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| BANNED IN DC PHOTOS AND ANECDOTES FROM THE DC PUNK UNDERGROUND (79-85) CYNTHIA CONNOLLY Paperback: 176 pages + 450 black and white photographs Publisher: Sun Dog PR (1 Nov. 1988) Language: English ISBN-10: 1785150677 $25.00 PUNK ROCKER PREVIEW Named after the snotty Bad Brains track, 'Banned In DC' has been one book I have been curious to read/view for many a year. But finding a copy in a UK book store back in '88 (when it was first published) was near on impossible. So the chase got put back on the burner. It was only reawakened 31 years later whilst researching the Fear gig on Saturday Night Live. I realised it was a certain crew of Washington DC punks who created the energetic audience mayhem which resulted in Fear getting banned. Yeah 'Banned' seems to be a recurring theme in this review. Another thread to this intriguing book which triggered a reaction was when I come across some neat rabid early Bad Brains live shots. They both pointed me to the 'Banned In DC' book once more as its source. Which really did urge me to seek a copy out for myself. So with the right tools at my disposal...a search engine and Paypal. I set about getting me a battered old copy at least. Unbeknown to me, the book is now in its 8th print run and considering its one of the first to coalesce a scene and produced totally DIY by it's author, it's left an ongoing legacy! I searched everywhere on E-bay, but couldn't find a copy of the book anywhere? Even Amazon were only selling copies at extortionate prices, which were way out my price range! So I eventually ended up at Dischord Records website by pure chance (didn't even realise it was still going strong). I have to admit its been decades since I last brought a Dischord release. But was glad it was still going, even neater, it was still selling pristine copies of 'Banned In DC' at the retail $25.00 price. So I immediately brought a copy. I am really glad I got it too, because it don't disappoint and is a great visual book with enough reading information for you to form a good opinion of the scene. And armed with the brilliant photos you just can't go wrong. It reminds me of the iconic 'Shockwave' (1978) book I have in style and layout, but 'Banned In DC' features great shots of all if not most of the DC bands only. Most you've never heard of, as well as the torch bearers in black and white glory. Instead of giving us biogs of the bands involved, we get snippets of quotes from band members, kids in the audience, label men, promoters and liggers of all proportions. I've learnt a lot from this book. These early shots (seen here) look brilliant. They capture the energy and vibe. And what was quite startling was they show an almost identikit look as in the UK circa '79. We even get kids with UK Subs daubed on their leathers. This edition also boasts an extra 8 pages with an extremely fitting afterward written by our Author Cynthia Connolly, where she explains everything about how the book was planned and got together for each of the following reprints. I didn't realise she was behind the Minor Threat classic art piece that adorned their 'Out Of Step' cover which I own a copy myself. We also get a rundown of all the gigs that took place. Have to say Bad Brains and the Untouchables seem to be the most photogenic of all the bands from this era, although bands like the Slickee Boys look different enough to pull a flash bulb out and didn't sound bad either. One of the few favourites I was already familiar with (music wise) besides Minor Threat and Bad Brains was Black Market Baby who do make an appearance. But its Minor Threat and Ian McKaye and his brothers bands the Untouchables and The Faith who seem to get the lions share of shots, even their mom is in here. Maybe they were the ones who were involved in lots of stuff in this small incestuous scene. Ian certainly made a global connection with Minor Threat and later Fugazi. Cynthia was also Ian's girlfriend, which now made sense why they were there, and to some extent still are with Discord records still releasing a massive catalogue of independent releases. Washington unlike other punk scenes wasn't run or manufactured by any older Svengali figures. If anyone older is involved, it was purely to record/ produce the bands or even ban the bands. It's makes for a fascinating visual insight into how this punk scene run by creative kids seemed to morph unspoilt into its own minor dystopia. The Straight Edge and later Riot Grrrl scenes were conceived in DC. Most commentators seem to revert to Ian McKaye in almost god like fashion, and that picture of him sitting in his room in his boxer shorts in the summer of '84 sums it up perfectly tee hee. But to be fair he has put out some good stuff on his Dischord franchise and his bands were good, till they got more experimental. It's a shame the DC punk scene gets overlooked compared to California, London or New York, who actually were infiltrated with older guys. These kids all look really young. So its no wonder 'All Ages' shows were born here too! We also have loads of flyers splattered across the pages varying in degrees of artistic merit, from felt tip to cut 'n' paste, but sadly no fanzines get a mention or are featured. That was the only negative. Despite that, it captures the spontaneity of a scene growing up fast before the camera lens. Despite all that, the real stars of the DC punk scene were Bad Brains, who were the first and best punk outfit to burst outta Washington DC. But lets not forget that other young starlet, Henry Garfield who was busy flippin' burgers in Georgetown in between fronting the short lived S.O.A., but went onto bigger and better things when he relocated to California and become Black flags iconic front man. It's all put together beautifully by Cynthia Connolly who is but one of many photographers punk or otherwise to adorn its pages. And its one of the few punk books that seems to be standing the test of time as its done by the kids featuring all the kids. The cover star Eddie Janner featured in a lot of bands the Untouchables, The Faith etc. Towards the end of the book, the bands become less photogenic and most looked like Minor Threat lookalikes in non descript t-shirt and not so arty. Looking back its a Pity the UK didn't have something like this in the early 80's. 'Banned In DC' was first printed in 1988 and this the 8th printed issue was last printed in 2015. So there's still some left if you ever you want to buy a pristine copy yourself. Since reading it I've found Cynthia herself always has copies to distribute, but do go to Dischord for a fair price. It's quite a bit of money to get it posted over seas, but its worth pursuing if you love all the Washington DC bands and stands up with some of the best photo books around. Which I wasn't as clued up about as id have liked. Another thing it lead me too was the video documentary 'Salad Days' which basically tells this story through real-time footage and interviews with all the main players. So thats another video ill be getting. In recent years Cynthia has also been out doing talks on the book state wise and is well recommended if she hits your town. Her own story of how she got into punk is also worth noting as she moves through connections between the L.A. and D.C. punk scenes, Connolly sold the LA zine Flipside at shows in Washington. She also shot photos for Flipside and wrote a D.C. Scene report under the name “Morticia.” After graduating from the Corcoran in 1985, she moved briefly to San Francisco. There, she worked for punk magazine Maximum Rocknroll and its photo zine, 'If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pit? Both inspired her to mastermind the 'Banned in DC' book....“I knew I needed to go back to D.C. and do this book about the D.C. punk scene because if I don’t do it somebody else is going to do it, and it’s going to be awful and they’re going to write these essays, and it’ is just going to be so boring.”...Well I can confirm 'Banned In DC' definitely ain't boring!!! **** PETER DON'T CARE CYNTHIA CONNOLLY Dischord Records |
