danny doran

when I was a freshman in college there was this guy in my dorm named danny doran
we did not know each other well
we were both on the varsity soccer team
yet I did not know him well

to be quite honest... danny was a much better soccer player than myself
most of the other starting players on the team were better soccer players than myself
I had my skills, not so much touch on the ball... I was a good defensemen
a head hunter
a physical player
fit and physical earned me a starting position that I fought for each week
hungry to play each and every of the ninty minute games

in the fifty fifty situation I usually won
well, not so great in the air
while on the ground I was pretty strong
it was always in my opponents best interest to pass the ball rather than to try and beat me
I took it personally that they were so confident to try and dribble the ball past me
so... I did my best to stop them
this usually involved getting the man as well as the ball
they may have gotten the call
but they did not get past me
it was all part of the game
there were some cards
none of them red
always just yellow
things got heated
but that is the game

and yes
I got beaten
the sweetness for them was pain for me
if it ended in a goal things were even more painful for me and super sweet for them

in practice it was tough
as you do not want to stick your own men
but... I needed to practice my game
and well
I did not want to get juked in practice either
so... I would tackle my team mates during our drills and our scrimages
it was how I played the game
contact was easily avoided
just pass the ball

this guy Danny Doran was always a good sport
never did he take my tackles personal
never did he complain about being hit
always after the connection I would help him up and check that he was okay
he was always smiling
smiling on and off the field

I never knew Danny that well
sure we were on the soccer team together
and there may have been a few games of ping pong in the dorm
yet I never knew him very well

over winter break that year there was an incident
at a family gathering in the middle of the night there was a fire in the Doran house
apparently Danny rushed in and out of the fire to help his relatives escape the blaze
at one point Danny went in and did not make it out
Danny died on that night

no... I never knew Danny well
but I was happy that I knew him at all
I would like to think that I would do the same for my family in their time of need

it has been twenties years since Danny's death
I am certain that he is remembered
not just by me
but also by those that knew him well

maybe I will scan a picture of the St Mary's College soccer team from 1985
it is a funny shot if I recall
everyone clean cut
me with some curly peroxide blonde locks hanging over my eyes

local artist... bring it back to the bike

dan treado in the washington post
years ago I knew dan treado from around mount pleasant and around the keg
his younger brother colin was friends with some of my friends which made us friends

for a while there I was surrounded by cigarette smoking artists

at one of the many mount pleasant parties I ran into dan treado
dan and his then wife kelly had purchased some bikes from my then time employer Mike Sendar at Big Wheel Bikes in Georgetown

as the story is old and the story is not mine I will tell it with little details and little slant

Dan and Kelly made their bike purchases at the end of the shopping day on a sunday
after they made their purchases they loaded their bikes on the car
before getting into the car to leave they noticed that kelly had forgotten her purse in the bike shop
they returned to the shop that they just left moments prior
the door was locked
there at the register was mike sendar

they knocked
he pointed to the "closed" sign
they knocked again
he again gestured to the "closed" sign
surely he recognized them from the transaction that took place thirty minutes earlier
as mike sendar is known to recognize people from transactions that occured 30 years earlier

the next day was monday
the shop was closed on monday as many bike shops were closed on mondays
they had to return on tuesday to retrieve the purse

that is how I remember the story being told....
then again I was at a keg
years and beers may blur my memory

right choice? wrong choice? I have to be me

tonight I took the boys to Cleveland Park to pick up a pizza from Vace
Vace only does carry out
it is a popular thought that Vace pizza is the best pizza in the city
okay.... Ghepettos may be better for certain things
but Vace can not beat for its affordablility and its ease
we ordered a large pizza with pepperoni for cost just below twelve dollars

the boys loaded into the car without effort
we drove the short but greater than walking distance in the honda element
definitely not a walking option for a man with two small children intending on purchasing a pizza, a frozen lasagna, and some san peligrino soda
sure the trailer is an option... but that is not how I roll

