent it out to Ray. Warzone covered that song since 1988. What Civ said was that it was one thing that Ray lived up to and then just busted it out. It was real cool…(End of interview with Warzone)

Toby Morse (H2O) Raybeez was one of the biggest influences that I have ever had. I quote him in the lyrics to our song “Family Tree”. Great guy, great person, always positive. A lot of people took it for granted what kind of hero we had and now he’s gone and it’s too late. I have always respected him and looked up to him as a kid even when I was a skinhead when I was younger. When I first met him I was 18 years old. It’s a great, great loss. A very positive person, it’s really crazy. On our new record we sample Raybeez saying “Yo sucker, you got a big mouth” and I’m wearing a Warzone shirt on the back of the record. He had called me a week before to work with him and when I called him back it was too late because he was already in the hospital. It’s a tragic loss for everybody, he was a great friend to both me and my wife. Always positive, always something nice to say, he was like an angel.

John Franko (Awkward Thought & Warzone roadie on last Euro tour) We arrived in London early and had nothing to do until the show. I think Ray had been in London before and we figured he knew his way around. Me, some of the Warzone guys and the Backfire (the opening band) guys decided to go walking around. Ray kept saying he was looking for certain skinhead stores and places and he would take us there. He said there was cool stuff in Camdentown so we went there. Needless to say we walked around for hours looking for these places that we never found. I don’t think Ray had a clue where we were or what we were looking for but everytime we turned a new corner he would say “I think it’s right around here”. Some body saw us and handed us a flyer with a skinhead on it that was promoting an Oi club. We walked into a record store and asked the owner if he knew where this club was and he told us and then added “Oh, you guys know it’s a gay club”. Needless to say we didn’t go there. Ray kept us busy searching for these non-existent stores which we never did find. At that point I just said fuck it and split. Met ‘em later at the show and all went well from there.

Joe (Down Low) One time we were playing at CBGB’s and before we go on I normally have to take a shit. So I go to the girls bathroom all the time. Don’t ever go to the guys bathroom. The guys bathroom is all fucked up. At least the girls bathroom is clean, a little bit. So I put like four layers of toilet paper on the toilet bowl and do what I gotta do. When I was done I pulled my pants up and didn’t realize that the toilet paper that I put on the seat was stuck to my pants. I’m going up the stairs and getting ready to go on stage. Raybeez is coming down the stairs, I’m going up and we kind of bump into each other and he says “Hey, where you going Superman?” I’m like “Superman, what the fuck are you talking about?” He told me to look at my back and I was like “Doooouuuuu!” I had so much toilet paper on me that it reached all the way from the toilet bowl up the stairs so he was calling me Superman. I thought it was pretty funny especially since I didn’t know and was about to go on stage. Raybeez was a funny guy and may he rest in peace.

Vanessa Chambless (Retail Goddess @ Victory Records) I don’t think I could hone down to one single best experience I’ve ever had with Ray, there’s so many different thoughts that come to mind. The hour plus long phone calls late at night where we’d talk about everything from Warzone to Victory to life in general. The hugs from behind that I would get at my desk every time he was in town. Seeing him dive into a crowd of kids, microphone and all and getting knocked down and bouncing back up without skipping a beat. I could go on and on because all these things and more made up Ray and all he was. I think the little things that he would do meant the most because he truly cared. From the moment I met Ray he commanded respect and gave the same and always pushed people to be the best they could be regardless of how much they fucked up in the past. I guess if I had to point to one thing, it would be before the Warzone show with The Business in St. Louis where Ray snuck onto Vinnie’s drums during a sound check and kept asking me to “name a song, any song” to play. He never did any of the ones I asked him very well but that’s not the point. The point is that he was as real as you and me and every experience I or anyone had the pleasure to share with him should be treasured because that’s how he felt about it too. I’ll never forget him and all his love for life and the people in it (or his smile) and will always lament the fact that no one will ever be touched by him again or see him perform live. He was a truly amazing individual.

Mike Dijan (Breakdown) When I was in Crown Of Thornz we had this show at The Wetlands and Raybeez was working the back door for security. Before the show they kicked everybody out of the club so they could stamp the people in bands and then let everyone back in. Ray was clearing the club and he didn’t know who my bass player was so my bass player tried to get back into the club and Raybeez told him he’s got to go back outside and wait to get stamped. My bass player thought who he was and just blew right past him and Ray ended up throwing him out of the club. My bass player was a very non-violent guy, he wouldn’t hurt a fly. So anyway Raybeez comes up to me and says “Mike Dijan man, your bass player is lucky I didn’t stick him man”. I brought my bass player back in the room so so they could straighten everything out and he was telling him that he didn’t know who he was fucking with. For me it was hilarious cause my bass player was such a non-violent guy. The last time I saw Raybeez was when Warzone was playing a show up in Vermont and we were playing a show at The Rat in Boston. They drove out of their way just to check us out and they missed us and we hung out. We went to a bar and had a great time. That’s the last time I hung out with Ray and it was really cool.

