| Skewbald/Grand Union | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
EP by Skewbald/Grand Union | |
| Released | 1991 |
| Recorded | November 1981 |
| Studio | Inner Ear (Arlington, Virginia) |
| Genre | Hardcore punk |
| Length | 4:07 |
| Label | Dischord |
| Producer | Skewbald/Grand Union |
Skewbald/Grand Union, also known as 2 Songs, [1] is the eponymous archival EP featuring the only studio recordings by American hardcore punk band Skewbald/Grand Union.
Background and band history
Commonly known as simply Skewbald, [2] Skewbald/Grand Union was a short-lived hardcore punk band from Washington, D.C., founded by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, after their previous band, Minor Threat, broke up for their first time [3] [4] in September 1981. [nb 1] [5] Their lineup was rounded out by guitarist Edward Janney [nb 2] [7] and bassist John Falls. [nb 3] [2] [3] [4] [6] [8] [9]
The band's strange name was a result of a friendly dispute between MacKaye and Nelson. The four-piece was initially named Grand Union, after a nearby grocery store. MacKaye then found the word "skewbald" in a dictionary, and thought it was a better name. Nelson, however, still preferred Grand Union. [3] The two were unable to favor either title, and the disagreement was never settled. [2] [4] [6] [8] [9]
In November 1981, the band recorded three untitled demo songs, not originally intended for release, in a self-produced session, engineered by Don Zientara at Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia. [2] [6] [8] After recording, the rehearsals came to a halt and Falls left the project. [2] Eventually, MacKaye moved from vocals to bass and the band practiced as a three-piece a few more times in early 1982, but Skewbald/Grand Union, who never came to play a show, was dissolved upon the reformation of Minor Threat in the spring of 1982. [nb 4] [2] [4] [6] [9] [11] [12]
Release
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  
[13] |
For ten years, the recordings of Skewbald/Grand Union [14] made the rounds in tape trading circles and some erroneously believed that the songs were Minor Threat outtakes. [2] [4]
In 1991, the demo received a proper release, on 7-inch clear vinyl, when Dischord Records issued the one-sided EP Skewbald/Grand Union [nb 5] [4] [6] to commemorate the label's 50th release. [2] Two out of the three songs were merged on the first track.
Reissues
Skewbald/Grand Union was reissued as a CD EP [nb 6] [1] in October 1997. [1] [6] [15] Individual tracks were made also available as digital downloads. [1]
In 2002, the medley "Sorry/Change for the Same" was featured on the 3-CD compilation box set 20 Years of Dischord. [nb 7] [16] [17]
Track listing
All tracks written by Skewbald/Grand Union
- "Side One" (unofficially known as "Sorry / Change for the Same") (2:54)
- "Side Two" (unofficially known as "You're Not Fooling Me") (1:13)
Personnel
- Ian MacKaye – vocals [1]
- Edward Janney – guitar
- John Falls – bass
- Jeff Nelson – drums
Production
- Skewbald – production
- Don Zientara – engineering
Notes
- ^ Minor Threat played a "farewell" gig around Christmas 1981. [5]
- ^ Formerly of Untouchables, later played in the Faith, Rites of Spring, One Last Wish, and Happy Go Licky. [6]
- ^ Who had briefly played guitar with Youth Brigade. [2]
- ^ The reformed Minor Threat played their first show in April 1982. [10]
- ^ Dischord #DIS 50V
- ^ Dischord #DIS 50CD
- ^ Dischord #DIS 125
References
- ^ a b c d e Skewbald, 2 Songs. dischord.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Skewbald. dischord.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
- ^ a b c Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark ( Soft Skull Press, 2001). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital. Fourth ed., 2009. Akashic Books. ISBN 9781933354996. p. 95.
- ^ a b c d e f "Minor Threat" [usurped]. Kill from the Heart. Archived from the original [usurped] on March 10, 2016.
- ^ a b Azerrad, Michael ( Little, Brown and Company, 2001). Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Rock Underground 1981-1991. First e-book ed., 2012. Hachette. ISBN 9780316247184. pp. 368-369.
- ^ a b c d e f g Huey, Steve. "Skewbald/Grand Union: Artist Biography by Steve Huey". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
- ^ Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark ( Soft Skull Press, 2001). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital. Fourth ed., 2009. Akashic Books. ISBN 9781933354996. p. 132.
- ^ a b c Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Second ed., 2010. Feral House. ISBN 9781932595895. p. 159.
- ^ a b c Khanna, Vish (February 15, 2007). "Ian MacKaye: Out of Step". exclaim.ca. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
- ^ Azerrad, Michael ( Little, Brown and Company, 2001). Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Rock Underground 1981-1991. First e-book ed., 2012. Hachette. ISBN 9780316247184. p. 370.
- ^ Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark ( Soft Skull Press, 2001). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital. Fourth ed., 2009. Akashic Books. ISBN 9781933354996. p. 101.
- ^ Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Second ed., 2010. Feral House. ISBN 9781932595895. p. 160.
- ^ Skewald/Grand Union (EP). AllMusic. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
- ^ Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Second ed., 2010. Feral House. ISBN 9781932595895. p. 140.
