It's in 1980. What the hell do I know? I'm like 10 years old, but in a short 4 years my world will be transformed by the glorious rips and chords of punk rock. Like a train waiting for collision, Ian Mackaye is in Washington DC preparing to make history.

As a recent article in Exclaim ! says:

"The last Teen Idles show takes place in November at the new 9:30 Club, with management heeding the band’s wish to allow X-marked minors inside; X-marked hands eventually become the key signifier of straight edge punk. After the show, Nelson and MacKaye resolve that their new band will be called Minor Threat but, along with Groff, re-visit their old band’s recent recording session. Using the Teen Idles’ savings ($600), MacKaye, Nelson, and Strejcek press and self-assemble 1000 copies of the Idles’ Minor Disturbance E.P. seven-inch on their own label in December, which MacKaye dubs Dischord Records. (“The Teen Idles,” Putting DC on the Map, Dischord Records, p.16) Minor Threat play their first show at a house party opening up for Bad Brains in December and, miles ahead of the ramshackle Teen Idles, they floor everyone with their prowess and intensity with a sound soon dubbed “harDCore.”

Ready, the Straight Edge scene and the Hardcore scene strat together. You see, it's not a Joe-Dick-let's-all-get-wacked-and-blow-our-brains-out, and neither is it the-only-way-is-the-violence-way... Punk is non-conformity. The Anarchy symbol doesn't stand for punk rock, punk is that 'A'... preaching means nothing.

DIY now and forever. Do it different-like.

***

Maybe I'll just put this here... who's to say what could happen.

It's in 1980. What the hell do I know? I'm like 10 years old, but in a short 4 years my world will be transformed by the glorious rips and chords of punk rock. Like a train waiting for collision, Ian Mackaye is in Washington DC preparing to make history.

As a recent article in Exclaim ! says:

"The last Teen Idles show takes place in November at the new 9:30 Club, with management heeding the band’s wish to allow X-marked minors inside; X-marked hands eventually become the key signifier of straight edge punk. After the show, Nelson and MacKaye resolve that their new band will be called Minor Threat but, along with Groff, re-visit their old band’s recent recording session. Using the Teen Idles’ savings ($600), MacKaye, Nelson, and Strejcek press and self-assemble 1000 copies of the Idles’ Minor Disturbance E.P. seven-inch on their own label in December, which MacKaye dubs Dischord Records. (“The Teen Idles,” Putting DC on the Map, Dischord Records, p.16) Minor Threat play their first show at a house party opening up for Bad Brains in December and, miles ahead of the ramshackle Teen Idles, they floor everyone with their prowess and intensity with a sound soon dubbed “harDCore.”

Ready, the Straight Edge scene and the Hardcore scene strat together. You see, it's not a Joe-Dick-let's-all-get-wacked-and-blow-our-brains-out, and neither is it the-only-way-is-the-violence-way... Punk is non-conformity. The Anarchy symbol doesn't stand for punk rock, punk is that 'A'... preaching means nothing.

DIY now and forever. Do it different-like.

***

Maybe I'll just put this here... who's to say what could happen.

GOOD
GONE
DEAD

Our days are filled with the bitter and the sweet, with moments lost and those forever instilled - and still, I can hardly believe what it was that I witnessed over two days in Toronto. The Rheostatics, after all those miles and years and litres and goals of music... just stopped. The last note sounded and then faded away. The people smiled inside and some wept openly and all of us were left milling on the street outside Massey Hall and couldn't believe that it was over.

Where does it go? What will we do?

It went nowhere and everywhere of course, and we will continue on, perhaps even richer for the experience.

My wife and I sat in silence afterwards, wondering outloud at the perfection of it all. Of how they could muster all that strength. Of how the glowed and shone as only falling stars can. Of how even laryngitis couldn't hold back the final, long, bitter sweet note.

We are the winter. It feels good to be alive.