{"id":32936,"date":"2012-09-19T17:00:29","date_gmt":"2012-09-19T17:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/versus-fugazi-steady-diet-of-nothing-vs-the\/"},"modified":"2023-01-11T15:17:00","modified_gmt":"2023-01-11T15:17:00","slug":"versus-fugazi-steady-diet-of-nothing-vs-the","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/versus-fugazi-steady-diet-of-nothing-vs-the\/","title":{"rendered":"Versus: Fugazi – ‘Steady Diet Of Nothing’ Vs ‘The Argument’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s been nearly ten years since influential Post-Hardcore punk band Fugazi<\/strong> decided to take a break. This band, of which featured member from several highly influential punk bands from the Washington D.C. hardcore scene including Rites of Spring, Minor Threat, Embrace, and Teen Idles, not only were forward thinking and creative in the musical sense, but also in an ethical and business sense, from playing cheap accessible shows that charged $5 (\u00a33) to not making merchandise for affordable touring, they really were an individual spectacle.\u00a0<\/span>This was a band who loathed the structure of the corporate music business; one time they refused an interview with Rolling Stone because they advertised alcohol and tobacco!<\/span><\/p>\n

All we can do for now is decide which of their albums is cream of the crop. So, for your entertainment, guest writer Omega Charlie from Big Sixes<\/strong> is fighting in defence of ‘Steady Diest Of Nothing’<\/em> whilst AH’s top ‘Versus’ hound dog Aaron Lohan is all over ‘The Argument’<\/em>. Battle on, gents…<\/span><\/p>\n

Let us know what you think on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Facebook<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Steady Diet Of Nothing<\/strong> (Omega Charlie)<\/span>
‘Steady Diet of Nothing’<\/em> is arguably the best Fugazi<\/strong> album ever. Every\u00a0album is gonna make you want to throw a fist in the air and get as\u00a0<\/span>close to the stage as possible, that goes without saying, but the raw\u00a0<\/span>Fugazi<\/strong> DIY ethic really comes out gleaming in ‘Steady Diet…’<\/em>. They\u00a0<\/span>recorded and produced the whole thing themselves, something I can say\u00a0<\/span>first hand is emotionally and physically draining, and a huge test to\u00a0<\/span>relationships inside the band. The bass is way to loud, it just makes\u00a0<\/span>everything so much groovier, the feedback is nasty, just makes\u00a0<\/span>everything so much more raucous and the vocal melodies are so twisted\u00a0<\/span>and strange that I bet Cedric Bixler wished he got to the Drive-In 2\u00a0<\/span>years earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

