Capitol City Dusters
Encyclopedia
The Capitol City Dusters was a punk
band
from Washington, D.C.
, USA that played from 1996 till 2003.
nightclub in Washington DC with Regulator Watts
and The Most Secret Method.
Impetus for The Dusters came from Alec Bourgeois in the fall of 1995. He was looking for an outlet for his continued songwriting from his former band Severin
which had recently broken up in late 1993. He met Ben Azzara through the introduction of a mutual friend upon his recent split from The Delta 72
. Alec and Ben began practicing together working out songs. The first Dusters line-up was solidified with the addition of Bill Colgrove, previously from the Rochester
, N.Y. based, hardcore band, Foundation. Bill and Ben had known each other as Foundation and Junction. Ben's previous band, Junction often played shows together in the late 1980s.
The Dusters released two vinyl-only releases on Superbad Records. Forest Fire b/w Seventeen 7" was released in October of 1996. And in 1997 a vinyl 10" featuring 3 songs a piece from The Dusters and their friends The Most Secret Method.
Shortly after the release of the 10" Bill left the band. He was briefly replaced by Mark Lacasse to record the full-length Simplicity. The Simplicity album was released in October of 1998 as a split release between Superbad and Dischord Records. It was recorded at WGNS
in Washington, D.C. with Geoff Turner (Gray Matter
& New Wet Kojak
).
In October 1999 the Dusters toured Europe with Barcelona, Spain's, Aina
. Aina and The Dusters shared a tour split 7" that was released on BCore disc
in Europe and on Superbad/Dischord in the United States.
In mid 2001 the Capitol City Dusters, now consisting of; Alec Bourgeois on vocals and guitar, Ben Azzara on drums, and Jesse Quitslund on bass and vocals, recorded their second full-length, Rock Creek. Recorded at Phase Studios in the summer and fall of 2001 it was released on Dischord Records on April 1, 2002. This was their first release to be put out exclusively on Dischord Records.
The Dusters toured extensively upon the release of Rock Creek, playing dates along the U.S. Atlantic coast in May, touring in Spain with Aina in June, and returning for a full US tour in the fall of that year. In the spring of 2003 the Dusters returned to Europe. This tour was by far their best to date but was also to be their last. Shortly upon the band's return to the U.S. they quietly disbanded.
and the DCIC (DC Improvisers Collective). Ben is also involved with The Alkem Foundation, a non-profit online community resource in Washington, DC.
Jesse Quitslund played briefly with Dame Fate before moving to the west coast from Washington DC. He is currently working as a guitar tech and has toured with Lucinda Williams
and Death Cab for Cutie
among others. Jesse still performs as a solo artist under the name Check Please.
Alec Bourgeois works at Dischord Records
and publishes the blog My Life As a Professional Fake Skateboard Champion http://www.professionalfake.blogspot.com.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
from Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, USA that played from 1996 till 2003.
Early career
The Dusters played their first show on June 2, 1996 at The Black CatThe Black Cat (nightclub)
Black Cat is a nightclub in Washington, D.C., located on 14th Street Northwest in the Shaw/U Street neighborhood. The club was founded in 1993 and quickly established itself as a venue for independent music...
nightclub in Washington DC with Regulator Watts
Regulator Watts
Regulator Watts was a rock band from Washington, D.C.. It lasted from 1996 to 1998.The band's music resembles that of illustrious predecessor Hoover, with more of an emphasis on taut, mechanical basslines and feedback-laden, spare guitar lines, as opposed to Hoover's fluid, jazzy basslines and...
and The Most Secret Method.
Impetus for The Dusters came from Alec Bourgeois in the fall of 1995. He was looking for an outlet for his continued songwriting from his former band Severin
Severin
Severin, Séverin or Severinus may refer to:* Severin -Places:* Caraş-Severin County, a county in Romania* Severin County, a defunct county in Romania that was merged into the present Caraş-Severin County...
which had recently broken up in late 1993. He met Ben Azzara through the introduction of a mutual friend upon his recent split from The Delta 72
The Delta 72
The Delta 72 were an American alternative music band formed in Washington, DC in the summer of 1994, later relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. Alec and Ben began practicing together working out songs. The first Dusters line-up was solidified with the addition of Bill Colgrove, previously from the Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, N.Y. based, hardcore band, Foundation. Bill and Ben had known each other as Foundation and Junction. Ben's previous band, Junction often played shows together in the late 1980s.
The Dusters released two vinyl-only releases on Superbad Records. Forest Fire b/w Seventeen 7" was released in October of 1996. And in 1997 a vinyl 10" featuring 3 songs a piece from The Dusters and their friends The Most Secret Method.
