Skewbald/Grand Union | |
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EP by Skewbald/Grand Union | |
Released | 1991 |
Recorded | November 1981 |
Studio | Inner Ear (Arlington, Virginia) |
Genre | Hardcore punk |
Length | 4:07 |
Label | Dischord |
Producer | Skewbald/Grand Union |
Skewbald/Grand Union, also known as 2 Songs, [1] is the eponymous archival EP featuring the only studio recordings by American hardcore punk band Skewbald/Grand Union.
Commonly known as simply Skewbald, [2] Skewbald/Grand Union was a short-lived hardcore punk band from Washington, D.C., founded by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, after their previous band, Minor Threat, broke up for their first time [3] [4] in September 1981. [nb 1] [5] Their lineup was rounded out by guitarist Edward Janney [nb 2] [7] and bassist John Falls. [nb 3] [2] [3] [4] [6] [8] [9]
The band's strange name was a result of a friendly dispute between MacKaye and Nelson. The four-piece was initially named Grand Union, after a nearby grocery store. MacKaye then found the word "skewbald" in a dictionary, and thought it was a better name. Nelson, however, still preferred Grand Union. [3] The two were unable to favor either title, and the disagreement was never settled. [2] [4] [6] [8] [9]
In November 1981, the band recorded three untitled demo songs, not originally intended for release, in a self-produced session, engineered by Don Zientara at Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia. [2] [6] [8] After recording, the rehearsals came to a halt and Falls left the project. [2] Eventually, MacKaye moved from vocals to bass and the band practiced as a three-piece a few more times in early 1982, but Skewbald/Grand Union, who never came to play a show, was dissolved upon the reformation of Minor Threat in the spring of 1982. [nb 4] [2] [4] [6] [9] [11] [12]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [13] |
For ten years, the recordings of Skewbald/Grand Union [14] made the rounds in tape trading circles and some erroneously believed that the songs were Minor Threat outtakes. [2] [4]
In 1991, the demo received a proper release, on 7-inch clear vinyl, when Dischord Records issued the one-sided EP Skewbald/Grand Union [nb 5] [4] [6] to commemorate the label's 50th release. [2] Two out of the three songs were merged on the first track.
Skewbald/Grand Union was reissued as a CD EP [nb 6] [1] in October 1997. [1] [6] [15] Individual tracks were made also available as digital downloads. [1]
In 2002, the medley "Sorry/Change for the Same" was featured on the 3-CD compilation box set 20 Years of Dischord. [nb 7] [16] [17]
All tracks written by Skewbald/Grand Union
Production