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The Teen Idles
Origin Washington, D.C., USA
Genre(s) Hardcore punk
Years active 1979-1980
Label(s) Dischord
Associated acts Minor Threat
Egg Hunt
Skewbald/Grand Union
Website www.dischord.com/band/teenidles
Former members
Nathan Strejcek (vocals)
Geordie Grindle (guitar)
Ian MacKaye (bass, backing vocals)
Jeff Nelson (drums)

The Teen Idles were an American hardcore punk band that formed in Washington, D.C. in August 1979. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Hardcore punk (now usually referred to as simply hardcore) is a subgenre of Punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Dischord Records is a Washington DC -based Independent record label specializing in the independent punk music Minor Threat was an American Hardcore punk band that formed in Washington D Egg hunt is a Game during which Decorated eggs real hard-boiled ones or artificial filled with or made of Chocolate Candies, of various sizes Skewbald/Grand Union (commonly called Skewbald) was a Hardcore punk band from the Washington D Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with Speech. The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye (məˈkaɪ born April 16, 1962) is an American singer and guitarist The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the A backing vocalist or backing singer (or especially in the US Jeff Nelson is best known as the drummer for the hardcore Punk rock band Minor Threat. A drum kit (also drum set or trap set) is a collection of Drums Cymbals and sometimes other Percussion instruments such as cowbells The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Hardcore punk (now usually referred to as simply hardcore) is a subgenre of Punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D [1] Teenagers Nathan Strejcek, Geordie Grindle, Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson were the band's continual members. Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye (məˈkaɪ born April 16, 1962) is an American singer and guitarist Jeff Nelson is best known as the drummer for the hardcore Punk rock band Minor Threat. The Teen Idles recorded two demo sessions and one extended play, Minor Disturbance, before their breakup in November 1980. An extended play ( EP) is a Vinyl record, CD, or Music download which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify Minor Disturbance was the sole studio Extended play by the Washington D The first band on Dischord Records, The Teen Idles were an early landmark in the straight edge and the D.C. hardcore movement; MacKaye and Nelson would later form Minor Threat. Dischord Records is a Washington DC -based Independent record label specializing in the independent punk music Straight Edge refers to a lifestyle that started within the Hardcore punk subculture whose adherents make a commitment to refrain from using alcohol, Tobacco Washington DC had one of the first and most influential Hardcore punk scenes in the United States during the 1980s Minor Threat was an American Hardcore punk band that formed in Washington D

Inspired by American punk bands such as Bad Brains and Black Flag, The Teen Idles' music was an early version of hardcore punk, and was an attempt, in the words of MacKaye, "to get away from a really corrupted music". Bad Brains are an American Hardcore punk band formed in Washington D Black Flag was a Hardcore punk band formed in 1977 in southern California, largely as the brainchild of Greg Ginn: the guitarist [2] Their appearance, lyrics and musical style aimed to revive a punk movement that they felt had lost its original zeal.

Contents

History

Formation

The Teen Idles history began when Washingtonian Ian MacKaye discovered punk rock through a local college radio station, Georgetown University's WGTB. Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye (məˈkaɪ born April 16, 1962) is an American singer and guitarist Campus radio (also known as college radio, university radio or student radio) is a type of Radio station that is run by the students of a college Georgetown University is a Jesuit Private university located in Georgetown Washington D WGTB is a student-run Internet radio station at Georgetown University in Washington D [3] He met Jeff Nelson, a classmate of his, after Nelson set off a pipe bomb outside their school and MacKaye went to investigate. Jeff Nelson is best known as the drummer for the hardcore Punk rock band Minor Threat. The two became friends and quickly discovered their shared interest in punk. MacKaye and Nelson saw their first punk show in January 1979 — a benefit concert by The Cramps for WGTB. The Cramps are an American Punk rock band formed in 1976. Their line-up has rotated much over the years with lead singer Lux Interior and lead guitarist The concert inspired the pair: MacKaye later commented, "It blew my mind because I saw for the first time this huge, totally invisible community that had gathered together for this tribal event. [. . . ] I thought, 'This appeals to me. This is the world I think I can breathe in. This is what I need. '"[4]