as we drove past Jamal's Park and Shop the boys chimed in with a harmonious request to see the dogs at the pet store
there is a Petco in the Park and Shop mini strip mall established over seventy five years ago
a drive in mall that is said to be the first of its kid in US history
or something to that effect
urban now... but the birth of suburbia in its time
born in the same age as the birth of the automobile

even my 100 year old neighborhood of Mount Pleasant has a suburban past before its urban present

traffic was backed up ahead leading to the Uptown theater
with the light in my favor I hooked a mid block u-turn and dipped into the Park and Shop
with a ticket in hand I told the boys that we would give it a shot
there were no spaces
we gave it a shot
I was a few cars back in the queue waiting for a space
our shot came up empty was headed out of the park and shop
the boys returned with a harmonious request
I told them that we would go to the pet store if everyone was able to listen and follow directions
that meant listening to orders about speeding up, slowing down, stopping, or taking our hands as we take the sidewalk back to the strip
we immediately left the park and shop and saught parking on the street

the Petco was a good time killer
the drive to Vace was short
the search for the parking space was effortless
not close, but effortless
which gave us plenty of time for a walk through at the pet store

there were turtles, fish, parakettes, and guinne pigs
there was even a puppy customer shopping for a dog bed
the parakeets were the top draw
it took some bargaining to get them to leave
but no real debate
there was some begging boardering on whinning as we passed the gumball machines
but we marched on
a promise of some Jordan Almonds at Vace pleased all including myself

it was a set of long city blocks from the pet store to Vace Pizza with plenty of distractions along the way
there were all sorts of store fronts and restaurants drawing the boys attention
some open doors drawing them in
a man panhandling got less attention than the guy on guitar playing for change
a woman from work said hello before she went into a paint your own pottery place
then finally we arrived at Vace

even if the timing was such that the pizza was ready when we arrived there were still the hands of young octopi to control
they were good
but they are little boys
which makes them curious and touchy
so I issued commands as I gathered my San Peligrino, my frozen lagsagna, my frozen eggplant parmagain, and my order from the register
dean got the bag full of candy covered almonds
grant wanted to get another bag
I tried to control the situation while focusing on paying for my order with a credit card
the boys were good... human not mischievious... which in my eyes is good

the march back to the car went through the same set of meanderings
all three of us moving at slightly different paces
dean out ahead
grant dragging behind
and me trying to gather them in from the middle

there was a pee break before the car
grant peed in his pants while dean peed on a tree
I tried to get grant to use the tree
but it was not worth argueing
potty training can go that way

the house and car were close
a wet set of jeans were not worth getting worked up about

we drove home
down then up porter street
through an alley
then onto our street

ahead was some activity
some teenage mischief
as I rolled towards the intersection I tried to weigh the situation
one young man was hidden behind a telephone pole while another was behind a metal utility box
there were an assortment of other late teen aged boys walking in the middle of the street

then I caught the object of their attention
it was screaming man
the older man that lives in the woods down the street from my house
the boys were teasing and harassing the clearly crazy man with the crutch
there was space for me to flow through so I went past in my car
watching the activity all the while

the numbers were not fair
the odds were not in the favor of screaming man
I pulled over higher on my street than I would normally park
a young man dashed across the street in an aggressive yet playful way
he leaped and screamed spooking the man who was using his crutch to guard himself

it was hard to tell the intention of the pack of teen age boys
no matter their intention the homeless man was not enjoying their unwarranted attention

with the rush across the street there was mob to man contact
things had just escalated to a new level
I stepped from my car
a rock flew past screaming man's head and a bottle crashed on the street by his side
before things got out of control I rushed up the block
I shouted something characteristic of some sort caucasian stereotype in a Richard Pryor or Eddie Murpy stand up performance
without getting too preachy about the fair treatment of one's fellow man I raised my hand to the air with my cell phone
telling them to cool it before I called the police
still marching up the street with my young boys still back in the car the urban youth scattered

