Fugazi is an American alternative rock band that formed in Washington, D.C. in 1987. The band's continual members were guitarists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto (who shared vocal duties), bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty. Noted for their ethical stance and manner of business practice, the band experienced commercial success during the 1990s while remaining on their independent record label, Dischord Records. The members of Fugazi have been on hiatus since 2002. Fugazi may refer to: FUGAZI is an acronym in British military slang meaning Fouled Up, Got Ambushed, Zipped In Fugazi, a rock band from Washington, D.C., and its eponymous début EP Fugazi, a 1984 studio album of the progressive rock band Marillion, featuring a song also named Fugazi... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Hardcore punk, now commonly known as hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s. ... Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music often used to refer to bands that are on small independent record labels or that arent on labels at all. ... Alternative music redirects here. ... Post-hardcore; this specific genre was created by others as a sourse to relaese the emotion that builds inside, making the music intimate and touching to listeners. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in D.C.-area independent punk, hardcore, and post-hardcore music. ... Ataxia is a band comprised of John Frusciante (also of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), Josh Klinghoffer (Bicycle Thief) and Joe Lally (Fugazi). ... Embrace was a short-lived post-hardcore band from Washington, D.C., which lasted from the summer of 1985 to the spring of 1986. ... The Evens are a Washington, D.C. duo, formed in the fall of 2001, comprising partners Ian MacKaye (of Fugazi, formerly of Minor Threat) and Amy Farina (formerly of The Warmers). ... Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band that formed in Washington DC in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. ... Rites of Spring was an punk band from Washington, D.C. in the mid-1980s known for their energetic, cathartic live performances. ... Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye (pronounced ), born April 16, 1962), is an American singer and guitarist. ... Guy Picciotto (born September 17, 1965) is an American musician from Washington, DC. He is most widely known for his roles as the guitarist and vocalist for the groups Fugazi, and Rites of Spring. ... Joe Lally (born December 3, 1963 in Silver Spring, Maryland) is a bass guitar player, primarily known for his work with Fugazi. ... Brendan Canty (born March 9, 1966 in Teaneck, New Jersey) is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band Fugazi. ... Alternative music redirects here. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye (pronounced ), born April 16, 1962), is an American singer and guitarist. ... Guy Picciotto (born September 17, 1965) is an American musician from Washington, DC. He is most widely known for his roles as the guitarist and vocalist for the groups Fugazi, and Rites of Spring. ... Joe Lally (born December 3, 1963 in Silver Spring, Maryland) is a bass guitar player, primarily known for his work with Fugazi. ... Brendan Canty (born March 9, 1966 in Teaneck, New Jersey) is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band Fugazi. ... An independent record label is variously described as a record label operating without the funding (or outside the organizations) of the major record labels, and/or a label that subscribes to indie philosophies such as DIY and anti-corporate art. ... Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in D.C.-area independent punk, hardcore, and post-hardcore music. ...

History

Formation

After the hardcore punk group Minor Threat dissolved, Ian MacKaye (vocals and guitar) was active with a few mostly short-lived groups. MacKaye decided he wanted a project that was "like the Stooges with reggae," but was wary about forming another band. MacKaye recalled, "My interests were not necessarily to be in a band [per se], but to be with people who wanted to play music with me."^[1] MacKaye recruited drummer Colin Sears and bass guitarist Joe Lally, and the trio began practicing together in September 1984. After a few months of reherseals, Sears was replaced by Brendan Canty (earlier of Rites of Spring). One day Canty's Rites of Spring bandmate Guy Picciotto dropped by during a practice session to see how his friend was getting along; he later admitted he secretly harbored the idea of joining the group. But Picciotto was disappointed that there seemed to be no place for him; he said, "It seemed really completed already [. . .] It had a completely different feel from what I'd been doing with Brendan. It seemed just solid and done."^[2] Hardcore punk, now commonly known as hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s. ... Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band that formed in Washington DC in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... For the comic book character, see Drummer (comics). ... Colin Sears is a punk drummer who has performed in Dag Nasty, The Marshes, and currently Handgun Bravado. ... A sunburst-colored Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ... Rites of Spring was an punk band from Washington, D.C. in the mid-1980s known for their energetic, cathartic live performances. ...