Rick (25 Ta Life) Thanks for asking me to be part of this…Raybeez was a cool guy. He definitely gave his all. Took the good with the bad and always tried to do his best. We had some good conversations together at The Wetlands. When 25 Ta Life was gonna sign a deal with Victory I asked him about the label etc. I think he was what hardcore is about. Real people. He lived a life dedicated to the hardcore lifestyle and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Supporting the scene, bringing different styles together. We played last time in Connecticut with Warzone. It was them, AF, The Business, 25 Ta Life, and Hatebreed. Warzone set it off. They did a Minor Threat and 7 Seconds cover. It was awesome. I’ll remember Ray as someone who just dedicated his life to hardcore and always gave his all, and never gave up. A true person to his beliefs. R.I.P. Raybeez. We’ll keep the spirit alive.

Bianca (In Effect) It was Friday, February 14^th Valentine’s Day, and no more than 15 kids showed up for the show. I bet they didn’t even make more than 15 bucks that night. Warzone was great though. “Tell us what you want to hear, and we’ll play it for you” seemed to be the motto for the evening. After the show I went over to their merchandise table. They even had a fucking Warzone watch. I thought it was pretty cool. I didn’t buy anything though. I was broke. I was standing somewhere in the middle of the room, reading some flyer when somebody came up to me from behind. “Hey, this is for you, it’s for free” Raybeez said with a smile when I turned around. He handed me one of their long sleeve shirts. “Thank you” was all I could say before he turned around again and walked away slowly. Pretty cool.

Skip (OS101) Alright, after a little brain searching and sorting through the memory bank sort of speak two things jump out. First one was the Sunday afternoon we signed (we being Hogans Heroes) our first recording contract with New Red Archives. We had just got done playing at CBGB’s with Ludichrist, Prong, and Biohazard, this was like ’86-’87. We met with Nicky Garret of New Red Archivess over at the record store next to CB’s. The whole time we went over the contract Ray sat there looking over us like a big brother. We were only 16 or 17 years old at the time and didn’t know shit. He kind of made sure everything was cool. Then when we signed he was the first person to shake our hands or give congrats and that’s something we all won’t forget. Other times playing together I remember as well. Hogans Heroes, Token Entry, JFA and Warzone at Oliver J’s in Allentown, PA. But for me, what means the most is the fact that not only was he there for us when we were young, but he was still there, giving us respect and support last year when we played CB’s for the first time as OS101. We will miss Raybeez, never forget.

AJ Novello (Both Worlds)

The first time I met Raybeez was probably 1982 or ’83. I was invited to an Agnostic Front rehearsal by their bass player at the time (Adam Instigate) who used to live in my neighborhood. I was in a band with Adam for a minute until he disappeared for a couple of months. He then resurfaced, shaved head and all, playing bass for AF. They were rehearsing at this studio in Chinatown. I think the Beastie Boys and others were practicing there also. To get to the studio you had to get into a dark small freight elevator. I think they were in the sub-basement in the smallest room I’d ever seen! I said what’s up to everybody and remembered when I saw Ray he instantly reminded me of this guy in this horror movie “The Hills Have Eyes” were these people get terrorized in the desert by a family of crazies. Anyway, it was a cool flick and Ray and I became friends soon after. Actually, most people who came in contact with Ray became fast friends with him cause that’s the type of guy he was. Ray persevered for a long time, trying to keep his band together through thick and thin. It’s a shame that he left this soon. I wish now I could have talked to him one more time or something, ya know? I think AF left without paying that night too!

Kent (No Redeeming Social Value) Raybeez was the guy who helped us out when nobody else would. He always stayed young at heart, mind and spirit, just like in his lyrics. He was also a guy who you could joke around with. Raybeez meant a lot to hardcore and the people who listened to it. He is probably rocking out right now with Moses and Jim Morrison, I’ll always remember Ray as a musician and friend. Hardcore will live on in his memory.

Jimmy Williams (Maximum Penalty) 

Probably the most vivid thing that I remember about Ray was at my very first hardcore show at the Rock Hotel. I was just a kid and I saw the Bad Brains there. I didn’t know any better, I was just some young punk rock kid. I had these spike bracelets on and I started stage diving and moshing. Raybeez came up to me and said “Hey kid you can’t be wearing those things in the pit, you’re going to knock someone’s eye out”. He was working the stage at the time. He didn’t come off like a dick, he just came up to me and was like chillout. I took them off. I didn’t know any better. It was my first hardcore show ever and I was only around 12 years old. MP’s played a lot of shows with Warzone. There was this other time where MP played a show with Sick Of It All up at Streets in the Bronx. There was a big fight and Raybeez was just the mediator. He was trying to keep everyone cool. He was always just an all around peaceful guy. I don’t remember him being hostile or thinking that he was the shit because Warzone was blowing up at the time. I knew Raybeez very well and he was just always a very nice fucking guy. It’s a shame, it’s a loss. Hopefully he’s in a better place. He’s looking down on us and chilling up there with all the other tragedies of the NY Lower East Side underground music scene. Guys like Johnny Thunders and all the other old punkers. His spirit is still here, we haven’t lost his spirit. That’s the most important thing. All these people who are going around talking bullshit about how he died… it doesn’t matter how he died. They don’t understand. He was a good man. We all have our problems. We all have our skeletons in the closet. Nobody in this NY scene is pure. He never treated me or any of the people that I’m close to ill mannered. He gave us total props and total respect. That’s what I’ll remember most about Raybeez, that he was a very sincere beautiful person.