What happens when two of post-punk’s most iconic drummers —each from opposite sides of the Atlantic— sit down to talk rhythm, rebellion, and the sound of resistance?

Brendan Canty (Fugazi) and Hugo Burnham (Gang of Four) helped define not just the sound of their bands, but the urgency of their eras. Their drumming wasn’t just timekeeping —it was structural, confrontational, and deeply political. Both Gang of Four and Fugazi pushed the limits of what a band could be: musically experimental, fiercely independent, and unapologetically critical of the systems they moved through.

In this rare conversation, Canty and Burnham reflect on what it meant to build music from the margins —one from Washington, D.C.’s DIY punk scene, the other from Leeds’ art school revolution. They’ll discuss how percussion became a form of protest, how band dynamics mirrored political struggle, and how sound continues to serve as a tool for cultural disruption.

This event offers a unique chance to hear from two musicians whose work shaped generations of artists and fans. More than just drummers, they are architects of a movement —still asking what art can do in a world that demands resistance.

Presented by: HAY FESTIVAL 2025