eye contact and a thanks was shared from the screaming man to myself
his thanks drifted off into a description of what happened with all sorts of gestures and an utterance which was not english
just unintelligible jibberish
certain his adrenalin was rushing as he was under attack
I have encountered this man many times recent years
my dogs never cared for him always barking as he passes the house
a few times they rushed him in the woods
screaming man usually talks jibberish to himself then snaps to complete coherience when talking to others
with all the excitement he was stuck in jibberish mode
but I got his point.. the hand gesture like a cup said it all... those kids have no balls

a strange irony
so much of urban culture and their quasi coolness and their quasi toughness
sucker punches
drive by shootings
gang aggression on one defenseless victim
sounds like a pack of pussies too weak to stand alone
rather than the actions of men of strength and confidence

with the kids still in the car I went back to dealing with my family
continued further down the block and parked
looked back up the hill for the urban youth
thought about what had happened
sure I put myself at risk
my car may still be at risk if these kids return
but things looked like they were going to move from stupid young tough guy talk to stupid young tough guy action
and well
I had to be me and step in between it

just like halloween night last year with the latino kids
there was moderate regret
a tad wish that I had not gotten involve
a claim that I won't let that happen again

as it turns out lisa had watched much of this unfold
apparently the young boys had flushed this man from his camp in the woods
chasing him up the street like a pack of wolves around a wounded male moose
not sure if the moose has the strength to fight off the wolves
the wolves kept their distance

last night the sound of a party down the block or around the corner had loud bass shaking our house
I thought to myself about what may unfold later that night or days to follow

would this pack of young males come back to seek vengence on me or my car?
would this group of boys come back to terrorize screaming man again?

I thought about calling the police
but
it seemed as if the activity had dispelled
through the night I listened for activity on the street below the sound of base
it reminded me of the time when the young boys returned after I chased them away when they stole my pumpkins on Lamont Street
they came back
like a fool I snuck around the house through the alley and met them on the sidewalk

jesco white

jesco the dancing outlaw
finally on dvd

this is a documentarian's wet dream

the story behind the story

what was supposed to be a trip to study the mountain dancing of Jesco White turned out to be more than anyone could have ever expected

a few shots down the block

new look

this week the fixie got a bit of a make-over

had a flat that needed repairing so I figured I would follow through with some alterations I had been planning

while fixing the rear flat
actually while replacing the rear tube I went ahead and replace the rear tire as well
with a change from a standard road tire to a rather knobby but thin cross tire
with the rear wheel replaced and the chain pulled tight I went to the front wheel
I figured I might as well change the front wheel as well as the tire
this caused an adustment of the front brake
yes my fixie has a front brake

so with the work being done on the brake caliper
changing the lever would not be a big issue as I changed the bars

of course changing the bars took more time and effort than just changing the bars
changing the bars meant changing the lever
the diameter of the bar worked with the stem
but was wider than the previous lever
I looked of an alernate lever
it did not fit
but I made it fit
not having rubbing alcohol handy
some white rain hair spray got my grips on and locked em on

only to get on what seemed like a completely differnent bike

for someone who does not know squat about stopping on a fixed gear
I sure am enjoying the easy skid factor with the knobbies when I work a little track skid

the bars are funky
the mustache bars seem more like a steering wheel than handlebars
but I will get used to them
or I will change them
if I do not grow to prefer them

right now I like them
but the lever I selected may not be drawing enough brake for my taste

will try to post some pictures

music and memories

the american hardcore page is amazing
the list of band gives all sorts of links

bummer for the bands that they bands without official pages did not get their myspace pages up

I would guess that anyone with google could do the math

here is a new marginal man page

marginal man was considered "soft"
maybe too popish and not tough enough
but
perhaps more timeless than some of the other stuff

