Beefeater was an American

post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has be ...

band from late 1984 until late 1986.Kellman, Andy
"Beefeater: Artist Biography by Andy Kellman"
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AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

''. Retrieved October 4, 2016.Beefeater
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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 Idles ...

''. Retrieved October 4, 2016. Along with

Embrace Embrace may refer to: * A hug, a form of physical intimacy * Acceptance Music Bands * Embrace (American band), a post-hardcore band from Washington, D.C. * Embrace (English band), a post-Britpop band from West Yorkshire * Embrace (duo), a Dan ...

and

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 ...

, they were one of the mainstay acts of the 1985 Revolution Summer movement Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark (

Soft Skull Press Counterpoint LLC was a publishing company distributed by Perseus Books Group launched in 2007. It was formed from the consolidation of three presses: Perseus' Counterpoint Press, Avalon Publishing Group's Shoemaker & Hoard and the independent S ...

, 2001). ''Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital''. Fourth ed., 2009.

Akashic Books Akashic Books is a Brooklyn-based independent publisher. Akashic Books' collection began with Arthur Nersesian's ''The Fuck Up'' in 1997, and has since expanded to include Dennis Cooper's "Little House on the Bowery" series, Chris Abani's Blac ...

. . p. 193. which took place within the Washington, D.C. hardcore punk scene. They were pioneers of the

genre in the mid-1980s with bands like Embrace, Rites of Spring and

Gray Matter Grey matter is a major component of the central nervous system, consisting of neuronal cell bodies, neuropil (dendrites and unmyelinated axons), glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes), synapses, and capillaries. Grey matter is distingui ...

, among others.

History

Beefeater was formed by Tomas Squip, Fred "Freak" Smith, Dug E. Bird (Birdzell) and Bruce Atchley Taylor. Their debut LP, ''Plays for Lovers'', was released in 1985 on

, their follow-up was the six-song 1986 ''Need a Job'' EP, whereas their second record on Dischord, ''House Burning Down'', was posthumously released in 1987 as their farewell album. Both band's Dischord releases would be combined on the 1992 compilation CD ''Plays For Lovers & House Burning Down'', with two bonus tracks. For Beefeater's second record, drummer Bruce Taylor was replaced by Mark "Two-Chair" Shellhaas, who in turn, would be substituted by Kenny Craun for the band's final album. After the breakup of Beefeater, Squip and Birdzell went on to form Fidelity Jones, while Craun joined the

Rhythm Pigs The Rhythm Pigs were an American punk band, originally from El Paso, Texas, United States, later relocated to San Francisco. Their first two albums were among the first to be released by the influential independent Mordam Records label. Their fi ...

, and Fred "Freak" Smith joined

Strange Boutique Strange Boutique was a band from Washington, D.C. They were active between the years of 1987 and 1994 and released 4 full-length albums and 2 live albums on the Bedazzled Records label. They are also featured on several compilation albums. Mon ...

. While Beefeater's songs had all the angry energy of its

hardcore Hardcore, hard core or hard-core may refer to: Arts and media Film * ''Hardcore'' (1977 film), a British comedy film * ''Hardcore'' (1979 film), an American crime drama film starring George C Scott * ''Hardcore'' (2001 film), a British documen ...

labelmates the energy was channelled as much through funk and jazz as rock and roll. Dug E. Bird's fast-paced bass slap drives a rhythm section over which Fred "Not Sonic" Smith's guitar rides in a way reminiscent of the

Minutemen Minutemen were members of the organized New England colonial militia companies trained in weaponry, tactics, and military strategies during the American Revolutionary War. They were known for being ready at a minute's notice, hence the name. Mi ...

. ''House Burning Down'' saw the incorporation of even more non-punk influences, most notably world music and included musical cameos many of the Dischord Records regulars (

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 ...

provides an intro to the album, in addition to some saxophone). Squip's essay in ''Threat by Example: A Documentation of Inspiration'' (Martin Sprouse, editor, 1991 Pressure Drop Press: San Francisco, ) outlines his notably religious world view and motivation, unusual for a Dischord band.

Discography

* ''Plays for Lovers'' 1985 Dischord Records (catalog No. 17) Bruce Atchley Taylor plays drums. * ''Need a Job'' 1986 Olive Tree Records (catalog No. 106) Mark Shellhaas plays drums. * ''House Burning Down'' 1987 Dischord Records (catalog No. 23) Kenny Craun plays drums.

References

External links

Interview with Tomas Squip
(now known as Onam Emmet)

Onam Emmet
(formerly Tomas Squip) speak about Positive Force shows {{Authority control Punk rock groups from Washington, D.C. American post-hardcore musical groups Dischord Records artists First-wave emo bands American emo musical groups

History

Discography

See also

References

External links