Dag Nasty

• Genre: Emo/Hardcore
• Hometown: Washington

About

Minor Threat bass player Brian Baker formed Dag Nasty with ex-DYS vocalist Dave Smalley after the demise of Minor Threat. This band took a decidedly melodic turn, the guitars slowing markedly over the years, and crunching out smartly crafted songs that reached far beyond simple hardcore riffs. Smalley left the band shortly after their first LP was released, but his soft yet forceful, almost spoken vocal style was picked up by each successive singer. Dag Nasty garnered cult status almost from the beginning, never quite making it big but leaving a lasting impression on the Hardcore scene, as a legion of kids were drawn to more thoughtful, less aggressive music that they still considered Hardcore. Their fiery melodic influence can still be heard 10 years later in countless Emo and Post-Punk bands.

- Mark Murrmann