FUGAZI – 3 SONGS
(DISCHORD)
Originally released on
Sub Pop, Fugazi made a conscious decision to release this three song seven inch
available in unlimited form on Dischord immediately after. For them it would have been criminal to take
their music exclusive to few and out of reach to the masses. This was them stamping their ethos onto
proceedings. For them punk rock about
levelling the playing field and these were the ways they could do it.
I once had an
interesting experience with this release when one night when driving back from
a gig in Chelmsford I started the stereo home with “Break-In” only to be faced
by my partner in Gringo Records
kicking up a storm saying how shit the song was and how it was “cock rock that
sounded like Bon Jovi”. This was the
weirdest perception. Talk about miss
the point. However thus from here the
song would always have a certain notoriety in my mind. Fugazi was always a band that could expose
the fakes and frauds.
The seven inch
actually opens with “Song #1” which is a dub infused stop start that exhibits
Ian Mackaye at his scolding best as he stomps into business with an opening
line of “Song Number One is not a fuck you song” as Picciotto echoes each final
(lasting) word serving as some kind of hype man in a white boy James Brown call
and response style. The message clear, it’s
about community and solidarity, pointing out the worrying trends that can exist
within scenes be it punk, indie or anything generally. This is reality tellingly reiterated by his
example of people that “fighting for a haircut, then you grow your hair”. This was territory previously furrowed with
Minor Threat on songs such as “Fashionite” and goes a long way to explaining
why they never did mainstream magazine interviews.
Moving on the literally
titled “Joe #1” is another bass led chunk of hardcore punk maturing into post
hardcore as an instrumental track roaming and pacing like a prize fighter
before reaching an eventual bombastic finale with all parties involved
exhibiting additional touches to their treats (to their playing).
Then it closes with
the aforementioned problematic “Break-In”.
Sure this is an explicit nod (maybe step backwards) to their hardcore
roots but it is just done so well as Picciotto voice sounds so exotic and
important, pained and with purpose.
Then at the chorus Mackaye’s vocals storm in seemingly repeating the
favour of the first track. Far from
being “cock rock” the track takes on an altogether approach to such proceedings
holding up abuse and shining a light.
Then with that rush its done.
“She’s the covering”.
Fugazi was never
really a singles band.
Thesaurus moment:
concise.
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