A second rate Gabriel-era Genesis. And let's face it, Gabriel-era Genesis weren't much to write home about.

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agreed.

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and the plain truth is that minor threat were so much better than fugazi, it's not funny (you want funny? listen to ian and guy talk in between songs). rites of spring were way better too.

I don't thin kyou really mean that. I don't see how you could.

sometimes i go back and forth on who's better, minor threat or fugazi. usually i think fugazi is better, but it could go either way. even though i love rites of spring, i think fugazi is a better band.

easily, fugazi might have had a more expanded musical language, but they never had even an ounce of the power, the excitement, the passion and the energy minor threat had; they were one of the few bands who sound like they are about to leap from the speakers, and what they are talking about is so important to them that they have to give it to you with all they have. not only that, but the lyrics are so fucking real, they are probably the only band i can relate, lyricswise, and i'm not talking about straight edge, it's about feeling alienated and betrayed and dealing with it.

having said this, i can't imagine minor threat still existing in 1984 or having a reunion, that's just dumb. same, in a much smaller scale, with embrace.

fugazi tried for the most part to be better musicians (nothing wrong with that) and focused more on it, which is cool, yet, they were always conflicted in between keeping it "punk" (meaning still being very simple) or taking it an extra mile (using other instruments, playing their instruments with more precision and skill...that's why the best musician in fugazi was joe, dude is one of the best bassists i've ever heard yet he has a ton of abandon with what he plays, reminds me of a more skilled chuck dukowski), resulting in sometimes boring moments where they would try to stretch a song while refusing to play something interesting.

lyrically, the band abyssmal, everything that was great about minor threat and rites of spring is that those lyrics sounded like something they were seeing and feeling and both ian and guy have this gift to make these very personal situations and making them feel universal; instead, they started to talk about global problems, politics and social upheaval, dumbing them down and reducing them into slogans at best.*

live, they were hilarious, not only for the aforementioned "we want to have an improv section but at the same time, we're only going to play the same three chords! punk rock!!!!!" attitude towards music, but because they try to act like enlightened older brothers educating their fans, while at the same time treating them like idiots, stopping songs in the middle to talk about what they are about, lecturing them about the problems in the world and, in general, making an atmosphere of seriousness when playing high energy music. they would start the show by telling the crowd not to mosh and shit, and if an asshole started to act like an asshole, ian would address the person by "sir", if someone is beating somebody else up, does he deserve to be treated like a gentleman? and then, the crowd who follows them get shut down and ignored by the band. not to mention the hypocrecy (sp?) of them being against slamdancing and stuff while at the same time they are the ones jumping from speakers and contorting themselves.

minor threat was a no bullshit, no attitude band, it was something very intense. fugazi was a band built and driven by bullshit, all these rules and principles they created and then talk shit about people who follow these very same principles.


*i don't usually listen to the lyrics but ian and guy are capable of so much more; still, i can bear to not listen to what they are saying so i can enjoy them. they just don't hold a candle to minor threat.

Ian didn't do any preaching at all when I saw the Evens. Alot of talking between songs about alot of different things, all their opinions, of course. After the gig when I was speaking with the man, he didn't try and preach then either, he was joking around the whole time having a fun time. This idea that the guys from Fugazi, Ian espeically, are militant guys who walk around frowning the whole time is a misconception and completely bogus.
If a band, any band, make comments about being straight edge (which Fugazi never did refer anything back to being 'straight edge') then that's their opinion, whether I agree with it or not. It's the same thing about bands that go on about getting drunk all the time, Motorhead being a prime example. I just finished White Line Fever and throughtout the whole book Lemmy is going on about drugs and booze, even making comments about people who don't choose that lifestyle. It's all just opinion, just drinking etc is considerred the 'norm' and is acceptable where is going against that, or merely doing exactly what you want to do as a person, is not as acceptible and is often seen as preaching. When really, there is no difference.

I have nothing against the 'no slamdancing' thing. I'm at a gig to see and listen to a band. I'm not there to get thrown and punched around by some dickheads who are more into 'acting up' then anything. By 'acting up' I mean the people being violent and causing shit for the sake of being ignorant fools. Because Fugazi never claimed everyone in the crowd has to stand still with their arms by their sides, they are just against violence. Which is a good thing. Whenever I see a band enticing a crowd to start a circle pit, I roll my eyes and wonder why the fuck they want to do such an idiotic thing.

Minor Threat were great, but they have nothing on Fugazi. You bring up the comedy thing with Fugazi alot, but Minor Threat are far more comedic than Fugazi.

Anyway, that's your opinion, and I'm fine with that. I just disagree with it.

norma, you just whizzed past my comment and went in with the general consensus of why fugazi sucks.


a) you are talking about the evens b) ian seems like such a good guy, i mean, i have been disappointed about some comments i've read him say lately but he seems like a decent, honest fellow and c) i did never for once mentioned preaching or that they were militant about anything in my comment.


i never for once mentioned straight edge on my comment (well, i did to clarify that i felt strongly about minor threat's lyrics, but not about s.e.).


let me put you two examples to clarify my point.

example 1: you're at the movies and you want to get some popcorn or something at the snack bar, you're standing in line and there's a bunch of people ahead of you, yet everyone is patient. all of a sudden, some jerk cuts in to the front and demands he gets served; then, imagine if the manager there addressed this person as "sir, we appreciate your patronage, but we're afraid we can't allow you to behave like this; please, accept your money back and come back another day when you decide to behave good". is this the way to treat a jackass? if this really would have happened, security would have come running and tossing that asshole out in no time. hence, the level of stupidity in which fugazi handled violent idiots.

example 2: imagine you're a kid again and you go to the playground, and you see some game or a ride that a few kids are playing or are on that ride, and when you try to get to have fun like them, they decide to let you know that they don't like you trying to do what they do and that you should watch them do it instead, but if you feel like doing something that's not, it's ok. how would you feel?

i agree with that part about bands trying to organize a mosh pit, it's very retarded, they should try and get into it and see if they like to get kicked the shit out of them.

still, most slamdancing isn't stupid violent, that's just generalization.


i think minor threat was more fun than fugazi, or perhaps more intentionally funny than fugazi. but come on! how can you not listen to their shows and not burst out laughing when they are trying to explain what "reclamation" is about, with ian literally saying "listen up" for like 30 times so people get quiet.


i agree with this, furthermore, i'm not trying to change your mind, i'm just telling you my perception of things.

after some thinking i have declared fugazi to be my favorite band that isn't sonic youth.

To each, their own.

"I go to Fugazi shows / and request Minor Threat songs"

I sure miss a lot of people in this thread.

:(

Dischord totally choked the life out of the DC indie music scene.

I love fugazi though.... being from DC and all.

lol at this thread.