SHELTER were one of the biggest hardcore bands of the mid-'90s. Led by singer Ray Cappo through a variety of lineups and stylistic shifts, the group preached Hare Krishna religious concepts and played high-energy rock music to audiences worldwide offering up a variety of answers culled from Vedic tradition and scriptures, which were embraced for a handful of years by many fans and challenged by many of Cappo's punk peers. Ray Cappo came to underground prominence fronting the late-'80s straight-edge group YOUTH OF TODAY. He was the vocalist, lyricist, and spokesperson for the group, who led the pack of '80s positive-thinking, drug-free living, vegetarian hardcore punk "youth crew" outfits. He cofounded New York's Revelation Records, which later relocated to Southern California. But, by the end of YOUTH OF TODAY's run, he felt dissatisfied, feeling a spiritual yearning. He began to study the teachings of the Hare Krishna movement, and after a trip to India, returned a full-fledged Krishna Consciousness devotee