I love the American Hardcore Map's link to DC
the description of hardcore girls describes most girls in the dc area

heavy metal parking lot... well not really

heavy metal parking lot on wikipedia
a clip/ad for heavy metal parking lot on google video

this is a great time for creation of a documentary
oral history is an amazing history
this would be a great time to get some oral history on record
with the release of American Hardcore there will be a buzz about the past and all sorts of people will crawl out of various cracks

this would be a great time to do a little documentary from the fans perspective
well... the people were not really fans
it would be the perspective of the people in the scene
not the musicians
although some may have been musicians
but rather those that made up the scene
there were various folklore heros in the scene

who would be interviewed?
ane
what would they say?

there is mohawk andy that became t-shirt andy or maybe andy gore
andy could lead a walking tour of differnet spots in Georgetown where people met up and hung out
there was the Roy Rogers... yes... the Roy Rogers
the Exorcist Stairs
and under the bridge by the C&O Canal
maybe andy or someone else could tell me more
these places were as vital to the DC Punk Scene as the Wilson Center or the 9:30 Club
there was a time when Georgetown was a magnet for hanging out
wall wall people walking around
a carless miracle mile
most of the people too young to go in the bars
just moving about in an ameoba mass

how about for Dupont Circle which not only had bars in the surrounding area but the center of the circle itself was often a party
maybe for a section on Dupont circle there could be a smattering of interviews
someone could interview Jason and "one eyed" Bruce and they could recall all sorts of stories
Love Boat Jeff and Ron were story tellers then... bet they could tell some stories now
all sorts of people floated in and out
names and faces I can not recall
but people with a story

music would fit in the background
as would the smell of beer
maybe some vomit

there were so many people who were part of "the scene" on a different level
often going to a show but not going into the show
just hanging out on the Wilson Center stairs or in the alley by the 9:30 Club
there was Whispers and Charmichaels and over the DC Space I recall Charmichael's After Hours

various bars would have a "punk night"
all sorts of people could tell stories about BackAlley Cafe
motorcycles lined up in front of the Back Alley Cafe long before the Crow Bar ever rose to power

there were run aways
there were squaters

there would be people who would be worth a documentary on their own...

Lefty would be a name that would come on many people's top ten list of people of the scene and where are they now question
Lefty was a female skinhead... a female skinhead that happened to be black
I can not explain any more... but I think that she had folklore status on the whole East Coast during a period there
She could definitely tell some stories as she was there up front and center for a number of years

other story tellers would include Eddie Eamon or maybe Squint
both are exceptionally creative in their ability to tell a story
and well... they have some stories
they too could carry a whole documentary as themselves

just push record and ask a question...
one question could travel an amazing route of tangents through time

as I know nothing about film making
editing
whatever
but this seems like simple enough documentary to compile
film these folks in a little Q&A
ask them the same set of questions
expand on answers to questions
gather some photos of those individuals at different eras of the scene
(while lefty may have been a skinhead through out... my old friend eddie eamon was teddy boy, a punker, a skinhead, I think I recall some sweat pants and some 80's version of bling, then a short stint in seminary school, and some time as a cop... okay.... like I said.... any one of these folks could be the center of a documentary)

so...
who is going to make this?
so I can watch it

oh man...
funny to think of all the camps
I do not think that teenagers from all over have the social interaction that we did then

"shows" happened all the time
people went to shows from all over the metropolitian area
there would be all sorts of personalities represented
it is amusing to think back
there were scooters wearing mod apparrel
there was a goth crowd... who always seemed to travel in Chevy Chevettes
there were people in all sorts of boots and leather.... very few with motorcycles
there was all sorts of fashion and fashion being created

I am not sure if there is this sort of intermingling today
is there an underground

it has been 20 years since the filming of heavy metal parking lot

at the base of the hill

not many bikes on the hill these days
guess the security has basically outlawed them
there was a time when traffic moved in front of the capitol building
and on both sides of the white house

it was funny
cars just going and stopping as they pleased
always an idiot tourist slowing and stopping to snap a photo
things have changed
things are different now

precautions and security

in a time before my time
the national zoo had through traffic
well....
to a greater extent than it does now
as there is still a back road but only foot traffic on the main through path
I guess that back road passes a few animals
but it is more of a entrance or through road than a way to view the animals
dean usually comments on the smell

