Fugazi (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Fugazi | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Background information | ||
| Origin |  Washington, D.C., USA |
|
| Genre(s) | Punk Post-Hardcore Alternative Rock Indie |
|
| Years active | 1987–2002 (hiatus) | |
| Label(s) | Dischord | |
| Associated acts |
Minor Threat Rites of Spring Embrace The Evens |
|
| Former members | ||
| Ian MacKaye - Guitar, Vocals Guy Picciotto - Guitar, Vocals Joe Lally - Bass, Vocals Brendan Canty - Drums |
||
Fugazi was an influential rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in 1987. Their evolution of the hardcore punk genre, combined with their dedication to touring earned them an international audience by the end of the 1980s, despite little recognition in mainstream circles.
The band name alludes to a Vietnam-era GI slang backronym for a particularly bad combat situation, which stands for "Fucked Up, Got Ambushed, Zipped In". In Our Band Could Be Your Life, the group reported that they chose the name because of its ambiguous and vaguely exotic qualities.
Perhaps just as well known as Fugazi's music is their ethical stance and manner of business practice. They stand as a rare example of a band that have achieved a level of mainstream success while remaining loyal to independent recording and distribution values, following through in the spirit of the original "DIY punk ethic". They have rarely charged more than $5–$10 admission to their live shows, insist that their performances be open to persons of all ages (MacKaye in particular remembers the sting of being kept out of clubs during his teen years, which is why he is now vicariously tied to the double-ex's put on the hands of those under 18 at venues that serve alcohol), have kept their album prices at about $10, and do not sell merchandise such as t-shirts or posters. In addition, the band has claimed that they will not conduct interviews with magazines featuring alcohol and nicotine advertisements.
All Fugazi's albums have been released by Dischord Records, co-owned by Ian MacKaye and former Minor Threat bandmate Jeff Nelson.
Contents |
[edit] History
After the seminal hardcore punk group Minor Threat dissolved, Ian MacKaye (vocals and guitar) was active with a few mostly short-lived groups, (notably early band Embrace) before forming a new trio, Fugazi, with drummer Colin Sears and bass guitarist Joe Lally. Sears eventually left to join Dag Nasty and was replaced by Brendan Canty (earlier of Rites of Spring.)
MacKaye describes his earliest vision of Fugazi as The Stooges playing reggae. They performed as a trio for some months, then added Guy Picciotto (earlier Canty's bandmate in Rites of Spring, Happy Go Licky, and One Last Wish). Picciotto originally only sang; he likened his role for the first two years to that of a toaster, and Azzerad notes that Picciotto was also inspired by Flavor Flav of Public Enemy. But before long, he incorporated his guitar playing into the quartet, quickly becoming a songwriter contributing to the group on the same level as MacKaye.
On their first tours, Fugazi worked out their DIY aesthetic by trial and error. Their decisions were partly motivated by pragmatic considerations that were essentially a punk rock version of simple living (selling merchandise on tour would require a full-time merchandise salesperson who would require lodging, food, and other costs, so Fugazi decided to simplify their touring by not selling merchandise; $5 admission meant that the box office at a given venue spent less time making and counting change), and partly motivated by moral or ethical considerations (Fugazi's members regard pricey admission for rock concerts as tantamount to price gouging loyal fans).
Fugazi's early tours earned them a strong word-of-mouth reputation, both for their powerful performances, and for their eagerness to play unusual venues. They sought out alternatives to traditional rock clubs partly to relieve the boredom of touring, but also hoping to show fans that there are other options to traditional ways of doing things. As Picciotto said, "You find the Elks Lodge, you find the guy who's got a space in the back of his pizzeria, you find the guy who has a gallery. Kids will do that stuff because they want to make stuff happen." (Azzerad, p 391)
The group (Mackaye in particular) also made a point of discouraging violent, unwanted slam dancing and fistfights, which they saw as relics of the late 1970s/early 1980s hardcore punk era. Azzerad quotes Mackaye, "See, [slam dancers] have one form of communication: violence ... So to disorient them, you don't give them violence. I'd say, 'Excuse me, sir...'- I mean, it freaks them out -'Excuse me, sir, would you please cut that crap out?'" (Azzerad, p 392) Azzerad notes that, "[Mackaye's] admonitions seemed preachy to some, but most were deeply grateful. And by and large, people would obey - it wasn't cool to disrespect Ian MacKaye." (Azzerad, p.392) Occasionally, Fugazi would escort an unrepentant slam-dancer from the concert, and give them an envelope containing a $5 refund (they kept a stock of such envelopes in their tour van for these occasions).
Fugazi's music blends elements of punk rock, hardcore, soul and noise with an inventively syncopated rhythm section often steeped in dub or reggae influence. Notable is MacKaye and Picciotto's inventive, interlocking guitar playing, which often defies the traditional notion of "lead" and "rhythm" guitars. They often feature unusual and dissonant chords and progressions, sometimes reminiscent of the Tom Verlaine/Richard Lloyd pairing from Television, though filtered through a hardcore punk lens. Comparisons of guitar style have also been made to early Gang of Four. Most of their albums have featured an instrumental song or two.
Generally, MacKaye's lyrics and singing are more direct and anthemic (MacKaye admits that he loves audience sing-alongs and writes songs with shoutable slogans), while Picciotto usually favors a more abstract, oblique approach. Lally has contributed vocals to a few songs as well. Lyrics and vocals often feature strong emotional intensity. This style has led many critics to call their music post-hardcore as it is seen as a progression of and a reaction to the hardcore punk movement.
