Jeff Nelson (born 1962 in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

) is an American drummer and graphic designer. He is best known as the drummer for the

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

hardcore punk band

Minor Threat Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C. by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guitaris ...

Biography

Nelson met

Ian MacKaye Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye (; born April 16, 1962) is an American musician. Active since 1979, he is best known as the co-founder and owner of Dischord Records, a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label and the frontman of hardcore punk ...

in high school and the two saw their first punk rock show,

The Cramps The Cramps were an American rock band formed in 1976 and active until 2006. Their lineup rotated frequently during their existence, with the husband-and-wife duo of singer Lux Interior and guitarist Poison Ivy the only ever-present members. T ...

, together. Soon after, they formed their first band, The Slinkees. After playing one show, a lineup change caused them to rename the band

The Teen Idles The Teen Idles were an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in September 1979. Consisting of teenagers Nathan Strejcek, Geordie Grindle, Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, they recorded two demo sessions and the 1980 ''Minor Disturb ...

. He also co-founded the independent record label

Dischord Records Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in punk rock. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release ''Minor Disturbance'' by their band The Teen Idle ...

along with MacKaye in 1980, whose first record was the Teen Idles. They continue to run Dischord together. The duo also comprised the projects Skewbald/Grand Union and

Egg Hunt An egg hunt is an Eastertide game during which decorated eggs or Easter eggs are hidden for children to find. Real hard-boiled eggs, which are typically dyed or painted, artificial eggs made of plastic filled with chocolate or candies, or foil- ...

; both bands recorded only one single. Nelson has also played in the bands Feedbag,

Three 3 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 3, three, or III may also refer to: * AD 3, the third year of the AD era * 3 BC, the third year before the AD era * March, the third month Books * '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 ...

, Wonderama, Senator Flux,

High Back Chairs The High Back Chairs was a band from Washington, DC. Initially consisting of guitarist/vocalist Peter Hayes, guitarist Jim Spellman, bassist/vocalist Charles Steck, and drummer/vocalist Jeff Nelson, the group released its music on the Washington ...

, and Fast Piece of Furniture. He founde
Pedestrian Press
in 1988 an
Adult Swim Records
in 1989. An aficionado and collector of

Jeep Wagoneer The Jeep Wagoneer is a sport utility vehicle (SUV) nameplate of Jeep vehicles, with several models marketed for the 1963 through 1993 model years and again since the 2022 model year. Various versions of the Wagoneer were manufactured in the US ...

s and Victorian architecture, Nelson currently lives in the historic " Old West End" of

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

. In 2008 he formed a community organization called Save Our Scott, which led the fight to save Toledo's oldest high school, built in 1912. (Jessup W. Scott High School was saved, and underwent a $42 million renovation).

References

Bibliography

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External links

Dischord Records

Adult Swim Records
1962 births Living people People from Washington, D.C. American punk rock drummers American male drummers Woodrow Wilson High School (Washington, D.C.) alumni Minor Threat members 20th-century American drummers Skewbald/Grand Union members 20th-century American male musicians {{US-drummer-stub