- ^ Skewbald/Grand Union (EP), 1997 reissue. allmusic.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
- ^ Various artists, 20 Years of Dischord. dischord.com. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
- ^ Various artists, 20 Years of Dischord. allmusic.com. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
External links
- 2 Songs at Dischord Records
- Skewbald at Dischord Records
- Skewbald/Grand Union at AllMusic
- Skewbald/Grand Union at Discogs (list of releases)
| Skewbald/Grand Union | |
|---|---|
|
| |
|
EP by Skewbald/Grand Union | |
| Released | 1991 |
| Recorded | November 1981 |
| Studio | Inner Ear (Arlington, Virginia) |
| Genre | Hardcore punk |
| Length | 4:07 |
| Label | Dischord |
| Producer | Skewbald/Grand Union |
Skewbald/Grand Union, also known as 2 Songs, [1] is the eponymous archival EP featuring the only studio recordings by American hardcore punk band Skewbald/Grand Union.
Background and band history
Commonly known as simply Skewbald, [2] Skewbald/Grand Union was a short-lived hardcore punk band from Washington, D.C., founded by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, after their previous band, Minor Threat, broke up for their first time [3] [4] in September 1981. [nb 1] [5] Their lineup was rounded out by guitarist Edward Janney [nb 2] [7] and bassist John Falls. [nb 3] [2] [3] [4] [6] [8] [9]
The band's strange name was a result of a friendly dispute between MacKaye and Nelson. The four-piece was initially named Grand Union, after a nearby grocery store. MacKaye then found the word "skewbald" in a dictionary, and thought it was a better name. Nelson, however, still preferred Grand Union. [3] The two were unable to favor either title, and the disagreement was never settled. [2] [4] [6] [8] [9]
In November 1981, the band recorded three untitled demo songs, not originally intended for release, in a self-produced session, engineered by Don Zientara at Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia. [2] [6] [8] After recording, the rehearsals came to a halt and Falls left the project. [2] Eventually, MacKaye moved from vocals to bass and the band practiced as a three-piece a few more times in early 1982, but Skewbald/Grand Union, who never came to play a show, was dissolved upon the reformation of Minor Threat in the spring of 1982. [nb 4] [2] [4] [6] [9] [11] [12]
Release
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |
[13] |
For ten years, the recordings of Skewbald/Grand Union [14] made the rounds in tape trading circles and some erroneously believed that the songs were Minor Threat outtakes. [2] [4]
In 1991, the demo received a proper release, on 7-inch clear vinyl, when Dischord Records issued the one-sided EP Skewbald/Grand Union [nb 5] [4] [6] to commemorate the label's 50th release. [2] Two out of the three songs were merged on the first track.
Reissues
Skewbald/Grand Union was reissued as a CD EP [nb 6] [1] in October 1997. [1] [6] [15] Individual tracks were made also available as digital downloads. [1]
In 2002, the medley "Sorry/Change for the Same" was featured on the 3-CD compilation box set 20 Years of Dischord. [nb 7] [16] [17]
Track listing
All tracks written by Skewbald/Grand Union
- "Side One" (unofficially known as "Sorry / Change for the Same") (2:54)
- "Side Two" (unofficially known as "You're Not Fooling Me") (1:13)
Personnel
- Ian MacKaye – vocals [1]
- Edward Janney – guitar
- John Falls – bass
- Jeff Nelson – drums
Production
- Skewbald – production
- Don Zientara – engineering
Notes
- ^ Minor Threat played a "farewell" gig around Christmas 1981. [5]
- ^ Formerly of Untouchables, later played in the Faith, Rites of Spring, One Last Wish, and Happy Go Licky. [6]
- ^ Who had briefly played guitar with Youth Brigade. [2]
- ^ The reformed Minor Threat played their first show in April 1982. [10]
- ^ Dischord #DIS 50V
- ^ Dischord #DIS 50CD
- ^ Dischord #DIS 125
References
- ^ a b c d e Skewbald, 2 Songs. dischord.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Skewbald. dischord.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
- ^ a b c Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark ( Soft Skull Press, 2001). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital. Fourth ed., 2009. Akashic Books. ISBN 9781933354996. p. 95.
- ^ a b c d e f "Minor Threat" [usurped]. Kill from the Heart. Archived from the original [usurped] on March 10, 2016.
- ^ a b Azerrad, Michael ( Little, Brown and Company, 2001). Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Rock Underground 1981-1991. First e-book ed., 2012. Hachette. ISBN 9780316247184. pp. 368-369.
- ^ a b c d e f g Huey, Steve. "Skewbald/Grand Union: Artist Biography by Steve Huey". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
- ^ Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark ( Soft Skull Press, 2001). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital. Fourth ed., 2009. Akashic Books. ISBN 9781933354996. p. 132.
- ^ a b c Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Second ed., 2010. Feral House. ISBN 9781932595895. p. 159.
- ^ a b c Khanna, Vish (February 15, 2007). "Ian MacKaye: Out of Step". exclaim.ca. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
- ^ Azerrad, Michael ( Little, Brown and Company, 2001). Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Rock Underground 1981-1991. First e-book ed., 2012. Hachette. ISBN 9780316247184. p. 370.
- ^ Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark ( Soft Skull Press, 2001). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital. Fourth ed., 2009. Akashic Books. ISBN 9781933354996. p. 101.
- ^ Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Second ed., 2010. Feral House. ISBN 9781932595895. p. 160.
- ^ Skewald/Grand Union (EP). AllMusic. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
- ^ Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Second ed., 2010. Feral House. ISBN 9781932595895. p. 140.
- ^ Skewbald/Grand Union (EP), 1997 reissue. allmusic.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
- ^ Various artists, 20 Years of Dischord. dischord.com. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
- ^ Various artists, 20 Years of Dischord. allmusic.com. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
External links
- 2 Songs at Dischord Records
- Skewbald at Dischord Records
- Skewbald/Grand Union at AllMusic
- Skewbald/Grand Union at Discogs (list of releases)