The Teen Idles
Anniversary

THE REVIEW

The Teen Idles. The first true band of DCcore (OK, if we want to be nitpicky, the first seeds were sown by Black Market Baby and Bad Brains, who inspired our guys to pick up instruments, but it’s certain that the hardcore universe of District Columbia wouldn’t have been the same without them), a great lineup composed of Nathan Streijek (vocals), Geordie Grindle (guitar), Ian MacKaye (bass), and Jeff Nelson (drums), four students who, barely seventeen, began playing at a crazy speed across the venues of Washington and its surroundings, even embarking on an unfortunate tour in California.

Theirs is a very brief epic, lasting from the summer of 1979 to the winter of 1980. At the end of which the young MacKaye decides that his band cannot disappear into nothingness. He then decides to gather the old recorded tapes and, with a bit of effort, releases the EP “Minor Disturbance,” eight insanely fast and furious tracks that are also the first piece of vinyl published by Dischord Records.

The sound quality is terrible, but the (master)work becomes legendary. Thus, for the label's 100th release, this “Anniversary” is published, a six-track EP totaling nine minutes in which the audio quality is significantly improved. It also includes a couple of unreleased tracks like the initial proto-surf instrumental “Adventure” and “Trans Am.” Streijek’s voice is powerful and bold, the sonic base pumps out noise that is no longer punk but not yet distinctly hardcore, it’s chaos, as demonstrated by the medley “Fiorucci Nightmare/Getting In My Way.” Classics of incredible power and relevance even today, that will "build" the Washington punk scene, not only inspiring local youth to form bands but also becoming the launching pad for Minor Threat (with Ian and Jeff) and Youth Brigade (with Nathan), other local legends.

Recover it.