In the past few weeks we've spoken with a number of bands. Don't miss out on these interviews:
Punknews content is syndicated to a handful of your favorite social networks, including Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. Join our Last.fm group and contribute your listening habits to our weekly charts. All of our high definition video footage can be found at Vimeo.
Here's your question and answer of the week from the Punknews Formspring:
Q: What's your favorite photo?A: One of the great things about punk is the plethora of pics from all eras and so many of them have such character. One of my favorites is the photo of Billy Idol, Siouxsie Sioux, and Debbie Juvenile from an early Sex Pistols show.
It's great because it says so much about the people and the scene at the time. Look at how young Billy Idol is. I think this was before he was in Chelsea even, but you can just tell, by that hair and that sneer that he's going to be a rock star. When you think about it, how crazy is it that the sometimes roadie for the Sex Pistols went on to sell many, many, many, many more records than they did.
Then look at Siouxsie. Her shirt, which I think was made by Vivienne Westwood, shows two gay cowboys. Even today that shirt would be a real jaw dropper in public. Plus the concept of two gay cowboys is a really neat idea of commenting on concepts of masculinity. I wonder if that shirt was even more wild back then, of if society (or more specifically, the art/music scene) is actually more conservative now than it was in the mid -70's.
Likewise, Debbie Juvenile's swastika shirt is just as interesting. (Of course we all know that Nazis are bad, evil people.) But, what is Debbie saying by wearing it? Is she just trying to shock? Is she saying that symbols themselves only have the power that you give them and that the swastika actually means nothing? Is she commenting on the evils of countries? Is it in bad taste to just wear a symbol? Is bad taste just a small sin, or is it signifying of deep character flaws?
Who knows and I don't think there is one answer. Likewise, you could never wear that shirt today. I wonder why that is? (I'd also like to point out, that I think in the UK, the swastika is perceived slightly differently then in the USA. In the USA, the swastika seems to represent the horrors of racism. But, in the UK, while it means that, I think it also represents the army that bombed and killed many Britons. I think in that the swastika as perceived in the UK would be analogous to how the Taliban is perceived in the USA right now, though I could be wrong).
What I love about these old pictures is that they raise any many questions as they answer.
-John G
Of course your day wouldn't be complete without knowing every inane detail of your humble editors' lives. Follow @aubinpaul, @adamwhite, @howtobepunk, @johngentile, @dante3000, @ameliaaacline, @kiraface, @mcflynnthm, @kidecono, @wackymondo and @BrittStrummer's every move at Twitter. A few of the new fathers on staff have even started a punk dad blog.
Where else are you online? Share your links below and keep connected with the Punknews community.
Check out the Punknews Music page to stream all sorts of new music from recent or upcoming releases. Our latest additions include:
Also, don't forget to check out a new song from A Secret Policeman's Ball, a new song from Light Years, the latest release from Places to Hide, a remastered EP from MxPx, and the new EP from Careers in Science.
We've also expanded our podcast empire to something that will eventually resemble a network. Be sure to check out the original Punknews Podcast (subscribe via RSS or iTunes), Adam's Ontario showcase Some Party (subscribe via RSS or iTunes), and Greg Simpson and Greg Moore's Two Gregs One Podcast.
Hello everyone and welcome to Navel Gazing: your look back in the week in Punknews. I'm Brittany Strummer and I'll be your guide through some of the juiciest, most popular and otherwise noteworthy stories from the last seven days. Remember, every Punknews story is built from tips from our wonderful, good-looking readers, so get to submitting. Here's what got the strange, slow and old community talking this week:
With that, we hand over this Sunday evening to the Punknews community, where anything is possible, from the next amusing-then-overwrought meme, to the creation of bands and message boards, to alienating sports chatter. So talk amongst yourselves, spin some tracks in the Navel Gazing turntable.fm room and we'll see you Monday morning
In the past few weeks we've spoken with a number of bands. Don't miss out on these interviews:
Punknews content is syndicated to a handful of your favorite social networks, including Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. Join our Last.fm group and contribute your listening habits to our weekly charts. All of our high definition video footage can be found at Vimeo.
Here's your question and answer of the week from the Punknews Formspring:
Q: Do you have a single favorite band? If not, do you mind being asked to pick one? Same for albums.A: I totally do. THE ROLLING STONES, baby. I have to give insane props to the stones because they ratcheted up rock music by a factor of 90 in the early 60's, merged rock with soul and gospel, have evolved with each release through rock, soul, country, disco, punk, funk, dance, and so much more, and have like a million awesome albums. Plus, they destroy it live.
People like to name check bands that were only around for a few years before breaking up, or only have one or two greta albums, and then say "Just think of what they could have achieved!" (I like those bands, too.) But, the thing is, the Stones DID achieve what their early releases suggested. They achieved that, revolutionized rock music, and then KEPT going for another FORTY years, and kept making awesome music. Not every Stones release is good, but at least they tried and took a lot of risks. A lot of people like to favor flash in the pan bands because that's easy. Joy Division won't ever make a bad album because it's impossible. by contrast, the stones had the guts to keep going and keep trying new things. For me, longevity wins out and man, the Stones STILL rock.
My favorite album is The Stones' Some Girls because it represents so many things. First and foremost, it is an awesome album. But it also shows the stones tackling new styles, like funk-disco, punk, and 70's style country, and making it their own. Plus, "Beast of Burden", baby. BEAST. OF. BURDEN.
The stones doing punk in the late 70's. What could be better, music wise? Nothing.
Also, they released one of the funniest music videos of all time before music videos were even a thing. Just look at how melancholy Charlie Watts looks. JUST LOOK AT HIM!
