Rites of Spring

This article is about the band. For other uses, see Rites of Spring (disambiguation).
Rites of Spring
Rites of Spring members Guy Picciotto (left) and Mike Fellows (right) performing
Rites of Spring members Guy Picciotto (left) and Mike Fellows (right) performing
Background information
OriginWashington, D.C., U.S.
Genres
Years active1983–1986
LabelsDischord
Past members

Rites of Spring was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in late 1983.[7] Along with Embrace, and Beefeater, they were one of the mainstay acts of the 1985 Revolution Summer movement[8] which took place within the Washington, D.C. hardcore punk scene.

Musically, Rites of Spring increased the frenetic violence and visceral passion of hardcore punk while simultaneously experimenting with its compositional rules. Lyrically, they also shifted hardcore into intensely personal realms and, in doing so, are often considered the first emo band,[4] but the band itself rejected any association between themselves and the emo label.[9][1]

The band only performed 19 shows, 16 in the DC area and 3 outside of DC.[10] Vocalist/guitarist Guy Picciotto and drummer Brendan Canty went on to play in Fugazi with producer and former Minor Threat singer Ian MacKaye in the late 1980s, while bassist Mike Fellows formed Miighty Flashlight and has had a solo career.

  1. ^ a b Huey, Steve. "Rites of Spring". AllMusic. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Pattison, Louis (November 27, 2012). "Rites of Spring and the summer that changed punk rock". The Guardian. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  3. ^ "ites of Spring - Rites of Spring (album review)". Sputnik Music. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  4. ^ a b DeRogatis, Jim (1999). "Emo (The Genre That Dare Not Speak Its Name)". Guitar World. Future US, Inc. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  5. ^ a b McCaleb, Ian. "Rites of Spring". Trouser Press. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  6. ^ Jewett, Chad (July 13, 2015). "Jukebox Breakdown: Rites Of Spring – "All Through A Life"". Half Cloth. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  7. ^ Rice, Barbara (1985). "Rites of Spring: From Insurrection to resurrection". Truly Needy (10): 20–23.
  8. ^ Andersen, Mark; Jenkins, Mark (Soft Skull Press, 2001). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital. Fourth ed., 2009. Akashic Books. ISBN 9781933354996. p. 193.
  9. ^ Greenwald, Andy (2003). Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo. New York: St. Martin's Griffin. pp. 13–4. ISBN 0312308639.
  10. ^ "Rites Of Spring". Dischord Records Official Website. Dischord Records. 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-16.