Fugazi's unusual experimental sound influenced some later punk music groups, and has proven difficult to categorize neatly; they've been classified as post punk and post-hardcore. Though clearly rooted in punk and hardcore, there is arguably much more than punk to be found in Fugazi's music; for example, a review of The Argument compared a few songs to Radiohead. With Red Medicine, critics Ian McCaleb and Ira Robbins declared that Fugazi combined an "unprecedented dynamic range ... and previously unimagined elements" such as "clattering musique concrète ... piano and sound effects ... murky dub and lancing sax" and "loose-limbed jammy funk ... into an ambitious, experimental format that raises more stylistic questions than it answers."[1]
Fugazi's career is chronicled in Our Band Could Be Your Life, a study of several important American underground rock groups. Mark Andersen and Mark Jenkins' book Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital also covers Fugazi -- and its contributing members' bands -- at length.
Fugazi are currently on what the band describes as a "hiatus," partly brought on by Canty and Lally's recent forays into fatherhood, and may or may not reunite in the future. They recently released thirty unmixed live shows that are available for sale exclusively at www.fugaziliveseries.com.
In the meantime, the members are undertaking side projects, with MacKaye forming the duo The Evens with his girlfriend Amy Farina (formerly of the Warmers). In 2004, MacKaye produced the DC EP for Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante. The EP also featured Fugazi's touring drummer, Jerry Busher.
Canty has been doing a variety of soundtrack scores and playing bass in the trio Garland Of Hours alongside frequent Fugazi guest contributors Jerry Busher and Amy Domingues. Canty also appears on Bob Mould's 2005 Album Body of Song, and has played bass live with Mary Timony. He is currently working in the Burn to Shine DVD series which is being released by Trixie DVD.
Lally has appeared on fellow DC post-punkers Decahedron's debut album Disconnection_Imminent, as well as on a one shot project with John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Josh Klinghoffer of The Bicycle Thief known as Ataxia. He also released his first solo album There to Here and is also performing shows under his name, solo and along with producer Don Zientara.
Guy Picciotto currently works as a record producer most notably with Blonde Redhead, and he has performed alongside members of The Ex at the Jazz festival in Wels, Austria.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
 Steady Diet of Nothing (August, 1991) |
 In on the Kill Taker (May, 1993) |
||
 Red Medicine (June, 1995) |
 The Argument (October, 2001) |
[edit] EPs
- Fugazi (1988)
- Margin Walker (1989)
- Furniture + 2 (2001)
[edit] Singles
- "3 Songs" (1990)
[edit] Official live albums
- Fugazi Live Series Volumes 1-30 (CD-Rs, 2004-5)
[edit] Compilation appearances
- "In Defense of Humans" on State of the Union (album) benefit CD/LP (Dischord Records, 1989)
- "Reprovisional (live)" on International Pop Underground Convention CD (K Records, 1991)
- "Blueprint", "The Word" and "Burning (live)" on Twenty Years of Dischord 3CD (Dischord Records, 2002)
- "Pink Frosty Demo" on Live Without Dead Time CD (Adbusters, 2003)
- "KYEO" (live) on Triple J's Short.fast.loud 2CD (ABC Music, 2006)
[edit] Soundtracks
- Instrument Soundtrack (1999)
[edit] DVDs and videos
[edit] Trivia
- Although T-Shirts with the slogan "This is not a Fugazi T-Shirt" can be purchased from a variety of music-fashion accessory vendors, the band was not responsible for their creation and therefore receives no money for their sale. Hence the disclaimer by the bootleggers that "This is not a Fugazi T-shirt."
- A cover of "Waiting Room" can be found on Phantom Planet's Live DVD Chicago, Chicagogoing, Chicagogone.
- A cover of "Waiting Room" can also be found on Atom and His Package's live CD/DVD Hair:Debatable.
- Alice Donut has recorded an instrumental cover of "Waiting Room" with a trombone filling in for the vocals. This version is often posted on their MySpace page.
[edit] References
- Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capitol , Mark Andersen and Mark Jenkins, Akashic Books, 2001, ISBN 1-888451-44-0
- Our Band Could Be Your Life, Michael Azerrad, Little, Brown and Company, 2001, ISBN 0-316-78753-1
- Fuck You Heroes, photographs 1976-1991, Glen E. Friedman Burning Flags Press, 1994, ISBN 0-9641916-0-1
- The Idealist In My Eyes 1976-2001, Glen E. Friedman, Burning Flags Press, 2004, ISBN 0-9641916-5-2
- Keep Your Eyes Open, The FUGAZI photographs of Glen E. Friedman, Burning Flags Press, Sept. 2007, ISBN 0-9641916-8-7
[edit] External links
- Fugazi's page at Dischord — Discography and related bands
- Southern distribution page — More informative page about the band, including current news.
- Dischord Records — The band's record label.
- WorldofFugazi.org — A Fugazi fan site
- Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Fugazi — Copper Press 9 (2002)
- Live recordings by Fugazi at the Internet Archive
| Fugazi |
| Ian MacKaye |
| Guy Picciotto | Joe Lally | Brendan Canty |
| Discography |
|---|
| Full-lengths: Repeater (1990) | Steady Diet of Nothing (1991) | In on the Kill Taker (1993) | Red Medicine (1995) | End Hits (1998) | The Argument (2001) |
| EPs: Fugazi (1988) | Margin Walker (1989) | 3 Songs (1990) | Furniture + 2 (2001) |
| Other albums: 13 Songs (1989) | Instrument Soundtrack (1999) | Fugazi Live Series (2004) |
| Related articles |
| Minor Threat | Dischord Records | Hardcore punk | Post-hardcore | Washington, D.C. |
