DC MUSIC HISTORY
THE NINETIES  -  PART 2

DC SOUND  •  BYGONE YEARS  •  EARLY YEARS  •  SEVENTIES  •  EIGHTIES  •  NINETIES  •  RECENT YEARS 
CHEMLAB      MARTY FRIEDMAN      FRODUS      JIMMY THACKERY      JAWBOX
NOTHINGFACE      LUCY BROWN       MIKE MALININ      THE EGGS
ARTHUR LOVES PLASTIC       B.G. THE PRINCE OF RAP      SHAI      II D EXTREME      MESHELL N'DEGEOCELLO       NONCHALANT      GINUWINE      DJ SPOOKY
MYA      DJ BADU       TORI AMOS      THE MAKE-UP      VERTICAL HORIZON
THE DISMEMBERMENT PLAN     DEAD MEADOW      

ALCIAN BLUE       AUTOCLAVE-GO FAR       DEEP DISH
THE DELTA 72       YOLANDA ADAMS       O.A.R.
Chemlab originally formed in Washington DC in 1989 by Dylan Thomas More, Joe Frank and Jared Louche. The band's first releases on Fifth Colvmn Records were financed by Zalman Fishman - the owner of the label and it's sister nightclub in DC. The first release 10 Ton Pressure was recorded at National Geographic Studios in a illegal after-hours recording session.
FILAMENT - Chemlab
SYMPHONY OF DESTRUCTION - Megadeth
Frodus - live at CBGB's  1996
Martin "Marty" Friedman grew up in Laurel, Maryland. Friedman released his first solo album in 1988, he is best known as lead guitarist for trash metal band Megadeth. Friedman auditioned for the band in 1989, but he was initially rejected - primarily because of his multi-colored hair. In 1990, Friedman officially joined Megadeth, which he quit in 2000. In his time with Megadeth, he recorded on five of their studio albums. Since 2002, Friedman has lived in Japan where he has been a member of various Japanese groups, and he has become a well-known television personality. In 2012 he announced his marriage to a Japanese cellist. 


DC-based pot-hardcore band Frodus was founded in 1993 by Shelby Cinca and Jason Hamacher. Frodus is considered to be one of the most influential post-hardcore bands of the 1990's. The band broke up in 1999, they struggled getting a label to release their final album until 2001.
Jimmy Thackery was born in Philadelphia in 1953, and he was raised in Washington DC. In 1972, Thackery co-founded blues and rock band The Nighthawks. After fourteen years and over twenty albums, Thackery left The Nighthawks in 1986. From 1986-1991 toured with his own band Jimmy Thackery & The Assassins. Since 1991, Thackery has lead a trio called Jimmy Thackery and The Drivers.
Jimmy Thackery - live in Paris 1997
SAVORY - Jawbox  (1994)
Jawbox was formed in 1989 in Washington DC by J. Robbins, Kim Coletta and Adam Wade. Robbins had been come from the recently disbanded Government Issue - the long-lived DC hardcore punk band had formed in 1980. The first single from Jawbox was also the beginning of Desoto Records, which has become a very successful Washington DC indie label. The label is currently managed by former Jawbox members Kim Coletta and Bill Barbot. In 1994, when Jawbox was with Dischord Records, Jawbox signed to Epic - a rare move to a major label from a band formerly on Dischord records.
Nothingface was an alternative rock band that formed in 1991 out of an ad in local rock magazine. The ad was placed by Chris Houck, who was looking for musicians to jam with. The band formed, and released a few tapes before recording an album. Independent DC label DCide heard the album, and they had the band re-record it for an official release on their label.
GRINNING - Nothingface  (live at Edgefest)
COLORBLIND - Lucy Brown
Lucy Brown originally formed in Washington DC in 1987. The band struggled with major label success, but they had a big following in the DC area throughout the early 1990's
Goo Goo Dolls on VH1 Storytellers
SEXUAL TENSION - The Eggs
Mike Malinin was born in Washington DC in 1967, shortly after he was born his family moved to Miami. After graduating, he went moved to Texas for college, where he attended West Texas University. Malinin is best known as the long time drummer for The GooGoo Dolls - who he joined in 1994. He officially left the band in 2013.

The Eggs formed in Washington DC in 1990. The indie rock band released three albums on Teen Beat Records in the early 1990's
PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS - Arthur Loves Plastic
Arthur Loves Plastic was created in 1994 as a stage name for Washington DC electronic artist Beverly Joy Stanton. Her first album Sperm Warfare ,recorded in her basement, was released by T.E.Q. Music in London. Since then, Stanton has independently released most of her twenty albums. She has won over twenty Washington Area Music Awards (Wammies).The name Arthur Loves Plastic was inspired by Stanton's cat Arthur who loves plastic bags. Stanton is also a remixer, she was referred to as "remix master" by The Washington Post. 
THIS BEAT IS HOT - B.G. The Prince Of Rap
IF I EVER FALL IN LOVE - Shai
B.G. The Prince of Rap was a chart=topping rap and eurodance. Un-abreviated, he is known as Bernard Greene, and he was born in Washington DC. After graduating from high school, he joined the army and was posted in Germany - where he became a successful artist.

