Fusing the sentiments of early hardcore and the sounds of D.C. post-punk, the Capitol City Dusters started off originally as the Dusters in 1996. Guitarist/vocalist Alec Bourgeois and drummer Benjamin Azzara got together when their respective Washington bands, Severin and Delta 72, split up. Bassist Bill Colgrove, whose hardcore band Foundation had done shows with Azzara's old band Junction, came down from Upstate New York to join. In a joint effort between Bourgeois' label Superbad Records and Dischord Records, the band released two vinyl-only albums, Forest Fire/Seventeen 7" in 1996 and a split 10" in 1997 with labelmates the Most Secret Method. Colgrove then left the band to start a web design business with Jawbox/Burning Airlines guitarist Bill Barbot, and the band renamed itself the Capitol City Dusters. Mark Lacasse (Sicken, Ghoti Hook) filled in on bass during the 1998 recording of Simplicity, after which Jesse Quitslund (Vile Cherubs, Please) took over. The Dusters then toured much of U.S. and Europe before returning home to work on a new album. They wouldn't emerge again until 2001, when they came out of their self-imposed vacation to work on a new album, 2002's Rock Creek. ~ Ron DePasquale, All Music Guide