Banned in DC History

Releases:

Self Titled

Margin Walker

State of the Union

3 Songs

Repeater

Fugazi
Years: 1987-2005

Fugazi formed in 1987. The band name alludes to a Vietnam-era GI slang acronym for a particularly bad combat situation, which stands for "Fucked Up, Got Ambushed, Zipped In". In Our Band Could Be Your Life, the group reported that they chose the name because of its ambiguous and vaguely exotic qualities.

Perhaps just as well known as Fugazi's music is their ethical stance and manner of business practice. They stand as a rare example of a band that have achieved a level of mainstream success while remaining loyal to independent recording and distribution values, following through in the spirit of the original "DIY punk ethic". They have rarely charged more than $5-10 admission to their live shows (and furthermore insist that their performances be open to persons of all ages; MacKaye in particular remembers the sting of being kept out of clubs during his teen years), have kept their album prices at about $10, and do not sell merchandise such as t-shirts or posters. In addition, the band has claimed that they will not conduct interviews with magazines featuring alcohol and nicotine advertisements.

All Fugazi's albums have been released by Dischord Records, co-owned by MacKaye and former Minor Threat bandmate Jeff Nelson.

After the seminal hardcore punk group Minor Threat dissolved, Ian MacKaye (vocals and guitar) was active with a few mostly short-lived groups, (notably Embrace) before forming a new trio, Fugazi, with drummer Colin Sears and bass guitarist Joe Lally. Sears eventually left and was replaced by Brendan Canty (earlier of Rites of Spring.)

MacKaye describes his earliest vision Fugazi as The Stooges playing reggae. They performed as a trio for some months, then added Guy Picciotto (earlier Canty's bandmate in Rites of Spring, Happy Go Licky, and One Last Wish). Picciotto originally only sang; he likened his role for the first two years to that of a toaster, and Azzerad notes that Picciotto was also inspired by Flavor Flav of Public Enemy. He eventually incorporated his guitar playing into the quartet, however.

Fugazi blend elements of punk rock, hardcore soul and noise with an inventively syncopated rhythm section often steeped in dub or reggae influence. Notable is MacKaye and Picciotto's inventive, interlocking guitar playing, which often defies the traditional notion of "lead" and "rhythm" guitars. Most of their albums have featured an instrumental song or two.

Fugazi's unusual experimental sound influenced some later punk music groups, and has proven difficult to categorize neatly; they've been classified as post punk and post-hardcore. Though clearly rooted in punk and hardcore, there is arguably much more than punk to be found in Fugazi's music.

Fugazi are currently on what the band describes as a "hiatus," partly brought on by the recent forays into fatherhood by Canty and Lally, and may or may not reunite in the future. In the meantime, the members are undertaking side projects, with MacKaye forming the duo The Evens with Amy Farina (formerly of the Warmers), and Canty doing a variety of soundtrack scores and playing bass in the trio Garland Of Hours alongside frequent Fugazi guest contributors Jerry Busher and Amy Domingues. Canty also appears on Bob Mould's 2005 Album Body of Song, and has played bass live with Mary Timony. Lally has appeared on fellow DC post-punkers Decahedron's debut album Disconnection_Imminent.

Releases

Self Titled