i think that as a band we have always been very up front about our localism and our attachment to the musical legacy of this area. we're a DC band both as an accident of geography and as a matter of acculturation and we make no bones about it. that said we don't recognize any pressure to maintain or defend any behaviour pattern, dress code, thought limit, tablet of commandments or menu selection. all that other stuff is just projection from the outside and it would be as hard for us to decode it as to live up to it anyway.

what one social or political cause do you feel the strongest about and why?

i'm not a big fan of questions like this which make you pick a "favorite" because whatever you choose creates a whole list of "well what about 'fill in the blank?' " and there are certainly no shortage of important issues or problems in urgent need of address. but what the hell i'll put in my two cents for an examination of the prison system . one of the two fastest growing industries in this country is the building of prisons - its almost as if criminality were a natural resource to manufacture and exploit. our rates of incarceration are the worst in the world and they are particularly awful in reference to the minority community. it is really something that needs to be reexamined because the idea of prison seems like one of those accepted "necessary" evils so that no one ever really wants to spend a lot of time investigating alternatives.

what do you think is the best way to become involved in efforts aimed at social change, especially if you're young and seemingly anonymous?

i guess its like anything else - if you want to get involved -get involved. there's no formula for stuff like that - you just need to start making connections with people, ideas and organizations that interest you, that marshal your energy and enthusiasm. a good way to start is to dispense with any sense that being young means you're anonymous or without any muscle to flex.

with the vocalized ideologies of a political band like fugazi, how difficult is it to sustain the band's and your own integrity? and do you find yourself defending your actions/thoughts/etc to your fans or critics?

its not hard at all - its not like we burdened ourselves without alot of baggage that we didn't want to carry. every decision we've made about the way we do our thing has been adopted because we find it makes our work easier, more comfortable and more linked to what we want to accomplish. its not a chore - its a pleasure. and we don't really ever feel the need to defend ourselves- its not that we feel above people's criticisms, its just that we would rather focus on the work at hand then spend alot of time trying to smooth ruffled feathers.

i know the lyrical content of fugazi's music is essential. but what influences the lyrical style, that element of creative writing that is inherent in the songs? Who might you point to as inspiration?

i think for the most part both ian and i have a pretty hard time writing lyrics so we don't really have any set method or quick inspiration to point to. we just try to write about stuff that matters to us in a manner that we feel does justice to the topic at hand. that comes off as kind of vague i guess but its not an easy process to analyze - it just comes or it doesn't. sometimes it takes forever for a song to offer a hint of some angle to attack it from. it can be a protracted pain in the ass. other times its like it just falls out all neat and tied with a bow. its a weird thing.

do you find it difficult to maintain a band within the constraints of adulthood? and how did the american "norm" of a 9 to 5 career affect your decision to devote yourself to the music industry?

well, i don't really recognize the idea of adulthood. i'm 33 years old and i'm pretty much motivated by the same things that motivated me at 17, ie: i want to hang with my friends, i want to play music. it wasn't like i ever made a decision to not pursue an alternate career path - i just kept rolling along from band to band and when fugazi came along all i did was agree to do it and now 11 years later its still going on. and i don't feel devoted to the music industry - i just feel devoted to music. if/when i need to get a job apart from a band, i will always maintain a devotion to music. the industry part is just mechanical - it doesn't encourage devotion.

what changes have you perceived among the dc music scene since your days in rites of spring through the present? and how do you think the fan base has changed, if at all?

that's kind of a hard one to nutshell - i'm not sure i could say actually. to me everything feels completely different but that's a long road covered in the last 15 years. in rites of spring everything felt raw and first time - now i kind of have a more distanced perspective on things. as far as fan base - i guess its just a lot more people now. i mean ROS only played around 14 shows in its career and barely left town. fugazi has been all over the world so its a sizably different kettle of fish.

few people are afforded the opportunity (or are unable to take advantage of it) to pursue their creative outlets as a career. how has the ability to sustain yourself as a full-time musician in a popular and well-respected band affected your lifestyle?

its made me happy basically. its all i ever really wanted to do and i feel lucky that i hooked up with the right people to do it with.

which albums get constant play on your stereo? or, which album have you recently picked up that just overwhelmed you?

this week: (2/4/99)

1. the bad brains ROIR cassette

2. colin blunstone's "one year"

3. 13th floor elevators "manicure your mind"

4. bikini kill "singles"