Minor Disturbance
Encyclopedia
Minor Disturbance was the sole studio extended play
by the Washington, D.C. hardcore
punk
band The Teen Idles
, released on Dischord Records
in December 1980. Comprising eight songs, Minor Disturbance referenced a number of issues pertinent to the band, from being turned away at local concerts due to their age ("Too Young to Rock") to what they felt was the increasing complacency of many first wave punk bands ("Fleeting Fury"). Upon its release, Minor Disturbance, Dischord Records' first record, received positive reviews from local fanzines and gained airplay on local radio stations.
were a Washington, D.C.
hardcore punk
band that formed in 1979. Comprising vocalist Nathan Strejcek, guitarist Geordie Grindle, bassist Ian MacKaye
and drummer Jeff Nelson
, the band evolved out of The Slinkees. After original vocalist Mark Sullivan left for college, The Slinkees first tried to recruit Henry Garfield (later Rollins
) before Strejcek joined. After renaming themselves The Teen Idles, the band toured locally; they played at a range of venues, including opening for Bad Brains
at an art gallery called Madam's Organ.
The Teen Idles performed two demo sessions at a local studio in February and April 1980, despite the engineer and a visiting band openly laughing as they recorded. They chose not to release the recordings, and instead embarked on a tour of the West Coast
in August 1980. Upon their return to Washington D.C., The Teen Idles met Skip Groff, owner of the record store Yesterday and Today, to discuss a studio recording of their songs.
and some home-made gear. The mixing board was on the porch, and was connected to the basement of the house where the band played; Zientara later noted that "everything was held together with clothespins". Inner Ear was useful to The Teen Idles, as at the time there were few options available to an American independent band between recording on a boombox
or at a professional studio.
Zientara, a folk music
enthusiast, usually engineered recordings of Celtic folk and harp music and was about fourteen years older than The Teen Idles, yet appreciated their recording zeal. He later commented: "It was them against the world, and they played music with that in mind. This music, it was 'Let's give it 100 percent, for a minute and a half and then drop out of sheer exhaustion, then shove it out of the way and get on to the next one. It wasn't like we were taking the time to archive this for posterity". Seven tracks were recorded in total. However, the band had not thought of what to do with the tapes, and shelved them.
melodies and rhythms. Many of the album's songs feature Strejcek shouting over a fast one-two hardcore beat, with MacKaye and Grindle providing short and speedy riffs. On Minor Disturbance, the band drew inspiration from local punk band Bad Brains
, as well as Californian hardcore bands such as Black Flag
and The Germs
.
with Groff's help to release the recordings.
Minor Disturbance, an eight-song extended play which included a live version of "Too Young to Rock", was released in December 1980. Dischord organised the pressing and printing, and ordered an initial run of a thousand 7" vinyls. However, the packaging of the EP had to be cut, folded and glued by hand; Nelson, Strejcek and MacKaye and friends spent many days assembling the packaging. The EP's front cover was designed by Nelson; it features a photo of MacKaye's younger brother Alec's hands, crossed across his chest, with large underage Xs (which would later become a symbol of the straight edge
movement). The EP's back cover includes a photograph of the Teen Idles and a couple dozen friends and fans, outside their penultimate concert at the Chancery in Washington on October 31, 1980.
In October 1984, Minor Disturbance was also released as part of the Four Old Seven Inches compilation, which combined the EPs of four early Dischord bands. The Four Old Seven Inches compilation and the EP itself fell out of print during the 1980s, so Minor Disturbance was unavailable until October 1995, when the compilation was released on compact disc
.
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
by the Washington, D.C. hardcore
Washington, D.C. hardcore
Washington, D.C. has had one of the first and most influential hardcore punk scenes in the United States since the early 1980s.Among the earliest DC punk bands were the Bad Brains, Slickee Boys, Teen Idles, Minor Threat, S.O.A., Chalk Circle, Velvet Monkeys, Void, The Faith, DC Youth Brigade,...
punk
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 The Teen Idles
The Teen Idles
The Teen Idles were an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in August 1979. Teenagers Nathan Strejcek, Geordie Grindle, Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson were the band's continual members. Their recorded output consists of two demo sessions and one EP—1980's Minor Disturbance—released...
, released on 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...
in December 1980. Comprising eight songs, Minor Disturbance referenced a number of issues pertinent to the band, from being turned away at local concerts due to their age ("Too Young to Rock") to what they felt was the increasing complacency of many first wave punk bands ("Fleeting Fury"). Upon its release, Minor Disturbance, Dischord Records' first record, received positive reviews from local fanzines and gained airplay on local radio stations.
Background
The Teen IdlesThe Teen Idles
The Teen Idles were an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in August 1979. Teenagers Nathan Strejcek, Geordie Grindle, Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson were the band's continual members. Their recorded output consists of two demo sessions and one EP—1980's Minor Disturbance—released...
were a Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
hardcore punk
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 that formed in 1979. Comprising vocalist Nathan Strejcek, guitarist Geordie Grindle, bassist Ian MacKaye
Ian MacKaye
Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, musician, label owner, and producer. Active since 1979, MacKaye is best known for being the frontman of the influential hardcore punk bands Minor Threat and The Teen Idles, the post-hardcore bands Embrace and Fugazi, as well...
and drummer Jeff Nelson
Jeff Nelson (musician)
Jeff Nelson is best known as the drummer for the hardcore punk rock band Minor Threat. He and friend Ian MacKaye formed their first band, The Slinkees, in 1979. Their next band was The Teen Idles. Nelson and MacKaye founded Dischord Records in 1980, whose first record was the Teen Idles. They...
