Where’s a Yuppie’s place in Punk Rock/Hardcore

Now, there’s a lot out there on what punk is and isn’t and who’s punk and what it sounds like and yadda yadda….Fuck all that.  This isn’t about that.  This is an honest attempt to understand my personal relationship with the genre, subculture, lifestyle…whatever you wanna call it…let’s see what happens. I am just reflecting as I write. I am sure I can expand and add to this later.  There are a lot of questions in this…some answered, some not.  I just want to get them down.  Also, prepare for some self indulgence.  So, without further ado…

I’ve decided to try and make sense of something that I could never quite fully understand…me.   For the last 10+ years I’ve identified and have been directly involved with the entity known as punk rock/hardcore.  I am not attracted to the violent aspect of the whole “scene” (for lack of a better term) or extremely driven by anger and angst, however,  sometimes some of those aspects surface in not-so elegant ways and they do so publicly, hah.  So, where does it come from?

…and now a word from Roger Klotz!

“It’s time that you woke up: your band should have broke up. Who’s throat is it that needs slitting? Who is it that you think you’re kidding? You were an instant classic for a classic instant. There’s a reason why records go out of print. I saw your band’s CD in the cut-out bin. How does it feel to be a teenage has-been? You’re hoping that nobody forgets, but reunion shows are just breakup sex. Your fanbase won’t get any wider and this time they’ll nail your coffin tighter.”- Roger Klotz (Your Band Should Just Break Up)

Tyler H. of Etiquette on etiquette

I gotta say, Tyler really inspires me to not be so god damn neutral all the time.  He always stands by his convictions.  This is a result of his new band Etiquette being invited to a show…I’m sorry…open mic- by an incompetent lady who booked them less than a week ago only to hoodwink them into a situation where they came off as assholes.  You really can’t place the blame on them nor can this be written off as a simple mis-communication, though.  She knew what she was getting into.  I was there.

You don’t book G.G. Allin and expect to not get shit thrown at you.   You don’t wear a velvet suit to a GWAR show.  You don’t book the Misfits and whine when you get a washed up cover band or is a tribute act?    Either way, extreme cases, but they apply.  AKA, you don’t ask band you know plays considerably loud to play another open mic  and volunteer other people’s equipment and then complain about the volume while other open micers leave because they can’t handle playing while a full band is setting up.  Also, don’t keep reiterating all the money you’re making for the event and blame everyone else cuz you can’t run a shit-show.  Anyway, here’s what Tyler said- it’s certainly  warranted and they played awesome regardless.

“sometimes things don’t go my way, so i whine about them on the internet.–  fuck everyone who has a financial stake in local music. in the years that i’ve been doing this i’ve never once expected or anticipated payment in any kind for playing a show, and it’s disgusting to see people try and make a buck off bands who are just trying to find a public forum to express themselves. i’d rather work forty hours a week for the rest of my life and never approach breaking even emotionally or financially instead of compromising to some bullshit standard of “how things are done”. if even five people cared honestly about anything i’ve done or have been a part of, that would validate every ounce of energy i’ve put into playing music. i realize that everyone is in it for their own reasons, but it’s so disappointing to see people act so indifferent to something that means so much to so many people. WAH.”- Tyler H.

Side Note: Etiquette rules and you should check ’em out next Wednesday at the Stanhope House w/ The Flops + Melissa & Paul.

Added a ‘Stuff We Don’t Like’ Category

It should be noted that I didn’t make it to the end of this album, but decided to write about it anyway.  Fuck me. Right?   Anyway, we get it, you can play a hammer solo.  We get it, you can play fast.   We get it, you grew up on NOFX, but also dug Iron Maiden. Same here. We get it, you’re drummer is solid…wait, actually, not too sure on that one.  It’s pretty  hard to ignore the drums on this recording.  They sound fake and programmed, which they probably are and I just can’t get over it.  WAHH.    Also, the bass severely lacks presence.  I can’t say much else about this.  Call me jaded, but I guess they just don’t make skate-punk albums like they used to.  It’s not the Deviates or Strung Out, but it does sound like a Dexter Holland of  Offspring slash Deryk from Sum 41 hybrid singing over bad  Dragonforce songs.  Oh wait, every Dragonforce song is bad and so is this.  Fat Mike generally follows a trend of signing NOFX clones, so why expect anything different?  Check out Zerodown‘s “With a Lifetime to Pay”- a Fat Wreckchord’s release that featured the now deceased, Jim Cherry who is better known for his bass duties in Strung Out and Pulley.  Great album.  Or, Go listen to the new One Win Choice record HERE.  They’ve got the tech-punk/melodic social aware thing down pretty well and deliver it tastefully with cohesiveness.  Oh yeah this is about Pour Habit.  My bad.  Did I mention the bad reggae song that totally kills any flow the album may have had?  Didn’t think so…Either way, they get to play with some of my favorite bands growing up, so who’s really been slighted?