Close runners up, in no order, and in an incomplee list, would be: AC/DC, Judas Priest, The Clash, Sex Pistols, Ramones, GWAR, Slayer, Lee Scratch Perry, Misfits, Samhain, Danzig, Billy Joel, Elton John, Yellowman, Gnarboots, World/Inferno Friendship Society, Bauhaus, Amebix, Jello and Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Ice Cube, Ice-T, NWA, Public Enemy, Digital Underground, The Coup, Funkadelic, Mikey Dread, Rush, Joy Division, Bad Brains, Mischief Brew, Pink Floyd, Zounds, Frank Zappa, Dwarves, Bob Dylan, Sublime, Led Zeppelin, Mott the Hoople, David Bowie, Celtic Frost, Queen, Ceremony, Stevie Wonder, The Damned, Beastie Boys, Dexys, Peter Tosh, Minor Threat, Rudimentary Peni, Crass, Vivian Girls, Babies, La Sera, Johnny Cash, Choking Vicim/Leftover Crack, Junior Murvin, Max Romeo, Sam Cooke, Frankie Valli, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, The Cure, No Doubt, and MEEEEELLLLLLVVVVVIIIIIIIIINNNNSSSSS!!!!!!
Really, the point of all this is, is to keep your mind open about music. I recommend giving everything a chance and if you don't like it, revisit it later. I used to hate Parliament/Funkadelic and now I'm a maniac. I find that at some points in your life, you just don't have the experience to be able to appreciate what a certain band is doing at a certain time in your life and you can't hear their intentions. Would you believe that I used to not like the Melvins? It's crazy, but true. When I first heard Houdini, I thought it was boring. I came back to "Nude with boots" years later and it totally clicked. Man, I am glad that I kept an open mind and re-checked.
Don't waste time hating music. Keep searching for those golden jams. There are more than a life times worth out there.
-John G
p.s. I am still trying to appreciate Hot Water Music and their ilk, and man, I am just not getting it at all. We are on like year five here of me just hearing a bunch of sedate guys with throaty voices sing about things that I don't care about. Same with Jawbreaker. I feel like everyone in that band has an iron deficiency. Same with bands like Captain, We're Sinking and all those guys. But, hell, I could be wrong. Maybe those bands ARE good and I just can't hear it yet. Maybe one of these days I WILL get it. The quest for sweet jams continues indefinitely. Until then, Amebix singing about ancient pagan rites it is. WE ARE STRAINING AT THE LEASH!!!!!
Of course your day wouldn't be complete without knowing every inane detail of your humble editors' lives. Follow @aubinpaul, @adamwhite, @howtobepunk, @johngentile, @dante3000, @ameliaaacline, @kiraface, @mcflynnthm, @kidecono, @wackymondo and @BrittStrummer's every move at Twitter. A few of the new fathers on staff have even started a punk dad blog.
Where else are you online? Share your links below and keep connected with the Punknews community.
Check out the Punknews Music page to stream all sorts of new music from recent or upcoming releases. Our latest additions include:
Also, don't forget to check out a new song from Calculator and the latest release from Sundowners.
We've also expanded our podcast empire to something that will eventually resemble a network. Be sure to check out the original Punknews Podcast (subscribe via RSS or iTunes), Adam's Ontario showcase Some Party (subscribe via RSS or iTunes), and Greg Simpson and Greg Moore's Two Gregs One Podcast.
Hello everyone and welcome to Navel Gazing: your look back in the week in Punknews. I'm Brittany Strummer and I'll be your guide through some of the juiciest, most popular and otherwise noteworthy stories from the last seven days. Remember, every Punknews story is built from tips from our wonderful, good-looking readers, so get to submitting. Here's what got the strange, slow and old community talking this week:
With that, we hand over this Sunday evening to the Punknews community, where anything is possible, from the next amusing-then-overwrought meme, to the creation of bands and message boards, to alienating sports chatter. So talk amongst yourselves, spin some tracks in the Navel Gazing turntable.fm room and we'll see you Monday morning
In the past few weeks we've spoken with a number of bands, a festival production manager, and two comic book writers. Don't miss out on these interviews:
Punknews content is syndicated to a handful of your favorite social networks, including Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. Join our Last.fm group and contribute your listening habits to our weekly charts. All of our high definition video footage can be found at Vimeo.
Here's your question and answer of the week from the Punknews Formspring:
Q: If you could attend any concert, what would it be?A: Oh man, what a question! Well………
There's the "first" Black Flag show at the Moose lodge where they played first, were kicked out, and snuck back in wearing wigs and played a second set after the Alley Katz and Rhino 39
OR….
There's the infamous Dwarves show at 924 Gilman that started, and ended with HeWhoCannotBeNamed swinging his guitar at the audience like a battle axe
OR….
There's the Rolling Stones live in Texas in 1978 where they played almost all of some girls and a did a bunch of older tunes and Chuck berry covers in a punk rock style. Thankfully, after years of sitting in the vaults, this show was released as a live album and I think it might be the best live album ever.
OR….
There's the famous Beastie Boys / Reagan Youth / Bad Brains show where all three bands were at their punk rock prime.
OR….
The Stooges in 1970 when Iggy was wild but not completely out of his skull on drugs.
OR….
Dean Martin, Sinatra, and Sammy Davis at the Sands in their rat pack prime (Dean was the most talented, Sinatra was the hardest working, and Sammy was the funniest).
OR…..
The insane and secret all punk rock Beastie boys show where they played under the name Quasar from 1995.
OR…..
There's the wild show by Jerry Lee Lewis where he was mad at Chuck Berry for making him play first, so he did an insanely berserk show in a gym auditorium that ended with him lighting the piano on fire (We could also see if he really did use the N-word, or if that is just someone trying to defame him)
OR….
Johnny Cash live at