After seeing a Bad Brains concert, MacKaye and Nelson began playing in a high school punk band, The Slinkees, with school friends George Grindle and Mark Sullivan. Bad Brains are an American Hardcore punk band formed in Washington D [5] The Slinkees played a single show before Sullivan went to college. The band then tried to recruit MacKaye's friend, Henry Garfield, who turned down the offer, so Nathan Strejcek was recruited as a vocalist. Henry Rollins (born February 13 1961 as Henry Lawrence Garfield) is an American singer-songwriter Spoken word Artist, Stand-up comedian, author The Slinkees then renamed themselves The Teen Idles. [2] After touring and practicing for several months, the band performed two demo sessions at a local studio in February and April 1980, despite the engineer and a visiting band openly laughing as they recorded. [6] They also began playing at house parties and pizza houses, as well as an art gallery called Madam's Organ, opening for Bad Brains. Madam's Organ Blues Bar is a restaurant and Nightclub located at 2461 18th Street NW in Washington D [7]

To revive the previous fury of punk rock, which the band felt had been compromised by New Wave, The Teen Idles tried to appear as intimidating as possible. New Wave is a Rock music genre that existed during the late 1970s and the 1980s [2] They shaved their heads, grew Mohawks and wore various punk accessories; Nelson and MacKaye would even drive nails into the soles of their boots so they would make an "ominous clacking" sound. The Mohawk (or mohican in British English) is a Hairstyle which consists of shaving both sides of the head leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair Their appearance was at odds with their demeanor; according to MacKaye, "in our shows and within our own community, we were totally goofy guys. We were painfully honest — we didn't shoplift, we didn't vandalise, we didn't spray-paint. [. . . ] We don't do anything — everybody just hates us because of the way we look. "[7]

California tour and recording

After about a dozen concerts, opening for bands such as the Untouchables, The Teen Idles decided to tour the West Coast in August 1980. This article is about the Washington DC punk band For the Los Angeles mod/soul band see The Untouchables (band. The " West Coast " " Western Seaboard " or " Pacific Seaboard " are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the Western United States [7][8] Along with roadies Garfield (later Rollins) and Sullivan, the band set off for California. Henry Rollins (born February 13 1961 as Henry Lawrence Garfield) is an American singer-songwriter Spoken word Artist, Stand-up comedian, author They were immediately hassled by police upon their arrival, and after challenging the police, Nelson was handcuffed for an hour. The Teen Idles eventually began their tour, but were refused entry at Los Angeles' Hong Kong Cafe because of their age. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Originally due to open for the Dead Kennedys and the Circle Jerks, they settled for playing the next night, opening for The Mentors and a band called Puke, Spit and Guts in exchange for just $15. Dead Kennedys was an American Hardcore punk band from San Francisco, California. The Circle Jerks are a Hardcore punk band formed circa 1979 in Hermosa Beach California. The Mentors is a Shock rock band who formed in 1976 in Seattle, then moved to Los Angeles in 1979 The Teen Idles impressed those at the venue; MacKaye later commented: "People were freaked out by how fast we were. "[9]

Upon returning to Washington D. C. , The Teen Idles were taken by Skip Groff, who owned the Washington record store Yesterday and Today, to Inner Ear, a small recording studio in Arlington, Virginia. They were introduced to engineer and owner Don Zientara (Inner Ear was merely Zientara's house where he owned a four-track recorder). The Teen Idles played in the basement while Zientara engineered and Groff produced. Seven tracks were recorded in total. However, the band had not thought about what they would do with the tapes and shelved them. [10]

Breakup and Minor Disturbance

By late 1980, The Teen Idles had decided to part, mostly due to Grindle's disillusionment with the band. Their last show, opening for SVT at the 9:30 Club on November 6, 1980, was a key event for all-ages shows. SVT was a San Francisco Punk rock band from the late 1970s and early 1980s Nightclub 930 (originally known and still commonly referred to as the 930 Club) is a Nightclub and Concert venue in Washington D Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Before playing at the Mabuhay Gardens in California, the band were only allowed entry to the club once big Xs, to show that they were under the legal drinking age, were drawn on their hands. The legal drinking age is a limit assigned by governments to restrict the access of Children and Youth to Alcoholic beverages Legal drinking ages vary from They suggested this idea to the 9:30 club management back in Washington, and vowed that if youths were caught drinking, the club could ban them all forever. The management agreed; The Teen Idles' final show passed without incident. [11]

In their year of touring, The Teen Idles had earned a total of $900. The band had two options: to divide the money between each member or press the recordings they had done with Don Zientara at Inner Ear. Choosing the latter, Nelson, Strejcek and MacKaye formed Dischord Records with Groff's help to release the recordings. Dischord Records is a Washington DC -based Independent record label specializing in the independent punk music [12] Released in January 1981 with an initial pressing of one thousand copies, Minor Disturbance was a local success, receiving radio air-play and reviews from fanzines such as Touch and Go, which meant that Dischord had the money to release records by other bands. Minor Disturbance was the sole studio Extended play by the Washington D Touch and Go Records is an Independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA, which began life in 1979 in East Lansing [13]