, the band evolved out of The Slinkees. After original vocalist Mark Sullivan left for college, The Slinkees first tried to recruit Henry Garfield (later Rollins
Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....
) before Strejcek joined. After renaming themselves The Teen Idles, the band toured locally; they played at a range of venues, including opening for Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
at an art gallery called Madam's Organ.
The Teen Idles performed two demo sessions at a local studio in February and April 1980, despite the engineer and a visiting band openly laughing as they recorded. They chose not to release the recordings, and instead embarked on a tour of the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
in August 1980. Upon their return to Washington D.C., The Teen Idles met Skip Groff, owner of the record store Yesterday and Today, to discuss a studio recording of their songs.
Recording and production
The Teen Idles entered Inner Ear in late 1980 to record a number of songs, with owner Don Zientara engineering and Skip Groff producing. Inner Ear was merely Zientara's house; he owned a four-track recorderMultitrack recording
Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
and some home-made gear. The mixing board was on the porch, and was connected to the basement of the house where the band played; Zientara later noted that "everything was held together with clothespins". Inner Ear was useful to The Teen Idles, as at the time there were few options available to an American independent band between recording on a boombox
Boombox
Boombox is a colloquial expression for a portable cassette or CD player. Other terms known are ghetto blaster, jambox, or radio-cassette. It is a device capable of receiving radio stations and playing recorded music , usually at relatively high volume...
or at a professional studio.
Zientara, a folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
enthusiast, usually engineered recordings of Celtic folk and harp music and was about fourteen years older than The Teen Idles, yet appreciated their recording zeal. He later commented: "It was them against the world, and they played music with that in mind. This music, it was 'Let's give it 100 percent, for a minute and a half and then drop out of sheer exhaustion, then shove it out of the way and get on to the next one. It wasn't like we were taking the time to archive this for posterity". Seven tracks were recorded in total. However, the band had not thought of what to do with the tapes, and shelved them.
Music
Like The Teen Idles' other material, Minor Disturbance features mainly standard hardcore punkHardcore 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...
melodies and rhythms. Many of the album's songs feature Strejcek shouting over a fast one-two hardcore beat, with MacKaye and Grindle providing short and speedy riffs. On Minor Disturbance, the band drew inspiration from local punk band Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
, as well as Californian hardcore bands such as Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
and The Germs
The Germs
The Germs are an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1977 to 1980. The band's early lineup consisted of singer Darby Crash, guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom, and their most consistent drummer Don Bolles. Germs have since reformed in 2005 with Shane...
.
Release
After choosing not to release the recordings, The Teen Idles continued to tour locally. However, by October 1980 had decided to part, mostly because of Grindle's disillusionment with the band. In their year of touring, they had earned a total of $900. The members gave themselves two options; either divide the money between each member or press the Inner Ear recordings. According to MacKaye, "we just said, 'Let's document overselves'. We figured that having a record would be pretty cool". Nelson added: "I don't remember thinking it was going to be anything more than just one record". Choosing the latter, Nelson, Strejcek and MacKaye formed Dischord RecordsDischord 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...
with Groff's help to release the recordings.
Minor Disturbance, an eight-song extended play which included a live version of "Too Young to Rock", was released in December 1980. Dischord organised the pressing and printing, and ordered an initial run of a thousand 7" vinyls. However, the packaging of the EP had to be cut, folded and glued by hand; Nelson, Strejcek and MacKaye and friends spent many days assembling the packaging. The EP's front cover was designed by Nelson; it features a photo of MacKaye's younger brother Alec's hands, crossed across his chest, with large underage Xs (which would later become a symbol of the straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
movement). The EP's back cover includes a photograph of the Teen Idles and a couple dozen friends and fans, outside their penultimate concert at the Chancery in Washington on October 31, 1980.
In October 1984, Minor Disturbance was also released as part of the Four Old Seven Inches compilation, which combined the EPs of four early Dischord bands. The Four Old Seven Inches compilation and the EP itself fell out of print during the 1980s, so Minor Disturbance was unavailable until October 1995, when the compilation was released on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
.
Track listing
- "Teen Idles" − 0:45
- "Sneakers" − 1:28
- "Get Up and Go" − 0:52
- "Deadhead" − 1:21
- "Fleeting Fury" − 1:20
- "Fiorucci Nightmare" − 0:44
- "Getting in My Way" − 1:05
- "Too Young to Rock" − 2:04
Personnel
- Nathan Strejcek − vocals
- Geordie Grindle − guitar
- Ian MacKayeIan MacKayeIan Thomas Garner MacKaye is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, musician, label owner, and producer. Active since 1979, MacKaye is best known for being the frontman of the influential hardcore punk bands Minor Threat and The Teen Idles, the post-hardcore bands Embrace and Fugazi, as well...
− bass - Jeff NelsonJeff Nelson (musician)Jeff Nelson is best known as the drummer for the hardcore punk rock band Minor Threat. He and friend Ian MacKaye formed their first band, The Slinkees, in 1979. Their next band was The Teen Idles. Nelson and MacKaye founded Dischord Records in 1980, whose first record was the Teen Idles. They...
− drums, graphics on label and sleeve - Skip Groff - producer
- Don Zientara - audio engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Susie Josephson - front photo
- Jay Rabinowitz - back photo