Youth Brigade (Washington, D.C., band)

Nathan Strejcek of the Teen Idles and Danny Ingram of the Untouchables formed Youth Brigade in late 1980, shortly after the California punk band of the same name. The two were childhood friends and together attended Wilson High School along with Ian and Alec MacKaye, Bert Quieroz, Geordie Grindle, Jeff Nelson, and many other future members of bands on Strejcek's Dischord Records imprint.Mark Andersen and Mark Jenkins, Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital, Akashic Books, 2003, pp. 81 Singer Strejcek and drummer Ingram initially played with a few different bassists and guitarists, including future Skewbald/Grand Union member John Falls on guitar, and bassist Greg.[http://www.dementlieu.com/users/obik/arc/dc/youthb_tg15.html Touch and Go Fanzine #15], July 1981 The Youth Brigade lineup was ultimately completed by Quieroz (also of The Untouchables) on bass and Tom Clinton on guitar.

The band debuted in March 1981, played the first Black Flag show on the East Coast shortly thereafter,Andersen and Jenkins 83 and embarked on an aborted tour with Minor ThreatAndersen and Jenkins 92 that ended when Clinton's mother demanded the return of their tour van, which she owned.Andersen and Jenkins 95Steve Blush, American Hardcore: A Tribal History, Feral House, 2010 (second edition), pp. 160 They recorded a demo at Inner Ear Studios in mid-1981.{{cite magazine|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/dischord_records_releasing_dc_youth_brigades_complete_first_demo|title=Early DC Punks Youth Brigade Remembered with Demo Collection|author=Gregory Adams|magazine=Exclaim!|date=October 15, 2015|access-date=November 25, 2018}} Their only release during this era was the Possible 7-inch EP on Dischord. Its title was a tongue-in-cheek response to Ian MacKaye, who cited a "possible EP by Youth Brigade" in an early Dischord ad.Andersen and Jenkins 98 They played their final show in December, and had three songs included on the Flex Your Head compilation released in January 1982.

Though short-lived, the band is cited as an early influence on the development of hardcore punk in the United States and in Washington, D.C. more locally.Michael Azerrad, Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981–1991, Little Brown, 2010, pp. 127Jeff Apter, The Dave Grohl Story, Omnibus Press, 2018, pp. 18 Their scant recordings and appearance on the popular Flex Your Head compilation have helped them to continue to remain influential. Additionally, several band members went on to other notable projects. Queiroz was in the later Dischord bands Double-O (briefly alongside Clinton), Second Wind, and the post-hardcore band Rain. He also had a stint in The Meatmen. Ingram went on to play in the U.K. band Swervedriver, Strange Boutique, EmmaPeel, and Dot Dash. Strejcek left Dischord and the hardcore music scene soon after the band's breakup.

On December 29, 2012, Strejcek, Ingram, and Quieroz reunited for a Youth Brigade show at the Washington, D.C., club The Black Cat, with Steve Hansgen (ex-Minor Threat, ex-Government Issue, and then a member of Ingram's group Dot Dash) playing guitar.{{cite web|url=https://bigtakeover.com/concerts/scream-government-issue-and-youth-brigade-black-cat-washington-dc-saturday-december-29-2012|title=Scream, Government Issue, and Youth Brigade, Black Cat, Washington, D.C.|publisher=bigtakeover.com|date=December 29, 2012|access-date=November 24, 2018}} The show was a benefit for the D.C. hardcore documentary Salad Days and also featured Scream and Government Issue.{{cite web|url=https://www.verbicidemagazine.com/2012/10/23/dag-nasty-youth-brigade-government-issue-black-market-baby-and-more-dc-bands-to-reunite-for-december-show/|title=Dag Nasty, Youth Brigade, Government Issue, Black Market Baby, and more D.C. bands to reunite for December show|publisher=Verbicide Magazine|date=October 23, 2012|access-date=November 24, 2018}} That same foursome played a second show in February 2013 at the 9:30 Club as part of the "Punk-Funk Throwdown" series.

In 2015, Dischord issued the Youth Brigade demo recording as the Complete First Demo EP. Writing for PunkNews.org, critic Alexander Lalama praised the record's raw musicianship and production, calling it a "gem" of a "historical document".{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/review/14261/youth-brigade-complete-first-demo|title=Youth Brigade Complete First Demo|publisher=punknews.org|access-date=November 24, 2018}}

• Nathan Strejcek – vocals (1980–1981, 2012–2013)
• Danny Ingram – drums (1980–1981, 2012–2013)
• John Falls – guitar (1980)
• Greg – bass (1980)
• Bert Queiroz – bass (1980–1981, 2012–2013)
• Tom Clinton – guitar (1980–1981)
• Steve Hansgen – guitar (2012–2013)

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Studio recordings

• Possible (EP) (Dischord Records, 1981)
• Complete First Demo (EP) (Dischord Records, 2015)

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Compilations

• Flex Your Head (Dischord Records, 1982)
• The Year in 7″s (Dischord Records, 1984)

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{{reflist|2}}

• [http://www.dischord.com/band/youth-brigade Youth Brigade on Dischord Records.com]
• [http://www.discogs.com/artist/271700-Youth-Brigade-2 Youth Brigade on Discogs]

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Category:Hardcore punk groups from Washington, D.C.

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1981

Category:American musical quartets