Brother Rat Playlist

Erik Richards (ER): Minor Threat (by Minor Threat) is one of the great 80’s punk songs. All three of Minor Threat’s classic 80’s albums were staples in my childhood, the tunes rattling around in the back of my Dad’s volvo and the inevitable inspiration to write Brother Rat. For me, Minor Threat in this spot stands in for the endless punk and hardcore groups that played through every aspect of my life, Bad Brains, SNFU, The Dead Kennedy’s all of it.

ER: During the creation of Brother Rat, Fugazi held a special place through my research and listening process. I’m So Tired is the first tune on my own personal playlist for Brother Rat and so always starts me off when I’m thinking about the show. There is an exhaustion present in the play. An overwhelming feeling of being fed up that pervades every action taken. It’s honest, it’s painful, it’s excruciating. It’s an argument to change everything you know for a new beginning.

ER: I would be remiss to not mention the play’s name sake, Brother Rat / What Slayde Says by No Means No. These two incredible tracks serve as the creative backbone for the play Brother Rat. The character of Slayde himself directly referenced in the song and his actions in the music have always served as guide rails for the character. Seriously though, I owe A LOT to these two tunes, in and outside of writing this play. I have memories of listening to NoMeansNo’s music at every single stage of my life. I could write about this band and these two songs for four thousand years.

Seriously though, listen to these songs!