Steve Hansgen is an American musician from

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, ...

He is best known as a member of the

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier 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 ...

. He also played briefly in the D.C. hardcore band

Government Issue Government Issue was an American hardcore punk band from Washington, D.C. active from 1980 to 1989. The band experienced many changes in membership during its nine-year existence, with singer John Stabb as the only consistent member in an ever- ...

, and joined Youth Brigade for their short reunion in 2012.

Career

Early days and Minor Threat (1980–1983)

Hansgen became involved in the Washington, D.C. hardcore scene in the early 1980s. He joined

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

ist in August 1982 when original bassist Brian Baker, Hansgen's childhood friend, switched to second

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

. Hansgen appeared on the '' Out of Step'' LP and toured extensively with the band over the next year. He left Minor Threat in 1983 when its founding members decided to return the band to its original configuration, a few months before their breakup.

Second Wind, Government Issue (1983–1989)

Hansgen formed Second Wind with Minor Threat roadie Rich Moore in 1984. They released the ''Security'' 12" record later that year. In 1984, he was also a roadie for the reformed Meatmen. Hansgen played bass in

in 1986. He appears on several tracks on their 1986 self-titled LP. He left the band later that year.

Work in production and Emmapeel (1990–1999)

In the 1990s, Hansgen continued to work as an engineer and producer. Notably, he worked with

Tool A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, only human beings, whose use of stone tools dates ba ...

on their first demo tape and EP, ''

Opiate An opiate, in classical pharmacology, is a substance derived from opium. In more modern usage, the term ''opioid'' is used to designate all substances, both natural and synthetic, that bind to opioid receptors in the brain (including antagonis ...

'' (1992). He played bass around this time in Emmapeel with Government Issue vocalist John Stabb. Emmapeel released the "Avenging Punk Rock Godfathers" 7" in 1993.

Middle Aged Brigade, Youth Brigade reunion, other later activity (2000–present)

In 2003, Baker and Hansgen began playing in the side project Middle Aged Brigade, with whom they recorded some demos. The band was active sporadically in the years that followed. In 2009, Steve Hansgen joined Mike Dolfi, Boyd Farrell (both from

Black Market Baby Black Market Baby was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C. They were one of the groups that created the original punk rock scene in the Washington area in the 1980s. They were extremely popular locally, and were known to be an excell ...

) and Phil Ricche (of The Intentions) in the band Rustbuckit. On 29 December 2012, Hansgen reunited with three original members of the seminal DC hardcore band Youth Brigade, vocalist Nathan Strejcek (formerly of seminal band

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 Distur ...

), drummer Danny Ingram and bassist Bert Quieroz for a show at the Washington, D.C. club The Black Cat. The show was a benefit for the D.C. hardcore documentary ''

Salad Days "Salad days" is a Shakespearean idiom referring to a period of carefree innocence, idealism, and pleasure associated with youth. The modern use, chiefly in the United States, describes a heyday, when a person is/was at the peak of their abilitie ...

'' and also featured

Scream Scream may refer to: *Screaming, a loud vocalization Amusement rides * Scream (Heide Park), a gyro drop tower in Soltau, Germany * Scream! (ride), a tower ride at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Six Flags New England * Scream! (roller coaster), at ...

and Government Issue. That same foursome continued as Youth Brigade and did a second show at the 9:30 Club shortly thereafter as part of the "Punk-Funk Throwdown" series. Hansgen later played in Dot Dash..

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hansgen, Steve Year of birth missing (living people) Living people 20th-century American bass guitarists Minor Threat members Government Issue members