The Most Secret Method was an American

post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has bee ...

band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1995. Combining styles from groups of the first wave of punk with newer

indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...

influences, the band was a major part of the vanguard which represented the D.C. music scene's new direction in the aftermath of the Revolution Summer movement. In addition to their music, the Most Secret Method developed a signature visual art style on their concert posters and 1998 album, ''Get Lovely'', thanks to drums player Ryan Nelson.

History

Founded in 1995, the Most Secret Method featured the trio of Johanna Claasen (bass guitar, vocals), and brothers Marc Nelson (lead guitar, vocals) and Ryan Nelson (drums). The band made its debut at the high-profile

independent music Independent music (also commonly known as indie music or simply indie) is music that is produced independently from commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, a process that may include an autonomous, do-it-yourself approach to recording a ...

nightclub the

Black Cat A black cat is a domestic cat with black fur that may be a mixed or specific breed, or a common domestic cat of no particular breed. The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) recognizes 22 cat breeds that can come with solid black coats. The Bomba ...

alongside fellow D.C. band the Capitol City Dusters. Live performances in the D.C. punk scene's abundance of venues and widely observed all-ages policy helped the group hone their heavily emphasized rhythm technique, while attracting a sizable following in a brief amount of time. Additionally, the Most Secret Method incorporated stylistic tendencies from like-minded groups of the D.C. punk community such as Juno,

the Dismemberment Plan The Dismemberment Plan was a Washington, D.C. based indie rock band formed on January 1, 1993. Also known as D-Plan or The Plan, the name was derived from an industry phrase used by insurance salesman Ned Ryerson in the popular comedy ''Groun ...

, Smart Went Crazy, and

Jawbox Jawbox is an American alternative rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in 1989 by J. Robbins (vocals/guitar), Kim Coletta (bass), and Adam Wade (drums). After the trio released the album '' Grippe'' in 1991, Bill Barbot (guitar/vocals) joi ...

. Ryan Nelson thought "to a large extent the D.C. musicians of the ‘90s were influenced by the Revolution Summer bands. I certainly was. And by the time we got around to forming our own bands, there was still an active underground community – a network of places to play and kids to stay with around the country". In 1997, the Most Secret Method split an EP with the Capitol City Dusters on Superbad Records, a subsidiary of

Dischord Records Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in punk rock. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release ''Minor Disturbance'' by their band The Teen Idle ...

. In addition to the band's musical aesthetic, much was made of Ryan Nelson's visual art designs on the Most Secret Method's concert fliers. Well aware of the designs of artists including Raymond Pettibon (designer of Black Flag album covers and the

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's ''

Goo Goo or GOO may refer to: Arts and media * ''Goo'' (album), by the band Sonic Youth * Goo (''Gumby'' character), a character on ''The Gumby Show'' * Goo (''Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends''), character on ''Foster's Home for Imaginary Friend ...

'' artwork), '' Love and Rockets'' creator Jaime Hernandez, and '' Ghost World'' writer and artist Daniel Clowes, Nelson's artwork for the band became immediately recognizable and considered among the best the area produced. Combine with the group's split EP, Nelson's artistic style was instrumental in landing their record deal with Slowdime Records in 1998. Jawbox's guitarist

J. Robbins James Robbins (best known as J. Robbins) is an American rock musician. Career Robbins began his career as a bassist for Government Issue, and has also led five of his own bands: Jawbox, Rollkicker Laydown, Burning Airlines, Channels, and Off ...

collaborated with the Most Secret Method to record and mix their debut album, titled ''Get Lovely'', at Arlington's

Inner Ear Studios Inner Ear Studios is a recording studio founded in Arlington, Virginia that has been in operation since the late 1970s. Originally started in founder Don Zientara's basement, the studio spent many years on South Oakland St. in Arlington. The st ...

. Music historian Brandon Gentrey described the album as a "sterling example of Capitol City post-hardcore indie ruckus, buzzing, dynamic, and smart", while managing to stand the test of time. Released in September 1998, ''Get Lovely'' features cover art and inner sleeve designs by Nelson, who was inspired to create a piece which rivaled the boldness of

Big Black Big Black was an American punk rock band from Evanston, Illinois, active from 1981 to 1987. Founded by singer and guitarist Steve Albini, the band's initial lineup also included guitarist Santiago Durango and bassist Jeff Pezzati, both of ...

's ''

Songs About Fucking ''Songs About Fucking'' is the second and final full-length studio album by the punk rock band Big Black, released in 1987 by Touch and Go records, and reissued in 2018. The album includes a rendition of Kraftwerk's "The Model" in a remixed ver ...

''. The album had a profound influence on the following generation of punk bands, with groups such as

Q and Not U Q and Not U was a post-hardcore band from Washington, D.C., signed to Dischord Records. Members John Davis, Harris Klahr, Christopher Richards, and Matt Borlik formed the band in 1998. After Borlik's departure following the release of their f ...

and Black Eyes exhibiting signs of the Most Secret Method's style. Following the distribution of ''Get Lovely'', the group had a down period in which the band members took to other activities. Ryan Nelson played in the bands the Dead Teenagers and Beauty Pill, Marc Nelson devoted time to acting, and Claasen focused on practicing

standup bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...

, before resurfacing in 2002 to release their second album ''Our Success''. In August 2002, the Most Secret Method returned for a series of concerts at the Black Cat before disbanding. Nelson continued his music career, forming the band the Soccer Team, which has released two albums for Dischord Records. Marc Nelson began acting full time under the stage name Marcus Kyd. He went on to found Taffety Punk Theatre Company in Washington, DC, with choreographer Erin F. Mitchell, actors Lise Bruneau and Chris Marino, and manager Amanda MacKaye.

Discography

Single and EP

* "Blue" b/w "Perfect Plan" – (self-released), 1996 * ''The Most Secret Method / The Dusters Split'' –

(#DIS-117.5), 1997

Albums

* ''Get Lovely'' – Slowdime Records (#15), 1998 * ''Our Success'' – Superbad Records (#9), 2002

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Most Secret Method, The Musical groups established in 1995 Musical groups disestablished in 2002 Musical groups from Washington, D.C. American post-hardcore musical groups Dischord Records artists