the Dischord Records thread

Engine · 07-08-2009, 07:24 PM

As everybody had better already know, Dischord Records is an independent record label based in Washington DC founded and owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson. The label began in 1980 and for years only released music by underground punk bands in the DC area. They have remained viable and independent for almost 30 years by expanding their catalog of bands without sacrificing their standard of quality and general ethics.

There is a lot that I know about this label and its music but there is also a lot that I don't know. In fact, I don't know a hell of a lot about the label beyond what happened there up through the mid-1990s.

So this thread is for all things Dischord: reviews/opinions/whatever.
Be as scholarly or anecdotal as you like. Tell me what you know and what you think.

Here, I'll start us off with a review of a recording that doesn't seem to be talked about much but deserves to be...

Egg Hunt

This was a self-titled 7" featuring the only two songs ever made by Egg Hunt. Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson play all the instruments.

"Me and You" is a foray into what would now be called post-rock. It's got a slow, steady beat and sparse melodic guitar verses are stretched all over the whole song. The mellow vibe gets small intrusions like a catchy bass-riff chorus and a couple of mini-breakdowns are thrown in. The vocals are mostly spoken and almost ambient. It picks up and crescendos towards the end. I'll bet that future members of Slint were into this.

The other side is "We All Fall Down" and this is more of what you would expect from Ian MacKaye during the Embrace period. Emo kids will definitely get a kick.

To top it off, these two songs were produced by John Loder who engineered a lot of other good music.

I love these two songs and I wish there were more Egg Hunt recordings. This gets an A- and the minus is only there because I feel cheated.

swim · 07-08-2009, 07:44 PM

Ian MacKaye is watching you snort heroin.

ok, so seriously?

I bought Fugazi 13 songs when I was 12 and I really couldn't get into it. I liked Waiting Room and Confessions but I couldn't get into the rest. A few years later I saw them name dropped all over the place and I gave it another chance and it stuck.

Engine · 07-08-2009, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swim

Ian MacKaye is watching you snort heroin.

ok, so seriously?

I bought Fugazi 13 songs when I was 12 and I really couldn't get into it. I liked Waiting Room and Confessions but I couldn't get into the rest. A few years later I saw them name dropped all over the place and I gave it another chance and it stuck.

I consider myself a Fugazi fan but honestly I was lukewarm at first too. I only liked the really catchy stuff and skipped through the rest. Also, I have never really liked Guy's vocals.

sidewinder · 07-08-2009, 08:21 PM

Fugazi is one of my favorite bands, and I enjoy many others on the label. Post-hardcore (and what was orginally emo) is basically my favorite genre.

Engine · 07-08-2009, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidewinder

Fugazi is one of my favorite bands, and I enjoy many others on the label. Post-hardcore (and what was orginally emo) is basically my favorite genre.

Cool, let's hear it, then. I'm actually pretty unfamiliar with the Dischord connection to emo. I know that Rites Of Spring is considered original emo but what's the deal with Embrace? Most harDCore fans hate Embrace passionately even though they are usually fine with Fugazi. Which other early Dischord bands are considered emo?
One of my favorites is the band, 3. Also emo?

bardonodude · 07-08-2009, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Engine

I consider myself a Fugazi fan but honestly I was lukewarm at first too. I only liked the really catchy stuff and skipped through the rest. Also, I have never really liked Guy's vocals.

dude, I agree. They're kind of growing on me but at the same time i just say, really?

Fugazi is ok.

My two favorite dischord bands are the most recent ones.

Q And Not U and Black Eyes.

I ****ING LOVE BLACK EYES!

They're probably my top 10 favorite bands. Of course like any other awesome band they broke up right before their last album Cough came out.

bardonodude · 07-08-2009, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Engine

Cool, let's hear it, then. I'm actually pretty unfamiliar with the Dischord connection to emo. I know that Rites Of Spring is considered original emo but what's the deal with Embrace? Most harDCore fans hate Embrace passionately even though they are usually fine with Fugazi. Which other early Dischord bands are considered emo?
One of my favorites is the band, 3. Also emo?

that would be dag nasty and the nation of ulysses, oh and how could I forget Gray Matter

Embrace is aight I guess.

sidewinder · 07-08-2009, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Engine

Cool, let's hear it, then. I'm actually pretty unfamiliar with the Dischord connection to emo. I know that Rites Of Spring is considered original emo but what's the deal with Embrace? Most harDCore fans hate Embrace passionately even though they are usually fine with Fugazi. Which other early Dischord bands are considered emo?
One of my favorites is the band, 3. Also emo?

