Welcome aboard, Dischord!

Over the past few days, I've been hypnotized by the steady stream of albums on the Dischord Records label making their way into the Rhapsody library. I started compiling a playlist and writing a post, but with each passing day, the picture becomes more complete, until today, where it's near full saturation. So, before I get too far, here's a playlist that documents nearly every Dischord release, starting with #1 (Teen Idles, Minor Disturbance EP [1980]) going to #160 (The Evens, Get Evens [2006].)

Playlist: Dischord Records

The label started with the end of the D.C. band Teen Idles, which was Ian MacKaye, Jeff Nelson, Geordie Grindle and Nathan Strejcek (photo.) They'd played together for less then a year, but were ready to pack it in, so they took their earnings and released an EP to document the band. This release, Dischord Records #1, was released in December, 1980. Inspired by Dangerhouse Records in LA, MacKaye and Nelson were going take any earnings from this first release and use it to put out the growing number of bands in the DC scene. State of Alert (S.O.A.,) which featured former Teen Idles roadie Henry Garfield (Henry Rollins,) wasn't going to wait. Henry put up his own money and released the EP No Policy (Dischord #2.)

At the same time, Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson went on to form the group, Minor Threat. They debuted, along with S.O.A., opening for Bad Brains in December of '80 (a month which also marked the label's debut.) Their 1st 7" release made for Dischord #3, with it's now legendary cover (that Nike recently copied and apologized for.) The song "Straight Edge" became the title of a movement of post-punk bands, describing a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle.

By 1984, the DC punk scene was rife with violence, and Dischord was in financial straits. But they held on, and by 1985, more bands joined the fray, inspired in part by what Dischord was doing, and also with the motive to take back the scene with a non-violence mission. Revolution Summer became the moniker for this 1985 movement, and it saw a move towards a more melodic sound. The most important of these was the band Rites of Spring, who, while only releasing one full-length (End on End, Dischord #16,) were almost single-handedly responsible for what would become emo. (They briefly reformed as Happy Go Picky, and their experimental live sound (utilizing tape loops,) was later documented on Dischord [#109] as well. Ian MacKaye, at this time, was also influencing this new genre with his shortlived band Embrace.

Ian MacKaye then (1987) formed the band Fugazi, which shortly after incorporated former Rites of Spring members Guy Picciotto and Brendan Canty, cementing one of the most principled bands of all time. To many, they hold the same significance as Bob Dylan (on their parents.) Their discography is the picture of artistic consistency, from their beginning to now current (as of 2002) indefinite hiatus. Repeater (Dischord #45) was my introduction, but it was 1991's Steady Diet of Nothing that comes to mind when I think about the band.

In the wake of Nirvana's 91's breakthrough, the label began see an increase in sales, and a couple bands on the roster made the jump to major labels. Jawbox (Atlantic) and Shudder To Think (Epic,) were derided by many ardent Dischord fans, but they remained true to their sound, and with their exposure helped broaden Dischords fanbase in the process, as fans looked for prior releases on Dischord (like STT's Get Your Goat, and Jawbox's Novelty,) and picking up a Lungfish or a Circus Lupus record in the process.

With Dischord's biggest mealticket (Fugazi) now on the sidelines, the label's roster is a lot less visible (and a lot more mellower.) Acts now include Antelope, French Toast, Soccer Team, Channels, Medications, Fugazi's Joe Lally (Dischord's first ever solo release,) and MacKaye's latest project, The Evens.

Of note: Rhapsody has the release dates off by a (fairly) consistent four years... just something to watch out for.

tags: playlist, music, dischord, diy, indie rock, minor threat, fugazi, rites of spring, shudder to think, jawbox, rhapsody