Despite playing together for a mere three years Minor Threat’s influence on the American hardcore punk scene is indisputable. They were the harbingers of the DIY aesthetic (eschewing corporate influence to do everything from music production to concert promotion themselves), were fiercely unapologetic in their straight edge ideals (avoiding illicit drugs, alcohol, and promiscuous sex), and influenced hundreds of punk bands that followed in their footsteps with sharp and fast songs that typically clocked in around a minute long. These short form songs soaked in adrenaline and testosterone formed the basis of what American punk rock eventually grew to become– outburts of pent-up rage, sung with supreme convictions of individuality, leaving little room for misinterpretation.
First Two Seven Inches is a compliation of the group’s first two extended plays (Minor Threat from June 1981 and In My Eyes from December 1981) which collects the group’s most important work into one distinct offering. Clocking in at just under 19 minutes over 14 songs, First Two Seven Inches is a showcase of one of America’s most influential hardcore punk bands operating at the peak of their powers.
Standout Songs: “Screaming At A Wall”, “Steppin’ Stone”, “Straight Edge”, “I Don’t Wanna Hear It”
