Do-It-Yourself Cultural Production

In chapter 5, the hardcore ethos of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) is explored. This philosophy frames a discussion of hardcore performances and venues and delves into the ways in which DYI flyers—the marketing of hardcore shows—worked to fight against commodification and helped construct a sense of place and ownership for and of the scene. Local DC hardcore ’zines are also analyzed as a form of collective identity, with meaning(s) of the scene being negotiated through articles, reviews, and letters. Finally, Dischord Records, the independent label created by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson is discussed, both as an attempt to decommodify music and as a form of power and agency.