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May 6, 2020 9:25 AM   Subscribe

 
That was unexpectedly AWESOME!!!
posted by ericthegardener at 10:25 AM on May 6, 2020 [4 favorites]


I don't remember Fugazi mentioning the power of god and whatever she said next before the song started.

Do I have a different copy? Hard pass.
posted by Max Power at 10:26 AM on May 6, 2020 [6 favorites]


I can think of nothing that says, "Fugazi," better than a teenager in a sundress, wearing Birkenstocks saying, "Don't mess with me, I have the power of god and anime on my side."

Rock on, kids!
posted by Chuffy at 10:31 AM on May 6, 2020 [8 favorites]


"Don't fuck with me, I have the power of God and anime on my side!" is a reference to a classic Vine that almost any teen in 2018 would immediately recognize.

I'm extremely jealous and mad because it's such a cool and self-aware way to open up a show and I couldn't look at myself in the mirror if I stole an idea from someone literally half my age.
posted by Black Cordelia at 10:36 AM on May 6, 2020 [27 favorites]


Needs more cowbell.

No, seriously, this clip is great, unreservedly.
posted by Gelatin at 10:41 AM on May 6, 2020 [1 favorite]


damn
posted by umbú at 11:01 AM on May 6, 2020


If I ask my kid (14) if they can please take out the trash, they'll say "Yeah, because I have the power of God and anime on my side".

A good 85% of our interaction involves them quoting a vine at me.

Last winter I mentioned I might get to go skiing on a business trip to Utah and they immediately screamed I'M A GIRAFFE at my face.

Anyway I love Fugazi and I got the reference and this was wonderful.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 11:06 AM on May 6, 2020 [9 favorites]


I don't remember Fugazi mentioning the power of god and whatever she said next before the song started.
Do I have a different copy? Hard pass.


It's kind of comforting to see that Fugazi fans are still just as sanctimonious as they ever were.
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:17 AM on May 6, 2020 [44 favorites]


I now have hope for the future.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 11:20 AM on May 6, 2020


It's kind of comforting to see that Fugazi fans are still just as sanctimonious as they ever were.

Well Seeing as how the album came out over 30 years ago and I have no contact with the youngsters and a bare tolerance for social media and, apparent, kid irony. I stand by my hard pass.
posted by Max Power at 11:25 AM on May 6, 2020 [3 favorites]


Dude there's totally a vine comeback for your comment but I don't know it :(
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 11:32 AM on May 6, 2020 [7 favorites]


I'm a little sad no one stepped into the Guy Picciotto backup "singer" role but I guess it takes about four teenagers to cover that much gangly weirdness.
posted by fleacircus at 11:33 AM on May 6, 2020 [2 favorites]


I stand by my hard pass.

Throw down your bulldog front.

I'm a little sad no one stepped into the Guy Picciotto backup "singer" role but I guess it takes about four teenagers to cover that much gangly weirdness.

Heh. True. They did alright by making it a collective effort.

When I was in a band in high school, we tried to work up a cover of Waiting Room, but it did not...uh...go well.

It's deceptively easy to trainwreck it. I'm just glad there is no footage of those attempts, because I can't imagine how cringey it would be.

Props to these kids for pulling it off.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:24 PM on May 6, 2020 [2 favorites]


God damn that was great.
posted by Gorgik at 12:25 PM on May 6, 2020


I knew they were onto something with the first notes of that Rickenbacker bass.
posted by Gelatin at 12:38 PM on May 6, 2020 [2 favorites]


Them's some fuckin cool kids
posted by ominous_paws at 12:57 PM on May 6, 2020


That started off good and then just got exponentially better.
posted by From Bklyn at 12:58 PM on May 6, 2020


So there’s this Kids in the Hall sketch from back in the day that is (partially) etched in my mind. I haven’t seen it in years mostly because I couldn’t find it online when I looked years ago, and really, who’s got the time anymore? In my memory Dave is selling vacuums or something door to door and he gets sucked into Bruce’s house, Bruce here playing an old weirdo. The only detail I remember, and again, it has been many, many years, is that Bruce is watching bowling on TV. Dave asks him if he likes bowling or something, and Bruce replies, “I know what bowling is, but what the hell are these guys doing?” Don’t know why this post made me think of that.
posted by badbobbycase at 1:49 PM on May 6, 2020 [3 favorites]


The only detail I remember, and again, it has been many, many years, is that Bruce is watching bowling on TV.

