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Articles of Faith (Band)
Encyclopedia
Articles of Faith were a Chicago-based hardcore punk
band (1981–1985) notable for songwriting in a class above most of their contemporaries (and successors). The band's later work, the posthumous In This Life LP in particular, either founds or foreshadows the emo sound. The typical AoF song featured hummable melodies and conspicuous hooks, showing funk, reggae and jazz influences, accompanied by lyrics bemoaning the difficulty of finding freedom and fulfillment in a cookie-cutter mass-consumption driven society, typically but not always, delivered at a searing pace. While the band's influence was blunted by being based in Chicago, they maintained close musical and thematic ties to the Washington DC / Dischord Records
scene. Drummer Virus X briefly left the band in 1984, due to the relative waning of the band's political emphasis, but returned to record In This Life. The band split in 1985, with In This Life being issued posthumously 2 years later. The original line up reunited for a European tour in 1991. The final show of this tour was recorded and issued as part of the Your Choice Live series.
Vocalist and guitarist Vic Bondi
was a protest singer with leftist views. He went on to form Alloy and Jones Very after AoF's demise. At the time of AoF's original breakup, Bondi was working as a history instructor at the University of Massachusetts
. Bondi's subsequent day jobs included working on Microsoft
's Encarta
as managing editor of the Encarta Interactive English Learning edition (Bondi's comments on this fairly ironic form of employment can be found here). Alternative Tentacles
Records released the complete discography of the band in 2002. Bondi resurfaced with another politically charged band, Report Suspicious Activity, in 2006, and was featured prominently in the documentary American Hardcore
.
In 2010, it was announced that Articles of Faith would reunite for an appearance at Riot Fest in Chicago and would be recording a new EP.
, Heroin
and Disfear
.
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band (1981–1985) notable for songwriting in a class above most of their contemporaries (and successors). The band's later work, the posthumous In This Life LP in particular, either founds or foreshadows the emo sound. The typical AoF song featured hummable melodies and conspicuous hooks, showing funk, reggae and jazz influences, accompanied by lyrics bemoaning the difficulty of finding freedom and fulfillment in a cookie-cutter mass-consumption driven society, typically but not always, delivered at a searing pace. While the band's influence was blunted by being based in Chicago, they maintained close musical and thematic ties to the Washington DC / Dischord Records
Dischord Records
Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in the independent punk music of the D.C.-area music scene. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release Minor Disturbance by The Teen Idles...
scene. Drummer Virus X briefly left the band in 1984, due to the relative waning of the band's political emphasis, but returned to record In This Life. The band split in 1985, with In This Life being issued posthumously 2 years later. The original line up reunited for a European tour in 1991. The final show of this tour was recorded and issued as part of the Your Choice Live series.
Vocalist and guitarist Vic Bondi
Vic Bondi
Vic Bondi is a singer/songwriter and one of the founding members of political Chicago punk band called Articles of Faith. Bondi was originally a protest singer with decidedly leftist views. He went on to form Alloy, and Jones Very after AoF's demise. At the time of AoF's original breakup Bondi was...
was a protest singer with leftist views. He went on to form Alloy and Jones Very after AoF's demise. At the time of AoF's original breakup, Bondi was working as a history instructor at the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
. Bondi's subsequent day jobs included working on Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's Encarta
Encarta
Microsoft Encarta was a digital multimedia encyclopedia published by Microsoft Corporation from 1993 to 2009. , the complete English version, Encarta Premium, consisted of more than 62,000 articles, numerous photos and illustrations, music clips, videos, interactive contents, timelines, maps and...
as managing editor of the Encarta Interactive English Learning edition (Bondi's comments on this fairly ironic form of employment can be found here). Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles
Alternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
Records released the complete discography of the band in 2002. Bondi resurfaced with another politically charged band, Report Suspicious Activity, in 2006, and was featured prominently in the documentary American Hardcore
American Hardcore (film)
American Hardcore is a documentary directed by Paul Rachman and written by Steven Blush. It is based on the book American Hardcore: A Tribal History also written by Blush. It was released on September 22, 2006 on a limited basis...
.
In 2010, it was announced that Articles of Faith would reunite for an appearance at Riot Fest in Chicago and would be recording a new EP.
