In the beginning of the 1980s, the punk scene was very alive and well in Washington DC. The punk scene in DC was known for its intense, fast paced music and its militant stance against mainstream culture. When Ronald Reagan was elected as President of The United States in the fall of 1980, the political landscape changed with a more conservative lens that led to more economic inequality and social tensions. As this was happening within the political landscape, there were shifts that were simultaneously happening in the punk scene as the years progressed. On one hand, Ian MacKaye — frontman of local punk band Minor Threat — started an independent record label called Dischord Records in late 1980. Dischord Records held emphasis on inclusivity, political activism, and a rejection of sexism and racism. Dischord Records was able to create a safe space for so many people within the punk scene. On the other hand, many people within the punk scene in DC started to feel frustrated with the increasing violence that was occurring at shows and the lack of emotional and political nuance in the lyrics that bands were singing. With all of these collective changes happening in both the political landscape and punk scene, members of the punk community came together in order to implement and demand change.
As the punk community was vocalizing their concerns happening within the scene, Ian MacKaye and Dischord Records started a movement in the summer of 1985, known as the Revolution Summer Movement. The Revolution Summer Movement was not only a response to the changes happening within the punk scene, but it was also a response to the political climate that had rapidly changed in just a few years. The Revolution Summer Movement provided a platform for these concerns to be expressed through music and activism. Bands that were signed to Dischord Records were putting on shows together in order to advocate collaboratively and create a safe place within the punk scene.
One of the bands that were signed to Dischord Records was Rites of Spring, who is considered the first ever emo band. Rites of Spring were known for their lyrics that were boldly cutthroat. I vividly remember listening to the song, “For Want Of,” for the very first time. It made complete sense to me why Rites of Spring is considered the first emo band when I heard the lyrics, “I woke up this morning with a piece of past caught in my throat and then I choked.” Even though Rites of Spring were known for their lyricism, the band completely hated the label “emocore.” They despised it. In fact, most of the bands were completely against the “emocore” label. The term was first ever used in Thrasher Magazine in their January issue in 1986. In the issue, Thrasher magazine stated, “There is a new form of performance occurring out in Washington, DC. It goes by the name of Emo-Core or Emotional Core. Bands like Embrace (featuring Ian MacKaye), Rites of Spring, Beefeater, among others are taking the severe intensity of an emotional projection and adding it into their respective sets.”
Ian MacKaye (co–owner of Dischord Records) the lead singer of Embrace and Minor Threat, vocalized his dislike of the term used in Thrasher Magazine at an Embrace show shortly after Thrasher magazine released. Ian Mackaye stated, “I must say emocore must be the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard in my life. But just in case you are wondering, I read in my Thrasher the other day that, in fact, what my band along with other bands in this city are playing is emocore…emocore? Emotional hardcore? As if hardcore wasn’t emotional to begin with. Anyway, it’s caca. I hate to say it but you can only hold your silence for too long about stupid shit.” Some of the other bands that were signed to Dischord Records that were also immensely important to the start of the emo genre in the 1980s other than Rites of Spring and Embrace were Beefeater, Gray Matter, Dag Nasty, Soulside, and Fire Party. Fire Party was the very first fully female band within the emo scene, and they were a catalyst within the Revolution Summer Movement. Another important band to note that are not generally considered emo, but definitely impacted how the emo genre transcended sonically and lyrically are Fugazi — Ian MacKaye was their lead singer as well.
The 1980s were full of unknowns politically and socially as stressors were increasing in severity and intensity, but it was the predicament of those said situations that lead to the Revolution Summer Movement that the emo genre was formed from. Even though bands at the time were not a fan of the term “emo” and “emo-core,” it definitely was a term to be able to differentiate the type of hardcore punk music that was being made at the time. For bands to express the feelings and struggles they were experiencing not only in their personal lives, but also how they felt about the political strife at the time.
After listening to the music from the emo genre in the 1980s for the past several years, I want to share what I think are the top 5 most important albums from that decade.
5.) Gray Matter: Food For Thought
4.) Dag Nasty: Wig Out At Denko’s
3.) Fire Party: New Orleans Opera
2.) Embrace: Embrace
1.) Rites of Spring: Rites of Spring
In the next edition of emo history, I’ll take you all through the 1990s, the decade that Midwest emo was born. The DIY scene. A decade that cannot go unignored when the history of the emo genre is talked about.