more on the dc music scene

the dc music scene...

so much of it all is about perspective
not just the story of the dc music scene but history in general
we know the cowboys tell the history different than the indians
right now we I am thiking about dc music history
hardcore one might say

a friend the other day was questioning when people would stop talking about dc in the eighties after my mentio of american hardcore
feeling as if the story has been told already or perhaps enough times

my feeling is different
everyone has a different perspective and their own experience which makes for a different story and a alternate writing of history
just as anyone who runs a marathon gets to tell their story
just as anyone who climbs everest gets to tell their story
just as anyone who was at woodstock gets to tell their story
anyone who experienced the dc music scene in the last 30 plus years has the right to tell their story

after watching the capital of punk walking tour I thought about things I would have added to their tour
perhaps extending their tour
altering their tour to make it a bicycle tour linking all the different spots in a logical manner
things could still start at fort reno
roll from fort reno down to mount pleasant
while cruising through the neighborhoods houses could be viewed
the beautiful streets with the wonderful houses
the mention that people that were part of the music scene lived here or grew up here
may at their parent's house

once in mount pleasant there need be no more mention of any one house
but the mention that the neighborhood as a whole was filled with group houses
group houses of different subcultures and different camps
not just group houses of musicians or messengers
but group houses with people
just people

then roll down to the corner that was once the Wilson Center
which may have been as valuable for a few years as the 9:30 Club
pass whatever church or whatever hall
as so many of these places hosted shows and benefits
and of course
do not forget the suburban community center contribution
come on...
it does not matter if Scream is playing at the Chevy Chase Community Center or Rock Against Reagan
either way it is Scream and they are worth seeing

mount pleasant would quickly blend into adams morgan
adding the Ontario theater to the mentions
working through the same store fronts onto the U Street Corridor
which is significant and interesting
(there is an odd gap of chronology in their walking tour and mine)
there will be a gap between adams morgan onto dupont
at dupont a mention of charmichaels, whispers, and back alley must occur
even if bands did not play there
these places hosted regular gatherings for the dc scene
and most definitely need to be mentioned
oh yes... almost forgot Cagneys
no... I do not want to mention Hung Jury pubs and its matinees
but it fills some of the of city blocks between Dupont Circle and 9th and E Street

on through the streets
talking of the economic changes and the drastic economic development
what is now "shi shi" was once just "seedy"
then arrive and roll past the store front of the 9:30 club
if sidewalks could talk
then around the corner to DC Space

there could be a thousand stories and a million additions
well, I guess those measures should be more similar as they may be considered the same
but you get the picture
there was no room for all the stories in the 10 piece walking tour of capital of punk
not only was it a limited perspective
but it was also limited in time

accurate yet incomplete
as to tell the whole story from all perspectives would be like trying to create a map of the world actual size

fun to think about the bicycle version of this tour
it would be super cool to create
it could be done with a music sound track between zip codes
the longest stretch being from Fort Reno to Mount Pleasant
oh... while at Fort Reno.... practice on your cross bike
it is a pretty decent little park that offeres some good grassy off camber
a short stretch of hard packed single track
another stretch of cracked up bike lane width aspault
then get creative dipping between the trees
focus... focus.... back to the bicycle walking tour

this would be a great Podcast project
as I have never done a podcast this could

what is interesting...
is that it is all about perspective
as dc had a music scene that existed simultaneous to the dc punk thing
there were all sorts of rock and blues acts doing their thing
some of it was older folks doing their version of new and different
root boy slim, danny gaton, heck... nils lofgrin, charlie parker
again I am not a historian
but it is clear that dc hardcore was not the start of it all
there was a town that was moderately receptive to music and culture
someone may tell stories of Mary Chapin Carpenter
there have always been many simultaneous experiences with a different set of priorities
different camps with a different focus

let not forget the CAPTAL OF FUNK
DC G0-G0 that is
Chuck Brown
Trouble Funk
and the Junkyard Band
the overlap and the intersection of all the music subcultures did exist
Minor Threat played with Trouble Funk
and I am certain that all sorts of "kids" bands opened for older bands... like the Slickee Boys or Tru Fax and the Insaniacs

and yes
I still look for a metrobus numbered 9353