RAMONE'S PUNK AND H.C. PAGE

In 1981 the Hardcore scene was extremely different from what it is now. X's weren't hip. "Hardcore" wasn't refering to bands that wore hoodies and sported tatoos. In fact the people who had tatoos were the bikers who beat up the Hardcore Punks.

This was all changed by a band that would bring a new meaning to the word Hardcore: Minor Threat. They weren't even the founders of Straight Edge, but their predescors, the Teen Idles, a band inspired by of all bands THE SEX PISTOLS.

The Teen Idles were formed by two best friends, Ian Mackaye, and Jeff Nelson after they saw the Cramps. They were just bored Punk Rockers who had nothing to do but start a band, as expressed in such anthems as "Minor Disturbance", and "Teen Idles".

Ian played bass in those days while Jeff broke drum heads, Geordie Grindle played guitar, and Nathan Strejcek "sang". They were harder than any band before them, and stood against ageism, and boredom.

They would go to local Punk shows that were 18+, and would get X's written on their hands, to let the bartender know that they were too young to drink legally, but they started doing it anyway, just to show that they weren't interested anyway. This became the symbol for sobriety.

The band played everywhere they could in Georgetown and Washington D.C., and eventually after being banned from most of them, toured the West Coast, and returned to record their "Minor Disturbance" 7", which remains one of the angriest Punk records of all time. On the record they put the name Dischord Reords just for fun.

After realizing they wouldn't be getting more shows, they played their final concert at the 9:30 Club on November 6, 1980. They had inspired a whole lot of people to start their own bands, including Ian's roomate, Henry Garfield, and his band S.O.A.

Jeff and Ian were still bored, so they formed a new band (Nate joined Youth Brigade, a band from D.C. as opposed to the West Coast band with the same name) with Lyle Preslar, on guitar, and Brian Baker on bass. After going through many names including Fifth Cum they settled with Minor Threat.

They're music was extrememely fast, and hard, blowing all other bands out of the water. They took an even more militant anti- drug stance than the Idles, and rejected drugs, alchohol, tobacco, and casual sex. Their earliest songs to promote this message were "In My Eyes", "Bottled Violence", and the anthem, "Straight Edge". They shocked their audiences by challenging them to give up these things so sacred to Punkers.

Meanwhile Dischord (remember it started out as a joke) released the first S.O.A. record, which featured songs about everything from (surprise, surprise) the stupidity of drug use to harssment from cops.

The D.C. scene was overflowing with talent from Bad Brains to Government Issue, and Minor Threat was leading it all. Eventually they finally put out their first 7" featuring eight songs about being young and sober. They were starting a revolution. [Image]

All aroud D.C. kids with big black X's on their hands were spotted sporting Punk Rock t-shirts, and weird haircuts.

By the end of 1981 Minor Threat had released a second 7", featuring "Out Of Step", a song that caused contraversy with it's line about not having sex, and Dischord had released reocrds by Government Issue and Dischord.

Shortly afterwards Henry Garfield (S.O.A.) changed his name to Henry Rollins, and left for the West to become Black Flag's new singer, spwaning a new era for Hardcore.

Minor Threat and Government Issue, and Bad Brains were the only band to survive through '81, and they were certainly getting enough attention.

In 1983 the Threat added a new bassist named Steve Hangsen, and Brian Baker took on the job of second guitarist. Soon they released "Out Of Step", a ten song e.p. which brought them to a new stage of musical maturity, and they added some more user friendly lyrics to the title track. They made noise like no one ever had, and became extremely tight.

By the end of 1984 Minor Threat had broken up, but certainly not without leaving their mark. Bands like Youth Of Today, the Gorilla Buscuits, and nearly every other Hardcore band following them have been influenced by them.

Ian went on to form many other bands including Egg Hunt, Embrace, Pale Head, and is presently in Fugazi. Brian Baker was a temporary member of the Meatmen, and only recently quit Bad Religion. THE LEGACY CONTINUES!!!

The Top Ten Best Hardcore (I mean REAL HARDCORE, y'know, like pre- 1984 style) records of all time

1.Minor Threat: Out Of Step

2. Germs: M.I.A.

3. Gorrilla Buscuits (well, some people call them '88 style, but they sound way more Punk thatn most of the bands ofm their era) Start Today

4. Unseen: Raise Your Finger, Raise Your Fist 7"

5. Dead Kennedys: Nazi Punks Fuck Off 7"

6. Black Flag: My War

7. Teen Idles: Minor Disturbance 7"

8. S.O.A.: No Policy 7"

9. Misfits: Collection 1

10. Social Distortion: Mommy's Little Monster

11. Various Artists: This Is Boston Not L.A.

12. X: Los Angeles

13. D.R.I.: Violent Pacification

14. Government Issue: Legless Bull 7"

15. Minor Threat: In My Eyes 7"

Why I'm an ANARCHIST

This is a question that is asked of me all the time, and there have been few times when the questioner really wants an answer. I have been ridiculed, laughed at, and ignored. Anarchism is no joke to me. It is a philosophy that means more than most people could understand. I am not a fool. I am not stupid. I am not insane.

I am an ANARCHIST, because I feel that capitalism and authority do nothing but distort the minds and morality of humans. We have learned that wealthier is strongere, and stronger is better. Womyn have been taught that they are weak, so that men can control them. Children are taught that they have no rights, because they are the most likely to quistion authority. If Rome fell, than why are we repeating it's faults? Rome's sexism is not written on the amerikan constitution anymore, but it still applies.

I can not take part in this. I can not take part in a fascist military state that has somehow claimed the root, demos. All authority is abusive. All laws are wrong. I only need my conscience to guide me. For this reason we must secede from this CULTure, one commune by one.

A Tribute to xPositive Outlookx

There are very few bands who got as much garbage as Positive Outlook, a Straight Edge band from my town. They were the subject of every joke you can imagine, and nobody ever bothered to stop, and pat them on the back. Well, although it might be to late, heres's an attempt.

Posi Look brought a warm feeling in me. They were extrememly talented, and had nothing but a positive message, not to mention the fact that they were just plain old fun to listen to. They brought the Merrimack Valley "Hardcore" (I hate to use that word in this context) scene together. My most fond memory of them is when they played at my school's dance. Now, it might not be "cool" or rebellious, but they never claimed to be either. They were just a Youth Crew band who was there to make people happy. Matt Bailey is more into the scene than any "Hardcore" kid with their macho [self] image.

updated 4/26/98 @10:00 p.m. Sign My Guestbook
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Email: b.donahue@worldnet.att.net