“I remember being in the pit and having the realisation that I might die,” says Walter Schreifels, recalling his first memorable experience as part of the seminal New York hardcore scene of the 1980s. “I’m a skinny guy and I grew up in Rockaway Beach,” he continues. “Sometimes when the waves are big, especially when you’re a little kid, you’d go out and get knocked down by a wave and forced under. You want to get up and you don’t know which way is up and you’re kind of spinning around, and what you want to do when you’re in that situation is just chill and wait for the whitewash… so I employed that and remember thinking, ‘This mosh part can only last another five seconds, people will get out, it will dissipate and I’ll be able to get back to the safety ...
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