After some uncertainty from Canty about what he wanted to do with his future, the trio regrouped and booked their first show at the Wilson Center in early September of 1987. The group still needed a name, so MacKaye chose the word "fugazi" from Mark Baker's Nam, a compilation of stories from Vietnam War veterans. The band began inviting Picciotto to practices. Inspired by use of a foil in hip hop, Picciotto sang backup vocals. Afer his band Happy Go Licky broke up, became more involved with Fugazi. MacKaye eventually asked Picciotto to become a full member, which he accepted.^[3] Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Hip hop music is a style of music which came into existence in the United States during the mid-1970s, and became a large part of modern pop culture during the 1980s. ... Happy Go Licky was a short-lived reunion of Washington D.C. rock music group Rites of Spring. ...

Albums and tours

Music samples:

"Repeater" Image File history File links Fugazi_-_Repeater. ...

Sample of "Repeater", from Repeater (1990)

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"Combination Lock" Image File history File links Fugazi_-_Combination_Lock. ...

Sample of "Combination Lock", from Red Medicine (1995)

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"Full Disclosure" Image File history File links Fugazi_-_Full_Disclosure. ...

Sample of "Full Disclosure", from The Argument (2001)

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Fugazi embarked on its first tour in January 1988. In June 1988 the band recorded its debut EP Fugazi with producer Ted Nicely, and shortly afterwards embarked on an arduous tour of Europe.^[4] At the tour's conclusion in December, the band recorded songs for its intended debut album. However, the band was spent from touring and decided that the resulting sessions were unsatisfactory. The tracklist was cut down to an EP and released as Margin Walker the following year.^[5] Upon the band's return from Europe, Picciotto, unsatisfied with merely singing, began playing guitar.^[6] Fugazi is the EP by the American post-hardcore band of the same name. ... Margin Walker was the second EP by the American hardcore punk Fugazi. ...

The band's first album, Repeater, was released in January 1990. The band spent most of the year touring behind Repeater and routinely sold out 1,000-capacity shows.^[7] By summer 1991 the album had sold more than 100,000 copies, a large number for a label that relied on word-of-mouth promotion. While major labels began to court Fugazi, the band decided that Dischord was distributing their records well enough and refused the offers.^[8] Repeater is an album by the post-hardcore band Fugazi. ...

For the band's second album Steady Diet of Nothing (1991), the band once again asked Ted Nicely to produce. Nicely had become a chef and had to reluctantly turn down the job, so the bandmembers decided to produce the record themselves.^[9] Fugazi recorded its third album In on the Kill Taker (1993) with Steve Albini in Chicago; however, the results were deemed unsatisfactory and the band rerecorded the album with Ted Nicely.^[8] With the breakthrough of alternative rock in the ealry 1990s, In on the Kill Taker became the group's first record to enter the Billboard album charts. Steady Diet of Nothing is the second full-length album by Fugazi. ... In On The Kill Taker is the third full-length album by Fugazi, released in 1993. ... Steve Albini (born July 22, 1962, Pasadena, California) is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. ... Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. ...

By Red Medicine (1995), Fugazi were on the road less frequently, due in large part to other professional and personal commitments. Their music had evolved far from their hardcore roots, with strong art rock leanings. Their most recent album, The Argument (2001), featured the first extensive contributions from outside musicians, most notably longtime roadie and sound engineer Jerry Busher, who added percussion or a second drum set to most of the album's songs. Red Medicine is the fourth full-length album by Fugazi, released in 1995. ... Art rock is a term used by some to describe rock music that is characterized by ambitious or avant-garde lyrical themes and/or melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic experimentation, often extending beyond standard modern popular music forms and genres, toward influences in jazz, classical, world music or the experimental avant... This article is about the album by Fugazi. ... Jerry Busher is a rock musician, a drummer to be precise, who has contributed to such records as Fugazis 2001 album The Argument and John Frusciantes Ataxia project, on the album Automatic Writing. ...

Hiatus

Fugazi is currently on what the band describes as a "hiatus", partly brought on by Canty and Lally both becoming fathers and wanting to spend more time with their families.

