August 25, 2014 · by MURPH · in About Swobo, Customers, Dealers, Showcase,TEAM RADIO SWOBO. ·
Fugazi has always held a special place in my heart. I’ve loved their music and it was the soundtrack to much of my high school and college years. I saw them only once in Milwaukee and it was a memorable experience to say the least.
But beyond just the tunes, I’ve always respected the way they tour, play shows without set lists, AND they way they do business. After I graduated and left Wisconsin for DC for my first post-college job, I ended up moving into the neighborhood where the Dischord Records mailing address has stood for its entire existence–Ian MacKaye’s family home. I remember the first time I walked past Beecher street from the bus stop and couldn’t remember why that name jumped out at me. I went home to check the back of End Hits to confirm. It was a silly moment of coincidental joy.
Over the years their continued integrity to doing things their way has served as a regular reminder–if not an inspiration–to buck the prevailing trend and do what you know is the right thing to do. The folks at Dischord Records have it down to a science. From selling their LPs with complimentary digital downloads, to archiving and making available online all of the shows from Fugazi, to just keeping pricing reasonable.
Perhaps it isn’t the most popular, or lucrative, but doing something the right way is always more fulfilling. I think we at Swobo use this as a guide as to how we make decisions–or at least I really hope we do. We try to take care of a customer or a dealer how we would want to be treated. We make things in a quality fashion even if it costs more, is a bigger risk, and isn’t exactly how everyone else is doing it. Also, we sell things in an honest fashion. Our online sales don’t blow out our dealers, and we don’t stack our brick and mortar partners on top of one another–we like to give them room to breath and serve their customers the best way they can. We really want Swobo resellers to be part of our family. Honest dealings beget satisfied partners.
Anyway, back to Fugazi…Recently, a few gems popped up around various parts of the internet and I’d like to share them with you. Maybe listening to the soothing tones from Ian MacKaye in a radio interview isn’t your idea of a great way to spend part of an afternoon, but I’d recommend giving it a shot. That guy has a pretty great outlook and has been the voice of reason and common sense for many of my generation (and those slightly before and after me).
The Dischord Records co-founder talks D.C. punk history and more with WTJU. courtesy of WAMU
And then there is this beauty of a video. Glen E. Friedman & Ian MacKaye discuss some of the photographs in MY RULES the book (2014) from Burning Flags Press onVimeo. While not pertaining only to Fugazi, Ian and photographer Glen Friedman reminisce about their shared moments of artistic gold and everything else amazing that Friedman has done. If you don’t recognize Friedman’s name, you will most definitely know his work. That is, unless you have been living inside a closet for the last 30 years. Who knows? This guy might not know Friedman’s work, but pretty much everyone else will.
Also, for the record, this is one of my favorite books I have. If you can, snag yourself a copy.
And remember, maybe sometimes it isn’t the easy way of doing things, but doing something that your gut tells you is the right way always feels more satisfying.
Enjoy!
Love, Murph.