ran into this cat today
not when this shot was taken
but earlier that day on the other side of town
in our discussion he told me he was having a party/art show at his place this saturday
a photo thing
sounded cool
it is up the block
should be a good night cap the evening before my next cross race

blood shot eyes are not my excuse
not understanding the sport
not understanding my body
those are my excuses

will let you know how I like the photos
from what I heard it sounded pretty cool

another shot of Kevin Dillard at Charm City

kevin dillard clearing the super barrier with ease
kevin rides for ncvc
kevin puts pictures up at demoncats
kevin has pictures from Charm City at velo photos

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

they guy has got his own style

some shots of prentice at lunch

hope my old friend prentice does not mind me snapping some shots as he chats on the phone
no time to interupt and ask
just point and shoot

I wonder if he ever did anything with that Cannondale Bad Boy I gave him?

NCVC: Ed Sanders Cyclocross Event this weekend

last night I registered
knew I wanted to do this event
should have registered sooner

why do I wait till the last minute?
guess I will leave that riddle for the scorpion and the toad

not only did I register myself
but... I registered my two boys for the lil' Belgian Kid Race
that should be a blast...
well, if they decide on race day that they want to race
my guess is they will want to do what their cousins are doing
and their cousins will be racing

I scanned a gwadzilla archive of an Ed Sanders event from a few years prior
and well
it was similar to my performance at the Charm City event
for some reason I enter these events humble
seeking a mediocre mid pack finish and settling in on riding the course to finish with a mediocre mid pack finish

sure... I had a cold and have a cold
it is hard to go 100 percent when I am not feeling 100 percent
but... I should test my limits and work above my threshhold
so what if I throw up in front of my kids...

ed sanders cyclocross event hosted by NCVC
cannondale cross bike raffle
gwadzilla archive from 2003

ian mackaye.... a great topic for documentary film or maybe a feature film

ian mackaye

ian mackaye?
google ian mackaye

need a picture?
google ian mackaye images yourself

I did google ian mackaye for images
could not decide if it were to be fair to put up a picture of ian then or ian now
as both a picture of ian then or ian now are worthy of representing ian mackaye
fugazi or the evens are as much a contributions as the teen idles and minor threat (and embrace and egg hunt.... or whatever)
so I post neither picture from neither era or any era in between
you choose what image of Ian MacKaye to use in your mind
but... please one without hair as he does not look as good with his bushy locks

as the release of american hardcore becomes nation wide the topic of dc hardcore and its influence of the modern day becomes a discussion
little things like that capital of punk pop up then people go searching for more
more pictures
more stories
more documentaries
maybe even a feature film will come to surface?

the feature film could be fact or fiction

I could see Spike Jonze doing a Being John Makavich thing with a bit of a Sliding Doors twist
where Ian Mackaye's life takes a different turn
maybe Ian Mackaye's music does not effect as many people
that music does not become such a focal part of his life
with no one listening to his ideas
does he drift away from that set of ideas
as the ideas were the ideas of a character
a character named Ian Mackaye that lived like the words in his songs
but without the songs
Ian Mackaye may have had no more reason to live like that
or something to that effect

where would Ian MacKaye's life gone?
would it have gone more conventional?
the college track?
college being more than just straight four years and time at the keg
maybe some of that
as college can be part time/full time/night school...
would Ian MacKaye become a businessman with a family of 2.5 kids and a two car garage?
more than likely not
although there is nothing wrong with becoming the family man
well, maybe some of that
but nothing too conventional
as Ian MacKaye is never that conventional
even without music I think that Ian MacKaye would still be a square peg

if we had Spike Jonze on the case he could make it more interesting story than a man in a suit going to his job
maybe Ian MacKaye's music never becomes that esscential to his being
a combination of too much work, not enough response, and not enough money caused Ian to put down the instruments and just hang out
or just be and become someone different
well... this is all a little far fetched
as this is a resourceful person who did many things to sculpt his own future out of a world where he had to carve opportunities where no opportunities had ever existed before
in any case...
this other Ian character disbands from the band and music as a whole
continues in through high school like an average kid
without Straight Edge to sing about
there is no reason to live Straight Edge
there is no formation of a band, record label, a different band and so on
Ian MacKaye had become a person who had to live by his beliefs
as he was accountable
most kids can say something, then do another
but it is not so easy when you are standing on a soap box screaming your lungs out
but this soap box did not exist for this ficticious Ian MacKaye who lived a different existence
an existence without his music and without his effect on the world

