In DC’s Revolution Summer of 1985, Rites of Spring, along with Ian Mackaye’s Embrace, spearheaded a movement to Change Punk Rock History, moving the city’s legendary hardcore scene away from the jack-hammer-beated old school sound in a more, well, =emo=tional direction. While they can and often are "blamed" for the recent glut of Emo bands, the band, with their ferocious yet thoughtful guitars, pained vocals and abstractly relationship orientated lyrics were consistently progressive and inventive. Performances would frequently culminate in tears from band and audience alike, such was the emotional directness and intimacy of their shows. Try and imagine that happening today, in today’s "hip" gig climate. They split in 1986, only for the band’s lineup to reform as the more instrumental and drawn out, but still emotionally intense Happy Go Licky in ’87.

Latterly, singer/guitarist Guy Picciotto and drummer Brendan Canty have achieved greater fame with Fugazi.

Rites Of Spring’s main releases are available on one CD through Dischord records.

Links

• Dischord artist page - label site

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