I've been in a truly foul mood for the past month and it's showing little to no sign of abating. About the only thing that's making me even vaguely close to cheerful is revisiting albums by Minor Threat, The Decendents, Fugazi, and Dag Nasty, who I honestly think might qualify as one of the best bands of all time, and Rites of Spring, who are incredibly, almost criminally under-recognised, especially considering the massive, mainstream status emo enjoys in the US right now.
I always thought DC's take on punk knocked the stuffing out of any British interpretation, particularly at its most melodic and power-poppiest (see Wig Out At Denkos by Dag Nasty, especially), and was absolutely singular in its intensity. This sense of pure, concentrated greatness almost became physical in the way, particularly among the Dischord camp, bands split up at the drop of a hat, reformed, morphed into other bands etc, like there was just too much energy and momentum to be contained. In fact, at the risk of sounding really wanky, I always saw this scene as a sort of evolving galaxy, full of implosions and little satellites spinning off all over the place and Ian MacKaye sort of at the centre.
I am so glad I was into this stuff throughout my youth. Listening to it reminds me of good times, skating, growing up, feeling things properly for the first time and really discovering who I was (Fugazi's Repeater, Steady Diet Of Nothing and Rites Of Spring's End To End are really pivotal records). The great thing is that it's lost none of its power or guts and, if anything, a lot of it sounds even better now. It's also quite surprising how a large number of people who I've met, and have become very good friends with, right across the spectrum of music (some I met through reggae, some through hip-hop, some through techno, some through jungle) all loved DC Hardcore. It's like we all share something pretty fundamental in common.
Of course, the first scene I remember was 2Tone from back when I was a nipper, which I think did have a great bearing on my subsequent love for reggae, but this is definitely the first music I felt that truly belonged to me. It's very much part of my personal heritage and informed the way I think about things more than anything I've ever listened to. Any one else come up on it, share my fondness?
I always thought DC's take on punk knocked the stuffing out of any British interpretation, particularly at its most melodic and power-poppiest (see Wig Out At Denkos by Dag Nasty, especially), and was absolutely singular in its intensity. This sense of pure, concentrated greatness almost became physical in the way, particularly among the Dischord camp, bands split up at the drop of a hat, reformed, morphed into other bands etc, like there was just too much energy and momentum to be contained. In fact, at the risk of sounding really wanky, I always saw this scene as a sort of evolving galaxy, full of implosions and little satellites spinning off all over the place and Ian MacKaye sort of at the centre.
I am so glad I was into this stuff throughout my youth. Listening to it reminds me of good times, skating, growing up, feeling things properly for the first time and really discovering who I was (Fugazi's Repeater, Steady Diet Of Nothing and Rites Of Spring's End To End are really pivotal records). The great thing is that it's lost none of its power or guts and, if anything, a lot of it sounds even better now. It's also quite surprising how a large number of people who I've met, and have become very good friends with, right across the spectrum of music (some I met through reggae, some through hip-hop, some through techno, some through jungle) all loved DC Hardcore. It's like we all share something pretty fundamental in common.
Of course, the first scene I remember was 2Tone from back when I was a nipper, which I think did have a great bearing on my subsequent love for reggae, but this is definitely the first music I felt that truly belonged to me. It's very much part of my personal heritage and informed the way I think about things more than anything I've ever listened to. Any one else come up on it, share my fondness?
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