fugazi Archives - Vinyl From The Vault

Fugazi “Repeater”

sfilzen — Sat, 16 Apr 2022 18:48:54 +0000

Fugazi “Repeater” 1990. Dischord Records. Today, April 16th, is Fugazi frontman/founder Ian MacKaye’s 60th birthday (b. 1962). Repeater is Fugazi’s debut LP, released almost exactly 32 years ago on April 19th, 1990. While not a traditional commercial success, it is considered one of the most influential alternative rock records ever and listed as one of the top albums of the 90’s (Spin, Pitchfork, Alternative Press). It’s angry and loud, angular and precise making it “post-hardcore” and stridently anti-“the man” (I find this commentary from Allmusic hilarious: “It’s not too difficult to see why the band was allegedly lacking a sense of humor at this stage. They could have been yelling about filing their taxes; the yelling begins to fade into a din after a while”). But it’s great melodic punk music; my top songs are the title track “Repeater,” the hard funked instrumental “Brendan #1,” the anti-capitalist “Blueprint” with the classic refrain “Never mind what’s been selling/It’s what you’re buying/And receiving undefiled,” “Styrofoam,” and the epic “Shut the Door.”

The post Fugazi “Repeater” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Fugazi “3 Songs”

sfilzen — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 22:44:33 +0000

Fugazi “3 Songs” 1989. Dischord Records. 3-song EP on 7″ vinyl. Originally a limited release on Sub Pop as part of their singles club in ’89, our Dischord version (which is much more common) came out in ’90. Three short post-hardcore tracks that are heavy on the punk-funk bass and melody that Dischord re-released later in ’90 as part of Repeater LP package (Repeater + 3 Songs). Best is “Song Number One” followed closely by the instrumental “Joe Number One.” The last track, “Break-In” is pretty good, too, though a bit more harsh and punk-screamy and more traditionally hardcore in its sound.

Check out Guy Picciotto’s moves on this live video of “Song Number One”

The post Fugazi “3 Songs” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Pailhead “Trait”

sfilzen — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 17:47:10 +0000

Pailhead “Trait” 1988. Wax Trax! Records. 4-song industrial EP by the supergroup featuring Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi) on vocals and guitar, Al Jourgensen (Ministry) on guitar plus Paul Barker on bass and Bill Rieflin on drums (both also from Ministry). The EP is a comp of two singles released in ‘88 – “Man Should Surrender” b/w “Anthem” and “Don’t Stand in Line” b/w “Ballad.” Trait is definitely more Ministry than Minor Threat or Fugazi: very hard industrial but a bit of the Fugazi punk sound seeps in on “Ballad” and the lyrical delivery on “Anthem.”

Trait’s singles were the only releases by Pailhead besides another single: “I Will Refuse” backed by “No Bunny” from 1987 which features Eric Spicer (Naked Raygun) on drums. Those two tracks were included with the CD release of Trait in the 90′s. From Allmusic: “Pailhead was clearly a fun project to work on for two musicians who were allowed to make some music outside of their respective genres, and though their actual output was rather minimal, the record still stands as a bizarre time capsule of aggressive musical fringes from the 1980s.”

The post Pailhead “Trait” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Fugazi “Fugazi”

sfilzen — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:08:20 +0000

Fugazi “Fugazi” (aka “7 Songs”) 1988. EP. Dischord Records. Post-hardcore punk, Fugazi’s first release after Ian MacKaye got the band together in ‘86 after Minor Threat’s and Embrace’s breakups. It’s got Fugazi’s best and best-known song “Waiting Room,” a ridiculously catchy and infectious track with a groove that is definitely not hardcore punk. I really never get tired of this one, though I’m sure the band did. I recall a friend telling me about a Fugazi concert in Milwaukee a long time ago. MacKaye had an audience member come up onstage to pick songs written on slips of paper out of a bag to determine the setlist. First pick? “Waiting Room.” MacKaye’s response was, “you’ve got to be kidding.” Also good on Fugazi: the similar-reggae-going-grunge bass-heavy “Waiting Room” groove of on both “Bad Mouth” and “Suggestion” plus I like “Give Me the Cure” which has a great almost jangle guitar hook over a mellow groove; the track reminds me of Sonic Youth’s stuff from around the same time.

The post Fugazi “Fugazi” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Fugazi “Noize-Bleed!”

sfilzen — Tue, 03 May 2016 19:54:16 +0000

Fugazi “Noize-Bleed!” 1991. 7″ bootleg. “Kyeo (Silence is a Dangerous Sound)” and “Waiting Room,” recorded live. “Kyeo” appears on Fugazi’s 1991 LP Steady Diet of Nothing and on it Ian MacKaye “urges the listener to always remain aware, whether awaiting the enemy’s next battle move or remaining blissfully unaware of how people can be taken advantage of by others.” “Waiting Room,” probably Fugazi’s most well-known song, originally appeared on their 1988 debut EP Seven Songs and then again on Thirteen Songs, a combo of Seven Songs and the 1989 EP Margin Walker. “Waiting Room” is ridiculously infectious. As the bass grooves along, the listener is invited into the chant (“I wait I wait I wait I wait”) and gives us all an anthem for the doctor’s office or the dentist’s office which is something that, up until the song’s recording, was sorely missing from this world.

The post Fugazi “Noize-Bleed!” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.