Ian MacKaye is featured on "Soft Focus with Ian Svenonius" (Weird War, Make-Up, Nation of Ulysses), an interview show appearing on the new Vice Magazine webTV station, VBS

Ian MacKaye is featured on "Soft Focus with Ian Svenonius" (Weird War, Make-Up, Nation of Ulysses), an interview show appearing on the new Vice Magazine webTV station, VBS. Over the years Ian has done hundreds of interviews and has more recently been booking speaking engagements, usually in the form of informal Q&As, but here -- thanks to Ian Spiv's hilarious personality and the long friendship the two of them enjoy, is an interesting and sometimes hilarious take on Ian's personality and politics that doesn't always come through in print.

You may now subscribe to the Dischord News via RSS (Really Simple Syndication) and receive news updates as they are added to our site

You may now subscribe to the Dischord News via RSS (Really Simple Syndication) and receive news updates as they are added to our site. If you have a newer web browser you simply click on the icon that appears in our web address field to add a bookmark or choose a reader. Older browsers may not automatically support RSS so you will need to download a compatible RSS Reader (also known as a news or feed aggregator) to use this service. Most these readers are free.

A note from Antelope (whose new album will be released March 26 in stores): Thanks to many fans who contacted us, Antelope has almost finished booking its six-week spring tour -- over 40 shows in 42 days

A note from Antelope (whose new album will be released March 26 in stores): Thanks to many fans who contacted us, Antelope has almost finished booking its six-week spring tour -- over 40 shows in 42 days. Though its schedule is full, the band is eager to play in-stores and independent/college radio stations when possible, especially in towns it was unable to reach. If you would like Antelope to play an afternoon or early evening show that fits into their itinerary and know of an appropriate place we might not know about, please check the band's schedule and email add_hider('info', 'JM',"ant3lop3.com").

The Evens begin a very busy international tour schedule over the next months on February 16 in Perth, Australia

The Evens begin a very busy international tour schedule over the next months on February 16 in Perth, Australia. After Australia and New Zealand The Evens will travel to Brazil and are working on plans for Argentina and Chile. keep posted on dates and details on our tours page.

Due to some confusion on our part many international credit cards we're not being accepted in our web-store

Due to some confusion on our part many international credit cards we're not being accepted in our web-store. We have now remedied that situation and now most credit cards should be accepted. Please contact us at add_hider('orders', 'orders',"dischord.com") if you are still having trouble ordering from from your territory.

Joe is currently playing shows in the UK, accompanied live by the Italian band Zu, and has an updated his itinerary for Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, France and more!

Joe is currently playing shows in the UK, accompanied live by the Italian band Zu, and has an updated his itinerary for Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, France and more!

Medications are currently playing select dates in Austria, The Netherlands, France, Belgium, Germany and Spain

Medications are currently playing select dates in Austria, The Netherlands, France, Belgium, Germany and Spain. For more information see our tours page.

Publicradio.net has produced a fascinating radio documentary on Lungfish which includes music and a very rare interview with Daniel Higgs

Publicradio.net has produced a fascinating radio documentary on Lungfish which includes music and a very rare interview with Daniel Higgs. Lungfish is not currently active though Daniel has been busy with solo projects including, but not limited to, a recent album on Holy Mountain Records.

Daniel has also announced solo tourdates in the UK which can be found on our tours page.

Longtime Dischord alumn and Banned in DC author and photographer Cynthia Connolly is exhibiting a series of works featuring roadside arrow signs from her travels in Alabama at the Arlington Arts Center in Arlington, VA

Longtime Dischord alumn and Banned in DC author and photographer Cynthia Connolly is exhibiting a series of works featuring roadside arrow signs from her travels in Alabama at the Arlington Arts Center in Arlington, VA.

The opening reception is Friday February 9, 2007 (6-9pm) and the exhibit continues until March 31.

Arlington Arts Center
3550 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201
(near the Virginia Square Metro)
hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11-5

"Punk Love", the beautiful new book of photographs By Susie Josephson Horgan is now on sale on our store and "Dance Of Days", by Mark Anderson and Mark Jenkins, has been re-printed and is also available now

"Punk Love", the beautiful new book of photographs By Susie Josephson Horgan is now on sale on our store and "Dance Of Days", by Mark Anderson and Mark Jenkins, has been re-printed and is also available now.

Punk Love: Susie Horgan (formerly Susie Josephson) is one of the first great photographers to grow out of and document the early punk scene in Washington DC. Her iconic photographs from the Washington DC punk scene in 1980-'81 are instantly recognizable by people familiar with Dischord Records -- the Teen Idles 7" , The SOA 7", the first Minor Threat 7" and the Flex Your Head LP all use her photos as central themes. Because her perspective is personal, she doesn't view the scene from the outside but as a participant, the result is a documnt of both history and of friendship. Punk Love. Pictures from Punk Love are currently being exhibited at the Govind Gallery in Washington, DC until March 3.

