Trying and doing since 2001
for 17 July 2005.

Gen Y, 1979

Johnwinters.org is many things.

Neglected blog, place of rants,

my hobby. Advertisement? Never.

But credit is due where credit

is due. When a band is kickass,

when a band rips your face off,

when a band is as awesome as Death

From Above 1979 (DFA1979), something

needs to be said. DFA1979 indeed

comes from above, well at least

from the North. The Toronto duo

distills the energy of the entire

early 90's into just two members.

Their sound is heavy and driven;

these guys can rock. Forced to

change their name from simply

Death From Above, they added the

1979 figuring that the year (being

drummer/singer Sebastien Grainger's

birthyear) would never go out

of style. No guitars are heard

on a DFA1979 album; bass, drums,

and some other miscellaneous sounds

are all the group needs.

1979 is significant. Why? It

puts the group squarely within

the defined boundaries of the

unfortunately named "Generation

Y", the group of young people

destined to follow in the footsteps

of the famous "Generation X".

X'ers have been called slackers,

degenerates, wild cards. By contrast

media attention on Y's seem to

focus on their savvy with both

technology and advertising. Wired

Magazine frequently profiles this

group as being difficult to sell

to, almost making the whole generation

seem like VW driving brats who

can never be pleased. DFA1979

takes this label crushes it, pours

gasoline on it, and sets it on

fire. If DFA1979 was to represent

a car, it might be a 1970 Chevrolet

Chevelle, tricked out and belching

flames out the tailpipe. Hardly

bent on conspicuous consumption

DFA1979 instead distances themselves

from needy relationships, decayed

communities, and corporate sounding

rock. The title track from "You're

a Woman, I'm a Machine" showcases

how the band's obsessive focus on

music ruined their chances for

relationships outside of the DFA1979

project. Perhaps not the generation

spokespeople that your mother

would want but regardless DFA1979

serves as an excellent remedy

for the depiction of Y's as Odwalla

swilling smartypants.