DC Rock History10 Nov 2025

Nation of Ulysees - "13-Point Program to Destroy America" with John Davis

In this episode, we explore 13-Point Program to Destroy America, the 1991 debut album from Nation of Ulysses that turned DC’s post-hardcore scene on its head. Released by Dischord Records and recorded at Inner Ear Studios with Ian MacKaye and Don Zientara, the album fused punk, free jazz, and radical politics into a chaotic and satirical critique of American conformity.

Formed in 1988 by Ian Svenonius, James Canty, Steve Kroner, Steve Gamboa, and Tim Green, Nation of Ulysses presented themselves not just as a band, but as a “political party” advocating for youth liberation and creative revolution. With their sharp suits, manifesto-style lyrics, and explosive performances, they pushed the boundaries of what DC punk could sound and look like.

In this conversation, we’re joined by John R. Davis, musician, curator, and author of Keep Your Ear to the Ground: A History of Punk Fanzines in Washington, D.C. (Georgetown University Press). We discuss how Nation of Ulysses reflected and redefined the DC underground at the dawn of the 1990s bridging music, politics, and performance in a way that continues to influence artists today.

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Social Media: @dcrockpod

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Hosts:

Philip Basnight – Broke Royals

Alex Vidales – Pilot Waves

Podcast Artwork by Rebecca Basnight

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Episoder(39)

Smart Went Crazy - "Con Art" with Devin Ocampo

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Con Art, Smart Went Crazy's 1997 swan song and one of the most ambitious records to ever come out of the Dischord catalog. The band formed in DC in 1993 as a ...

11 Mai 1h 2min

Tuscadero - "The Pink Album" with Tuscadero

In this episode, we take a deep dive into The Pink Album, Tuscadero's 1994 debut and one of the defining records of the DC indie pop scene. Formed 1993 in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, Tuscadero bu...

4 Mai 56min

The Dismemberment Plan - "Emergency & I" with Chris DeVille

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Emergency & I, the Dismemberment Plan's 1999 landmark and the album that cemented the band as one of the most distinctive acts to emerge from the DC indie sce...

27 Apr 1h 5min

The Pietasters - "Willis" with Stephen Jackson

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Willis, the Pietasters' 1997 record and the album that brought the DC-bred ska band to their widest audience. Formed at Virginia Tech by a group of suburban W...

20 Apr 58min

Foo Fighters - "The Colour and the Shape" with Mike Jones

In this episode, we take a deep dive into The Colour and the Shape, the Foo Fighters' 1997 sophomore record and the album widely credited with establishing Dave Grohl as a frontman in his own right. R...

13 Apr 53min

Shudder to Think sets the record straight!

In this episode of the DC Rock History Podcast, we sit down with Shudder to Think, one of the most singular and adventurous bands to emerge from the Washington, D.C. underground, for a wide-ranging co...

6 Apr 1h 1min

Fugazi - "In On The Kill Taker" with Chris Ryan

In this episode, we revisit Fugazi and take a deep dive into In On The Kill Taker, the band’s explosive 1993 follow-up to Steady Diet of Nothing and Repeater. Released on Dischord Records, In On The K...

15 Des 20251h 1min

Shudder To Think - "Pony Express Record" with Nabil Ayers

In this episode, we explore the history and impact of Shudder to Think and their groundbreaking 1994 album Pony Express Record, a release that pushed the boundaries of what DC post-hardcore could beco...

8 Des 202559min