As you may have already read, on July 6, former Cro-Mags bassist and founding member Harley Flanagan reportedly attacked current Cro-Mags bassist Michael Couls and William Berario in the backstage area of New York City's Webster Hall. The incident has resulted in a wave of press with most outlets reporting that it was Flanagan who began the unprovoked attack. However, Flanagan tells a different story.

Flanagan shared his side of the story with nynatives.com, claiming that he was invited into the Cro-Mags' dressing room, only to be ambushed. "When I saw that door get pulled shut I was literally fighting for my life," claims Flanagan. "I was afraid these guys were going to kick me half to death, roll me down the back steps and that no one would see it ... and there would be no witnesses and that would be that ... and all I could think about was getting home safe to my kids ... I wanted to save my life, to protect myself and these guys were trying to do me in."

Flanagan continues, "One dude says get on your stomach, get on your stomach, put your hands out in front of you and this one guy, big guy steps on my back and he’s standing with both of his feet on my back….and one guy is literally looking at me squeezing my throat choking me and … at this point it was DMS guys and security I don’t know who the f--- was which…one guy looks at me and says motherf---er I’ll f---ing kill you…I will kick you in your f---ing face until you are dead motherf---er stop moving."

Cro-Mags vocalist John Joseph McGowen was quick to deny Flanagan's claims, reports The Gaunlet. "He [Flanagan] showed up 20 minutes before [and] hid in the crowd outside our dressing room door with a backpack and a knife," begins the Cro-Mags vocalist. "Never knocking on our door and saying, 'Yo, guys... can we talk?' He was also heard ranting outside that he was putting a stop to us playing his music (his music?). And while sitting outside our door told someone else that said to Harley that he doesn't care about the beef he attends both HARLEY'S WAR shows and CRO-MAGS shows, that he was just a fan of the music. Harley's response: 'Yeah, well, f--- you. Some shit's about to go down, so if you don't wanna be involved, keep f---ing walking.'"

Stay tuned as more information is released about the Cro-Mags incident.

 

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