Straight Edge on h2g2 - under construction
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
As you can probably tell, this entry is still under construction. Please leave any comments and suggestions at the foot of the page...
Introduction
Hello, and welcome to Straight Edge on h2g2.
[Clever name of group] is a new group on h2g2 which contains a variety of information, researched by its members, about the 'straght edge' philosophy and movement, as well as the music often associated with it.
What is 'straight edge'?
Simply put, 'straight edge' (often abreviated to 'sXe') is the term people use to describe their lifestyle. When a person calls themself 'straight edge', it usually means that they do not take drugs, do not smoke, do not get drunk and do not have promiscuous or 'casual' sex. The philosophy is closely linked to the punk movement of the early 80s, hence its association with hardcore punk music - but not all 'straightedgers' are neccessarily fans of this style of music1.
For more information on the basics of straight edge and its origins, please read 'Straight Edge Philosophy' Guide Entry.
Navigation: Intro | Music
Reasons for being straight edge
Below are some reasons given by the founding members of the group as to why they are straight edge. There are no real 'rules' to being straight edge - and so everyone has their own reasons for calling themselves straight edge, and may even consider straight edge to be different things. Confusing, eh?
Big Mad Mr T
Comrade Rumble
First I'll define what the edge means to me: I feel that it is about choice primarily and a host of other things too many and insignificant to list. A long time ago I was radically antagonistic towards choice, mainly because with choice comes responsibility. Sartre described it [man's ability to choose] as gods curse on Mankind because anything that happens to you is your fault as a creature of free-will. My lifestyle was largely centred on destroying my free-will and thus my personal responsibility. It still manifests itself, like when you say something stupid and you just want to hide? I get that but I want to drink until I'm insensible to escape from it.
Then one day I just thought that escaping responsibility is cowardly and in the long run won't help me. The more you opt out of responsibility by neagting your free will the less likely you are to be able to get back. Escape is never the best option and having a clear head can increase your enjoyment of life.
Sea
The philosophy
Using the Force: Self Control
Veganism
Extremes
The Movement
Safety in numbers: the scene and the 'label'
'Yoof' culture
Prejudice
The Music
Origins
Basically, straight edge came out of the skating scene in Washington DC. The scene was largely started by Ian Mckaye with help from some of his friends (Jeff Nelson, Geordie Grindle and Mark Sulivan) who formed a band called the 'Slinkees' with Ian on Bass, who mainly played anti-hippie funny songs, which Ian described as "...straight edge protest stuff.".
Mark left the band to go to university, and the band changed into the Teen Idles ("...We just played really fast."), playing gigs with the likes of 'Bad Brains' for the princely sum of $2 a time. The Teen Idles went on tour to California in the Summer of 1980, along with Ian's friend Henry Garfield (later Rollins2) as their roadie (along with Mark Sulivan).
When they returned from California they had renewed their energy and started playing with likeminded DC bands such as Youth Brigade and Government Issue. They decided to form their own label, 'Dischord', and release a seven inch by each local band. The first release was funded by saved up gig money, and was a Teen Idles single - even though the band had just split up a month or so earlier. The second record was by Henry Rollins band 'State of Alert', and the third was Minor Threat's famous 'In My Eyes'. The last record went (relatively) balistic despite negligible radio play (for obvious reasons).
Dischord now had a problem: did they fill the orders they had for 'Out Of Step', or release a record by Ian MacKay's brother's band 'Faith'? In the end they were saved by Southern Studios, an English Distributor (responsible for Crass among others) who gave them the neccesary credit to put out both records. Unfortunately, the scene was dogged by violence of which Ian himself was originally a key perpetrator. He says that it is mainly because he felt persecuted and marginalised due to his 'straightness' - "...we were...doing harmless stuff like skateboarding and listening to music...[and] we were chased in the street" - so he and the rest of the band would in turn try and intimidate the local jocks, and things got out of control. Later on (1983) Ian would stop shows when they got too out of hand and ask the perpetrator why they were being violent, to which they would reply "we're just protecting the scene like you did." Ian says that this made him think "Oh god, what have I done?".
Minor Threat released one last EP on Dischord before disbanding with Ian going on to a band called 'Embrace', one of the first of the new 'emo' bands (so called because of the emotional nature of their songs) - a move largely down to being bored with the cliché ridden hardcore scene.
However, straight edge hardcore bands still continued around the country, one notable example of this being Huntingdon Beach's Gorilla Biscuits3. Ian renounced straight edge due to the rigidity the scene was beginning to take on, and also the endemic violence. He still sticks to the principles outlined in the song 'Out Of Step' ("(I)...don't smoke ...don't drink...don't f**k") and is now in a band called 'Fugazi', formed with former 'Rites Of Spring' frontman Guy Piccioto, Joe Lally and ex-Embrace drummer Brendan Canty.
Reccommended straight edge bands
The Pregnants
Further information
On h2g2
On the 'net
Books
Straightedgers on h2g2
This page was written and researched by:
- Big Mad Mr T
- Comrade Rumble
- Sea
Other straightedgers on h2g2:
