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.
Recap Modotti
Fugazi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No clothes
No food
Take care of the children
We'll send for you soon
Alien you find
You feel at home everywhere
Deceived entrapment through belief
Disclosure would decree accusations would be shed
Instead we stand over the dead
The vultures all well fed
Killer running free outside the window
The passing night sky fills
With people I know taking me home
The song Recap Modotti by Fugazi talks about the life of Tina Modotti, an Italian photographer, model, actress, and revolutionary political activist. The lyrics describe her experiences living in Mexico during the 1920s and 1930s, where she was deeply involved in left-wing politics and fought for the rights of the poor and working class. The reference to "recap in taxi" could be a nod to her job as a taxi dancer in the ballrooms of Mexico, where she would dance with customers for money.
The lyrics "No clothes, no food, take care of the children" allude to Modotti's difficult living conditions and financial struggles. However, despite these challenges, she found a sense of belonging in the political circles she was a part of. The line "Alien you find, you feel at home everywhere" speaks to her strong sense of identity and purpose in the face of adversity.
The song takes a dark turn in the second half, with the lines "Deceived entrapment through belief, disclosure would decree accusations would be shed, instead we stand over the dead, the vultures all well fed." These lyrics could be interpreted as a commentary on the corruption and violence that Modotti witnessed and fought against in her activism. The final verse, "Killer running free outside the window, the passing night sky fills with people I know taking me home" suggests a sense of fear and danger, perhaps reflecting the risks that Modotti faced as a political activist.
Line by Line Meaning
Recap in taxi
Let's summarize our experience as we ride in this cab.
No clothes
We lack material possessions to a great extent.
No food
We don't have enough to eat regularly.
Take care of the children
We must ensure the protection and wellbeing of the kids.
We'll send for you soon
We'll call for you to join us in a short while.
Alien you find
Though foreign, you feel like you belong somewhere.
You feel at home everywhere
You can adapt to any place and connect with the surroundings.
You'll get by with so much less than anyone
You can survive with very little, and still be content.
Deceived entrapment through belief
We were caught in a trap of false ideas and illusions.
Disclosure would decree accusations would be shed
Revealing the truth would bring about negative judgments and blame.
Instead we stand over the dead
We face the consequences of our actions and the impact they had on others.
The vultures all well fed
Those who profit from the misfortune of others have gained from this situation.
Killer running free outside the window
There is a dangerous person roaming the streets close to us.
The passing night sky fills
The dark expanse above us slowly becomes more apparent.
With people I know taking me home
I am surrounded by familiar faces who are leading me back to my safe haven.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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