Description
2026 reissue, 12″ compilation LP, Dischord Records. Pantone Orange Jacket/Fluorescent orange vinyl. 45rpm.
Before linking up with Guy Picciotto of Rites Of Spring to form the legendary post-hardcore outfit Fugazi, a younger, more disillusioned Ian MacKaye would front one of the defining groups of the 80s punk scene. Putting Washington D.C. on the map as a true hardcore haven, Minor Threat dealt in cathartic barrages of hyper-intense, exceptionally brief pieces that attempted to reroute punk to its most direct and extreme values. Compiling the band’s first two EPs – their original self-titled 7″ and In My Eyes, released in June and December of 1981, respectively, this compilation has served as a vital blueprint, gateway, gamechanger, and true introduction to the underground world of hardcore for literally thousands of listeners across several generations. Complete with its iconic cover image of MacKaye’s younger brother Alec (Hammered Hulls, Untouchables, The Faith), hunched over despondently, and recreated/imitated by everyone from Rancid to even Nike (which is beyond ironic when considering MacKaye’s anti-capitalist ideals), the name Minor Threat, the singular image adorning the artwork, and most importantly the barrage of visceral classics such as ‘Seeing Red’, ‘Small Man, Big Mouth’, ‘Out Of Step (With The World)’ and ‘Guilty Of Being White’ have long since cemented this project as an essential piece of hardcore memorabilia, while the track ‘Straight Edge’ would inadvertently spawn the entire clear-headed movement for decades to come, remaining a respected subset of the hardcore community ever since.