After The Teen Idles disbanded, Grindle chose not to pursue a career in music. By the time of Minor Disturbance's release, Nelson and MacKaye had already formed Minor Threat. Minor Threat was an American Hardcore punk band that formed in Washington D The band's first show was on December 17, 1980. Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) [14] Strejcek became involved in the running of Dischord Records, until Nelson and MacKaye, disappointed by his lack of effort, "decided to take it back. "[15] The Teen Idles appeared on a number of hardcore compilations throughout the 1980s and 1990s: Dischord, to celebrate their one hundredth release, issued Teen Idles in 1996, comprising the two demo sessions the band had recorded in February and April 1980. Teen Idles was an The Teen Idles Extended play released by Dischord Records to commemorate the label's one hundredth release [16]

Musical style

According to journalist Michael Azerrad, The Teen Idles "played proto-hardcore tunes that skewered their social milieu". Michael Azerrad is an American Author, Journalist and Musician. MacKaye later explained in the hardcore documentary Another State of Mind: "When I became a punk, my main fight was against the people who were around me — friends. Another State of Mind is a documentary film made in the Summer of 1982 chronicling the adventure (and misadventure of two punk bands – Social " When MacKaye was thirteen, he moved to Palo Alto, California for nine months. Palo Alto (ˌpæloʊˈæltoʊ from Spanish: palo: "stick" and alto: "high" i On his return, his friends had begun taking drugs and drinking. MacKaye added: "I said, 'God, I don't want to be like these people, man. I don't fit in at all with them. ' So it was an alternative. "[2]

Written mostly by MacKaye, the band's lyrics, like their appearance, also railed against New Wave and the complacency of many first wave punk bands, such as The Clash and Damned: in "Fleeting Fury", Strejcek shouts: "The clothes you wear have lost their sting / So's the fury in the songs you sing". For the debut album by The Clash see The Clash (album The Clash were The Damned are an English band formed in London in 1976 notable for being the first Punk rock band from England to release a single (" New Rose " an [2] The Teen Idles were mainly influenced by punk bands in Washington and California, such as Bad Brains,[17] Black Flag and The Germs,[9] and reflected this in their music; The Teen Idles' songs consisted mostly of Strejcek shouting over a one-two hardcore beat with MacKaye and Grindle provided short and speedy riffs, interspersed with quick guitar solos from Grindle. Bad Brains are an American Hardcore punk band formed in Washington D The Germs is an influential Punk rock band from Los Angeles formed in the late 1970s

Discography

Notes

  1. ^ A number of sources refer to the band as the Teen Idles or Teen Idles, but they are credited on Minor Disturbance as The Teen Idles. Minor Disturbance was the sole studio Extended play by the Washington D Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Teen Idles was an The Teen Idles Extended play released by Dischord Records to commemorate the label's one hundredth release Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Minor Disturbance was the sole studio Extended play by the Washington D
  2. ^ a b c d e Azerrad, 2001. p. 123
  3. ^ Khanna, Vish. Ian MacKaye - Out of Step. Exclaim. Retrieved on 2007-10-25. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a
  4. ^ Azerrad, 2001. p. 122
  5. ^ Dischord Records /band/teenidles. Dischord Records. Dischord Records is a Washington DC -based Independent record label specializing in the independent punk music Retrieved on 2007-09-23. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1122 - Concordat of Worms. 1459 - Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English
  6. ^ (1996) Album notes for Teen Idles by The Teen Idles. Teen Idles was an The Teen Idles Extended play released by Dischord Records to commemorate the label's one hundredth release Dischord Records.
  7. ^ a b c Azerrad, 2001. p. 124
  8. ^ Teen Idles Shows. ThreatBase. com. Retrieved on 2007-09-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a
  9. ^ a b Azerrad, 2001. p. 125
  10. ^ Azerrad, 2001. pp. 126-7
  11. ^ Azerrad, 2001. p. 127
  12. ^ Azerrad, 2001. p. 131
  13. ^ Azerrad, 2001. p. 132
  14. ^ Azerrad, 2001. p. 129
  15. ^ Azerrad, 2001. p. 143
  16. ^ Rabid, Jack. Teen Idles > Overview. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2007-09-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a
  17. ^ Foster, Patrick. The Teen Idles > Biography. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2007-09-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a

References

External links

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