American record producer and DJ (1948-2019)
Skip Groff
Groff in 2004
Born (1948-11-20 ) November 20, 1948Died February 18, 2019(2019-02-18) (aged 70) Occupation(s) music producer, DJ, record store owner Known for Yesterday and Today Records
Frank "Skip" Groff (November 20, 1948 – February 18, 2019) was an American record producer , disc jockey , and owner of Yesterday and Today record store (also known as Y&T) in Rockville, Maryland , at the center of much of Washington D.C. 's punk and alternative music scenes.[ 1] [ 2]
Groff was born in Waltham, Massachusetts and moved to Suitland, Maryland , as a child.[ 1] He attended the University of Maryland and was a disc jockey at WMUC , the campus radio station.[ 3]
Groff operated the independent record label Limp Records from 1978 to 1982.[ 4] Called "a respected guru" of the DC punk and indie music scene, Groff was a radio DJ for WINX , WAVA , and WPGC , and did promotional work for RCA , before opening Yesterday and Today in September 1977.[ 1] [ 5] Groff was credited with helping Dischord Records get started, and his record store was an early retail outlet for their titles.[ 6]
The store, which was named for the Beatles album Yesterday and Today , accumulated over a million 45s .[ 5] It was frequently the site of record signings and performances by local and visiting bands (such as The Damned ), and became a hangout for local musicians and music fans.[ 7] Howard Wuelfing of the Slickee Boys , Nurses, and Half Japanese was the store's first employee.[ 5] When the band Minor Threat broke up, its frontman Ian MacKaye worked at the store for five years. Other employees at Yesterday and Today included: Kim Kane of the Slickee Boys, Bert Queiroz and Danny Ingram of Youth Brigade , Brendan Canty and Guy Picciotto of Rites of Spring and Fugazi , Sharon Cheslow of Chalk Circle , Tommy Keene and Ted Niceley of The Razz, Shirley Sexton (later married to Stiff Little Fingers ' Jake Burns), Amanda MacKaye who ran Slowdime Records , and Archie Moore and Jim Spellman of Velocity Girl .[ 2] [ 8] Groff met future wife and co-owner Kelly when she was a customer at Yesterday and Today, and their daughter Kirsty was named after British pop star Kirsty MacColl .[ 1] The store closed in 2002.[ 5]
Groff produced albums for many of the DC area's punk bands including the Slickee Boys , Razz, Bad Brains , Teen Idles , S.O.A. , Dark, Nurses, Youth Brigade, Black Market Baby , Velvet Monkeys , and Minor Threat.[ 1] [ 2] [ 5] [ 6] [ 9]
He died at Maryland's MedStar Montgomery Medical Center at the age of 70.[ 1]
References
^ a b c d e f Augenstein, Neal (February 19, 2019). "Record store owner, early DC punk producer Skip Groff dies at 70" . WTOP . Retrieved February 27, 2019 .
^ a b c Wartofsky, Alona (February 27, 2019). "Skip Groff, 1948-2019" . Washington City Paper . Retrieved February 27, 2019 .
^ Davis, John R., ed. (2018). "Collection: Skip Groff papers" . University Libraries Archival Collections . University of Maryland. hdl :1903.1/42189 . Collection 0298-SCPA-GROFF.
^ "Limp Records > Discography page 1" . 30 Under DC . Retrieved February 27, 2019 .
^ a b c d e Smith, Harrison (February 21, 2019). "Skip Groff, record store owner who presided over a D.C. punk paradise, dies at 70" . Washington Post . Retrieved February 28, 2019 .
^ a b John Gentile (February 20, 2019). "Skip Groff passes away" . Punknews.org . Retrieved February 28, 2019 .
^ Nader, Elisa (September 12, 1997). "Yesterday and Today Once More" . Washington City Paper . Retrieved February 28, 2019 .
^ Augenstein, Neal (July 21, 2017). "Yesterday & Today: Early DC punks shopped, worked at record store" . WTOP . Retrieved February 27, 2019 .
^ "Skip Groff: Production" . Discogs . Retrieved February 27, 2019 .
External links