“Bulldog Front” – Fugazi
(Words/music: Fugazi, available on Fugazi EP / 13 Songs, Dischord 1988/1990)

Fugazi knew how to wield music like a weapon in a way few others can match.  Even though the “bulldog” in the title refers to the aggressive yet hollow-bodied members of the D.C. hardcore scene, it’s an apt descriptor of their music.  Whether it was Ian MacKaye’s gnarled guitar lines, Brendan Canty’s iron-trap snare hits, or Guy Piccotto’s caustic yet earnest vocals, Fugazi’s most aggressive songs always felt like they came at full speed.  Appropriately, the band wielded the tenacity of their music with an agenda.  On “Bulldog Front,” Piccotto targets the testosterone-fueled rage in the audiences at hardcore shows.  Fugazi famously were anti-moshing, and “Bulldog Front” aimed at de-fanging these audience members who brandished these attitudes.  It was a call to those putting up a macho front to look past the surface and think deeper.

In a cruely ironic twist, Fugazi’s legacy (to many) begins and ends with surface knowledge of the band.  Most write-ups start by listing their historical connections (whether they are Minor Threat, Rites of Spring, or MacKaye’s label Dischord Records) and gradually move into their personal politics.  Fugazi were proud of their ethics, using not only music but in-song banter, interviews, and any other channel possible to discuss and share their ideals.  However, these facts often preclude any statement about the music itself.  It could be that the band’s ideals stretch farther than their music (or that their proactive promotion turns some people off), but it’s a shame that the band’s adventurous songwriting and unrivaled intensity become an afterthought.  I’m not saying this to diminish the importance of their ruthless D.I.Y. ethics or their high standards for society (both of which make them an essential voice in our culture, not just the world of punk rock), but their chops as songwriters and performers deserve credit as well.  After all, songs like “Bulldog Front” helped to stretch the definition of punk rock and expand its musical vocabulary; two decades later, we still need more bands writing songs with similar elasticity, intensity, and yes, personal honesty as well.

More on Fugazi: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm