“Salad Days: A Decade Of Punk in Washington, DC (1980-90)” DVD (director: Scott Crawford)

The quintessential DC punk document

A welcomed and superb full-length documentary on the DC punk scene by longtime scene journalist Scott Crawford, “Salad Days” is as comprehensive as they come. Just about every major scene player is interviewed here, including Ian MacKaye, Henry Rollins, Thurston Moore, Dave Grohl, J. Robbins, Craig Wedren, Kevin Seconds, and tons more.  

As well, there’s an abundance of great live footage of all the bands, Dischord-based and otherwise (Positive Force and the straight-edge movements are discussed here, of course, too), including Minor Threat, Fugazi, Marginal Man, Embrace, Egghunt, Government Issue, Dag Nasty, Gray Matter, Beefeater, Holy Rollers, Soulside, and more. Detailing the beginnings and endings of the whole scene, from the earliest teenage days to the alternative explosion of the early 90s, “Salad Days” highlights the reverence and relevance that the punk scene had and continues to have today. It’s a loving portrait of the misfits and freaks behind the scenes making a difference and changing attitudes in a city where bureaucracy and corporate interests undermine basic humanity. For anyone with even a passing interest in classic punk rock and the idealism it embodies, this is a must-see. Superb!

MVD Visual

"SpokAnarchy!" DVD (directors: David W. Halsell, Erica K. Schisler, Jon Swanstrom, Heather Swanstrom, Theresa Halsell, and Cory Wees)

This fun, energetic, and interesting documentary is subtitled "Where were you in '82?", and that sums up this look into Spokane's loose-knit underground & punk scene in the early 80s. Interviewing a number of scenesters, band members, artists, and associates from the years "before punk broke", "SpokAnarchy" also features a wealth of rare photos, flyer art, and live clips of bands who never "made it", but are now, fortunately, immortalized in digital form.

Suffice to say, if you weren't from Spokane in the 80s, you've likely never heard of these artists, renegades, outsiders, and punks, but I think nearly anyone from a small, conservative town can relate. There are so many great stories and memories, most of which are forgotten as time and technology march onwards. Congrats to all the filmmakers here, for capturing a time and place that would be long since forgotten. I'm inspired again, and wish someone would make a film like this about my own "small-town" punk scene. Hmm. (Carnage & Rouge/MVD Visual)

Spokanarchy site