As the history of Hardcore Punk goes, things pretty much died out around 1986. And if you believe accounts like those told in “American Hardcore” they went out with a whimper rather than a bang. Bands changed their styles as they learned to play their instruments and grew tired of stale three chord formulas. Sometimes it worked. Most times it didn’t. I gotta say I really dig Black Flag’s “Who’s Got the 10 1/2?” even if it’s a far cry from “Damaged”, just as I dig Husker Du’s “Candy Apple Grey” even if it’s an even further cry from “Land Speed Record”. Yet these are but two exceptions to the rule. Sure some early Hardcore bands like Social Distortion stuck it out and somewhat rebounded in the nineties; but again, exception not rule. And so it would seem that the history books are right about Hardcore dying in ’86. I was still in grade school at the time and really am in no position to argue. If this is the case though, how is it that Dag Nasty was out playing and putting out landmark albums like their debut “Can I Say” in 1986?
Take one listen to their Live at Lupos bootleg and answer the question, “Was Hardcore dead in 1986?”. You’d be wrong if you said it was. Here’s a band at the top of their game. Singer Dave Smalley (ex DYS and future All) sure doesn’t sound dead to me. Brian Baker (ex Minor Threat and future Bad Religion) doesn’t sound dead either. Is this the best bootleg you’ll ever hear? No. There’s a great deal of tape hiss present and if you don’t turn the volume way up you won’t even hear the band backing Smalley, just his yelling. But bootleg sound quality aside the band is giving it their all, the songs are some of their best, and they prove a crucial point about Hardcore in particular and Punk in general. That is, that it never really died. Some people would have you believe it died in ’77, others ’86, still some ’95. The truth though is even if it wanes in popularity, even if regional scenes come and go, even if styles progress and later regress, even if bands quit and reform, it all never really goes away. It’s always there for the next bunch of kids coming up that need it to be there even if their predecessors are already tired of it. And it’s bands like Dag Nasty that did it during the lean years that matter the most. They kept the torch burning when it wasn’t popular or profitable. They held it down in spite of everything. They’re the ones that made it so that you’re reading this now and still giving a shit.
The band would go through numerous lineup changes through the years (this one with Smalley wasn’t their first either), but I think this bootleg represents Dag Nasty at their best, which is why in many circles this is considered their classic lineup. You can download this show and others for free on their website, but you should also make it a point to pick up “Can I Say” as it’s every bit as important as an album like “Out of Step” even if it’s not as widely available. I think they couldn’t have put it better in their closing song Justification.
Take a look at what you’re doing
And tell me I’m too late.
You say we’re walking backwards
Well, that dead horse sure can run.
It sure can run!
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