‘Long Division’<\/em> is the 7th song on the album, and one of my favorites,\u00a0<\/span>slow and steady, beautifully orchestrated, honest and real, and like,\u00a0<\/span>how cool is it when ‘Runaway Return’<\/em> comes on and it almost seems like\u00a0<\/span>it joins together. Like it could have been one big song. In fact, down\u00a0<\/span>to the self production, the whole album loosely links and entwines,\u00a0<\/span>and down to the lyrics and themes, the album calls your name, makes\u00a0<\/span>the whole thing as relatable as a great book or a great film. From\u00a0<\/span>angry skipping-school kid with a skateboard to docile and slightly\u00a0<\/span>over weight social media manager, it’ll always speak to you, you can\u00a0<\/span>always relate.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Argument<\/strong> (Aaron Lohan)<\/span>
As I begin to type this article, I suddenly realise that I am lost for words at how I feel about this record; not just that, how I feel about Fugazi<\/strong> in general. Not only were they a musical phenomenon but also an inspirational force that were brimming with ground breaking business practices and an ambitious DIY attitude, and they were the most thought provoking punk band that had walked into the underground limelight. All of this hard work from the skin and bones of their fingertips would eventually be moulded into a piece of work in what is known as \u2018The Argument,\u2019<\/em> their final offering before their indefinite hiatus, a record that helped to leave an intriguing ravenous hole in alternative music.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve only been into Fugazi<\/strong> for the last few years; learning of this other band that featured Ian Mackaye from Minor Threat, who were sonically different in regards to sound but still shared the same message and ideas really fascinated me. After processing all of their records in multiple sittings of which included ’13 Songs,\u2019<\/em> \u2018Repeater,\u2019 \u2018Red Medicine,\u2019<\/em> and so on, I eventually came across \u2018The Argument,\u2019<\/em> one of two releases which gave evidence for their existence in the post 20th<\/sup> Century. I was aware at how musically progressive and innovative the band were, but not on a scale such as this!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The moment those strings sear through the static of the radio frequency on \u2018Untitled\u2019<\/em> it makes you feel attentive to what is about to channel through your ear canals. The utilisation of a steady drum beat, subtle guitars, and quiet vocals on the anti-gentrification anthem \u2018Cashout\u2019<\/em> develops into focused distortion and a sharp yell mixed in with a chilling cello. \u2018Full Disclosure\u2019<\/em> features the panicked cries from guitarist Guy Picciotto who is enveloped in a swarm of angular guitar work which cuts into a smooth “ooo” filled chorus. Slower songs are fantastically mesmerizing with their own specific brand of magic, whether it\u2019s the spine tingling guitar riff of \u2018Life and Limb\u2019<\/em> or the calming jazz filled groove of \u2018The Kill.\u2019<\/em> Furthermore, the band turn it up a notch when it comes to accessorising themselves with additional instruments; the wonderfully crafted two punch percussion session on \u2018Ex Spectator\u2019<\/em> and the eerie space feel of the piano on \u2018Strangelight\u2019<\/em> are the perfect necessity for greasing the cogs in your brain.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not only is there an ear shattering structure to the music itself, but even the themes\u00a0 and nature of this record are enough to wet the thought provoking appetite of the mind. Poking and prodding at the faults and cons of our society, the band really know how to point out at something and make you think \u201cWow, I never thought of it that way but you\u2019re right and I\u2019m suffering from an aneurysm since you\u2019ve blown my mind that much!\u201d Whether it\u2019s the self-accepting nature of \u2018Epic Problem\u2019<\/em> (\u201cI\u2019ve got this epic problem this epic problem\u2019s not a problem for me<\/span><\/em>and inside I know I\u2019m broken but I\u2019m working as far as you can see.\u201d) <\/span><\/span><\/em>or the chilling revelation on how Western Culture is obsessed with violent activities found on \u2018Life and Limb\u2019<\/em> (\u201cHey we want our violence doubled, no but really in a loving way.\u201d), this record truly opens the door to your rejected rational mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

I look over what I have just written about this record now, and realise that yes I actually haven\u2019t been lost for words after all, it was all an illusion. This truly shows the mind blowing nature of \u2018The Argument\u2019<\/em> as it\u2019s a simple enigma to understand. It is a certainty that when this post hardcore band from D.C. returns from their slumber, they will without a doubt further themselves by creating a follow up that will slice clean off the very feet of their critics, but for now all we can do is wait and enjoy this masterpiece.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is your\u00a0favourite Fugazi album? Let us know on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Twitter<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Guest writer Omega Charlie sings and plays guitar in Big Sixes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Big Sixes<\/strong>\u00a0links: Website<\/a>|Facebook<\/a>|Tumblr<\/a>|YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n

Want to be a guest writer for a future \u2018Versus\u2019 feature?<\/strong>\u00a0If you\u2019re in a band, run a label or music website then we want to here from you. Send \u00a0an e-mail to mikey<\/a><\/span>@alreadyheard.com<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s been nearly ten years since influential Post-Hardcore punk band Fugazi decided to take a break. This band, of which featured member from several highly influential punk bands from the Washington D.C. hardcore scene including Rites of Spring, Minor Threat, Embrace, and Teen Idles, not only were forward thinking and creative in the musical sense, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8181,2123],"tags":[14533,14535,14534,5966],"class_list":["post-32936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-post","category-versus","tag-fugazi","tag-steady-diet-of-nothing","tag-the-argument","tag-versus"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nVersus: Fugazi - 'Steady Diet Of Nothing' Vs 'The Argument' - Already Heard Staging<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It\u2019s been nearly ten years since influential Post-Hardcore punk band Fugazi decided to take a break. 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