Bands

Minor Threat

(Fall 1980 - Fall 1983)

Ian MacKaye - vocals
Lyle Preslar - guitar
Brian Baker - bass, guitar on #10
Steve Hansgen - bass on #10
Jeff Nelson - drums
Minor Threat
1st 7 3 Minor Threat 1st 7"
In My Eyes 5 Minor Threat In My Eyes
Out of Step 10 Minor Threat Out of Step
First 2 7 12 Minor Threat First 2 7"s
Salad Days 15 Minor Threat Salad Days
Live 27 Minor Threat Live
Complete Discography 40 Minor Threat Complete Discography
First Demo Tape 140 Minor Threat First Demo Tape

Compilations

Flex Your Head 7 Minor Threat Flex Your Head
The Year in 7 14 Minor Threat The Year in 7"s
20 Years of Dischord 125 Minor Threat 20 Years of Dischord

When their former band, The Teen Idles, broke up Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson decided to form a new band with Ian on vocals. In 1980 they started playing with Lyle Preslar, who sang for the Extorts and wanted to switch to guitar. Lyle introduced them to Brian Baker who started playing bass in November and the band played its first show a month later. Minor Threat and SOA were part of a small wave of new kids and bands in DC, many of whom were not into drugs and alcohol. Some of the bands made mention of this in their lyrics, and Minor Threat’s song "Straight Edge" coined the phrase that is now used to describe a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle. The band played regularly but broke up at the end of the summer of 1981 when Lyle left DC to go to college. Six months later, dissatisfaction with school and a sense of unfinished business prompted Lyle to drop out and Minor Threat reformed in April '82. That fall, Steve Hansgen joined to play bass while Brian moved to second guitar and the band recorded and toured as a five piece until June '83. Minor Threat played a few more shows as a four piece that summer, but they were not getting along. They were unable to agree on the direction of the music, and ended up spending more time arguing than playing in the practice space. Faced with this dilemma, the members decided that it would be better for all involved to shut it down.Ian went on to form Embrace, Egg Hunt, Fugazi and the Evens. Jeff later played in Three and the High Back Chairs. Lyle played in Samhain and Brian formed Dag Nasty and currently plays guitar in Bad Religion.

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Photo: Minor Threat by Glen E. Friedman

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