I dial it up on Wikipedia and find out it's cross-platform file format requiring digital conversion or an .ogg player. I don't have or want an .ogg player. I need to convert these buggers to mp3 files to play and record from my iTunes application on my Mac.
I go to Google Search and type "convert ogg to mp3 mac". Voila. I find a program called SwitchMac. It costs $24.95, but I can download a 30 day trial for free. I do so. With alacrity. Now I own the entire Fugazi recording catalog.
I'm so pleased with myself that I call Ian MacKaye who I first met in a record store near Stazione Termini (the central subway station) in Rome in 1992. He still lives near Washington DC. He still answers his phone. I report my intrepid endeavor. He congratulates me, wishes me well and says "enjoy, my friend".
And I think to my self, what a wonderful world.
Turnover
Editors note: Fugazi was an influential rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in 1987. Their evolution of the hardcore punk genre, combined with their dedication to touring earned them an international audience by the end of the 1980s, despite little recognition in mainstream circles.
The band name alludes to a Vietnam-era GI slang acronym for a particularly bad combat situation, which stands for "Fucked Up, Got Ambushed, Zipped In". In Our Band Could Be Your Life, the group reported that they chose the name because of its ambiguous and vaguely exotic qualities.
Perhaps just as well known as Fugazi's music is their ethical stance and manner of business practice. They stand as a rare example of a band that have achieved a level of mainstream success while remaining loyal to independent recording and distribution values, following through in the spirit of the original "DIY punk ethic". They have rarely charged more than $5–$10 admission to their live shows, insist that their performances be open to persons of all ages (MacKaye in particular remembers the sting of being kept out of clubs during his teen years, which is why he is now vicariously tied to the double-ex's put on the hands of those under 18 at venues that serve alcohol), have kept their album prices at about $10, and do not sell merchandise such as t-shirts or posters. In addition, the band has claimed that they will not conduct interviews with magazines featuring alcohol and nicotine advertisements.
All Fugazi's albums have been released by Dischord Records, co-owned by Ian MacKaye and former Minor Threat bandmate Jeff Nelson.
Big fan of Ian MacKaye! I credit his early work from Minor Threat and other DC bands such as Bad Brains as a major influence to my pre teen years. My first exposure to his work was from my older brother whom had all of their records. The music was great; however the message fell on deaf ears.
ReplyDeleteOne day I decided to “borrow” my older brother’s album so that I can learn how to play the song “in my eyes”. My dad heard the line “What the fuck have you done” and that was all he needed to hear. He had no clue what the song was about and smashed the record and told me that this music is a bad influence. I tried to explain about the message, and dad still thought that I was bullshitting. After my brother noticed that his record was missing, I received a good ass beating. Apparently the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, my brother is also deaf.
Westby (westbanger)