Fugazi

Fugazi is an American punk band that formed in Washington, D.C. in 1987. The band's continual members were guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty. Fugazi are noted for their DIY ethical stance and manner of business practice. Fugazi has been on hiatus since 2002.

History

Formation

After the hardcore punk group Minor Threat dissolved, Ian MacKaye (vocals and guitar) was active with a few short-lived groups, most notably Embrace. MacKaye decided he wanted a project that was "like the Stooges with reggae," but was wary about forming another band

after Embrace's break up. MacKaye recalled, "My interests were not necessarily to be in a band , but to be with people who wanted to play music with me." MacKaye recruited ex-Dag Nasty drummer Colin Sears and bass guitarist Joe Lally, and the trio began practicing together in September 1986. After a few months of rehearsals, Sears returned to Dag Nasty and was replaced by Brendan Canty (earlier of Rites of Spring). One day Canty's Rites of Spring bandmate Guy Picciotto dropped by during a practice session to see how his friend was getting along; he later admitted he secretly harbored the idea of joining the group. But Picciotto was disappointed that there seemed to be no place for him; he said, "It seemed really completed already It had a completely different feel from what I'd been doing with Brendan. It seemed just solid and done."

After some uncertainty from Canty about what he wanted to do with his future, the trio regrouped and booked their first show at the Wilson Center in early September 1987. The group still needed a name, so MacKaye chose the word "fugazi" from Mark Baker's Nam, a compilation of stories of Vietnam War veterans, where it used as slang for "fucked up or screwed up" . The word fugazi is Italian slang for "fake." The band began inviting Picciotto to practices. Inspired by use of a foil in hip hop, Picciotto sang backup vocals. After his band Happy Go Licky broke up, he became more involved with Fugazi. MacKaye eventually asked Picciotto to become a full member, which he accepted.

Albums and tours

"Repeater"

Sample of "Repeater", from Repeater (1990)

"Combination Lock"

Sample of "Combination Lock", from Red Medicine (1995)

"Full Disclosure"

Sample of "Full Disclosure", from The Argument (2001)

Fugazi embarked on its first tour in January 1988. In June 1988 the band recorded its debut EP Fugazi with producer Ted Nicely, and shortly afterwards embarked on an arduous tour of Europe. At the tour's conclusion in December, the band recorded songs for its intended debut album. However, the band was spent from touring and decided that the resulting sessions were unsatisfactory. The tracklist was cut down to an EP and released as Margin Walker the following year. Upon the band's return from Europe, Picciotto, unsatisfied with merely singing, began playing guitar.

The band's first album, Repeater, was released in January 1990. The band spent most of the year touring behind Repeater and routinely sold out 1,000-capacity shows. By summer 1991 the album had sold more than 100,000 copies, a large number for a label that relied on word-of-mouth promotion. While major labels began to court Fugazi, the band decided that Dischord was distributing their records well enough and refused the offers.

For the band's second album Steady Diet of Nothing (1991), the band once again asked Ted Nicely to produce. Nicely had become a chef and had to reluctantly turn down the job, so the bandmembers decided to produce the record themselves. Fugazi recorded its third album In on the Kill Taker (1993) with Steve Albini in Chicago; however, the results were deemed unsatisfactory and the band rerecorded the album with Ted Nicely. With the breakthrough of alternative rock in the early 1990s, In on the Kill Taker became the group's first record to enter the Billboard album charts.

By Red Medicine (1995), Fugazi were on the road less frequently, due in large part to other professional and personal commitments. Their music had evolved far from their hardcore roots, with strong art rock leanings. The Argument (2001), featured the first extensive contributions from outside musicians, most notably longtime roadie and sound engineer Jerry Busher, who added percussion or a second drum set to most of the album's songs.

Hiatus

Fugazi is currently on what the band describes as a "hiatus", partly brought on by Canty wanting to spend more time with his family.