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Montreal-born, Toronto-based Rush Kazi is a comedic powerhouse. Rush has been making people laugh for over 10 years, whether she’s doing stand-up, sketch, musical comedy, participating in roast battles (some award-winning), acting, or producing hit shows like Asian Comedy All-Stars. With sharp wit and delivery, Rush dives into her Bangladeshi background as well as a multitude of life experiences, including being out as a queer person in the early aughts, the perils of waxing, and dealing with conspiracy theorists.
Rush Kazi will be performing at Punx Can’t Laugh Fest on October 18 at Rainhard Brewing Co. in Toronto and you can get your tickets right here. The next Asian Comedy All-Stars will take place on October 25 at the Rivoli as part of the Comedylicious Festival which runs October 23-27 in Toronto.
Punknews editor Em Moore caught up with Rush to talk about her start in comedy, giving new meaning to the recycling symbol, playing Punx Can’t Laugh Fest, and so much more. Read the interview below!
This interview between Em Moore and Rush Kazi (with appearances by Rush’s dog Loki, who recently got into a fight with a dog named Thor) took place over Zoom on September 17, 2025. What follows is a transcription of their conversation [which is sadly missing the full transcript of the most aggressively Canadian thing that Rush has ever seen (it involved two girls on bikes apologizing to each other repeatedly even though neither had run into the other)] that has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
The Penske File have released a video for their song “Almost Young”. The song is off their album Reprieve which is out today via Stomp Records. The Penske File will be playing Stomp’s 30th Anniversary Bash in Montreal in December. Check out the video below.
Fucked Up have released Side A of Year of the Goat called “Long Ago Gardens”. Side B, “Rivers and Lakes” will be out on December 5. Year of the Goat features Tuka Mohammed, Tamara Linderman, Jennifer Castle, and Dwid Hellion. It is the first installment of, Grass Can Move Stones, their recently announced ten-part finale to their Zodiac album cycle. Check out “Long Ago Gardens” below.
Model, actor, and punk icon Soo Catwoman, aka Susan Lucas, has passed away. She passed away on September 30 at the age of 70. Her children, Shem and Dion October Lucas announced her passing in a statement that reads in part,
”She recently fell ill and was taken to hospital, and shortly after fell into a coma, which she sadly never awoke from, she passed away on Tuesday 30th of September 2025 at 3:56am, surrounded by her family and loved ones.
We are utterly devastated by her loss, it came very quickly and unexpectedly.
She was a very kind and caring individual who helped and cared for countless people during her time on this earth, she was a champion of the underdog, and always gave to people in need whenever she could.
She was also a highly influential and inspirational figure, whose image has loomed large in the public consciousness for the past 49 years. She pushed forward the frontiers of fashion with her handmade clothing accessories, her striking make up and of course her signature ‘Soo Catwoman’ hairstyle. She remains a huge inspiration in the worlds of music, art and fashion, her image is timeless and as striking today as it was in 1976.
Soo lived her private life in silent dignity, because of this she never sought to capitalize on her fame and lived a simple life. Choosing to raise her children instead of seeking fame and fortune.”
Dion October Lucas also released a statement on Instagram which reads,
"Sadly the rumors are true, it feels just like a bad dream, the kind I would rush to grab my phone, so I could write or call to tell my mum, she always told me if you have a bad dream and you share it then it won’t come true.
I’m absolutely devastated to lose her, I wish I could hold her and breathe her in, exist in her breath, or better still curl up like a cat in her lap and have her magic hands soothe my broken heart, I am lucky to have been on time at least to spend many hours by her side in the week before she passed, I am blessed to have had her and I will be forever permanently changed by her passing."
Soo Catwoman also recorded a cover of “Backstabbers” by The O’Jays which featured Derwwod Andrews of Generation X on guitar and Rat Scabies of The Damne on drums. She also sang backing vocals on The Invaders' 1980 album Test Card and sang lead vocals on “Backseat Romeo”. We send our condolences to Soo Catwoman’s family, friends, and fans.
Erica Dawn Lyle has released a video for her cover of Van Halen’s song “On Fire” called “ON FIRE III”. The song is off her album On Fire which is out today via Feeding Tube / Half A Million Records. Speaking about the video Erica said,
"I wasn't planning on making a video for this record but after the intense anti-trans rhetoric in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination, I had to do something to work through my feelings. So I made a fire and danced and threw an iPhone on the ground to shoot it. Fixed camera angle, one shot, two takes. The parts where I am on fire are all in camera but there are some light edits and dissolves. This song and video is for trans women everywhere. We are beautiful and so smart and so strong and we will prevail."
Check out the video below.
Today marks the release of the new album by Colorado punk band Cheap Perfume! The album is called Don’t Care. Didn’t Ask and is out now via Snappy Little Numbers. The album features eleven tracks (including a cover of an Andrew W.K. song) that showcase the band’s range (and rage) as they talk about fighting against fascism, the impact of capitalism and patriarchy on the world, relationships, and much more. We recently caught up with the band to hear the stories behind each song. Listen to Don’t Care. Didn’t Ask. and read Cheap Perfume’s track-by-track breakdown below!
Buzzcocks have announced a new album, their second without the sadly departed Pete Shelley. It's called Attitude Adjustment and it's out 30 January 2026 via Cherry Red. The record is described as having a "motown vibe." You can see the tracklist below.
Alexisonfire have announced that they will be releasing a new covers EP. It is called Copies of Old Masters Volume 1 and will be out on November 7 via Dine Alone Records. The band covers four Canadian classics on the EP: “Neighbourhood Villain” by Doughboys, “Cuz” by Shallow North Dakota, “Fully Completely” by The Tragically Hip, and “Misogyny” by Rusty. The band has released their Hip cover as the lead single. Alexisonfire released their live album Born and Raised 2022, St. Catharines, ON in 2024 and released their album Otherness in 2022. Check out the cover below.
Ben Quad have released a video for their new song “Painless”. The video was directed by Alex Scalzo-Brown. The song is off their upcoming album Wisher which will be out on November 14 via Pure Noise Records. Ben Quad will be touring North America with Koyo starting later this month and released their EP Ephemera in 2024. Check out the video below.
![Lips of Kohl - Please... Bury Me [EP]](https://ww2.punknews.org/images/covers/lips-of-kohl-please-bury-me-ep.jpg)
![Francis Lawrence - The Long Walk [Film]](https://ww2.punknews.org/images/covers/francis-lawrence-the-long-walk-film.jpg)
