Capitol City Dusters

The Capitol City Dusters was a punk band from Washington, D.C., USA that played from 1996 till 2003.

Early career

The Dusters played their first show on June 2 1996 at The Black Cat 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 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 replaced by Mark Lacasse to record the full-length "Simplicity" and then he quickly departed. 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).

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 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.

After the breakup

Ben Azzara continues to perform and record with a myriad of projects including, Sarah Azzara (his spouse), Pup Tent 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] .

Discography

* "Forest Fire" b/w "Seventeen" (1996)
* "The Most Secret Method" (1997)
* "Simplicity" (1998)
* "Live at the Blue Room" compilation CD (2000)
* "Sevens" (2001)
* "Rock Creek" (2002)

References

* [http://www.capitolcitydusters.com/dusters_shows.html See a complete list of all the shows] .
* [http://www.bcoredisc.com BCore disc]
* [http://www.superbadrecords.com Superbad Records]
* [http://bandtoband.com/index.php?Page=Search&BandId=295 Vile Cherubs]

External links

* [http://www.blackcatdc.com/ Blackcat nightclub]
* Regulator Watts
* [http://www.superbadrecords.com/msm.html The Most Secret Method]
* [http://www.superbadrecords.com/severin.html Severin]
* [http://www.benazzara.com Ben Azzara]
* [http://monsterisland.alkem.org/delta72/ The Delta 72]
* [http://monsterisland.alkem.org/junction Junction]
* [http://www.sarahazzara.com Sarah Azzara]
* [http://puptent.alkem.org Pup Tent]
* [http://dcic.alkem.org DCIC]
* [http://www.superbadrecords.com/aina.html Aina]
* [http://www.alkem.org The Alkem Foundation]