I spent a good hard 3 minutes deciding what band's song meant enough to me to use it as the name of my blog (like Something I learned today or Help save the youth of America or Middle aged youth).
After those grueling three minutes I said to myself, "Oh fuck it -- it doesn't have to be some grand significant gesture" and I went to my CD rack, pulled out a disc that had a big effect on my life, scanned briefly through the lyrics, and thought, "There it is. Good enough."
Dag Nasty just celebrated a 20-Year Anniversary in December 2005. To bring you up to speed, here's part of their history (the rest you can see on their site, Daghouse.com):
"The band started in the summer of 1985, made up of ex-members of Minor Threat and Bloody Mannequin Orchestra. Through the years, they cycled through 3 different singers, 2 bass players, and 3 drummers in their four year active existence (1985-1988).
The band itself had a huge impact on the world of underground music, due to the fact that Dag Nasty practically introduced melodic hardcore in the mid-'80s. But although the group was more accessible and melodic than Minor Threat or similar bands, they never lost their bracing, blistering edge. The concept of the band came about from former-Minor Threat and Meatmen guitarist Brian Baker. After vocalist Shawn Brown departed the group, ex-DYS frontman Dave Smalley completed Brian Baker's vision of what the band should be.
Dag Nasty recorded their first album, "Can I Say" (1986), with D.C.-punk guru Ian MacKaye assisting on the production. The following year, Smalley left the group; he was replaced by Peter Cortner, who added more pop elements to the band's sound with the album "Wig Out at Denko's". Dag Nasty moved from MacKaye's Dischord label to Giant in 1988 and released their last album (at the time), "Field Day". This album was even more of a departure from the original sound.
After the break up of the band, the members of the band went their seperate ways and were involved in various projects of their own. Along with former-Big Boy Chris Gates, Baker formed the metal band Junkyard in 1989, which released two records on Geffen before fading away.
Dag Nasty came back together in 1992 with Dave Smalley back on vocals. They released (the excellent) "Four on the Floor" for the growing underground punk scene that was only a few short years from breaking into the mainstream. The response was enthusiastic, but the band stepped away from the business again. Ten years later, they reunited once again with "Minority of One" which was released on Revelation Records."
There's the official word. Now on to why I'm posting this: I picked up 1987's "Wig Out at Denkos" on cassette the winter of '87, after what should have been my graduating year of high school. I was in a bad state, a messed-up kid, in a volatile relationship and drinking way too much.
I remember the first time I heard "The Godfather" -- I just felt that this was a tape that summed-up how I was feeling at the time.
always caring always mine
still always reaching for what isn't there
it just isn't there at all
the smallest doubt can swell and grow
and all hope shrinks into indifference
it makes no difference to me
I was only five
when I heard the tale of the little train that said
" I think I can "
but what's hard to give is hard to get
and once you've lost it it's always gone
it's always gone
sometimes I wish that I could cry
instead of wondering what's on her mind
what was on my mind this time
for consolation there's always a next time
but will you take the time ?
it will take some time
don't misunderstand
half the time I can
don't misunderstand
half the time I only think I can
I was only five
when I heard the tale of the little train that said
" I think I can"
but what's hard to give is hard to get
and once you've lost it it's always gone
it's always gone
standing on the railroad tracks
I hear the whistle the godfather's call
the biggest train of all
it's speeding closer towards the bridge
I'm hoping it can show me how it's done
Now, I could go on and on about how influential Dag Nasty were (and still are), but I will leave that to the critics and other blogs. I'll just post this is sort of a mission statement for this blog: this is a CD and a band you should know about.
Dag Nasty - "The Godfather"
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