Since its inception, Fugazi has been self-managed and have released almost all their material through Dischord Records, an independent label founded by MacKaye and partner Jeff Nelson in 1980. The band maintained a policy of affordable access to their work through low record and ticket prices and all-ages concerts.
Says AMG All Music Guide, "Along with their stridently underground ethics — which were more out of pragmatism and modesty than anything else — they gained an extremely loyal and numerous global following. To many, Fugazi meant as much to them as Bob Dylan did to their parents."
They played their first show in the fall of 1987 and since then released 7 albums and toured the world extensively covering all 50 United States, Europe, Australia, South America, Japan and many points in between.
In addition to their recorded output Fugazi released a documentary film/video called "Instrument" in collaboration with independent filmmaker, Jem Cohen. The feature length video offers a documentary overview of the the band's career with footage shot in a variety of formats over the last 10 years combining concert, tour and studio material backed with a musical soundtrack by the band unique to the movie.
Fugazi's last musical releases were The Argument, a 10 song LP, and Furniture, a 3 song single, released in the Fall of 2001. These sessions marked the first studio appearance of long time roadie and second drummer Jerry Busher who played additional drums and percussion on a number of the tracks on both releases. The recordings were once again made in collaboration with long time Fugazi engineer Don Zientara at Inner Ear studios.
Prior to forming Fugazi, the members of the band played in various other bands with releases available on Dischord.
Fugazi are currently on hiatus as of 2002, with Mackaye in The Evens, Picciotto having produced various bands including Blonde Redhead and The Blood Brothers, and Lally playing with John Frusciante and Josh Klinghoffer on both Ataxia releases and working on a solo album.
Lockdown
Fugazi Lyrics
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Blood on the grips
Steel-leveled, chest-level
Smear my lips
Let them slip into a smile
Because now after awhile
It's all we're seen to do
'Cause the business is as business does
From above and left on to the corner of your mind to disappear
Lockdown the remains
Machine works best when the machine's not shy
Trash is trash but trash from cash must divide. Body bent, body doubled
Dismissed by time a five to nine
Will serve the nine to five
Lockdown the remains
The lyrics to Fugazi's song Lockdown describe the harsh realities of capitalism and the dehumanizing effects it can have on individuals. The repeated phrase "trash is trash" highlights society's tendency to value people based on their monetary worth, rather than their inherent humanity. The imagery of blood on the pedals and grips of a machine suggests the physical toll that working in such a system can take on a person, while the line "machine works best when the machine's not shy" speaks to the pressure to perform and produce in a capitalist society.
The chorus "lockdown the remains" reflects the idea that people are reduced to their productivity and output, even in death. The final lines "body bent, body doubled / dismissed by time a five to nine / will serve the nine to five" highlight the cycle of working tirelessly for a system that only sees people as disposable resources. The song's title, Lockdown, can be interpreted as a metaphor for this idea of being trapped and restricted by the confines of capitalist society.
Overall, the lyrics to Lockdown paint a bleak picture of a system that values profit over people, and serves as a critique of the dehumanizing effects of capitalism.
Line by Line Meaning
Blood on the pedals
The pedals are stained with blood, likely from violence or an accident.
Blood on the grips
The grips of the handlebars or some other tool are also stained with blood.
Steel-leveled, chest-level
A weapon has been leveled at chest height, suggesting the possibility of a deadly conflict.
Smear my lips
The blood on the grips was transferred to the artist's lips which creates an unsettling image.
Let them slip into a smile
Despite the macabre imagery, the artist is amused by the situation.
Because now after awhile
The singer has become desensitized to the violence.
It's all we're seen to do
Violence and aggression have become normalized in this environment.
'Cause the business is as business does
The root cause of the violence is the profit-driven nature of business.
Trash is trash until it's sealed
For those in power, the value of something is determined solely by its ability to generate profit.
From above and left on to the corner of your mind to disappear
The violence is removed from view and forgotten, but its effects linger in the subconscious.
Lockdown the remains
The violence is contained and sanitized to prevent public exposure.
Machine works best when the machine's not shy
The profit-making system works best when it operates unimpeded by moral or ethical concerns.
Trash is trash but trash from cash must divide.
The poorest and most vulnerable members of society suffer disproportionately under the profit-driven system.
Body bent, body doubled
Physical labor causes pain and strain.
Dismissed by time a five to nine
Workers are treated as expendable and replaceable by management.
Will serve the nine to five
Workers are expected to languish in low-paying, dead-end jobs with no avenues of advancement.
Lockdown the remains
Once again the system seeks to hide and forget the negative consequences of its actions.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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