The Untouchables were an American

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 that arose from the Washington, D.C. hardcore punk scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The band existed from October 1979 until January 1981 and released four tracks. The Untouchables spawned a wide range of

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, ...

musical talents.

Alec MacKaye Alec MacKaye (born 1966) is an American singer and musician best known as a member of the DC hardcore bands Untouchables, The Faith, and Ignition. In the mid-1990s Alec joined the band The Warmers as a vocalist and guitarist. ''Mondo James Dea ...

, younger brother of

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 ...

Fugazi Fugazi (; ) is an American post-hardcore band that formed in Washington, D.C., in 1986. The band consists of guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally, and drummer Brendan Canty. They are noted for their style-tr ...

member and

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 ...

founder

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 ...

, went on to sing with The Faith,

Ignition Ignition may refer to: Science and technology * Firelighting, the human act of creating a fire for warmth, cooking and other uses * Combustion, an exothermic chemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant * Fusion ignition, the point at which a ...

and

The Warmers The Warmers were an American post-hardcore band based in Washington, D.C., United States, active from 1994 to 1997. The band was a trio featuring former Faith vocalist Alec MacKaye (guitar and vocals), Juan Luis Carrera (bass and vocals), and ...

. Guitarist

Edward Janney Edward Janney is an American musician, producer and artist who has played guitar for many Washington, D.C.-based hardcore punk bands such as Untouchables, The Faith, Rites of Spring, One Last Wish, Happy Go Licky, Skewbald/Grand Union and Brief ...

went on to play with The Faith,

Rites of Spring Rites of Spring was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in late 1983. Along with Embrace, and Beefeater, they were one of the mainstay acts of the 1985 Revolution Summer movement Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark (Soft Skull ...

One Last Wish One Last Wish was a short-lived post-hardcore band from Washington, D.C. It was formed in May 1986 by members of Rites of Spring, and split up in January 1987. Amidst the breakup of Rites of Spring in 1986, three of its four members – Picciott ...

, Skewbald/Grand Union and

Happy Go Licky Happy Go Licky was an American post-hardcore band formed in the spring of 1987, and which broke up after their final show at Washington, D.C.'s 9:30 Club on New Year's Day in 1988. The group was a short-lived reunion of the renowned D.C. hardc ...

. Bassist Bert Queiroz later played in Youth Brigade, Double-O, Second Wind, Meatmen, Rain and Manifesto. Drummer Richard Moore also played in the Meatmen, Double-O and Second Wind. Together Richard Moore and Bert Queiroz started their own independent record label, R&B Records. The Untouchables only released a demo tape which later appeared on

' ''

Flex Your Head ''Flex Your Head'' is a sampler album featuring early hardcore punk bands from the Washington, D.C. area.Curd, Zach"''Flex Your Head'': AllMusic Review by Zach Curd" ''AllMusic''. Retrieved April 20, 2016. It was originally released in January 1 ...

'' compilation and '' 20 Years of Dischord''. Their most famous song was "Nic Fit", which would be covered by

Sonic Youth Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the b ...

on their 1992 album ''

Dirty Dirt is an unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include: * Debris: scattered pieces of waste or remains * Dust: a genera ...

''. The song was also featured in the 2006 music documentary '' American Hardcore''.

Members

- vocals *

Eddie Janney Edward Janney is an American musician, producer and artist who has played guitar for many Washington, D.C.-based hardcore punk bands such as Untouchables, The Faith, Rites of Spring, One Last Wish, Happy Go Licky, Skewbald/Grand Union and Brie ...

- guitar *

Bert Queiroz Bert or BERT may refer to: Persons, characters, or animals known as Bert *Bert (name), commonly an abbreviated forename and sometimes a surname *Bert, a character in the poem "Bert the Wombat" by The Wiggles; from their 1992 album Here Comes a Son ...

- bass *Rich Moore - drums

Discography

(the group's known four tracks were released on compilations) *''

'' - "Rat Patrol", "Nic Fit", "I Hate You" *'' 20 Years of Dischord'' - "

(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" is a rock song written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. It was first recorded by Paul Revere & the Raiders and appeared on their album '' Midnight Ride'', released in May 1966. The song is simple musically, with a ...

", "Nic Fit" *'' American Hardcore: The History of American Punk Rock 1980-1986'' - "Nic Fit"

References

External links

* Punk rock groups from Washington, D.C. Musical groups established in 1979 {{authority control