Ian had energy
that energy had to go other directions
without punk rock and music Ian would have to devote his time ot standard things
a standard existence may have put Ian on the wrestling team, in the weight room, and at the keg
introducing him to a different set of people
letting those people to head down a different path
a very different path without his contribution
their individual destinies are all changed
as their cumulative effort was lessened without that one vital contribution
like a winning soccer team without its power goalie or perhaps its leading scorer
maybe that winning team is not a winning team any more
some players leave for other teams
the team folds

so this other Ian MacKaye finishes high school
goes to college....
and lives in a world where Dischord Records never evolved and DC Hardcore never fully blossomed
almost impossible to say
as the removal of that part of the puzzle changes the whole puzzle afterwards

where would Dave Grohl be right now?
perhaps Dave Grohl would have grown up to play drums...
but without Dave Grohl playing in SCREAM based out of Washington DC
well....
assuming that Nirvana could have been born on the West coast if Ian MacKaye and all of his contributions never existed on the East Coast
would Nirvana have blossomed into what they became without the contributions of Dave Grohl?
okay
enough with that
the world is filled with what ifs...
and well
I am not Rod Serling
but...
my point is made
the contribution is significant

those contributions effected music and the future of music to a profound level
but the music itself effected people and those people effect the world
the music of Ian MacKaye and the music around him made people think
the music was very and still is very expressive
the passion is often carrying more than just an emotion but also a thought
those thoughts within the songs helped to develop the thoughts of many individuals
those individuals are all part of the world today in one way or another with that music's ideas as part of their mental and emotional development

did I mention straight edge?
oh yes... I did mention straight edge
nevermind
we may need to call in someone who knows what they are talking about
there may need to be historians called in to piece this all together
straighte edge... it is so part of my everday vocabulary

okay
too much red wine
best I finish this thought and head to bed

ian mackaye alone is enough material for a documentary

ian mackaye... maybe worthy enough of A&E Biography to do a documentary of
but personally
I think that Biography should always wait till the person is dead before their air the show
as the story has not ended until after they are dead

okay
I wasn't going to do it
but.... here it is
ian mackaye on wikipedia

ian's name and face can be seen around all over the place
interviewing skateboard legends or cranking out a kids song for pancake mountain
still producing music and still running dischord records (I guess still running Dischord... as it still operational and someone has to run it)

and
the fictional ian existed with an actual brother, sister etc. who are also passionate filled with ideas and creativite
this brother was also involved heavily with music
as was/is the sister
so, the chance of backing down from the passion was not so easy
as that same raw energy existed at home
not just with his peer group

some shots on the move into work

the moving shots tend not to be as intersting to me as the portraits
but
the shots have some value on their own

it is all very curious

it is all very curious
as I never know what appeals to people on my blog

the rants
the images
and
the information
it is there for me
it is there for me to share

I enjoy the rants as it is a good outlet
I enjoy the images as they are fun to collect and create
and the information
I like the information, often my blog page acts as bookmark for a later time
I also like to share my ideas, my images, and my collection of random information

but often I wonder what the handful of people that read my page are looking for when they come to gwadzilla.blogspot

