DC Rock History

• Embrace - "Embrace" with Mark Jenkins

  In this episode, we dive into Embrace, the posthumously released self-titled album from one of the most pivotal bands of Washington, D.C.’s Revolution Summer movement. Though only active from 1985 to 1986, Embrace brought together vocalist Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat) with three former members of the Faith, guitarist Michael Hampton, bassist Chris Bald, and drummer Ivor Hanson, to create a record that helped redefine punk’s emotional and musical boundaries.   Our guest is Mark Jenkins, longtime D.C. writer and co-author of Dance of Days. Together, we explore how Embrace captured a moment of transition in the D.C. hardcore scene, why the album was released a year after the band broke up, and how it reflects the shift toward personal introspection, community-minded values, and experimentation during the mid-1980s.   We also look at Embrace’s role within the broader context of Revolution Summer, the media’s early attempts to label this new sound as “emocore,” and how the album connects the dots between Minor Threat’s raw energy and Fugazi’s expansive post-hardcore vision.   Go Further: Dischord Records – Embrace Wikipedia – Embrace (American band) Dance of Days by Mark Andersen and Mark Jenkins – Akashic Books     Follow Us: Social Media: @dcrockpod Email: [email protected]   Hosts: Philip Basnight – Broke Royals Alex Vidales – Pilot Waves   Podcast Artwork by Rebecca Basnight

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• Dag Nasty - "Can I Say" with Broke Royals

  In this episode, we dive into Can I Say, the 1986 debut album from Dag Nasty - a record that helped define melodic hardcore and mark a turning point in Washington, D.C.’s punk history. Formed in 1985 by guitarist Brian Baker after the breakup of Minor Threat, Dag Nasty united veterans of the D.C. scene including Colin Sears, Roger Marbury, and vocalist Dave Smalley. Together, they bridged the aggression of hardcore with melody and introspection, creating a sound that would influence punk and emo for decades to come.   Our guests are Broke Royals, aka Philip's own band! Together, we explore how Can I Say balanced speed and precision with emotional depth, how it was recorded at Inner Ear Studios with Ian MacKaye producing and Don Zientara engineering, and why this album continues to resonate nearly forty years later.   We also look at Dag Nasty’s role within the second wave of Dischord Records bands, their connection to the evolving D.C. scene of the mid-1980s, and how Can I Say laid the groundwork for future generations of melodic punk and post-hardcore.   Go Further: Dischord Records – Can I Say AllMusic – Dag Nasty "Dance of Days" by Mark Andersen and Mark Jenkins - Akashic Books   Follow Us: Social Media: @dcrockpod Email: [email protected]   Follow Us: Philip Basnight – Broke Royals Alex Vidales – Pilot Waves   Podcast Artwork by Rebecca Basnight

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• Rites of Spring - "Rites of Spring" with Mark Andersen

  In this episode, we explore Rites of Spring, the 1985 self-titled release that intertwined with Revolution Summer and reshaped the direction of punk in Washington, D.C. and beyond. Rites of Spring formed in 1984 with Guy Picciotto (vocals, guitar), Eddie Janney (guitar), Mike Fellows (bass), and Brendan Canty (drums). The band built on the foundation of hardcore but infused their songs with personal and emotional intensity, creating a record that is often cited as a cornerstone of post-hardcore and what would later be labeled “emo.”   Our guest is Mark Andersen, co-founder of Positive Force DC and co-author of Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation’s Capital. Mark shares his first-hand experiences of seeing Rites of Spring live, the atmosphere of the D.C. punk community in 1985, and the ways in which the band’s performances helped spark a new sense of purpose in the scene. Together, we discuss how Rites of Spring’s music reflected a moment of transition, carrying forward the urgency of hardcore while opening space for vulnerability and connection.   We also examine the album’s recording at Inner Ear Studios with Don Zientara and Ian MacKaye, the relationship of the band to contemporaries like Embrace and Beefeater, and the enduring influence of Rites of Spring as a defining work in D.C.’s underground history.   Go Further: Dischord Records – Rites of Spring AllMusic – Rites of Spring   Follow Us: Social Media: @dcrockpod Email: [email protected] Philip Basnight – Broke Royals Alex Vidales – Pilot Waves Mark Andersen – Dance of Days, Positive Force DC   Podcast Artwork by Rebecca Basnight

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• S.O.A - "No Policy" & Black Flag - "Damaged" with Jackson Sinnenberg

  In this episode, we explore No Policy, the 1981 EP by SOA, and Damaged, the legendary debut LP from Black Flag. Formed in Washington, D.C. by Henry Garfield (later Henry Rollins), Michael Hampton, Wendel Blow, and Simon Jacobsen, SOA delivered ten tracks in just over eight minutes, capturing the urgency and fury of the early D.C. hardcore scene. Released as Dischord Records’ second-ever release, No Policy marks Rollins’ first recorded appearance—raw, unrelenting, and full of promise.   We then follow Rollins’ transformation from a Georgetown ice cream shop worker to frontman of Black Flag. After jumping on stage at a New York City show in 1981, he was recruited to join the West Coast hardcore pioneers. The result, Damaged, is a cornerstone of American punk and a brutal, poetic chronicle of alienation, rage, and inner turmoil.   Our guest is Jackson Sinnenberg, who helps us unpack the rapid evolution of Rollins’ voice, stage presence, and creative philosophy. Together, we explore the shared DNA of No Policy and Damaged, and how one D.C. kid’s journey helped fuse two punk scenes into a national hardcore movement.     Go Further: Dischord Records – SOA – No Policy Wikipedia – Black Flag (band) Henry Rollins – Wikipedia "Dance of Days" - Akoshic Books Follow Us: Social Media: @dcrockpod Email: [email protected] Philip Basnight – Broke Royals Alex Vidales – Pilot Waves Jackson Sinnenberg – WAMU || Capitol Bop Podcast Artwork by Rebecca Basnight

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• No Trend - "Too Many Humans.../ Teen Love" with Chris Richards

  In this episode, we explore Too Many Humans and Teen Love, the 1983 release from No Trend that challenged both punk and mainstream sensibilities in DC’s underground scene. No Trend was from from Ashton, Maryland consisting of Jeff Mentges (vocals), Frank Price (guitar), Bob Strasser (bass), and Michael Salkind (drums). They took a confrontational approach to music, combining minimal, abrasive instrumentation with lyrics that satirized social norms and punk culture alike.   Our guest is Chris Richards, pop music critic for The Washington Post and founding member of Q and Not U. Chris shares his perspective on No Trend’s impact and the broader context of the DC scene in the early 1980s. Together, we discuss how No Trend’s approach to music and performance reflected a unique moment in DC’s hardcore history, bridging experimental sounds and an anti-conformist ethos.   We also examine the band’s recording process at Inner Ear Studios, their relationship to the wider DC scene, and the legacy of Too Many Humans and Teen Love as defining works in the city’s underground music history.   Sponsor: Get 10% off New Columbia Record Club with checkout code DCROCKS   Go Further: AllMusic – No Trend Touch and Go Records – No Trend   Follow Us: Social Media: @dcrockpod Email: [email protected] Philip Basnight - Broke Royals Alex Vidales - Pilot Waves Chris Richards - Washington Post   Podcast Artwork by Rebecca Basnight

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