Dance Of Days: Washington, DC's creative, politically insurgent punk scene is studied for the first time by local activist Mark Andersen and arts writer Mark Jenkins. The nation's capital gave birth to the most influential punk underground of the '80s and '90s. Dance of Days recounts the rise of trailblazing artists such as Bad Brains, Henry Rollins, Minor Threat, Rites of Spring, Fugazi, and Bikini Kill, while examining the roots of PMA, straight edge, Dischord Records, Revolution Summer, Positive Force, and Riot Grrrl. This book provides a window on the hidden history of a grassroots rock revolution that burst into the mainstream in the early '90s following the success of Nirvana and its groundbreaking album, Nevermind.

In response to a the murder of Talesha Ford outside at a nightclub in DC Councilman Jim Graham has introduced emergency legislation to ban minors from venues that serve alcohol

In response to a the murder of Talesha Ford outside at a nightclub in DC Councilman Jim Graham has introduced emergency legislation to ban minors from venues that serve alcohol. We grieve the senseless loss of another young life on our streets but can't fathom the Councilman's response would be to instantly wipe out a 20+ year effort on behalf of DC's music community to make music and the positive communities it creates accessible to people of all ages.

Since the early 80s DC has built not only a rich musical tradition, but a tradition of using musical bonds to support community activism. Organizations like Positive Force have raised hundreds of thoudands of dollars for local shelters, medical clinics, AIDS outreach, rape centers, etc. -- all through all-ages benefit shows sponsored in nightclubs, church halls and non-traditional music spaces alike. Many of the people who volunteer for groups like Positive Force, and many of the members of the bands that play these shows, are teenagers or were welcomed into this community while in high school or before.

Please write to Jim Graham and Mayor Fenty now and show your support for all ages access to music in Washington, DC.

Write add_hider('jim', 'Jim Graham',"grahamwone.com")
Write Mayor Fenty

The following letter was written by Alec Bourgeois on behalf of Dischord Records:

Dear Councilman Jim Graham,

I have read that in response to the senseless killing of Taleshia Ford outside a nightclub in Northwest you are considering offering legislation to the D.C. Council that would ban minors from music venues that also serve alcohol. I have long supported the need to address the violence that is all too common for our young people but I think banning young people from activities that connect them to the District's rich and diverse musical community is both short sighted and ill-considered.

I grew up in Washington D.C. and I started going to concerts in 1979 when I was 14 years old. The choice for me was very clear at that time, find something useful and creative to do or follow the drug addled battle cry of a generation who was destined for this city's worst. I chose the former. Thankfully this was a time when Washington's underground music scene, both punk rock and go-go, was coming into it's own and many of the band members were themselves under the legal drinking age, which at the time was 18 years old. Rather than being segregated to "minor" status we were embraced by fellow musicians and a select group of club owners who encouraged and supported our efforts to take control of our status and find ways to integrate ourselves, as underage audience and band members, into the larger community.

We knew that people were taking a chance on us so took it upon ourselves to show goodwill to local club owners by policing our own shows and drawing "Xs" on our hands to show we were underage so the bartenders knew who not to serve. This cooperation between bands, concert goers and nightclub owners led to the establishment of Washington's world renown all-ages venues, like the 9:30 Club, Black Cat, etc., who tightened up the policies we invented and made them part of their standard operating procedure. I have since toured in both the States and Europe and can tell you first-hand that not only does Washington enjoy an international reputation for musical excellence but is unique in its management of its all-ages music community.

None can argue whether the inclusion and active participation of "minors" in the Washington music community is one of the major reasons for it's initial rise and continued vibrancy. Nor can one argue that the active participation in a community that cares for it's own, offers positive mentors, cultural diversity, and teaches self reliance has saved many, many more souls from the violent and dangerous distractions on our streets than it has claimed.

DC is the home of Chuck Brown, Fugazi, Positive Force and many other musical groups, labels, venues and organizations that work outside the usual boundaries. You must recognize and make the distinction between "watering holes" and responsible community entities. If irresponsible venues need to be held to a higher standard, so be it. However, further segregating and alienating young people from our cultural communities and painting all of the District with the same stroke serves no one, never has, and never will. If you need guidance, talk to Dante at Black Cat or Seth at 9:30 Club and ask their advice on how to maintain a safe and positive atmosphere for all-ages shows that are neither teen dances nor free-for-alls. They have been doing it for more than 25 years and both this city and their businesses are better because of it.

Respectfully,

Alec Bourgeois, Dischord Records