^ For years I thought that that Butthole Surfers song was based on a genuine call to a radio phone in by a genuine caller in some distress. Found out recently that it was in fact a call made from a serial caller into the radio show, notorious for making up things. Gave it a new edge.
FUGAZI: Repeater (1990)I'll never really know what hardcore punk fans from the US, or more in particular, from Washington DC would have made of Fugazi when they first heard them. They'd played 10 shows before they recorded two EP's, and already there was much confusion. How could the hardcore punk icon Ian Mackaye, be involved with a band that sounded like this? At first, out of a need to distance himself hugely from the hardcore punk scene and the violence and the bitter attacks from the far right that used to rock up for a scrap in those Minor Threat days, Mackaye would insist that promoters removed his name from anything to do with his new band - he just wanted no more of that hardcore shit. The hardcore punk era of the very late 70's/early 80's had brought punk somewhere else before an audience was ready for it, and by the time they became ready for it, hardcore had moved on, almost in the space of a year. Audiences didn't like it, but as ever, punk was always there to throw spanners.
Mackaye had been running his Discord label in the meantime, promoting bands from his area, and generally becoming.. well, a general. Over the space of two years, he'd started playing music again with his band 'Embrace' - their output was minimal, the tours short, but with various members dropping out/moving on, Fugazi began to take shape.
Originally, Guy Piccottio from Rites of Spring, was merely a secondary vocalist to Mackaye. Why it took so long I'll never know, but it wasn't till Repeater, after the two extraordinary EP's of Fugazi's beforehand, that he was given the space to use a guitar. And Repeater became, and still is, THE punk album of the 1990's.
Piccottio, like the other members of Fugazi, all came out of the hardcore punk scene in Washington around the Discord label. Mackaye had experienced the divisiveness of being in a band with Minor Threat, and almost went mental with the democratic vote on every word, and every inflection in the vocals. Everyone had to be 100%. So conscious of his status, Mackaye was absolutely determined to be in a
band, and fuck everything else.
And what a marriage. Repeater only served to ensure that Mackaye would be revered for evermore. But it also ensured that Fugazi, of Canty - the spazz whack on toms, Piccottio, the agile no nonsense freak on a dual with Mackaye on guitar, and the pounding jazz PiL-like bass of Lally - the undercurrant of it all - would all be revered - as a band that was at one. A very rare breed.
Charging no more than $5 a show... no coloured lights, no pedals, no over dubs... everything stripped bare, Fugazi kicked the shit like no other. They were a band to
believe in - one to trust. One you'd want your daughters to love. They were so right on it was appalling - but 2 million sales says to me 'YES! I believe in the human race.'
I don't know if it was a life changer of an album for me personally, tho I've read similar things about it - that it
did change lives, and it
did change outlooks and behaviours. Songs like Merchandise...
'Merchandise keeps us in line
Common sense says it's by design
What could a businessman ever want more
Than to have us sucking in his store'
.. had a resonance tho. Rob Guttmann on TAW made some pertinent points recently about people buying labels on their shirts and shoes and that people who turned their noses up at this desire, were toffs basically, and that people from a slightly lower economic strata of society like to have the opportunity to show that actually, they're just above that strata (for the weekend at least). He's right of course. He was also right in saying that those there London types think that buying champagne in a night club, is cheap shit charlie and reserved for knocking shops and Arsenal players, whereas in other parts of the country, a bottle of champagne is something to genuinely cherish and celebrate with, and fuck off with those that disagree. But - I have a differing view on the ethics and morality and the incentive and the
need for society to show their worth to others - mainly because it merely compounds a successful advertising campaign and therefore we become muppets in that cycle. Repeater as an album, didn't show me that, nor did Naomi Klein. I just knew it anyway. I'm not from a middle class home, I am from a strictly upper class home and will have nothing to do with these Sainsbury types at all. The BBC even made a documentary about me once and it's been on youtube for some years now
here.
But Repeater hammers it home.
As an album, I guess it's about being aware. Being aware with what you do with your time, your money and your input. It's about being active, and not the 'oh well, fuck it' of Dinosaur Jr say. It wasn't a slacker LP... it wasn't a Richard Linklater album, it was a 'get a fucking grip' album from beginning to end.
I haven't listened to Repeater for about 10 years until this afternoon, maybe more. I veered away from this LP in the Fugazi cannon for a number of reasons, too dull to write about. OK, basically, I wanted it on vinyl and the vinyl is still in boxes. Originally in 1990 I had it on tdk and painted the whole thing up in tippex and blue biro. Took an afternoon. Then got hold of it. Usually I bluetooth it to a piddling little speaker, but plugged it up to a childrens party friendly speaker I have. I don't often get it out .
Eerie start... bass. Drums... then hello... it's Turnover. 'Turn off the alarm!' That's right... shut up... do nothing. Turnover. Fuck... this is ex Minor Threat?! 'Maybe this is time to smash things up?' But it's basically pop... but it isn't. As openers go... this says nothing, but ? Really? Ooh.. that bass tho. Yeah. Liking that. Then noise. OK... Now we're into Repeater. 'I had a name, not a number'... fuck yes. So what else lads?' 'One Two Three Repeater... sound like a gun.. stay away from that window boy... yeah, liking this shit. 'But we don't have to try it! But we don't have to buy itttt!' Yeah... am with this.
The bass to Brendan 1. The only tune of Repeater I'd heard in 10 years because of Rodgers.. it's an instrumental.... an instrumental? Really? A funky one? Minor Threat? Really? Why am I turning this up loud?
'Merchandise',.. probably the centre piece...#
When we have nothing left to give
There will be no reason for us to live
But when we have nothing left to lose
You will have nothing left to use
We owe you nothing you have no control
Merchandise keeps us in line
Common sense says it's by design
What could a businessman ever want more
than to have us sucking in his store
We owe you nothing
You have no control
You are not what you own
nuff said. Shh. Wake up and smell the offy.
and that ending ... 'you are not what you own'
'you are not what you own''you are not what you own''you are not what you own''you are not what you own'
Is right.
Lovely soft respite in Blueprint... the hardcore types turning in their graves. 'But you still coming 'round...' Cracking tune. 'Nevermind'. They knew about nevermind before nevermind even became that sad phenomenon. 'Oh well', wasn't a Fugazi expression.
'It must be easy... of when to say no or yes.'
Maybe together we can wipe that smile off your face
'Cause what a difference...a little difference would make
We'll draw a blueprint, it must be easy
It's just a matter of knowing when to say no or yes
Frustrating, frustrating
Always waiting for the bigger axe to fall
A patient game that I can't find my way to play Never mind what's been selling
It's what you're buying and receiving undefiled
Sieve Fisted-Find. All about the bass. 'Here comes another problem'. 'Greed': bang.. jazz, bang metal, get to the front, bang your head, 'Two Beats Off'... a precursor to the next tune Styrofoam. But a great intro to it... ah Styrofoam... it's that pause... that pause in Styrofoam that's worth everything. Youve just come off 'red-handed!'.. and then Styrofoam... almost started a genre. It's fucking volume notch 12, fuck 11. I think it's the greatest moment in 90's rock...
'We are all bigots so full of hatred
We release our poisons like styrofoam'
If you've been listening to this LP and got to Styrofoam and not air guitared for one moment you're probably lost. 'Reprovisional' is there to remind you of that. 'Shut The Door' ends the album. Do that,. Shut it, and shut up?
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