Legacy
Groups who have cited Articles of Faith as a prominent influence include NOFXNOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
, Heroin
Heroin (band)
Heroin was a short-lived but influential underground post-hardcore band, originating in San Diego in 1989.-History:Heroin was a forerunner of the screamo subgenre of hardcore punk. They were noted for the psychological intensity of their songs, which tended to be very short and include...
and Disfear
Disfear
Disfear is a Swedish D-beat band that formed in the early 1990s. They have only recorded sporadically over the years. After releasing the albums Soul Scars in 1995 and Everyday Slaughter in 1997, the group did not release an album until 2003 with a 12 track album, Misanthropic Generation, featuring...
.
Line-up
- Dave Shield (bass, voc)
- Bill Richman aka Virus X (drums)
- Dorian Tajbakhsh (git)
- Vic BondiVic BondiVic Bondi is a singer/songwriter and one of the founding members of political Chicago punk band called Articles of Faith. Bondi was originally a protest singer with decidedly leftist views. He went on to form Alloy, and Jones Very after AoF's demise. At the time of AoF's original breakup Bondi was...
(voc, git) - Joe Scuderi (git)
- Pat Gruber (management)
- Steve Ross (road)
Discography
- What We Want Is Free (EP 1982) - Version Sound, re-released on the band's DIY label, Wasteland Records
- Wait (EP 1983) - Wasteland (3 song ep)
- Give Thanks (LP 1984) - Reflex RecordsReflex RecordsReflex Records was an American independent record label formed by the members of hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü and Terry Katzman. It was formed to help promote independent bands, after Twin Tone Records rejected Hüsker Dü's first single in 1979....
, Produced by Bob MouldBob MouldRobert Arthur "Bob" Mould is an American musician, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for alternative rock bands Hüsker Dü in the 1980s and Sugar in the 1990s.-Early life:... - In This Life (LP 1987) - Lone Wolf Records, Produced by Bob MouldBob MouldRobert Arthur "Bob" Mould is an American musician, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for alternative rock bands Hüsker Dü in the 1980s and Sugar in the 1990s.-Early life:...
- New Normal Catastrophe (LP 2010)
Anthologies and posthumous collections
- Core (CD 1991) - Bitzcore (a collection of EPs, comp appearances, and unreleased tracks recorded from 1981 to 1983)
- Give Thanks (CD 1992) - Bitzcore
- Your Choice Live Series 022Your Choice Live Series 022Your Choice Live Series 022 is an album by Articles of Faith . It was recorded live at "Oberhaus" in Alzey/ Germany by Rock City Studios in Udenheim/ Germany the 31st of March 1992 and produced by Tobby Holzinger.-Personnel:*Articles of Faith...
(1994) - Tobby Holzinger / Your Choice RecordsYour Choice RecordsYour Choice Records was a German independent record label founded in 1988 by producer Tobby Holzinger. The label specialized in independent punk music, including live releases of German and other international acts...
(last night of 1992 European reunion tour) - AoF Complete Vol. 1 (2002) - Alternative TentaclesAlternative TentaclesAlternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
, all AoF vinyl recorded between 1981 and 1983 - AoF Complete Vol. 2 (2002) - Alternative TentaclesAlternative TentaclesAlternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
, all AoF vinyl recorded between 1983 and 1985
Compilation contributions
- "Buried Alive" and "False Security" on the Master Tape compilation LP (Affirmation Records, 1982)
- "Five O'Clock" - On The Middle of America compilation LP( H.I.D. Productions, 1984)
- "Up Against The Wall" on the P.E.A.C.E. compilation LP (R Radical Records, 1985)
- "Buy this War" and "American Dreams" on the Fortunate Son split EP (2 old AoF songs along with a solo Vic Bondi performing one original and one cover song) (Alternative TentaclesAlternative TentaclesAlternative Tentacles is an independent record label originally based in San Francisco, California and was established in 1979. It was originally used as the label name by the Dead Kennedys for the self-produced single "California Über Alles", and after realizing the potential for an independent...
2003) - "Bad Attitude" on the "American Hardcore" original documental soundtrack (Rhino Records, 2006)