Today's Rock Music History Lesson: Fugazi, 13 Songs.

One of the first cassettes I ever bought with my own money (possibly the first-- it was either this, a Suicidal Tendencies album, or Pretty Hate Machine...) was 13 Songs, by Fugazi.

I mentioned Fugazi to some friends yesterday and was surprised that none of them were familiar with this band. Especially after having re-listened to 13 songs today for the first time in years, I feel compelled to rectify this today.

Fugazi was one of the most influential east coast post-punk bands of the 80s and 90s. If you like the heavier end of the rock spectrum, 13 songs, or at least something by Fugazi, should be in your collection. Different people have different favorites, but 13 songs has always been definitive to me. Not every track is great, IMO, but songs like Waiting Room, Bulldog Front, Give Me The Cure, and Suggestion alone are enough to make the album.

In related news, Amazon currently has it for $4.99.

I dare you to listen to this 1989 release and tell me it didn't influence practically every musician in the grunge scene years later. Then listen to the lyrics of songs like Suggestion and hear, for example, commentary on gender roles and rape culture that are still progressive today, portrayed movingly in the song's brutal bluntness:

"Why can't I walk down a street free of suggestion?...
You spent yourself watching me suffer.
Suffer your words, suffer your eyes, suffer your hands.
Suffer your interpretation of what it is to be a man...
She does nothing to deserve it.
He only wants to observe it.
We sit back, like they taught us.
We keep quiet, like they taught us.
We don't want anyone to mind us,
So we play the roles that they assigned us...
We blame her for being there,
But we are guilty."

(note: "..." indicates places where I trimmed lyrics for brevity)

Also worthy of note is that Fugazi's singer, Ian MacKaye, co-founded Dischord Records, one of the most influential underground labels of that era. I guess one could call them the east coast Sub Pop, though some might cringe at the comparison.

Anyway, this morning I was reminded of a great album that maybe doesn't have the notoriety it should have, so there it is. Certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but I hope some folks out there enjoy it.

MassMouth Storytelling event New Years' Eve at the Hynes

MassMouth is hosting two open-invite storytelling events at the Hynes Auditorium as part of First Night in Boston this year. They are free, and a First Night badge is not required to attend. (edit: I must have mis-read the page. A first-night button *is* required)

Attendees are invited, but not required, to put their name into the hat for telling a 4-4.5 minute story on any of the following themes:

the end, obsession, wheels, idols, where I'm from, home, pranked, gifts, supernatural, emergency

Tellers will be drawn randomly, and they're expecting a big crowd, so unfortunately there's go guarantee of getting to tell, but they've invited a bunch of previous StorySlammers, myself included, to participate so even if one just listens there will hopefully be some good stuff.

If you're looking for something to do NYE I'd love to see you there! I'll be at the 8pm show, hopefully finishing with enough time to make it to one far-away party or another by midnight!