THE RETURN OF DANCE PUNK: DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 ARE BACK

THE RETURN OF DANCE PUNK: DEATHFROM ABOVE 1979 ARE BACK 

BAND SHARES VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE “ONE + ONE” — WATCH

NEW ALBUM IS 4 LOVERS SET FOR RELEASE ON MARCH 26
PRE-ORDER HERE

Death From Above 1979 (DFA), the boundary-pushing musical alliance of Sebastien Grainger and Jesse F. Keeler, have released their new single, “One + One.”

Watch the video here.

“One + One” arrives as an unmistakably DFA-esque track and is the first taste of new music since their 2017 release Outrage! Is Now.

“‘One + One’ is a love song,” says Grainger. “It’s the karmic sequel to ‘Romantic Rights.’ My wife, Eva, became pregnant not long after we started working on the song, and after hearing an early version she said, ‘I wish this song was dancier.’ So I went back into the studio and re-worked the drums. As the record was taking shape, every time I would come home from the studio, the baby would start dancing in Eva’s belly. Even before I walked in the room, the party would start. One plus one is three — that’s magic!”

The music video, created as a collage of disparate frames and moments inspired by the photography of artist David Hockney, was shot in Marmora, Ontario, and directed by Eva Michon, who also helmed the band’s documentary Life After Death from Above 1979 (2014). 

“Since we started playing, people would come up to the stage and after and say, ‘I can’t believe there’s just two of you,'” explains Grainger. “The video for ‘One + One’ is Eva’s way of showing that our band is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s Death From Above 1979 in multitudes.” 

Along with the first single, the band dropped a surprise announcement of their fourth LP, Is 4 Lovers, out March 26. It is available for pre-order here.

The new album, which Grainger and Keeler wrote, produced, mastered, and recorded entirely by themselves, captures the creation of a totally new sound and a reimagining of the format they created more than 20 years ago.  With the band leaving subtle hints at what was to come across social platforms over the past few months, fan response at launch, and in anticipation of new music, has been ferocious. Adding to the hype, on January 18, fans were invited to call a hotline, where the lyrics of “One + One” were recited in a dramatic reading by Keeler. With calls flooding in leading up to the single’s official announcement on January 25, the news of a forthcoming album leaves fans, fondly referred to as “Lovers,” counting down the days to the album’s release.

An exclusive line of DFA merch, including a limited edition autographed vinyl that is exclusively available only on the DFA store launched today, is available here

DFA has never sounded more assuredly like itself than it does on Is 4 Lovers

IS 4 LOVERS TRACK LISTING:

“Modern Guy”

“One + One”

“Free Animal”

“N.Y.C. Power Elite Part I”

“N.Y.C. Power Elite Part II”

“Totally Wiped Out”

“Glass Homes”

“Love Letter”

“Mean Streets”

“No War”

ABOUT DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 (DFA):

Death From Above 1979 (DFA), the boundary-pushing musical alliance created by Sebastien Grainger and Jesse F. Keeler, roared out of Toronto with the uncompromising one-two punch of 2002[s fuzz-bomb EP Heads Up and 2004’s epochal debut album You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine, complete with a North American arena tour with Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age, before deciding mid-tour to part ways due to the strain of constantly touring. 

Almost a decade later, the rekindled DFA fireworks lit stages around the world ablaze — amassing a posse of fans so passionate they incited a genuine, barricade-smashing riot at Austin’s Beauty Bar at the 2011 SXSW festival. Playing Lollapalooza, Coachella, Glastonbury, Reading/Leeds, Osheaga, Lowlands, and more, DFA continued to take the world by storm. Their second album, The Physical World (2014), took a No. 3 spot on the Canadian Billboard album chart and peaked at No. 28 on the U.S. Hot 200 — not to mention No. 3 and No. 7 shots on Billboard’s Top Alternative and Top Rock registries, respectively. TV appearances around their first two albums on iconic late-night shows including David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, and Jimmy Fallon showed a whole new audience the DFA live goods.  

