Steve Hansgen is an American musician from

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

He is best known as a member of the

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (commonly abbreviated to hardcore or hXc) is a punk rock music genre#subtypes, subgenre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots ...

band

Minor Threat Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C., by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guita ...

. He also played briefly in the D.C. hardcore band

Government Issue Government Issue was an American hardcore punk band from Washington, D.C. active from 1980 to 1989. The band experienced many changes in membership during its nine-year existence, with singer John Stabb as the only consistent member in an eve ...

, and joined Youth Brigade for their short reunion in 2012.

Career

Early days and Minor Threat (1980–1983)

Hansgen became involved in the Washington, D.C. hardcore scene in the early 1980s. He joined

bass guitar The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...

ist in August 1982 when original bassist Brian Baker, Hansgen's childhood friend, switched to second

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

. Hansgen appeared on the '' Out of Step'' LP and toured extensively with the band over the next year. He left Minor Threat in 1983 when its founding members decided to return the band to its original configuration, a few months before their breakup.

Second Wind, Government Issue (1983–1989)

Hansgen formed Second Wind with Minor Threat roadie Rich Moore in 1984. They released the ''Security'' 12" record later that year. In 1984, he was also a roadie for the reformed Meatmen. Hansgen played bass in

in 1986. He appears on several tracks on their 1986 self-titled LP. He left the band later that year.

Work in production and Emmapeel (1990–1999)

In the 1990s, Hansgen continued to work as an engineer and producer. Notably, he worked with

Tool A tool is an Physical object, object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many Tool use by animals, animals use simple tools, only human bei ...

on their first demo tape and EP, ''

Opiate An opiate is an alkaloid substance derived from opium (or poppy straw). It differs from the similar term ''opioid'' in that the latter is used to designate all substances, both natural and synthetic, that bind to opioid receptors in the brain ( ...

'' (1992). He played bass around this time in Emmapeel with Government Issue vocalist John Stabb. Emmapeel released the "Avenging Punk Rock Godfathers" 7" in 1993.

Middle Aged Brigade, Youth Brigade reunion, other later activity (2000–present)

In 2003, Baker and Hansgen began playing in the side project Middle Aged Brigade, with whom they recorded some demos. The band was active sporadically in the years that followed. In 2009, Steve Hansgen joined Mike Dolfi, Boyd Farrell (both from

Black Market Baby Black Market Baby was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C. They were one of the original groups who made up the punk rock scene in the Washington area in the 1980s. History The band was formed in 1980 by vocalist Boyd Farrell and ba ...

) and Phil Ricche (of The Intentions) in the band Rustbuckit. On 29 December 2012, Hansgen reunited with three original members of the seminal DC hardcore band Youth Brigade, vocalist Nathan Strejcek (formerly of seminal band

Teen Idles The Teen Idles were an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in September 1979. Consisting of teenagers Nathan Strejcek, Geordie Grindle, Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson (musician), Jeff Nelson, they recorded two demo sessions and ...

), drummer Danny Ingram and bassist Bert Quieroz for a show at the Washington, D.C. club The Black Cat. The show was a benefit for the D.C. hardcore documentary '' Salad Days'' and also featured Scream and Government Issue. That same foursome continued as Youth Brigade and did a second show at the 9:30 Club shortly thereafter as part of the "Punk-Funk Throwdown" series. Hansgen later played in Dot Dash.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hansgen, Steve Year of birth missing (living people) Living people 20th-century American bass guitarists Minor Threat members Government Issue members