Like so? (it's not the whole sketch, just a loop of his confused reaction to the bowling).
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 2:20 PM on May 6, 2020


That’s the one. Classic Bruce weirdness.
posted by badbobbycase at 2:43 PM on May 6, 2020


I'm thinking of the times when Fugazi would ask if any women in the audience would want to come sing "Suggestion" and how good those performances always were. This is like that! This is great!
posted by The corpse in the library at 3:04 PM on May 6, 2020 [2 favorites]



Needs more cowbell

this has become my cue to link to a Blue Oyster Cult track that isn't Don't Fear The Reaper. The best hard rocking gang of mystical weirdos to ever emerge from Long Island.

and oh yeah, the Fugazi cover is fucking wonderful!
posted by philip-random at 3:59 PM on May 6, 2020 [1 favorite]


> I don't remember Fugazi mentioning the power of god and whatever she said next before the song started.

First guy to play Fugazi for me did so with a beer in his hand and wet, weed-scented twists of rolling paper and ash in the gas station ashtray next to the stereo.
posted by ardgedee at 4:19 PM on May 6, 2020


First guy to play Fugazi for me did so with a beer in his hand and wet, weed-scented twists of rolling paper and ash in the gas station ashtray next to the stereo.

X
posted by mr_roboto at 4:41 PM on May 6, 2020 [4 favorites]


am i the only one disappointed she didn't gender flip the first line?
posted by kokaku at 4:58 PM on May 6, 2020


> X

ik,r?
posted by ardgedee at 5:00 PM on May 6, 2020


am i the only one disappointed she didn't gender flip the first line?

Maybe they did.
posted by mr_roboto at 5:04 PM on May 6, 2020 [3 favorites]


Yeah, they nailed it musically and good for them for even knowing who Fugazi is, but something about this really makes me cringe. Part of it is the mall rat wardrobe choices. More of it is the $3500 PRS guitar and the $2500 Rickenbacker 4001 and the untold thousands these kids' parents spent to send them to rock and roll fantasy camp to faithfully replicate a sound that use to mean freedom and independence and doing your own thing. I think reasonable people can argue about the sanctimony of straight edge and DIY but it was an extremely powerful and meaningful statement in the excess of the Reagan 80s and this whole thing seems as far removed from Fugazi as can be. Watching it depressed the shit out of me because I am reminded once again how ensconced in commercialism and image we are that it's impossible to see the irony and the world thinks I am a humorless prick.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 8:05 PM on May 6, 2020 [8 favorites]


Well, at the very least, it doesn't sounds like you have God or anime on your side.
posted by gwint at 8:53 PM on May 6, 2020 [3 favorites]


I bet these kids even sell t-shirts.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 8:58 PM on May 6, 2020 [1 favorite]


(Obligatory disclaimer: I know & have worked with a bunch of the people who teach at & direct the Cleveland-area School of Rock programs and have mixed various School of Rock performances over the years when they open a local festival or whatever.)

(Additional disclaimer: I have never watched that Jack Black movie and from various things I've read the dude who originated the whole School of Rock thing is a bit of a martinet and a "classic rock is the only real music" prig.)

Counterpoints:

for even knowing who Fugazi is

Pretty sure the individual schools have a lot of leeway in picking material - the whole thing is a franchise - so this might have been the teacher's/director's choice. Also, newsflash, these kids are young enough to have GenX'rs for parents, why wouldn't they know who Fugazi are?

mall rat wardrobe choices

Oh, c'mon, they're teenagers. Don't make me "OK Boomer" you. And don't try to pretend you wouldn't be equally as grumpy if they wore "genre-appropriate" "punk" clothes.

the $3500 PRS guitar and the $2500 Rickenbacker 4001 and the untold thousands these kids' parents spent

Sure, fair enough, the whole program is definitely aimed at privileged white suburban kids and their parents, and you can see that. But if you're gonna snark about that I suggest you not look too deeply into the background of any rock musicians you like - there are a fuck of a lot of them who didn't come from poverty, to say the least.

rock and roll fantasy camp

No. Just no.

I was as suspicious as you the first time I heard about this "School of Rock" thing, but while it is different from traditional music lessons in a lot of ways, it's no "fantasy camp" where a bunch of suckers pay thousands to hang out with famous people and pretend to learn from them. It is a for-real method of teaching music to kids by using material they're interested in and since a large part of the program is having the kids play together and in public in actual music venues they learn a lot about cooperating and being responsible and professional.

And besides that, who do you think teaches at these schools? Yeah, actual working musicians. Do you have any idea how many musicians teach in order to keep a roof over their heads because it's near impossible to earn a fucking living playing? So, frankly, I don't fucking care one little bit if the School of Rock is commercial as all getout because it's what creative people have to do to get by. If working musicians get time and money to create by soaking the Karens and Chads of the world for fancy music lessons for their little darlings, fine.

I bet these kids even sell t-shirts.

Well, I guess I won't burst your illusions about the purity of rock music by explaining how having a career in rock, pop, and hip-hop has basically depended on the selling of "merchandise" since, like, the 90's, then.
posted by soundguy99 at 9:46 PM on May 6, 2020 [15 favorites]


Yeah but Fugazi never sold t-shirts, maaan...

