These guys understood how to put out very influential music, while acting in a manner that did not defeat the legacy of the work. This simple fact is much harder to properly pull off than it sounds.

Not only are Fugazi my alltime favorite musical group, they are also my personal measuring stick for the behaviour of bands past and present. To reach the iconic level these guys reached in punk and underground culture, is something we may never get to see again, and if we do, many people will simply point out that Fugazi did it better.

It's not just the release of GREAT CD's, filled with political, emotional and technical savvy, or the catchy songs that iced the cake, such as the famous "Waiting Room". Ian MacKaye and Fugazi were and always will be more than just a band. They showed the world that profits are not always the chief motivator for a group of artists. Fugazi never jobbed to a corporate label. It's members all worked up into the upper echelons of the industry through love for music, not money. Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto sang out anti-authority lines long before it became the mainstream thing to do, and as such, were extremely unique in their songwriting style for their time. And we can all listen to their songs today and be sure that they tore down the authority like no other before or after them. I would give both of my arms to see these guys play a concert, and I know alot of other people who would do so as well in a heartbeat. But the fact is, Fugazi is the only band that I can think of that would do everything in their power to stop me from having to lose my arms to see them play. Ian MacKaye is a personal idol of mine, for his ability, artistry and notorious "take no guff" attitude. If you have never heard the now infamous icecream incident, I suggest you look on google for it. *Pause to wait for you to find it*

Now that we've all listened to Ian MacKaye speaking out, lets take some lessons from it as well. The sheer fact that Ian took time to stand up for the other fans at his concert is, to me, heroic. I think we've probably all been in a situation where some drunken fool is giving a display well-worth a punch in the face. But stopping things like that from occuring at their concerts was only a small part of the aura that surrounded Fugazi. Never did they support merchandising, so don't go looking on Ebay for a Fugazi shirt or poster (if you find one it is no doubt a fake or a tour poster). They didn't go in the face of merchandising just for their own personal reputation either. They did it to preserve the integrity of their music, and to prove that a punk band really can walk the walk. If you love Fugazi as much as I do, you'll be itching for a reunion tour or perhaps even a new album. But even if they never get to reunite, they have already proven and given so much to the music industry that I would never ask for any more.