No one will ever have proof of the precious deeds that I achieve

February 23, 2010 1:47 PM

How Crucifucks frontman Doc Dart became a man named 26

Crucifucks live in Akron, Ohio, 1983: 1, 2, 3.

Crucifucks pages: 1, 2 (angelfire, popups).

posted by generalist (17 comments total)

I used to be really into these guys; in fact I linked to a fan-video on Metafilter just yesterday (in the Christian rock thread).
I have a hunch that this Vice article has already been FPP'd at Metafilter, but it's still an interesting read, and anything that exposes more people to the warm, gentle sounds of the Crucifucks is surely a good thing.
posted by Flashman at 2:15 PM on February 23, 2010

I saw these guys at the Pine Street Theater in Portland in, I think, 1985. They were part of an interminable night ending with Dead Kennedys. I remember this guy wearing a tie-dye, which I thought was anti-punk enough to be punk, and that he got mad at people "dancing really fucking funny."
posted by ethnomethodologist at 2:35 PM on February 23, 2010

Stereo speakers played NPR in the background, and when an update came on from the Lewis Libby trial, 26 quickly plugged his ears. Since March 20, 2004, he has refused all news of the outside world. “Technically, I don’t even know who the president is,” he said gleefully after the story was over. “I told one of my tenants not to tell me about anything in the news. Then he told me about this president that had died recently. I specifically told him not to tell me the news. He said, ‘Oh, I thought it was OK if someone was dead.’ I had a lot of problems with this tenant.”

I almost reflexively smacked my screen after reading that, in an attempt to reach through the internet and strike this man across the face.
posted by FatherDagon at 2:38 PM on February 23, 2010

Doc, um, I mean 26, might be more than a little crazy, but "Hinkley Had A Vision" is a song that still brings a smile to my face.

He should start doing radio. He's articulate, opinionated, and totally unhinged. He could be the next Glenn Beck. Oh, wait....
posted by BitterOldPunk at 2:51 PM on February 23, 2010

Saw these guys at the No Bar and Grill in Muncie, IN, around '85-'86. Whatever opinion I had of their music has long since been replaced by the memory of what a colossal asshole Doc Dart was to the audience. Despite my dislike for the man, this article is a fascinating read-- thanks for posting it. Can't quite bring myself to click the video links.
posted by Heretic at 2:52 PM on February 23, 2010

I don't like Vice, but this is their best work to date. Fine job.
posted by porn in the woods at 3:05 PM on February 23, 2010

I probably should have mentioned in the FPP that the author of the Vice artice, Sam McPheeters, was the singer for Born Against, etc. etc.
posted by generalist at 3:10 PM on February 23, 2010 [1 favorite]

Thank you for this - I went to school in East Lansing and there were always all sorts of rumors about him. The truth is both sadder and less sad than I imagined.
posted by pinky at 3:58 PM on February 23, 2010

I almost reflexively smacked my screen after reading that, in an attempt to reach through the internet and strike this man across the face.

You're not the first person to have this reaction to Doc Dart/26, and it's precisely why I like the guy: he's punk rock's Harvey Pekar, a genuine homegrown misanthrope, attitude personified. He exists to rile people up, and I can't help but admire him for it.
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 4:28 PM on February 23, 2010

what a colossal asshole Doc Dart was to the audience

I think Henry Rollins was twice the asshole to the audience that Dart was. A kind of punk situationist like Frank Discussion of the Feederz, Doc Dart was just really good at pissing people off.
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 4:33 PM on February 23, 2010

So he's like a real-life troll. Interesting.

Pathetic and sad, but interesting nonetheless.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 5:15 PM on February 23, 2010

"Doc heckled the Klan, then heckled the police, then heckled the other hecklers."
The world needs people like this.
posted by crazylegs at 5:21 PM on February 23, 2010 [2 favorites]

Thanks for the link, really a great, interesting, well written piece. generalist, as I read the article I realized the author must have been there back in the day, as it were, but couldn't pin it down and did not need to to enjoy the piece. I am glad you added the info here.

Michigan is a treasurehouse of eccentric rockers, no question.
posted by mwhybark at 5:52 PM on February 23, 2010

"Doc heckled the Klan, then heckled the police, then heckled the other hecklers."
The world needs people like this.

no, they're actually super-tedious to be around.
posted by wreckingball at 6:47 PM on February 23, 2010 [2 favorites]

I think Henry Rollins was twice the asshole to the audience that Dart was.

You're probably right-- I've heard that about Henry Rollins. Never cared for his music, though, so I never bothered to try and catch a show. On the other hand band called the Crucifucks shows up in your little hayseed college townplaying for $3-5 a head, whaddaya gonna do, pass up an opportunity like that?
posted by Heretic at 8:35 PM on February 23, 2010

What? I lived in East Lansing for 15 years and never heard of this guy until today. How did I miss that?

(Never ate at the Tuba Museum, either. Which is too bad, it always sounded like a good place.)
posted by caution live frogs at 8:17 AM on February 24, 2010

It's great to see that Sam McPheeters (who used to write incendiary if self-righteous, pieces over at Maximumrocknroll during his Born Against phase) had both developed his writing talents and and kept up his interest in punk rock.

I saw the Crucifucks in '85 and they were kinda boring. However, I bought the short (bright yellow with a picture of a cop with a raised baton and the slogan "Oh Christ, It's the Crucifucks - the greatest threat to American Democracy since Communism") which got me thrown out of French class within less than thirty seconds.
posted by jeffen at 8:35 AM on February 24, 2010