DC post-hardcore rockers Fugazi always kept their live shows raw. Ian MacKaye and company aimed to keep ticket prices low and their punk rock roots were always in tact despite the band's popularity. What wasn't widely known is that over 800 of these shows were recorded by sound engineers and saved. In a move that seems more characteristic of jam bands like Phish, Fugazi has decided to offer these shows for download for the Fugazi Live Series.
Eventually, the series will implement a rating system so fans can vote their favorite shows into the spotlight, but all of the recordings will be available for die-hard followers. Singer/guitarist Guy Picciotto explained, “We liked this idea of, ‘Let’s just let it be everything.' There doesn’t have to be the idea that this is the great, golden document. It’s all there, and it’s not cleaned up. You get what you get.”
According to the Dischord Records site:
The Fugazi Live Series is a complete online archive of these concerts. Show pages will feature data from the concerts and (when available) related photos, flyers and MP3 downloads. The goal is to make the shows available to browse for free or to download for a small fee. Initially the band will release 130 downloads (101 new shows plus 29 of the shows released on the now out-of-print Fugazi Live CD series). Additional downloads, photos, flyers, etc. will be added regularly until the entire archive is available.
[NewYorkTimes via Dischord]
