C&L's Late Nite Music Club with Fugazi
Since this site devotes much of this center column to the goings-on in Washington, it's high time that we gave some real estate to some of the music that has provided the city's better pulse. There's no better place to start than Fugazi.
Fugazi is usually given a lot of credit for their unparalleled integrity and business ethics. All their shows were under six dollars. They didn't sell T-shirts. Their CD's cost eight dollars when all others were $14.99. They let local bands open for them. All shows were all ages. They refused to sign to a major label and instead sold millions of records on singer-guitarist ian Mackaye's own Dischord Records. When my friends and I bought a fake ticket (I thought it was real) to see them when I was 13, one of their crew told the band how we got duped and they let is in through the back door because they felt bad for us.
Anyways, that's what most screeds about Fugazi usually mention. They don't mention that had they been complete money-grubbing jerks a la Gene Simmons and built a commercial empire of emptiness and greed, they still would be one of the best and most intense bands of all time. I hope they end their hiatus soon.
Fugazi changed my life. One of the most genuine bands ever.
The thing about Fugazi is that once you like them and understand what they're about, its real hard to get into other bands that are around now. They all seem like fakers compared to Fugazi.
Anyone believe they will ever tour or make a record again?
Unfortunately... Ian has never been the type to revisit the past because of demand. Do you like the Evens?
never heard of the Evens. I take I should check them out?
Definitely check out the Evens!
That probably wasn't the best clip to use to make a case for "one of the best and most intense bands ever." That sounded more like a bunch of kids jamming in somebody's basement.
One man's jam band is another man's pretentious musical pleasure.
Q and Not U, a DC Fugazi offshoot, was also amazing til they broke up in 05. I recommend "And The Washington Monument (Blinks) Goodnight".
You're wrong. Perfect choice. Even the audience didn't get it. Just like Fugazi to make them think. Good job Max Marginal. Best LNMC I've seen. We don't want everyone to get it that's what makes it good.
I like what I like. It has nothing to do with not "getting" it. That's really elitist of you imply otherwise.
Cool story, Max. They sound like they're nice guys.
Love Love Love Fugazi, and yes, I really wish they would come out of hiatus because we sorely need Fugazi back.
1 2 3 REPEATER! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVCMLWtVN5E&fe...
Waiting Room is one of my favorite songs all time!!
I had the pleasure of working with their long friend and engineer at Inner Ear Studios, Don Zientara. He is a tall and lanky gentlemen. He used to share stories of his experiences and Ian and the band members. What Fugazi did was remind people in the DC what punk was about, it was pure and a great moment in punk history.
Rock on.
Blood on the pedals, blood on the grips
Steel leveled, chest level smear
My lips let them slip into a
Smile because now after
awhile it's all we're seen to do.
'Cause the business is as business does
Trash is trash until it's sealed from above
and left on to the corner of your mind to disappear.
Lockdown the remains.
Machine works best when the machine's not shy,
Trash is trash but trash from cash must divide.
Body bent body doubled, dismissed by time
A 5 to 9 will serve the 9 to 5.
Lockdown the remains.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wUHsgFgV1I
I had the great fortune of seeing Fugazi live in San Francisco, Berkeley and Petaluma at least 7 times. Playing venues as small as Gilman Street, and outside to a packed Sproul plaza and Dolores Park. Fugazi's integrity, and the overwhelming energy they brought to every single show still makes me feel fortunate to have seen them. They always had a minute to talk or do an interview for a fanzine after a show, and were by far the most sincere people I have met in music. A couple of years ago I ordered the Dischord 20th Anniversary Collection, and it came with a hand written note from Amy Pickering.
This music, and what they stood for opened my eyes, changed my life and I have not looked back since.
Thank you for posting this tonight!
Amazing. I saw them at Maxwell's in Hoboken but their best shows I saw were larger ones -- Roseland, Palladium.
