Propagandhi
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Propagandhi is a political punk rock/thrash band formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1986 by Chris Hannah and Jord Samolesky.
Known for championing left-wing causes and standing up against human rights violations, the band's political attitude includes anti-racism, anti-homophobia, anti-imperialism, anti-fascism, and anti-capitalism. Moral and ethical attitudes include veganism.
History
Early Years: How to Clean Everything and Less Talk, More Rock
In 1992, Propagandhi played a show with California punk-rock band NOFX. NOFX's singer, Fat Mike, asked them to come to L.A. to record what would become their first album, How To Clean Everything. The album was released on Fat Mike's own record label, Fat Wreck Chords, in 1993.
The band spent the next three years touring and enjoying the popularity provided by the explosion in popularity of punk-rock in the mid 1990's. In 1996 they recorded and released their second album, Less Talk, More Rock, also on Fat Wreck Chords. The album title was a joke, as Propagandhi were well known for going into lengthy rants during their live performances. The album was, if anything, even more out-spoken than its predecessor, with song titles like "Apparently I'm a P.C. Fascist (Because I Care About Both Human and Non-Human Animals)", "Nailing Descartes To The Wall / (Liquid) Meat Is Still Murder," and "... And We Thought That Nation States Were a Bad Idea."
Intermediary Period: G7 Records and Where Quantity is Job #1
After Less Talk, More Rock was released, bassist John K. Samson decided to quit the band and form The Weakerthans. Chris and Jord founded the record label G7 Welcoming Committee Records (which released the Weakerthans' first album). The label, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the band members' dislike for the G7 (which has since become the G8) is based on the economic structure proposed in Robin Hahnel and Michael Albert's Parecon, and was initially started thanks to a $50,000 loan from Fat Mike. During this time, Propagandhi released a collection of demos, alternate takes, covers and live songs called Where Quantity is Job #1. New bassist Todd Kowalski, formerly of the bands I Spy and Swallowing Shit, was hired to replace Samson.
Later Years: Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes
After four years, Propagandhi released their third full-length album, Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes. The album was a major departure from their previous works. The song titles and lyrics of Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes furthered the sphere of their politic views, now coming with the addition of the song-writing styles of Todd, who had previously played in Canadian hardcore bands I Spy and Swallowing Shit. The album built upon a heavier, speedier, and more contemporary punk sound, almost working with metal-like riffs. The album also included enhanced CD-ROM with political videos and essays concerning such topics as COINTELPRO and the Black Panther Party.
Recent Developments: Potemkin City Limits and \"Glen Lambert\"
Propagandhi released its newest album, Potemkin City Limits on October 18, 2005. The album was something of a logical stylistic evolution from their past CDs: the songs now somewhat slower and longer, with somewhat of an 80's metal influence. And the subjects were more distinct and far reaching than those on How to Clean Everything. Like Today's Empire's, Tomorrow's Ashes, the album has multimedia content, with a number of Adobe PDF files on topics such as Parecon and veganism and a site featuring links to websites of organizations Propagandhi supports. It does not, however, include any videos, as their previous album had.
Chris Hannah adopted the pseudonym "Glen Lambert" for use in the release of Potemkin City Limits, causing a great deal of confusion among less-observant fans, reviewers, and commentators. While all the band members had used pseudonyms on all the previous releases and continued the tradition with Potemkin City Limits, in September 2005, G7 Welcoming Committee had jokingly announced that Chris had left the band in 2003, and the remaining members had found a replacement in one Glen Lambert, formerly of the Portage Terriers. This claim was quickly proven to be untrue through a multitude of sources, but many fans, not realizing it was all a hoax, were victims of Hannah's sarcastic sense of humour.
Discography
Albums
- How to Clean Everything (Fat Wreck Chords, 1993)
- Less Talk, More Rock (Fat Wreck Chords, 1996)
- Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes (Fat Wreck Chords/G7 Welcoming Committee Records, 2001)
- Potemkin City Limits (Fat Wreck Chords/G7 Welcoming Committee Records, 2005)
EPs
- How to Clean a Couple o' Things 7" (Fat Wreck Chords, 1993)
- Where Quality is Job #1 double 7" (Recess Records, 1994), possibly a compilation of early material
Splits
- I'd Rather Be Flag-Burning 10" with I Spy (Recess Records, 1995)
- Propagandhi/F.Y.P. (a.k.a. "Letter of Resignation") 7" with F.Y.P. (Recess Records, 1995)
Live
- Yep. cassette (Applecore Records, 1995)
Compilations
- Where Quantity is Job #1 (G7 Welcoming Committee Records, 1998), a collection of demos, live tracks, alternate takes, and songs donated to other compilations.
Various
These are donated songs not appearing on Where Quantity is Job #1:- "Portage La Prairie" from Play at Your Own Risk, Volume 2 (Recess Records, 1994), possibly either a joke song or one of the band's earliest recordings, it features John K. Samson singing over a synthesized beat
- "Nation States" from Survival of the Fattest (Fat Wreck Chords, 1996), a different version of the track found on Less Talk, More Rock
- "The Only Good Fascist is a Dead Fascist (Dallas Hansen Dance Mix)" from Better Read Than Dead (AK Press/Epitaph Records, 1994), the same track from Less Talk, More Rock but with an answering machine message critical of the band played before and after the song
- "Hard Times", a Cro-Mags cover from Return of the Read Menace (AK Press/G7 Welcoming Committee Records, 1998), possibly the first studio-recorded track to feature bassist Todd Kowalski
- "War is Peace, Slavery is Freedom, May All Your Interventions Be Humanitarian" from Live Fat, Die Young (Fat Wreck Chords, 2001)
External links
- [Official Website]
- [G7 Welcoming Committee]
- [Ska, Punk and Other Junk.com: Interview with Propagandhi]
- [Sound Scene Revolution: Interview with Jord Samolesky of Propagandhi]
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