Look, poor kids spend a life time being indoctrinated into the lyrics of corporate approved national anthems and jingoistic patriotic bullshit, reading textbooks filled with half-truths and outright lies, all to get them to be good little cogs in a vast machine for generating wealth for the rich. I think it’s fair that these supposedly rich kids (though I don’t know if I buy that, but whatever) are being blown away by songs of protest and fuck the corporate system. Let’s indoctrinate the children of the rich into socialism and compassion and middle fingers to the oppressive system.
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Is it really a Fugazi cover if they don’t yell at you to stop moshing?
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Because it just fits the image of a Righteous Humorless Purist Gatekeeper of Truth.
It only matters in as much that the complainer brought it up as part of the justification for why it was inappropriate for the kids to be playing music by the legendary straightedge band, Fugazi.
(And yes, Ian is the straightedge teen that launched a million movements, but Fugazi wasn’t “technically” a straightedge band.)
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And Ian wasn’t technically a “straightedge teen.” He did, however, coin the term “straight edge.” The label didn’t exist for him, so he couldn’t be labeled such.
Next up do “All The Aces” by Motorhead for us old degenerates. (No, that was bloody good regardless of what The Teenage Grandad was on about.)
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Thanks for the bandsplaining. I wasn’t aware of these details. 
I honestly figured you knew.
I left it in there for context for others that aren’t quite as up on the minutae of the Dischord scene. Also, if I’d have left the second sentence out, it would have appeared that I was the one implying that Fugazi was the hotbed of straightedge ideology, and god knows the last thing I want to be is wrong on the internet. (Or besmirch the honor of Ian, Guy, Joe, and Brendan.)
(I didn’t mean second second. 5 more and I’d have seven seconds. BBS won’t let me edit until I change the body more significantly, so you get this wonderful throwaway joke as a bonus.)
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it doesn’t matter to me what brought this group of kids together. they sounded great and look at the joy on their faces. thanks for posting
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Will Ace of Spades suffice?
I wanted to include a link, but I can’t. Just go to my channel from the video in the article. I have more than 1,800 videos on my channel of kids playing pretty much every sub-genre of rock and roll, from the 50s to current day.
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“Here’s another one for all you fans of classic oldies.”
(Jokes aside, the key is to have a good, tight drummer, and that kid nails it.)
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I thought “straight edge” was for the magic marker X that would be drawn on the back of the hands of underaged folks at all ages shows.
Waddaya know, the kids ARE alright
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The term is directly named for the Minor Threat song by the same name with lyrics (written and sung by Ian MacKaye) describing the ethos. The X that minors got when attending all ages shows was adopted by Straight Edge kids as a voluntary badge of honor sort of thing.
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The “X” thing was also Ian’s idea. He wanted to see shows that wouldn’t allow minors. He told the club owners, that he and his friends just wanted to see the music. They didn’t want to drink. He said we’ll just put a big black “X” on our hands which means we’re not allowed to drink. After the club owners consented, it became a thing.
He didn’t literally create the black X thing though, the symbol was already being used by some venues as a marker for minors. I’ll give credit that he may have helped spread the practice and for sure made it synonymous with straight edge.
In San Francisco, they’re removed from a bill at the Mabuhay Gardens with Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks, and Flipper, after the promoter decides they’re too young. They play a mismatched bill the next night instead but learn much from attending the DK show. The bar’s all-ages policy entails that underage kids have a black “X” marked on their hands so that bartenders know they’re not to be served alcohol. Circle Jerks fans also introduce slam dancing and fighting bouncers to the awestruck D.C. punks who are empowered by what they witness and bring it home with them. (Andersen and Jenkins, 66)
Iain Mckaye had a kid a few years back I’m pretty sure he’s a literal suburban dad. 
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