Arriving at No. 20 on the Canadian Billboard album chart, DFA‘s scorching 2017 outing, Outrage! Is Now prompted Pitchfork to remark that “Death From Above now sounds more vital than ever.” With three smashing albums to their name, the duo drummed up an easy 10 million views before going silent once more, to the dismay of fans. 

Now, DFA is back with the return of their new album, Is 4 Lovers — once again creating a new sound and reimagining the format they created more than 20 years ago. 

Seminal Punk Artists CRASS to Release Crassical Collection; Featuring Collectible Editions of Classic Albums via One Little Independent

All Crassical Collection;Releases to Include Remastered Audio, Rare Tracks, New Art and Comprehensive Liner

One Little Independent Records has revealed details on the Crassical Collection, a collection of seminal avant-punk collective CRASS’ legendary albums, restored from the original analogue studio tapes.

Set for release in North America on October 30, the Crassical Collection includes Stations of the Crass (1979), Feeding of the Five Thousand (The Second Sitting) (1981), Penis Envy (1981), Christ – The Album (1982), Yes Sir, I Will (1983), Ten Notes on a Summer’s Day (1986) and Best Before 1984 (1986). Each of the records have been repackaged and bolstered by rare and unreleased tracks, and stunning new artwork from Gee Vaucher, who has lovingly created what could only be considered a true artifact.

The first six albums include two CDs, with the first disc being the main album remastered by Alex Gordon at Abbey Road Studios and the second being a mixture of rare live and remastered studio recordings. Each package also includes a fold-out poster and a high-quality 60-page booklet featuring all lyrics along with extensive liner notes from band members Penny Rimbaud and Steve Ignorant, which shed light on the making of the records.

The Best Before 1984Crassical Collection is brand-new and has also been remastered and features five fold-out posters and a 52-page booklet.

“Number seven – the one that almost got away,” CRASS’ Penny Rimbaud notes. “This final Crassical Collection double CD re-mastered by Alex Gordon and Penny Rimbaud at Abbey Road Studios in 2018 contains the original album plus a further album’s worth of related material; good, bad and indifferent. Half the band want it out, while the other half wanted out, but hey, here it is in all its glory.”

Pre-orders for the seven releases are available now via Amazon (see below for direct links).

Leading up to the release of the Crassical CollectionCRASS has embarked on the ambitious The Feeding of the Five Thousand Remix Project. Beginning in late 2019, CRASS took the step of making the original separate track stems of their seminal debut album The Feeding of the Five Thousand available as a free download. With a call to take the original 16 track recording in its pre-mix state, the intent was for people to create their own remixes and interpretations and breathe fresh life and ideas into this revolutionary music.

The resulting Normal Never Was series has just released its third installment, featuring remixes by legendary producer Steve Aoki and Japanese outsider musician Mikado Koko. All proceeds from the Normal Never Was series are being donated to the Refuge charity (www.refuge.org.uk).

“Different genre, different world, but common ground,” Rimbaud told Rolling Stone, which premiered Steve Aoki’s remix of “Banned from the Roxy” yesterday. “Steve’s contribution to the remix project defies the divide and rule notions of the governing classes and brings us together in a vibrant scream for liberation.”

Aoki added, “Remixing the legendary band CRASS was a big honor for me, and when they told me the proceeds from the remix would all be donated to a Refuge to help women in need my answer was an immediate yes. There’s a lot of people and problems that need our help and attention in this world, and I only hope that the money raised by this remix project helps to unfuck some of it.”

Watch the video for Aoki’s remix at https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/steve-aoki-crass-banned-from-the-roxy-remix-1046805/.

Mikado Koko is a ground-breaking Japanese artist and musician stretching the boundaries of feminism and the avant-garde,” Rimbaud told Vive le Rock!, which debuted Koko’s “Asylum” remix. “No wonder, then, that she was drawn to remixing ‘Reality Asylum’ and thereby proving the universality of the liberationist cause.”

Check out the video for Koko’s remix at https://vivelerock.net/crass-remix-project-stage-3/.

