Fugazi

what i'm listening to right now: In On The Kill Taker by Fugazi

It's been a long time since I've sat down and listened to Fugazi non-stop. As a teenager I was fucking obsessed with Fugazi. They were the greatest. band. ever. I was political, angry, loved loud, intricate music. I'm still all of those things, but for some reason, I had gotten away from listening to them with the frequency of when I first heard them.

So today, I was listening to the mix CD that my girlfriend, Amanda made me for Valentine's Day. She put "Furniture" by Fugazi on it. As soon as the song was over, I put in a CD I hadn't listened to in maybe a year, Steady Diet Of Nothing. My first Fugazi CD. Followed shortly thereafter by every CD they made in a matter of weeks. I really liked Steady Diet, but was unprepared for the way that Repeater would affect me. It sounds incredibly cheesy, but Repeater kind of changed the way I thought about the world. In a teenage context that makes complete sense.

In the pre-ipod era, I was pushing carts at Target and listening to CDs on my walkman. It was one of the coldest nastiest winters I can remember. I think I was in ninth or tenth grade. And I was just pushing carts to see them reappear moments later. Having nothing to show for my work. That Fugazi CD was the one I listened to the most then. Over and over again. And the ultra-left sloganeering of Guy and Ian, the hypnotic bass, and those crazy ass drums sold me. I quit my job shortly thereafter. I actually got in a car wreck before I could quit. And Fugazi was on 88.1, the college radio station, moments before I was hit by a car and then hit a lightpost.

I got real political after that CD. I wasn't much of a political person before then. My father was (is) a conservative, and Fugazi were liberal. I had to choose a side. My dad hadn't and still hasn't made any records, Fugazi made 8 records. Fugazi won. That, and Republicans stand for everything that's wrong in the world. That might have influenced my decision somewhat.

I miss Fugazi, I wish they would get back together. I've really liked the Evens records. Especially on their newest one, you can hear where certain songs would be amazing Fugazi songs. Sigh.