|
|
|
|
MINOR THREAT BAND PAGE
 MINOR THREAT
|
||
|
CURRENT NAME
|
Minor Threat | |
|
FORMER NAMES
|
- | |
|
ORIGIN
|
USA | |
|
STATUS
|
Disbanded | |
|
FORMED IN
|
- | |
|
GENRE
|
Hardcore | |
|
STYLE
|
- | |
|
LYRICAL THEME
|
- | |
| BAND ADDED | 2004-06-05, 00:00 | |
| LAST UPDATE | 2004-06-05, 00:00 | |
Biography | Band members | Discography | Shows | Forum
| Band biography |
After the Teen Idles, Ian and Jeff decided to start a band named Minor Threat in November 1980. While in high school they tossed around ideas of playing as fast as they could, and record whatever they could to vinyl. Little did they know they were starting one of the biggest following’s punk rock has ever seen. When the two teens were in Teen Idles, the band played slower punk rock in the vein of the Sex Pistols, but local friends, four Rastafarian reggae punk rockers known as The Bad Brains influenced Ian and Jeff, to play straight ahead balls out speed hardcore punk. This influence brought Ian (Vocals) and Jeff (Drums) to Minor Threat. After searching for a guitarist and bass player at school, Ian and Jeff soon found Lyle Preslar (guitar) and Brian Baker (bass). The four young men then recorded their self-titled 7” “Minor Threat”. Which included eight blistering tracks: 1. Filler 2. I Don't Wanna Hear It 3. Seeing Red 4. Straight Edge 5. Small Man, Big Mouth 6. Scr! eaming At A Wall 7. Bottled Violence 8. Minor Threat. “Straight Edge” started a movement also known as “Straight edge”. It’s not just a movement for some, but a way of life. Where a person doesn’t drink/smoke/ or has pre-marital sex. You can tell if someone is straight edge by markings of “X” on their hands at punk shows. At times the people in this movement can push their views a little too strongly, but I guess that’s the case in all ideals.
The next recording that the band released was: “In My Eyes” a four song 7”. Which could be one of the greatest EP’s released in punk history. Recorded in August 1981, the 7” included: 1. In My Eyes 2. Out of Step (with the World) 3. Guilty of Being White 4. Steppin' Stone were pure hardcore punk rock. “Steeping Stone” is a “Monkey’s” cover song, which was a punk staple at the time. The Sex Pistols and State of Alert also covered the song. Rage Against the Machine recently covered minor Threat’s “In My Eye’s” for their album “Renegades”, which is an ode to their favorite bands/songs of the past. It also shows how Minor Threat’s music still stands today.
In September 1981 Minor Threat broke up for a brief period, while Lyle Preslar went to College. At this point, Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson recorded/released a two song EP titled Skewbald/Grand Union. This side project included Ian on vocal duty, Jeff kicking it on drums, Eddie Janney on guitar, and John Falls playing bass. Minor Threat reformed in April 1982.
In January 1983 the “Out of Step” EP saw Minor Threat make a line-up change. Brian Baker doubled up with Lyle Preslar on guitar, while Steve Hansgen was introduced as the new bass player. Eight songs were recorded for the EP including: 1. Betray 2. It Follows 3. Think Again 4. Look Back & Laugh 5. Sob Story 6. No Reason 7. Little Friend 8. Out of Step
In December 1983, “Salad Days” was recorded. It was also the last recording for the band. 1. Salad Days 2. Stumped 3. Good Guys made up the three song EP. Minor Threat later broke up for good in 1983. Not before they taped a live show at the 9:30 club in Washington DC. Which show cased the band at the height of their short career. While the band was together they didn’t get the chance to release everything they recorded. Up till this very day Dischord Records has been releasing Minor Threat’s material in different formats.
Since the break up, each member has gone onto many other projects. Ian is the most prominent with Fugazi. Still to this day they are releasing DIY material on Dischord Records. Other notable bands that the Minor Threat members went onto: Embrace, Dag Nasty, Bad Religion, Egg Hunt, Pailhead, and so on . . . .
| Discuss this band at our forum |
| Former members Add - Fetch | |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| Session musicians Add - Fetch | |||
| |||
| Buy Minor Threat albums |
| Official releases Add | ||
| Tour dates / gigs |
