Fugazi : A Life Changer

It was 1991. We were both in High School and had a fair amount of experience in the punk / hardcore world. Living in Northern Virgina we had made several evening trips out to the 9:30 Club in Washington DC to see Bad Religion and a few other larger bands. We had even seen Fugazi a few times, crammed in the back of Sanctuary Theater or Wilson Center. At one of these shows I grabbed a flyer for what was being called the 'Punk Percussion Protest' which was to take place on the White House lawn.

Yes, I said the White House lawn. It seems impossible in this post 9/11 world, but back in the 80's and 90's the area around the White House was fairly open. You could drive right by the front and see the large number of protest groups who were essentially camped there. For this particular show the group Positive Force has gained permission to set up their 'percussion' protest group (a large amount of punks banging on old drums, pots and pans, etc) and a small stage. The reason for the protest? The first Gulf War.

It's hard to describe the energy on the stage during that show. It was snowing for part of the set, freezing rain for the rest. Being in the very front was unreal. The drums were spraying water with each hit and the amps were draped in plastic, guitars slick with water. Yet, with all this bad weather just the IDEA that Fugazi would stop playing was impossible. That's why they are one of the best of all time. The message and the music were one in the same...

Askance

Most of the hardcore I gravitate to has some sort of message.  Weather it be about politics, love, tragedy, oppression, prejudice, etc.- I am touched most by music that has a message I can relate to and believe in.  I am also inspired by seeing bands play live.  Few things move me like a powerful, sincere, emotional show.

In the early 90's, Askance embodied both the message and the moving live show.  Hailing from Richmond, they were also somewhat 'local' to the DC area.  Consisting of members from Device, Step Aside, and As It Stands- Askance regularly played shows with the likes of Born Against, Rorschach, Avail, Four Walls Falling, and so on.  They handed out lyric sheets at shows (a practice I still STRONGLY believe in) and talked about song meanings before playing them.  Live, they brought with them an energy and an urgency that could only be pulled off by people that truly gave a shit- which almost always resulted in a floored audience.

Musically they were much more complex than many of the other snare/bass, open E chord bands playing at the time.  No sing-along choruses, no 'mosh' parts, and no guitar solos.  Instead they had complex songs lead by drumming of the likes I'd never heard before (and still haven't).  Anyone who has seen or heard them would agree that the unique, intricate, ants-in-your-pants drumming style is/was the most memorable musical component of Askance.  On the recorded material- the vocals came across much more tame and whiney than in live performances.  At first listen they can be off-putting, but give it a few listens and they grow on you.

Askance was Matt Rankin, Brad Goodwin, Jimmy Anthony, Craig Henry and Jon Bone.  From 1991 to 1993, they put out a four song demo (with Rob Kelshian from Avail, Ipecac, Shadowman on guitar), two songs that showed up on compilations (Old Glory's God's Chosen People and Allied's Emergency Broadcast System), and a four song 7".  The 7" was released on Catheter Assembly, and had a booklet with contributions from all five band members.

Included in each download are scans of the lyric sheets.  I encourage you to read them, as it will give you a better sense of what Askance was about.

Fuck your pride, we stole this.

Demo
Emergency Broadcast System
God's Chosen People
you'll never be the mannequin 7"

Civ Talks Hardcore on 'Good Day Fox' circa 1990

This video is great for a lot of reasons, but my favorite aspect is how the adults act so virtuous while having little to no understanding of their topic. The best person you can find to debate a hardcore frontman is a father of seven kids? That fact alone makes him worthy to discuss this topic? Wow, no wonder kids get so bummed on adults.

And how's that backhanded jab at the end? "Thank you for a sensible discussion on a nonsensical subject..."

In Defense Of Reality? Really?

Yes, in 1990 I was a fan a Shelter. In listening to Quest For Certainty (the CD collection of their first 7"s) I can't imagine why. The music is HARDLY hardcore, the songs are poorly written and those vocals...awful. I mean, beyond awful. Maybe we were all hearing Ray scream like in Youth Of Today in our heads. Add the crummy, bullshit religious garbage...OK, you get the idea.

But in really thinking about it, there were two things. First, there were very few hardcore bands out there at that time that would play so consistently. We were hungry for anything and back then there weren't thousands of My Space pages filled with hardcore. Second, the live shows were incredible. Any one who saw one would have to agree. Ray still had it, throwing himself across the stage, going nuts. Vic on guitar? Unreal. The early shows were amazing. And yes, they would play with all types of bands from Rorschach to Worlds Collide to Born Against (OK, this show was canceled, but still) and all the other heavies of the period.

It's hard listen now and picture those shows, but damn it, they were solid...even with the worst material possible. And that says something. Not sure what...but something.

And just for the hell of it, check out Ray's current website (Krishna yoga! How's that pose?) and Vic's Vedic astrology
readings you can order online (from $9 to $252!) Yikes.

Download Quest For Certainty

The First Judge 7"

Dobek over at Crucial Times has posted a number of MP3 rips from each version of the first Judge 7", New York Crew. Yes, the very first Schism very is posted. An yes, it rules. Dobek has a killer record collection so poke around over there. His site is one of the reasons I got so into The Jam.

Inside Out, Sacrifice

For my first post I feel I have to highlight one of my favorite hardcore songs of all time...Sacrifice by Inside Out. If you are unfamiliar with the powerhouse that is Zack de la Rocha (pre-Rage) and Vic DiCara (pre Shelter and 108) you have no business listening to hardcore. Their 'No Spiritual Surrender' EP is all-time. An incredible mix of passion, spirit and fury.

If you want a detailed overview, check out this Double Cross post. The one thing I disagree with is their relative dismissal of the song 'Sacrifice'. Yes, it's not on the 7" and just on the tape and CD...but it was my favorite track by a MILE. I didn't, and still don't, relate to a lot of the Krishna and spiritual lyrics on many of the other songs, but 'Sacrifice'? Giving your self to someone and having them bail on you? Perfect. The vocal work? Perfect. The sound? Yup.

This live performance really captures Inside Out at their best and I WISH I had the luck of seeing them live back then. I missed them. But I'll always have 'Sacrifice' and the power of those lyrics and guitars.

Download Inside Out, No Spiritual Surrender.