In the meantime, the members are undertaking side projects, with MacKaye forming the duo The Evens with drummer and singer 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 long-time roadie and second drummer, Jerry Busher. The Evens are a Washington, D.C. duo, formed in the fall of 2001, comprising partners Ian MacKaye (of Fugazi, formerly of Minor Threat) and Amy Farina (formerly of The Warmers). ... The Warmers were an indie-rock band based in Washington, D.C. that recorded and performed from July of 1994 through December of 1997. ... DC EP is the third record in a series of six that John Frusciante released from June 2004 to February 2005. ... Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. ... John Anthony Frusciante (IPA pronunciation: ) (born March 5, 1970) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer. ...

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. Garland of Hours is a musical group based in Washington DC, and led by cellist/pianist Amy Domingues. ... Bob Mould (born October 16, 1960, in Malone, New York) is an American musician, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for influential rock bands Hüsker Dü in the 1980s and Sugar in the 1990s. ... Body Of Song is the fifth solo album from punk/indie/alternative rock veteran Bob Mould (ex-Husker Du/Sugar). ... Mary Timony (born in Washington, D.C., 1970) is an American indie rock singer, guitarist, keyboardist, and violist. ...

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. // History note: all information thus far taken from http://www. ... John Anthony Frusciante (IPA pronunciation: ) (born March 5, 1970) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer. ... Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. ... Josh Klinghoffer (born October 4, 1979) is a multi-instrumentalist and music producer from Los Angeles, California. ... Ladri di biciclette (literally translated as Bicycle Thieves) is a 1948 Italian neorealist film known in its US English release as The Bicycle Thief. ... Ataxia is a band comprised of John Frusciante (also of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), Josh Klinghoffer (Bicycle Thief) and Joe Lally (Fugazi). ...

Guy Picciotto currently works as a record producer most notably with Blonde Redhead and The Blood Brothers, and he has performed alongside members of The Ex at the Jazz festival in Wels, Austria. Blonde Redhead is an alternative rock or indie rock band. ... The Blood Brothers is an experimental post-hardcore/art punk band formed in the Eastside suburbs of Seattle, Washington, USA in 1997. ... The Ex is an anarchist punk rock band from the Netherlands. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Wels (population of 56,478 as of 2001) is the second largest city of the state of Upper Austria, located in the north of Austria, upon the Traun River near Linz. ...

Musical style

Fugazi's music was an intentional departure from that of the hardcore punk bands the members had played in previously. Fugazi incorporated funk and reggae beats, irregular stop-start song structures, and heavy riffs inspired by bands such as Led Zeppelin and Queen, bands that the punk community largely disdained.^[10] Picciotto became the group's second guitarist when he realized MacKaye's typically chunky, low-end riffs and Lally's dub-influenced basslines allowed him to focus on high-pitched parts. Picciotto used a Rickenbacker guitar to "cut through MacKaye's chunky chording like a laser beam."^[11] Picciotto's assumption of guitar duties allowed all four members of the band jam together and write songs that way, when previously they had played songs largely as how MacKaye arranged them.^[12] When writing songs, the band often rearranges them with different structures and different singers.^[8] Hardcore punk, now commonly known as hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s. ... Funk is a distinct style of music originated by African-Americans, e. ... Reggae is a music genre developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. ... For the bands 1969 eponymous debut album, see Led Zeppelin (album). ... Queen are an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Brian May, singer Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Taylor, with bassist John Deacon joining the following year. ... For other uses, see Dub. ... Rickenbacker 330JG Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker (IPA pronunciation: ) [1]), is an electric guitar manufacturer, notable for having invented the first electric guitar during the 1930s. ...

