F is for Fugazi

By Gabriel

ugazi's exact placement in the order of my list could change on any given day. To the purist, I really have no business speaking of Fugazi because I don't like Minor Threat. Minor Threat and the other pioneers of 80's punk and hardcore don't hold my affection, but I appreciate the history and how it ultimately narrowed down to Fugazi being one of the survivors of the movement.

There's a certain imperfect perfection to this highly political and outspoken group. Usually the music does the talking but at one performance I remember them stating, "John Ashcroft is a f***ing ***hole." While I may or may not agree with that, they could have at least explained why. The overall message you'll receive from Fugazi is one of dissent. They've presented many problems to their listeners–whether personal or worldly–through a prism of cause and effect. There's also no shortage of problems in their home of Washington, D.C. Given the continuous servings of oppression by the Man, you'd think there would be more punk bands as prominent in D.C. Likewise, each work reflects the sentiment of the time in which it was made, while the first full CD, 13 Songs, from 1988-1989 still feels relevant. This band is historic, present, and evolving. Fugazi still roots itself in punk music but the guys also delight in blending it with pop. The Argument in particular is laced with danceable grooves and clapping. Audience participation is expected when these songs are played live.

I think what I personally enjoy in Fugazi's music is that each of the albums have improved upon the previous. I attribute this to the relatively untainted nature of the music's exposure. Most bands run out of things to say. Popularity and money make life easier. Art and music are derived from struggling. Of course, joy, love and passion have been common themes in art, but we'd have no recognition of those things without the struggle to attain them. I'm not saying Fugazi is widely disliked, unmarketable, and poor. But, I am saying that they've followed what I see as the true path of musicianship—living out their struggles in the music and organically distributing it to those who share in those struggles.

The last undeniable attribute to Fugazi is their integrity. They respect their listeners. No moshing at shows. Tickets are usually $10 or less. Thoughts and words are followed up with action. There's no such thing as a Fugazi music video and band accessories are unheard of or homemade. Finding their CDs or songs through Best Buy and iTunes are the only signs (that I know of) of their willingness to give in to corporate distribution. The illusion is that there is nothing more to Fugazi than the music.

That's not true though. These men are busy living their family lives and promoting other musicians. 2001's The Argument was the last we've heard from them. I wouldn't be surprised if it is the last. It's a near perfect album and the title itself is so broad and unspecific. An argument is the summation of Fugazi's purpose. Released at the beginning of W's shift, everything that you can think of as having gone wrong then would have been voiced in the recording and in performance. 8 years later, things are worse in all aspects–international, economical, environmental and social. I know this is bleak, but things might just be so bad that there's no point in Fugazi writing about them.

In conclusion, there's no one album with which to introduce yourself to Fugazi. Start from the beginning and listen to the band age. Or, seek out a few of my favorite songs from the later albums.

• "Do You Like Me", "Bed for the Scraping", and "Target" – Red Medicine
• "Break", "Place Position", "Caustic Acrostic", and "Foreman's Dog" – End Hits
• "Cashout", "Epic Problem", "Ex-Spectator", "Nightshop", and "Argument" – The Argument