I’m saying that most of us, musicians included, who were really affected by that politically aware punk ethos took that and turned it into something that really engaged with the system. Channeling that and making a buck off rich white kids’ parents seems... out of sync with the whole idea. I still play music and actually gigged until a few years ago. I have tried to teach my kids power chords and back beats to make some noise with me but they’re not interested because they’re rebels like me. The new Fugazis are out there rapping with their hippity hop or tik toks or whatever art is real and important to them. Pretending to be the innovators of 30 years ago is very much not what is going to save the souls of young people today the way it saved our souls. And for all I know, these kids are doing that in the time they have not making their parents and us nostalgic for Dischord records. I’m just not feeling the awesomeness hearing their version of “Waiting Room.” It’s like hearing some kids play “All Along the Watchtower” while Ian Mackaye was doing his own new thing.

And good for working musicians finding work. Are they creating a scene or are they harvesting $$$ to live? Both are entirely justifiable, but they are vastly different things.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:44 AM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]


slarty... my friend's kid went to one of these and he's gone on to find a real passion for performing and making his own music - have ti start somewhere right?
posted by kokaku at 3:00 AM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]


Part of it is the mall rat wardrobe choices.
What a gross, shitty thing to say. It's also wrong. I saw Fugazi dozens of times in the late '80s and early '90s, in church basements and parks and community centers. I first heard Waiting Room at this show, a couple of months before the first EP came out. And when I looked at those girls' "mall rat wardrobe choices," I thought "huh, they're gesturing towards the Docs and babydoll-dress thing that we were all wearing in 1990 or so." They look fine. They look like girls who are doing something physical outdoors in the summer and don't give a shit whether some middle-aged dude things they're authentic.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:34 AM on May 7, 2020 [12 favorites]


Also, I checked, and last summer a week at the Cleveland School of Rock camp costs $450, and you don't need to bring your own instrument. I could have saved up my babysitting money and paid for that when I was in high school.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:39 AM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]


On top of that, that band has two guitarists, a drummer, and a bass player -- and a whole bunch more kids singing and/or playing the cowbell. They could have stopped at four, but even if the bass player brought her own Ricky -- and it's the right choice for that song, even if I could never afford one -- there's a bunch of kids on that stage bringing their enthusiasm and talent without needing expensive instruments, and having a good time doing it. That's punk enough for me.
posted by Gelatin at 6:25 AM on May 7, 2020 [4 favorites]


Are they creating a scene or are they harvesting $$$ to live? Both are entirely justifiable, but they are vastly different things.

No. They are not. The second enables the first. And until we manage to get to Fully Automated Luxury Gay Space Communism, assuming there's some kind of bright moral line between "doing art for art's sake" and "doing art for a living and/or to also enable doing art for art's sake" is sophomoric.

were really affected by that politically aware punk ethos took that and turned it into something that really engaged with the system.

Yes, and? I don't see how "being introduced to Fugazi's music (& ethos - because these kids damn well have a computer in their pocket and can look up all the information they want on Fugazi & the punk scene right now this instant) by parents or music teachers" is in any way less valid than "was introduced to Fugazi by somebody's cool older brother or the weird friend who hung out at that one record shop." Some kids are gonna follow what they learn about Fugazi and turn that into stuff that engages with the system, some are just gonna go, "hey, man that rocks." Same as it ever was - don't let nostalgia fool you into editing your memories to believe that everyone who ever listened to Fugazi turned into a Fight The Power warrior.

Channeling that and making a buck off rich white kids’ parents

You got the cart before the horse here - the making a buck off rich kids' parents was there first and was gonna be there Fugazi or not. If anything, it's far more subversive for the school and teachers to go, "Hey, while we're spending your parents' money, here's some tunes by acts that aren't too enamored with American capitalism - there's more out there than Led Zeppelin and Nickelback."

The new Fugazis are out there rapping with their hippity hop or tik toks or whatever art is real and important to them.

YES EXACTLY. The parts you are missing are: 1) kids are picking up all kinds of shit everywhere at random and incorporating it into their own stuff. I get that it might grind your gears that any random 16-year-old guitarist might not really grasp that Pink Floyd and Hüsker Dü were not exactly contemporaries or coming from the same sociopolitical position, but that ship has sailed. We have to acknowledge that we don't get to control how they find the music and what meaning they take from it.

2) You get that you're doing the same kind of gatekeeping that the classic rockers used to do to us, yeah? Snarking at these kids because they are discovering Fugazi in a different way than you did and maybe taking different things away from it is materially the same as the Boomers insisting that we had to have the same reaction to and appreciation of "All Along The Watchtower" that they did.

And reacting to that gatekeeping, that insistence that their music and artists were primary and had to be appreciated a certain way is totally one of the things that motivated the Fugazis of the world to get going in the first place.

