Hard to imagine, but WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE has been flying the flag of classic post-punk, mutant disco and left-of-center weirdness at the Marx Cafe (3203 Mt. Pleasant St NW, Washington DC) every first Friday night for the last 15 years. That’s quite a run. Along the way, WFTBO has become much more than a dj night to me and my WFTBO comrade and co-conspirator Brandon Grover (aka “Brando Calrissian”).

Over the last 180 first Fridays, Brando and I have made many great friendships, downed countless beers and sashayed to God knows how many strange records. WFTBO became our sanctuary — the one night a month we could always count on to hang with friends, hear good music, have interesting conversations and take a breather from the mundane stresses of our daily lives. We’re so grateful to everyone who has supported us and made WFTBO what it is today — especially Marx Cafe proprietor Aris Dallas.

So to celebrate 15 years, here are 15 tracks that attempt to sum up what WFTBO is all about…

1. Brian Eno – “Needles in the Camera’s Eye” (1974)
   
2. Modern Lovers – “She Cracked” (1972 demo)
   
3. Echo & the Bunnymen – “Read It in Books” (1979)
   
4. The Lines – “Nerve Pylon” (1980)
   
5. Suburban Lawns – “I’m A Janitor” (1981)
   
6. Suicide – “Ghost Rider” (1977)
   
7. Simple Minds – “Thirty Frames A Second” (1980)
   
    
8.  The Chameleons UK – “Swamp Thing” (1985)
   
9. Abecedarians – “They Said Tomorrow” (1984)
   
10. Medium Medium – “So Hungry, So Angry” (1981)
    
11. Vivien Goldman – “Launderette” (1981)
    
12. ESG – “U.F.O.” (1981)
    
13. Killing Joke – “Tomorrow’s World” (1980)
    
14. Julian Cope – “Kolly Kibber’s Birthday” (1986)
    
15. New Order – “Turn the Heater On” (1981)