Well I wasn't actually trying to single out the "original emo" bands, I was merely implying that much post-hardcore (Dischord or other labels) stems from original emo.

Some of the Dischord bands I like other than Fugazi are: Faraquet, Jawbox, Channels, Medications, Smart Went Crazy, The Evens and Q and Not U (only really like Different Damage though). Looking at the list, I'm actually embarassed at how many of the bands I've never heard. I've heard others not mentioned, I'm just not that into them...Minor Threat, Embrace, Rites of Spring, Lungfish, The Warmers, Shudder to Think, Hoover. I will check out 3 since you mentioned them.

jackhammer · 07-09-2009, 09:09 AM

I remember ordering Fugazi's Margin Walker E.P from Dischord in those crazy days before the net and I was so stoked when I finally got it through the post. The Whole Idea of ordering through the post in those days was midly exotic! I must admit to not knowing a huge amount about the label, only knowing that is was an outlet for Fugazi and that they had some part in the label.

Maybe a Dischord comp could be in order?

bardonodude · 07-09-2009, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidewinder

Well I wasn't actually trying to single out the "original emo" bands, I was merely implying that much post-hardcore (Dischord or other labels) stems from original emo.

Some of the Dischord bands I like other than Fugazi are: Faraquet, Jawbox, Channels, Medications, Smart Went Crazy, The Evens and Q and Not U (only really like Different Damage though). Looking at the list, I'm actually embarassed at how many of the bands I've never heard. I've heard others not mentioned, I'm just not that into them...Minor Threat, Embrace, Rites of Spring, Lungfish, The Warmers, Shudder to Think, Hoover. I will check out 3 since you mentioned them.

Hoover is really awesome and had a split with lincoln. Probably the most intense band Dischord released.

07-08-2009, 07:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
Engine air quote Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: pollen & mold Posts: 3,108	the Dischord Records thread As everybody had better already know, Dischord Records is an independent record label based in Washington DC founded and owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson. The label began in 1980 and for years only released music by underground punk bands in the DC area. They have remained viable and independent for almost 30 years by expanding their catalog of bands without sacrificing their standard of quality and general ethics. There is a lot that I know about this label and its music but there is also a lot that I don't know. In fact, I don't know a hell of a lot about the label beyond what happened there up through the mid-1990s. So this thread is for all things Dischord: reviews/opinions/whatever. Be as scholarly or anecdotal as you like. Tell me what you know and what you think. Here, I'll start us off with a review of a recording that doesn't seem to be talked about much but deserves to be... Egg Hunt This was a self-titled 7" featuring the only two songs ever made by Egg Hunt. Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson play all the instruments. "Me and You" is a foray into what would now be called post-rock. It's got a slow, steady beat and sparse melodic guitar verses are stretched all over the whole song. The mellow vibe gets small intrusions like a catchy bass-riff chorus and a couple of mini-breakdowns are thrown in. The vocals are mostly spoken and almost ambient. It picks up and crescendos towards the end. I'll bet that future members of Slint were into this. The other side is "We All Fall Down" and this is more of what you would expect from Ian MacKaye during the Embrace period. Emo kids will definitely get a kick. To top it off, these two songs were produced by John Loder who engineered a lot of other good music. I love these two songs and I wish there were more Egg Hunt recordings. This gets an A- and the minus is only there because I feel cheated. Last edited by Engine; 07-08-2009 at 10:10 PM. Reason: goddammit, I mean I only know 1980-about 1994

07-08-2009, 07:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
swim dontcareaboutyou Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Carolina Posts: 5,188	Ian MacKaye is watching you snort heroin. ok, so seriously? I bought Fugazi 13 songs when I was 12 and I really couldn't get into it. I liked Waiting Room and Confessions but I couldn't get into the rest. A few years later I saw them name dropped all over the place and I gave it another chance and it stuck. __________________ http://nakednaps.bandcamp.com/

07-08-2009, 08:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
sidewinder Engorged Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,536	Fugazi is one of my favorite bands, and I enjoy many others on the label. Post-hardcore (and what was orginally emo) is basically my favorite genre. __________________ last.fm \| my collection on RYM \| vinyl instagram @allthatyouseeandhear I'd love to see your signature/links too, but the huge and obnoxious ones have caused me to block all signatures.

07-09-2009, 09:09 AM	#9 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	I remember ordering Fugazi's Margin Walker E.P from Dischord in those crazy days before the net and I was so stoked when I finally got it through the post. The Whole Idea of ordering through the post in those days was midly exotic! I must admit to not knowing a huge amount about the label, only knowing that is was an outlet for Fugazi and that they had some part in the label. Maybe a Dischord comp could be in order? __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”