Marrón - Capital (2014)

RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW: SPARKMARKER - ‘PRODUCTS AND ACCESSORIES’

It’s probably safe to say that every major city in the world had its own unifying punk/hardcore band in the 90’s. Washington, DC had Fugazi. Richmond, VA had Avail. Olympia, WA had Bikini Kill. Gainseville, FL had (and still has) Hot Water Music. It goes on and on. And for Vancouver, BC, during the early- to mid-‘90s, that unifying band was Sparkmarker. Products and Accessories, the band’s first full-length album (with 7” and compilation tracks tacked on for good measure), was more than just a cleverly packaged, gatefold-style compact disc; it brought the Vancouver punk scene together and gave birth to the idea that your friends could become your heroes[...]

Read the whole article here

Ritual Mess - Formal Apology (2014)

DIY YYJ: A Look at Victoria, British Columbia’s Weirdo Underground Punk Scene

DIY YYJ: A Look at Victoria, British Columbia’s Weirdo Underground Punk Scene

By Jason Schreurs



Six Brew Bantha playing in a loft

There's something fucked up about Victoria, British Columbia’s underground punk scene. And we're not talking fucked up, like broken, but fucked up, like weird, and cool, and different. It could be the isolated location of Vancouver Island (you have to take a ferry or plane to get there), and the fact that Victoria musicians just have a bit more freedom to be weirdos, but the do-it-yourself punk scene in British Columbia’s capital is, how shall we say, fucked up? And it’s always been that way [...]

Read the rest at noisey:

http://noisey.vice.com/en_ca/blog/diy-yyj-a-look-at-victoria-bcs-perpetually-weirdo-underground-punk-scene

Ian and Alec @ Cafe Q, Gavle, Sweden 10/01/90

http://dischord.tumblr.com

Sparkmarker 90s CBC interview

Praise - Safe Place (2014)

Suburbanite - When They Fucking Turn (2014)

Failures - Trust Me (2014)

Glen E. Friedman & Ian MacKaye discuss some of the photographs in MY RULES the book (2014)

Glen E. Friedman & Ian MacKaye discuss some of the photographs in MY RULES the book (2014) from Burning Flags Press on Vimeo.

Longings - Demo (2013)

The untold story of Ottawa ‘90s emo-hardcore band Shotmaker

Shotmaker (photo: Shawn Scallen)

By Jason Schreurs

The ‘90s emo-hardcore scene was an explosion of angsty bands with overtly political lyrics and lead screamers who frequently rolled around on the floors of brightly lit youth centres and community halls. Those of us who were part of that scene, despite its ambient shortcomings, hold a very dear place in our hearts for it. It’s where we grew up, learned about the world around us and met some of our dearest friends. One band from that scene that provided a different musical aesthetic, and is one of the few that have stood the test of time musically, is Ottawa’s Shotmaker...

http://www.riceandbreadmagazine.com/the-untold-story-of-ottawa-90s-emo-hardcore-band-shotmaker/

Five Under-Appreciated DC Hardcore Bands

Fugazi, Rites of Spring, Minor Threat and even Void have all now gotten their due, to some extent; they’ve even become the few token Washington, DC hardcore bands appreciated by the punks and alternative types who are generally disinterested in that scene. But there was a wealth of great bands in that city during the ’80s and ’90s, as you’ll see below, and many of them have been unfortunately overshadowed

http://www.riceandbreadmagazine.com/five-under-appreciated-dc-hardcore-bands/