More than 25 years after its first recording, a rare Fugazi record is getting an official release through Dischord. The influential DC post-hardcore band’s First Demo will be released “this winter” on multiple formats in conjunction with the initial round of uploads to the Fugazi Live Series website.
Here’s the official word from Dischord, which just dropped the news today:
Later this year, Dischord will release Fugazi’s First Demo.
In January 1988, after only ten shows, Fugazi decided to go into Inner Ear Studio to see what their music sounded like on tape. They tracked 11 songs, ten of which were ultimately dubbed to cassette tape and distributed free at shows, with the band encouraging people to share the recording.
The only song from the session that has been formally released was “In Defense of Humans,” which appeared on the State of the Union compilation in 1989. Now, some 26 years later, Dischord is releasing the entire demo including the one song (“Turn Off Your Guns”) that wasn’t included on the original cassette. The record has been mastered by TJ Lipple and will be available on CD and LP+Mp3.
This release will also coincide with the completion of the initial round of uploads to the Fugazi Live Series website. Launched in 2011, the site now includes information and details on all of Fugazi’s 1000+ live performances and makes available close to 900 concert recordings that were documented by the band and the public.
Here’s Fugazi playing “In Defense of Humans”