Compared to other cities across the USA
and the rest of the world, the D.C Hardcore punk scene was remarkably
diverse. As Hardcore evolved over the 1980's it became known for its
strict do's and don'ts. Despite the early non-conformist attitude, by
the mid 80's in order to gain acceptance from the audience, bands
needed to look and act a certain way. Of course, telling this to
musicians is like showing red to a bull. One of the most ferocious,
and most influential DC hardcore bands, Bad Brains had begun to
diversify their sound pretty early on. Incorporating their
Rasterfarian beliefs as well as elements of heavy metal to their
sound, they sounded like no-one else before or since. After Minor
Threat, one of the bastions of Hardcore and a genre defining act,
broke up, frontman Ian McKaye formed Fugazi. Gone was the punishing,
rapid bombardment of his previous band, replaced with a far more
considered, artful and just as effective attack. Even Black Flag in
LA (featuring DC expat Henry Rollins) had stuck their fingers up at
Hardcore's expectations, grown their hair long and slowed their music
to a deadly, creepy, crawl.