Shortly after the release of the 10" Bill left the band. He was briefly replaced by Mark Lacasse to record the full-length Simplicity. The Simplicity album was released in October of 1998 as a split release between Superbad and Dischord Records. It was recorded at WGNS
WGNS
WGNS is a radio station based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States operating at 1450 kHz on the AM dial. It signed on the air on January 1, 1947. The call letters are an acronym representing the phrase, "Good Neighbor Station"...
in Washington, D.C. with Geoff Turner (Gray Matter
Gray Matter (band)
Gray Matter was a post-hardcore band from Washington, D.C., who played in the 1980s and '90s. They disbanded in 1986, but reformed in 1990.On September 12, 2008, the band reformed for a one off reunion show to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the Black Cat, a night club in Washington DC,...
& New Wet Kojak
New Wet Kojak
New Wet Kojak was an American indie rock band from New York and Washington, D.C.The group was formed when two members of Girls Against Boys, Scott McCloud and Johnny Temple, joined three other former residents of Washington, D.C., Geoff Turner , Nick Pellicciotto , and Charles Bennington...
).
Change of name
Prior to touring in support of this release, an old friend of Alec's, Jesse Quitslund (Vile Cherubs & Please) was added on bass. The Dusters toured the U.S. in the fall of 1998 and spring of 1999. Also just prior to Simplicity's release they officially changed their name to "The Capitol City Dusters", both to usher in a new era and to decrease confusion with bands using a similar nomenclature.In October 1999 the Dusters toured Europe with Barcelona, Spain's, Aina
Aina (band)
Aina is a progressive metal supergroup, containing members from all over the world and from all strands of metal and hard rock. Together they created the metal opera Days of Rising Doom, which was released in 2003 by Transmission/The End Records....
. Aina and The Dusters shared a tour split 7" that was released on BCore disc
Bcore disc
BCore Disc is an independent Spanish record label focused on the hardcore punk DYI culture. It has been active since 1990 and it has released most of Spanish hardcore bands in its earliest period, and through the years it has opened its style range to all indie rock tendencies, from the poppier Les...
in Europe and on Superbad/Dischord in the United States.
In mid 2001 the Capitol City Dusters, now consisting of; Alec Bourgeois on vocals and guitar, Ben Azzara on drums, and Jesse Quitslund on bass and vocals, recorded their second full-length, Rock Creek. Recorded at Phase Studios in the summer and fall of 2001 it was released on Dischord Records on April 1, 2002. This was their first release to be put out exclusively on Dischord Records.
The Dusters toured extensively upon the release of Rock Creek, playing dates along the U.S. Atlantic coast in May, touring in Spain with Aina in June, and returning for a full US tour in the fall of that year. In the spring of 2003 the Dusters returned to Europe. This tour was by far their best to date but was also to be their last. Shortly upon the band's return to the U.S. they quietly disbanded.
After the breakup
Ben Azzara continues to perform and record with a myriad of projects including, Sarah Azzara (his spouse), Pup TentPup Tent
Pup Tent is an album by Luna.-Background:"Bobby Peru" is named after an eccentric, overtly creepy character played by Willem Dafoe in the David Lynch film Wild at Heart. Wareham read the phrase "Fuzzy Wuzzy" in a Don DeLillo book...
and the DCIC (DC Improvisers Collective). Ben is also involved with The Alkem Foundation, a non-profit online community resource in Washington, DC.
Jesse Quitslund played briefly with Dame Fate before moving to the west coast from Washington DC. He is currently working as a guitar tech and has toured with Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams is an American rock, folk, blues and country music singer and songwriter. She recorded her first albums in 1978 and 1980 in a traditional country and blues style and received very little attention from radio, the media, or the public. In 1988, she released her self-titled album,...
and Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
among others. Jesse still performs as a solo artist under the name Check Please.
Alec Bourgeois works at Dischord Records
Dischord Records
Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in the independent punk music of the D.C.-area music scene. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release Minor Disturbance by The Teen Idles...
and publishes the blog My Life As a Professional Fake Skateboard Champion http://www.professionalfake.blogspot.com.
Discography
- Forest Fire b/w Seventeen (1996)
- split 10" w/ The Most Secret Method (1997)
- Simplicity (1998)
- Live at the Blue Room compilation CD (2000)
- Sevens (2001)
- Rock Creek (2002)
External links
- Blackcat nightclub
- Regulator WattsRegulator WattsRegulator Watts was a rock band from Washington, D.C.. It lasted from 1996 to 1998.The band's music resembles that of illustrious predecessor Hoover, with more of an emphasis on taut, mechanical basslines and feedback-laden, spare guitar lines, as opposed to Hoover's fluid, jazzy basslines and...
- The Most Secret Method
- Severin
- Ben Azzara
- The Delta 72
- Junction
- Sarah Azzara
- Pup Tent
- DCIC
- Aina
- The Alkem Foundation