I was lucky enough to grow up in Northern California and graduate high school in 1988, in the height of the Gilman Era. I think I still have my original Gilman Street Card from 1988 somewhere in storage. I was lucky enough to see: Operation Ivy, Crimpshrine, Bad Religion, Green Day, Jawbreaker, No Means No (and many more) as well at Gilman. I played music and booked shows in Santa Rosa. My bands got to play with Citizen Fish, Avail, Rancid, Monsula and many more. It was the most influential part of my life. It has influenced what I do for a living, and even how I parent. Those bands and their influence on my politics is the reason I even read this blog.
I used to play in a band that opened up for Fugazi once about 20 years ago. They were pretty cool. Then after the show a belligerent straight-edge punk bitched at me for drinking a beer. God, I'm old.... lol
who knows...
Ian MacKaye is, in my opinion, one of the greatest role models in rock and roll (now that is a clumsy sentence). Although my musical tastes have changed over the years I consistently finding myself coming back to Minor Threat and Fugazi (and Embrace to a lesser extent).
I would recommend everyone who is into Fugazi to check out the Evens, it consists of Ian MacKaye and his partner. A slightly different sound, but as always, something of MacKaye's musical signature is there.
Is the brother of Geoff Farina, the subject of a recent LNMC.
A true man of principle - Ian represents the best of what hardcore REALLY stood for - the DIY ethic, not bowing to the almighty music industry (or any industry for that matter). It's been said a major musical revolution happens every 20 years or so - I'm still waiting for something to come along that had the principles and grass roots support of the hardcore movement. I've said it before on this blog - that music literally shaped my life and the way I think to this day, and yeah, I'm feeling a bit old and nostalgic theses days.
Not intended as a slight to Fugazi, however the king of D.C. are Bad Brains........Mahavishnu inspired Rasta punks.......revolutionary!
THE BAD BRAINS!
One of my brothers saw 'em more times than I can count. Nice to mix it up here.
more cow bells! :>)
It's a real bell. God bless Fugazi. One of the best ever.
As a professional musician making his way in philly, I must say that Fugazi has been a guiding force behind my philosophy of the music industry. If you are as genuine as you can possibly be than finances will take care of themselves and you can live out your punk rock dreams to the bitter ugly end. I fucking love this band. better than any jam band without even trying. Better than any punk band without a thought about how much they defined the meaning of the word punk. So much to say without ever saying it. Raw emotion. Raw industry. Raw raw raw. Let me chew on it some more.
I've loved these guys since the first time I heard them. To date, one of the best concerts I've been to was from their "In on the Kill Taker" tour. They don't have a single dud of an album.
Fugazi never really impressed me much.
I actually liked Minor Threat more, myself. But "Repeater" was a decent album.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A99fzxi8rfY
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Sorry I don't know anything about their 'ethos' but I do like their music. "Waiting Room" was like a theme song for me in my late high school and early college days.
Ahh, the days when bands had talent, a vision, a voice & wrote music that actually SAID SOMETHING. Not to mention ethics, & played for the love of playing.
I had the pleasure of seeing them a couple of times in Michigan; once in Kalamazoo and once in Detroit. They were incredible both times. And yeah, there were always some in the audience who didn't really get the layers to the music. Fugazi made you think- if you were sober anyway.
The time we were in Kalamazoo, my husband wandered out the wrong door to find himself in the alley with Ian. They just hung out and chatted for a few like 'real folks'.
Thanks for posting one of their best songs. Intensity comes in different flavors:-)
after being a minor threat fanatic I saw them play Eclectic at Wesleyan and they blew me away. They set up their own equipment and stayed to talk to fans, which was the first opportunity i had to talk to a musician that i admired. Total integrity is right, not only in how they went about their business, but in how their music evolved. And while I'd love to have some new Fugazi music, I have to say that The Evens are just as exciting. Buy both albums now.
Hey there C&L,
Been a lurker up to this point but when you run a story on punk, and most especially Fugazi I finally had to chime in.
First thanks for being a great site and covering punk in your music sections. Some of us 40+ suit and tie weekday warriors used to sport mohawks and combat boots. I'm one of them and I am happy to say that I got to see Fugazi live many times back in the day. They are truly one of the best punk bands ever and it is their attitude that keeps me coming back.
Well done C&L, I have an account now so I'll stop lurking. ;-)
Nice to know all you DC hardcore fans are on C&L, makes it feel like family, unlike any other post has.
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