R&B quartet Shai formed in Washington DC in 1992. The first single from their debut album was If I Ever Fall I Love Again - it was their biggest record peaking at number two on the charts.
II D Extreme was a popular 1990's new jack swing group that included D'Extra Wiley, Randy Gill (Johnny Gill's brother) and Jermaine Mickey. The group was formed in 1992 in Washington DC. As an unsigned act, the group was able to get airplay on local WPGC for a demo they had made of song penned by Wiley - Cry No More. The song became a major hit locally, and while the group remained unsigned, the song's popularity grew outside if the DC area. Within several months of their break they were signed and were releasing their debut album.
CRY NO MORE - II D Extreme
IF THAT'S YOUR BOYFRIEND - Meshell Ndegeocello
Meshell Ndegeocello was born in 1968 with the name Michelle Lynn Johnson. She was born on an army base in Germany, and she was raised in Washington DC. She  attended high school at Duke Ellington School Of The Arts and Oxen Hill High School. When she was seventeen she changed her name to Ndegeocello - which means "free like a bird" in Swahili. Early in her career, Ndegeocello performed with go-go band's Prophecy, Rare Essence and Little Benny & The Masters. In 1993 her career soared after releasing her debut Plantation Lullabies album, featuring the Grammy-nominated If That's Your Boyfriend.
5 O'CLOCK - Nonchalant
PONY - Ginuwine
ANANSI ABSTRAKT
DJ Spooky
Tanya Pointer, also known as rapper Nonchalant, was born in Washington DC in 1970. She is best known for her debut single 5 O' Clock.

Elgin Baylor Lumpkin, also known as R&B singer Ginuwine, was born in Washington DC in 1970. He was named after fellow DC-native Elgin Baylor - the NBA legend. Lumpkin attended Forestville High School in Maryland, and he graduated from Prince George's Community College in Largo, Maryland. In 1996, Ginuwine released his debut album featuring the hit song Pony.


Paul D'Shonne Miller, better known as DJ Spooky, That Subliminal Kid, was born in Washington DC in 1970.
Mya Marie Harrison was born Washington DC in 1979. Her father was a musician and singer that performed with area bands. Mya was taking ballet at two, and taking jazz and tap at four. As a teenager, her dancing skills lead to opportunitys such as performing at the Kennedy Center. By the time Mya had graduated high school, at fifteen, she was developing her vocal skills, and was determined to be a performer. She briefly attended the University Of Maryland before she scored a record deal with Interscope. From 1996-1998, while working on her debut album, Mya worked at Washington DC's BET Studio's as a hip-hop dancer on "Teen Summit".
CASE OF THE EX - May
Dilated People's - DJ Badu set
1997 World Beat Juggling Final - DJ Badu
Melvin Badu, better known as DJ Badu,  was born in Washington DC in 1974. Badu is a member of the Beat Junkies DJ Crew, the Likwit Junkies, and he is one third of the hip-hop group Dilated Peoples. Dubu is a heavily decorated battle DJ, and He is well-known for the 1997 competition where he is credited with redefining the art of beat juggling. see it HERE In 1996, Badu produced Super Duck Breaks - the most popular battle DJ record ever.
PRECIOUS THINGS - Tori Amos  live at Montreux 1992
Tori Amos was born in North Carolina in 1973, her Washington DC family was on vacation. By the time she was five she had moved from Georgetown to Baltimore, and then to Rockville. At five, already composing music on the piano, she became the first person granted a scholarship at Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins. After becoming interested in rock and pop music, she was asked to leave at age eleven. At thirteen, Amos was living in Silver Spring playing gigs at gay bars and piano bars. Her first break big came when she was a student at Richard Montgomery High School. A song she wrote with her brother won a contest and was released as a single. After that, Amos spent several years playing the piano bar circuit in DC before moving to LA to pursue music there.
I AM PENTAGON - The Make-Up
The Make-Up was formed in Washington DC in 1995. The band was active for about five years, and they released four studio albums and a live album recorded in London. The band was fronted by ex-Nation Of Ullysses singer Ian Svenonius, with James Canty, Steve Gamboa and Michelle Mae. In their final year they were joined by a fifth member - Alex Minoff.
Vertical Horizon  formed in 1991 at Georgetown Universit, originally as a duo  Some of their  early shows were held on campus in the Leavey Center food court. After Matthew Scannell and Keith Kane (the group's founders) graduated, the Vertical Horizon relocated to Boston. In 1996 Vertical Horizon became a four piece band, and two years later they signed a record deal with RCA. The album that followed, their third, was a breakout success. 
YOU'RE A GOD - Vertical Horizon
TIME BOMB - The Dismemberment Plan
DRIFTING DOWN STREAMS - Dead Meadow
The Dismemberment Plan was an indie rock band that formed in Washington DC in 1993. The have been called the fathers of the dance punk movement of the late 1990's and early 2000's. In 1998, the group signed to Interscope Records, however by the time they finished the album Interscope dropped them. They released the record (which was recorded with Interscope's money) on the label they had previously been with - Washington DC indie label DeSoto Records. The album, Emergency & I, was their breakout album


Dead Meadow is a stoner rock band that formed in Washington DC in 1998. In 2001, legendary British DJ and producer John Peel asked Dead Meadows to record a "Peel Sessions" album. The album was recorded at Fugazi's home studio - it was the first Peel Sessions album recorded outside of BBC Studios. In 2007, Dead Meadows relocated to Los Angeles.
>  THIS IS NOT A "BEST-OF" LIST, AND IT IS NOT INTENDED TO INCLUDE EVERYONE IMPORTANT  <

WHERE TO NEXT?

 RECENT YEARS       MUSIC HISTORY       WHO IS WASH DC?       HOME
DISCLAIMER:  This site is for entertainment purposes only. All recordings and videos are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarships and research. "Fair Use" is a use permitted by copyright statue that might otherwise be infringing.