Had it not been for the American hardcore punk scene of the early 1980s, there wouldn't be bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers or Beastie Boys today. The fast, angst-driven music of punk pioneers such as Black Flag, Minor Threat and Bad Brains paved the road for the commercialized rock music of today. The independent documentary "American Hardcore: The History of American Punk Rock 1980-1986" chronicles the rise and fall of the hardcore punk scene that was the soundtrack to a social movement that was fueled by anger towards the Reagan administration.
Inspired by the book "American Hardcore: A Tribal History" by Steven Blush, director Paul Rachman calls upon the most influential artists and other participants of the hardcore punk scene to give first-hand accounts of their experience in the nationwide hardcore punk scene. The film is enhanced with motion graphics and animation by John Vondrace. Flashing images of concert footage, flyers and maps of the United States with punk band logos as landmarks from each city and state interlace the interviews and visually add to the commentary.
Hardcore punk sought to overcome the materialistic greed that drove popular music of the time. Disco and later new wave music of the 1980s was a flashy, neon-colored aesthetic that hardcore punk rebelled against. The most influential band on the scene was also one of the very first.
By 1979, Bad Brains was among the forerunners in the early years of the hardcore punk movement in Washington, D.C. Their high energy performances, which included stage dives had them banned from most performance venues in the area.
They relocated to New York where they were leaders of the hardcore movement there. Minor Threat, another Washington, D.C.
band, got their first gig opening for their heroes, Bad Brains. They formed their own record label, Discord Records, where they hand-packaged and distributed their music.
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