I guess it varies
some may come only for the images
they may pass up reading my rants

hopefully others enjoy the words
reading and reflecting on what I have to say

and well
the information
the links are helpful as the links not only share information of what is happening around the world and locally here in washington dc

yet there are times where I wish I were a fly on the monitor
watching and listening
trying to figure out what the handful of readers are seeing when they view my page

for me it not only serves as an outlet
but
it works as a diary
it is fun to look back on the years past and read my own thoughts and view my collection of images

do people care about the CAPITAL OF PUNK walking tour or what Ian Sevonious is up to?
well.. it is interesting to me
so for some reason I think that it will be interesting to some

looking into the sun

bike swap... cool flyer

queen of the mountain jersey?

dirt rag magazine

yesterday dirt rag came in the mail

now that I am a subscriber for life there is never a lag between subscriptions
awesome!
this is not this month's cover art
but... cross is where my mind is at right now

remember
Dirt Rag pays 500 bucks for cover art
as if it would not be the coolest just to have your scribble or your scratch on the outside of this glossy mag
500 clams!?!??!
that is a whole lot of tires and a whole lot of tubes
or maybe a down payment on a bike
does your local shop do lay-away?

dirt rag
dirt rag at myspace

rites of spring... rites of passage

rites of spring
this is a fantastic album
they put on a fantastic show

in the capital of punk walking tour of DC one thing that the interviewees fail to make mention was that they were young
yes, they were doing some great stuff and great stuff was happening around them
but
so much of the energy that they were experiencing was the energy of youth

the punk to non-punk conflict is not dissimilar to the conflict that most adolescents have with other peer groups, authority, adults, and parents
and
the group house energy
well...
that same energy is not entirely off from what college kids go through or other group house dwellers in their early 20's (even if it is being expressed differently)

ah
youth

the dc music scene was a village with many camps
camps were broken up into many groups and subgroups
there were captains and kings of various camps
some were musicians
while others were fans
age often dictated the stratification
as did what high school someone attended
or
who your big brother or sister was
it was a fun time to grow up
but
I would like to think that all people think that they experienced a fun time to grow up
or
maybe a post adolescent may want to boast that their experience was the hardest

ian svenonious

weird war myspace
weird war official site

ian svenonious
a local character
a world wide phenomena

more on this Ian
there is a show called SOFT TOUCH
where Ian interviews various people
watch for this
it could be worth seeing

important to ask before taking anyone's picture

as the U-lock can be a very effective weapon

pretty ladies

banned in dc... a year book for the kids who did not want to be in the year book

banned in dc
banned in dc official site
banned in dc at myspace

this is a great collection of images telling an amazing story
or at least part of an amazing story

it is a limited perspective
it is a bit of a clique
altering importance by perspective
punk rock was sort of the clique-ish anti-clique
sadly... dc punk rock may have been more of a clique than the cliques in high school

which is fine
as most of the people at this time were teen agers
and well
adults tend to be as surface as children
so, why should I expect more from teen agers?
why should the punk rock kids be any different than the jocks or the advance placement students?

the cliqueishness may have molded the growth of the scene
and
it may mold the historic presentation as well

perhaps Cynthia Connelly will come out with a re-issue DAD IN DC
taking pictures of the punk culture 20 years later... some married with kids
some of them still very active
some still very punk
some of them moms and dads

wikipedia DC HARDCORE
quiz: what high school clique would you be in?
quiz: what dc hardcore band are you?

Capitol of Punk: a yellow arrow tour

capitol of punk
worth a look
some cool stuff

perhaps the biggest piece of marion barry propaganda I have ever witnessed

in town for lunch

rolling down the sidewalk on Capitol Hill

while doing a mellow post work ride I ran into this cluster of commuters
as I was about to give my "can I take your picture" speal
I noticed that I know this family

it was cool to catch up with Auggie and the girls
beyond that
it is super cool that their oldest daughter rides her bike to and from daycare everyday
(weather permiting)

mike and joe from DCMTB aka City Bikes

joe and mike
tearing up at charm city
joe's blog
mike's wife's blog

passion is part of the formula

fatmarc blazing with the bees
www.fatmarc.com

dillard in with the killer bees

kevin dillard prefers to be on the other side of the camera

name that gwadz

photos by kevin mc carthy images inc.

a few did not get accidentally deleted