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.^[8] Lally has contributed vocals to a few songs as well. Lyrics and vocals often feature strong emotional intensity. An anthem is a composition to an English religious text sung in the context of an Anglican service. ... Look up slogan in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Later, Fugazi more fully integrated elements of punk rock, hardcore, soul and noise with an inventively syncopated rhythm section. 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 filtered through a hardcore punk lens. Their guitar work has earned comparisons New York art-punk icons Televison and the early work of the UK's Gang of Four. Most of Fugazi albums have featured an instrumental song or two. 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] Lightning Bolt Live at the Southgate House 2005. ... Rhythm section refers to the musicians whose primary jobs in a jazz or popular music band or ensemble is to establish the rhythm of a song or musical piece, often via repeated riffs or ostinati. ... Lead guitar refers to a role within a band, that provides melody or melodic material, as opposed to the rhythm of the rhythm guitar, bass, and drums. ... Rhythm guitar is a guitar that is primarily used to provide rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment for a singer or for other instruments in an ensemble. ... Typical fingering for a second inversion C major chord on a guitar. ... A chord progression (also chord sequence and harmonic progression or sequence), as its name implies, is a series of chords played in order. ... Hardcore punk, now commonly known as hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s. ... Television, formed in New York City in 1973, is an American rock music band. ... Gang of Four is an English post-punk group from Leeds. ... Instrumental rock & roll is a type of rock and roll music which emphasises musical instruments, and which features no or very little singing. ... This article is about the album by Fugazi. ... Radiohead are an English rock band. ... Red Medicine is the fourth full-length album by Fugazi, released in 1995. ... Musique concrète (French; literally, concrete music), is a style of avant-garde music that relies on natural environmental sounds and other non-musical noises to create music. ... A short grand piano, with the lid up. ... Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of movies, video games, music, or other media. ... For other uses, see Dub. ... The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored instrument of the woodwind family. ... The term jam band is commonly used to describe psychedelic rock-influenced bands whose concerts largely consist of bands reinterpreting their songs as springboards into extended improvisational pieces of music. ... For other uses, including related musical genres, see Funk (disambiguation). ...

Business practice and ethics

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: for example, 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. They were also motivated by moral or ethical considerations: for example, Fugazi's members regarded pricey admission for rock concerts as tantamount to price gouging a performer's most loyal fans. Their inexpensive target goal of $5 admission was spawned during a conversation on an early tour when the band's members were debating the lowest profitable admission price. At some venues, particularly on the east and west coasts of the U.S., Fugazi was unable to get ticket prices below about $10. However, they never saw the $5 rule as inviolable, instead aiming to charge a price that was both affordable and profitable. Unlike some similar, small-scale independent rock contemporaries, Fugazi's performances and tours were nearly always profitable, due to their low business overhead costs, and MacKaye's keen sense of audience response in given regions. Simple living (or voluntary simplicity) is a lifestyle individuals may pursue for a variety of motivations, such as spirituality, health, or ecology. ... Price gouging is a term of variable, but nearly always pejorative, meaning, referring to a sellers asking a price that is much higher than what is seen as fair under the circumstances. ...

Fugazi's early tours earned them a strong word-of-mouth reputation, both for their powerful performances, and for their eagerness to play in 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."^[13] Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Grand Lodge in Chicago, Illinois The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks had modest beginnings in 1868 as a social club (then called the Jolly Corks) established as a private club to elude New York City laws governing the opening hours of public taverns. ...

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. Azerrad 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?'"^[14] emphasis in original) Azerrad writes, "[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."^[15] 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). This article is about the type of dance. ... Hardcore punk, now commonly known as hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s. ...

Campaigning and activism

Discography

Main article: Fugazi discography

// Fugazi (EP) (1988) Margin Walker (1989) 3 Songs (1990) Furniture + 2 (2001) Fugazi Live Series Volumes 1-30 (CD-Rs, 2004-5) Fugazi Stage Divers 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...

Studio albums

• Repeater (1990)
• Steady Diet of Nothing (1991)
• In on the Kill Taker (1993)
• Red Medicine (1995)
• End Hits (1998)
• The Argument (2001)

Repeater is an album by the post-hardcore band Fugazi. ... Steady Diet of Nothing is the second full-length album by Fugazi. ... In On The Kill Taker is the third full-length album by Fugazi, released in 1993. ... Red Medicine is the fourth full-length album by Fugazi, released in 1995. ... End Hits is an album by the band Fugazi. ... This article is about the album by Fugazi. ...

Notes

References

• Azerrad, Michael, Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1980-1990. Little, Brown, 2001
• Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark. Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capitol. Akashic Books, 2001, ISBN 1-888451-44-0

External links

• Fugazi's page at Dischord
• Southern distribution page
• Dischord Records — The band's record label.
• Interview at The Land Salmon with lead singer Ian Mackaye