One of the most influential hardcore punk labels of all time, started by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson - these days the music they release has mostly moved way beyond the narrows confines of what most people would call "punk" but the attitude and ethics behind the label remain the same.
Along with the political and musical evolution that was associated with "Revolution Summer", the mid-80s in the Washington, DC area saw the development of the group house culture that would become a centerpiece of the DC punk underground for many years to come. The Garfield Street house in the Cathedral neighborhood of DC was started in 1985 and its occupants included Brendan Canty and Guy Picciotto of Rites of Spring (and later, Fugazi) as well as Michael Hampton and Ivor Hansen of Embrace. After these two bands split up in early 1986, having only played a dozen or so shows each, Michael joined up with three ex-ROS members (Brendan, Guy and Eddie) to form One Last Wish. However this band proved to be even more short-lived than its predecessors, playing only 6 shows over the 4 months they were together. Their last activity as a band was the recording of a 12-song tape at Inner Ear Studios in November. Since the band never really had a chance to develop before folding, and because Dischord was trying to lose the reputation of releasing only posthumous records, the One Last Wish tape ended up laying dormant for many years. One song was released on the State of the Union compilation in 1989, which increased the already existing interest in the recording. Finally, ten years later, the entire session came out as a Dischord/Peterbilt co-release.
In 1983, the DC punk scene had grown and changed, and with that had come a loss of focus for many people. The violence and nihilism that had become identified with punk rock, largely by the media, had begun to take hold in DC and many of the older punks suddenly found themselves repelled and discouraged by their hometown scene. It was a time of redefinition, and Rites of Spring more than led the charge. They not only challenged the macho posturing that had become so prevalent within the punk scene at that point, but more importantly they defied musical and stylistic rule. The people that followed the band made it a point to never miss a gig, as ROS seemed to approach every show as if it was their last. The results could be explosive, often resulting in the destruction of their equipment, and this may well be one reason that they ended up playing only 15 shows. It was the boldness of this band that really contributed to the swell of energy, often referred to as "Revolution Summer", that swept over the DC scene in 1985. Rites of Spring released one full-length, End on End, and a 7", both on Dischord Records. Brendan and Guy later went on to play in Fugazi and Michael is currently recording under the name Mighty Flashlight.