So, y'know . . . don't be That Guy.

Or maybe do continue to be That Guy, I dunno, maybe you'll inspire the next generation's Fugazi to start up in eye-rolling reaction to your "back in MY day punk MEANT something and if you don't do it the same you're Doing It Wrong!!" crankiness.
posted by soundguy99 at 7:00 AM on May 7, 2020 [10 favorites]


it is materially the same as the Boomers insisting that we had to have the same reaction to and appreciation of "All Along The Watchtower" that they did.

...when we (okay, I) were introduced to it via the pages of Watchmen, no less.
posted by Gelatin at 7:11 AM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]


beyond the odd song in the background, my intro to Fugazi was getting a last minute call to videotape this gig which took place in a hockey arena in one of the more upscale suburbs of one of the wealthiest cities on the planet. The crowd certainly had its share of hardcore scenesters because FUGAZI, but there was also a significant percentage of just normal, whitebread, suburban mallrat kids because no rock shows of any kind ever happened in that suburb, so they were going to go anything that had guitars, drums and amplification, and a cheap ticket.

Long story short, Fugazi were sublime -- they delivered absolutely. As to who was cool and who wasn't, who was hip to the Fugazi worldview and who was just there because it was Friday night and NOTHING else was happening -- none of that mattered almost immediately, the band was simply that good.

There was a bit of moshpit thuggery early on but the band shut that down emphatically, twice stopping in the middle of songs to single out the perpetrators -- not to have them forcibly ejected but to engage them, ask them what the fuck they were doing, request that they either contain themselves and enjoy the show like everybody else, or please go somewhere else. It worked. They idiots either left or behaved. And from that point on, everybody was on the same side.

One of the best gigs I've ever experienced.
posted by philip-random at 8:07 AM on May 7, 2020 [7 favorites]


... would I feel the same way if they played ‘the Minutemen’? Honestly, if they brought the same enthusiasm and conscientiousness to it - if they rocked econo - then fucking right on.

If Mackaye has seen this (and he probably has) you think he’s pissed off? It’s an interesting point to bring to this, but there’s a point where all the peripheral boils away and either it’s good or it’s trash
posted by From Bklyn at 8:20 AM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]


A couple summers ago I was at our city's big art museum and arts campus and in the courtyard, there were a group of teenagers performing a carefully choreographed show singing REM's "Life's Rich Pageant" album, from what I caught, pretty much in its entirety. It was super cool. It would have been just as cool if they were doing that to, I dunno, Billie Eilish or Clairo or whoever. Young people engaging with music in any way is rad and makes me happy. As a Fugazi fan (and an REM fan), I was stoked to see this and at the same time I tried to be more excited because it was young people thrashing around and making excellent noise, more so than it being noise that I personally really love. Because I'm just a little too young to have been around for Fugazi's heyday—never got to see them live—and a lot of the music I love was "of" the generation ahead of me...Mission of Burma, Joy Division, Wire... and I know I NEVER appreciated older heads looking down on me for liking "their" music and engaging with it on my terms. That kind of attitude is the opposite of punk.
posted by Maaik at 9:14 AM on May 7, 2020 [5 favorites]


> I still play music and actually gigged until a few years ago.

Your use of the word "gigged" means you don't get to say what's punk and what isn't.
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:32 AM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]


If people are wondering what's on Ian MacKaye's mind right now, Nardwuar just did a one-hour plus interview with him.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 11:43 AM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]


Your use of the word "gigged" means you don't get to say what's punk and what isn't.

This is why I despise punk and the whole scene around it.
posted by thelonius at 12:31 PM on May 7, 2020


That is very punk of you.
posted by The corpse in the library at 1:18 PM on May 7, 2020


"When children start to speak they find their own voice by imitating the sounds around them. It would follow that bands do the same. Bands will find their own voice at some point."

-Ian MacKaye
posted by prinado at 1:21 PM on May 7, 2020 [6 favorites]


Your use of the word "gigged" means you don't get to say what's punk and what isn't.

it may just be some weird outlier case, but I've personally met at least three people who've played in world famous punk bands who have used the word gig unironically in my presence. Is there someone I should report them to?
posted by philip-random at 1:26 PM on May 7, 2020 [2 favorites]


Is there someone I should report them to?

The suede denim secret police, perhaps.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 1:31 PM on May 7, 2020 [6 favorites]


oddly enough, the guy who wrote that line is one of the people I was referencing.
posted by philip-random at 1:50 PM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]


But seriously the only person whose opinion matters on this subject is Dave Grohl.
posted by badbobbycase at 2:44 PM on May 7, 2020


I'm sure Dave Grohl would agree with you on that
posted by Atom Eyes at 2:50 PM on May 7, 2020 [1 favorite]


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