I figured I'd represent my hometown scene a little and see what others on RadioMute think about it. I hope you don't feel like you must compare it to New York hardcore or Chippewa Falls hardcore or whatever. In this thread, I'm basically just interested in what fellow members think about D.C. hardcore and these particular bands.

You can't talk about D.C. and music without paying homage to Ian MacKaye, the founder and spirit of the entire hardcore scene here. It all began in 1979 when MacKaye and a few other chaps formed a band called The Teen Idles. Their earliest tracks established the vibe and the style of D.C. hardcore. In 1980, they released their "Minor Disturbances" EP on their own D.I.Y. label - Dischord Records. (This is is DR #1.) That same year MacKaye formed Minor Threat and the rest is history. If you don't know who they are, they were one of the world's first and best hardcore bands.

Around this time, a group of jazz fusionists got it into their heads to start playing blistering hardcore punk mixed with a little reggae. They called themselves Bad Brains. Their 1982 debut is a hardcore legend - heck, their first three or four albums are legends. Many think they're the best hardcore band ever.

In 1984 we have the beginning of emo with Guy Piccioto's band Rites of Spring. Knock the current emo scene all you want, but back then this music was fresh and unique, and damn good actually.

These are the roots. MacKaye and Picciotto, after a side project or two (Embrace, etc.), joined forces in 1987 to become one of the best indie rock bands of the last two decades: Fugazi. Fugazi ushered in a new wave of post-hardcore bands that are still shaking up the indie rock scene today. In fact, if you're into indie rock, many of the bands you like are probably D.C. bands.

I'll rattle off some the names of some D.C. bands, from the early 80s to the present, in case people are unaware of these bands or the fact that they're from D.C.:

The Faith
Void
Scream
Government Issue
Gray Matter
Dag Nasty
Shudder To Think
Nation of Ulysses
Girs Against Boys
High-Back Chairs
Jawbox
Trans Am
The Make-Up
Burning Airlines
The Pietasters
Dismemberment Plan
Q and Not U

I'm leaving out many worthy band here. Anyways, if you like any of this stuff, say something.

something

Dude I have seen a shite load of live bands in my life and to this day the best show I have ever seen is the bad brains.

I love their albums too. They are an aquired listen but once you have aquired their sound, man they blow me away. They are my fave punk band that is for sure.

"Banned in D.C. with a thousand more places to go.
Gonna swim across the Atlantic, cause that's the only place I can go.

You, you can't hurt me, me I'm banned in D.C. D.C.

We, we got ourselves, gonna sing it, gonna love it, gonna work it out to any length.
Don't worry, no worry, about what people say.
We got ourselves, we gonna make it anyway.

You, you can't hurt me, why I'm banned in D.C. D.C.

And if you ban us from your clubs, it's the right time, with the right mind.
And if you think we really care, you won't find in my mind.
Ooh! Ooh! You can't afford, to close your doors, so soon no more."

and fugazi are in my top 5 live bands ever seen as well, I have seen them a few times but one time in particular was amazing.


You are lucky to be living in a place where there is such an awesome history of punk rock, of those newer bands that you mentioned, I didn't have a good look, but the only one that I have got some stuff of, is dag nasty and I think they are quite good to.

Actually a few weeks ago I bought the book "get in the van - on the road with black flag" it tells of the days when Rollins was in Black Flag and a lot of the stories are when he was hanging out with McKay and some of the other early DC bands, think it was panbient that recommended it a while back, and I have to agree with him it is a really interesting read.

Here's a list of essential harDCore purchases (with links) in case people are interested in checking this music out. (I'll get to the post-hardcore stuff in another post.)

1. VA - Dischord 1981: The Year in Seven Inches | This is an important collection, but unfortunately it's out-of-print, so you'll have to find it used. The Teen Idles' Minor Disturbances EP can be found here. Also, for any of you who like Henry Rollins, he got his start in a D.C. hardcore band called State of Alert. Their No Policy EP is here as well. Also featured are early 7 inches from Government Issue, Youth Brigade and Minor Threat.

2. VA - Flex Your Head | Includes three songs each from all the bands on Dischord in 1982. All of the aforementioned bands are here, though not the same songs, so luckily there's no overlap. Some of the lesser known bands on the compilation are, well, forgettable. The exception is Void, one of the great forgotten hardcore bands.

3. Minor Threat - Complete Discography | This is one of the top five most essential hardcore CDs in existence, and possibly my personal favorite. It includes everything from 1981's Minor Threat EP (their best) to 1985's Salad Days EP. This is what it's all about.

4. Bad Brains - Bad Brains | Out of all their great albums, this one - their 1982 debut - is most essential, in my opinion. Also check out Rock for Light (1983) and I Against I (1986). They were incredible live, as tanjello pointed out, so Youth Are Getting Restless: Live in Amsterdam is another good purchase.

5. The Faith & Void - Faith/Void | This wouldn't be here if it weren't for the 12 Void songs stuck in the middle. The Faith were good, but Void were just insane. They were great musicians, like Bad Brains (not that good though), but they were completely chaotic, drunken and out-of-control, kind of like Flipper. Quite unique for the scene.

To me, those are the most essential D.C. hardcore (harDCore) purchases. Some would also add: Government Issue - Complete History, Vol. 1 and Scream - Still Screaming / This Side Up. Of these two, the former is better.

The whole post-hardcore thing started with Rites of Spring, I'd say, so I'll start there on my next post.

ha! classic!

Good Clean Fun and Darkest Hour are both good D.C. post-hardcore bands

The AK's are also very good

Bump!

I once listened to some Minor Threat and it was really too loud and fast for me...

Fugazi's more my thing. I love them...

Not all specific to DC, but I like Shellac, Big Black, Fugazi, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Rites of Spring are not Bad, Drive Like Jehu (although I am not sure if they are post-hardcore, but I see them compared with Fugazi and Rites of Spring alot), The Teen Idles, and a few others.