Normal Never Was III is  available digitally at https://open.spotify.com/artist/0fchjvjsXNVrxJ98kdPxYX. Physical copies of Normal Never Was III will be available October 16. Pre-order now at https://www.olirecords.com/shop/crass/normalneverwas3/.The first two sets of remixes Normal New Was I and Normal Never Was II are available at https://crass.lnk.to/normalneverwas and https://crass.lnk.to/CrassNormalNeverWasII, respectively.

Join Rimbaud and Aoki for a livestream chat via Instagram Live on Monday, August 24 August at 4 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. PDT.

In addition to the CRASS releases, Rimbaud’s latest solo record, HOW?, also dropped last Friday. HOW? is available at https://oli.lnk.to/How.

Pre-order links for the Crassical Collection:Best Before 1984 (Crassical Collection)https://www.amazon.com/Best-Before-1984-Crass/dp/B07NR8KRDJ

Ten Notes on a Summer’s Day (Crassical Collection)https://www.amazon.com/Ten-Notes-Summers-Crassical-Collection/dp/B08FTBNGDN

Yes Sir, I Will (Crassical Collection)https://www.amazon.com/Yes-Sir-Will-Crassical-Collection/dp/B08FTF34ZZ

Christ – The Album (Crassical Collection)https://www.amazon.com/Christ-Album-Crassical-Collection-Crass/dp/B08FTH9KMV

Penis Envyhttps://www.amazon.com/Penis-Envy-Crassical-Collection-Crass/dp/B08FT8X8JK

Stations of the Crasshttps://www.amazon.com/Stations-Crass-Crassical-Collection/dp/B08FTBNGDM

Feeding of the Five Thousand (The Second Sitting)https://www.amazon.com/Feeding-Thousand-Sitting-Crassical-Collection/dp/B08FTHLN95

Romantic Rock and Vans Footwear To Host “The Art Of Shoes” At Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show Saturday, December 21 In Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA — Romantic Rock’s highly anticipated Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show makes its return to Los Angeles later this month, with a grand opening night and red carpet artist reception onSaturday, December 21 at Self Help Graphics & Art. This annual art exhibition celebrates the fine art and photography of creatives who share a passion for both music and art, and this year has partnered with Vans Footwear to give back to the community through “The Art Of Shoes.” 

“The Art Of Shoes” will feature one-of-a-kind designs painted onto Vans shoes by Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show participating artists and other iconic punk rock musicians. Each pair of Vans shoes will be auctioned off, starting at $200 per pair, with all proceeds benefiting The Sidewalk Project, a Los Angeles non-profit whose initiative is to enrich the lives of the Los Angeles houseless community. “Each band and artist that is a part of this project is giving their time to support both The Sidewalk Projectand Punk Rock & Paintbrushes, and we are SO honored to have every single artist joining us,” says Emily T. Nielsen, founder of both Romantic Rock and Punk Rock & Paintbrushes. “Every artist on this project is connected to us and that is what this is about…the punk rock ART community.” 

Musicians and artists participating in “The Art Of Shoes” at the Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show include: Mike Ness of Social DistortionNoodles of The OffspringPete Wentz of Fall Out BoyMatt Skiba of blink-182 and Alkaline TrioAlisonMosshart of The Kills, Dan Pawlovich of Panic! At The DiscoWarren Fitzgerald of The VandalsEric Melvin of NOFXChristianJacobs of The AquabatsJennie Cotterill of Bad Cop / Bad CopPete Dee of The AdictsMatt Hensley of Flogging MollyEric Wilson of SublimeJason Cruz of Strung OutJared Watson of DIrty HeadsJen Razavi of The BombpopsJohnny NessSoma SnakeoilSteve CaballeroChadCantColor, and Chris Shary + LoriHerbst

These wearable works of art will be available online for early bidding starting on Saturday, December 14 at www.32auctions.com/SIDEWALKOn December 21 at the 

Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show opening night, the shoes will be on display with updated prices reflecting the online bids. The auction will be open for onsite live bidding until 11pm on December 21st, and again the next day from 11am to 4pmOn December 22 at 4pm the auction will close, and shoes will be awarded to the highest bidders. 

Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show will feature multiple original works, prints and more from select artists in the music community including Tim Armstrong, Matt Henlsey, Carla Harvey, Jim Lindberg,AlisonMosshart, Soma Snakeoil, Natalia Fabia, Johnny Ness, Sara Wright, and many others, along with music from special guest DJs including Noodles of The OffspringJonny “Two Bags” Wickersham of Social DistortionStacey Dee of Bad Cop / Bad Cop, and Joe Sib of SideOneDummy Records. The night will also boast a full cocktail bar, a coffee booth featuring Oakland Coffee, red carpet, photo booth, live body painting, and more. 

To RSVP to this all ages event, please visit: https://prpb2019.eventbrite.com The Punk Rock & Paintbrushes art exhibition will also be open on Sunday, December 22 from 11am to 5pm, and will feature musical performances from Warren Fitzgerald (of The Vandals) and friends of “The Sidewalk Project,” DJ RyToast of Tyrone’s JacketBent Duo and State To State

Sponsors for Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show include: Oakland Coffee (founded by Green Day), AO Hemp (owned/founded by Nathen Maxwell of Flogging Molly), Punk Rock Bowling, The Sidewalk Project, KROQ, Vans Footwear, and Jägermeister.

Romantic Rock Announces Third Annual Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show

Romantic Rock Announces Third Annual
Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show
Opening Night Reception on Saturday, December 15 in Los Angeles, CA

Exhibition to Showcase Pieces From Artists In The Music Community
Including Matt Skiba, Hunter Burgan, Soma Snakeoil,
Steve Caballero, Natalia Fabia, Matt Hensley and more!

Romantic Rock is pleased to announce that their Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show will be returning to Los Angeles, CA for its third year. Celebrating the fine art of creatives who share a passion for both music and art, Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show will feature artwork from Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio and Blink-182, Hunter Burgan of AFI, Soma Snakeoil, Warren Fitzgerald of The Vandals, Matt Hensley of Flogging Molly, Carla Harvey of Butcher Babies, Jennie Cotterill of Bad Cop / Bad Cop, Kevin Seconds of 7 Seconds, Mike Gallo of Agnostic Front, professional skateboarders Steve Caballero of The Faction, Mike Smith, and Christian Hosoi, artists Natalia Fabia, Paul Kobriger, The Mad Twins: Olya & Vira Ishchuk, Chris Shary and photographer Madison Stern. Each artist will have multiple original pieces, prints, and much more.

The opening night and artist reception will occur on Saturday, December 15th at Innerspace Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles. From 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. the Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show will feature music throughout the night from resident DJs and special guest DJs including Noodles of The Offspring, Monique Powell of Save Ferris, Stacey Dee-J of Bad Cop / Bad Cop, and more! The event will also boast a full cocktail bar provided by Bulleit, a coffee cart, red carpet, photo booth, and more. This event is free and open to all ages, but RSVP is required. To RSVP, please visit: www.eventbrite.com/e/punk-rock-paintbrushes-2018-tickets-51212566164

Emily T. Nielsen, founder of both Romantic Rock and Punk Rock & Paintbrushes says, “Punk Rock & Paintbrushes is an incredible event to showcase these talented individuals through art and photography. We are taking their talent from the stage to the walls and showcasing it to the world. I am excited to work with each of these artists to support their art in our punk rock ways.”

“Last year’s Punk Rock & Paintbrushes event was amazing so when they asked if I wanted to DJ again this year I jumped at it,” says Noodles of The Offspring. “There’s going to be even more artists showing their work this year, and I’ll be DJing with Monique Powell and Stacy Dee. Great people, great art, and great music. It’s gonna be a blast.”

Butcher Babies vocalist Carla Harvey adds, “I love being a part of the Punk Rock & Paintbrushes family because of the sheer variety of art involved. You’ll find a fine art oil painting next to one of my glistening copic marker vaginas. The juxtaposition is what art is all about.”

A look at last year’s Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show can be seen here: https://vimeo.com/249004910/adc8080569

Punk Rock & Paintbrushes will also be donating 10% of all sales during their December 15 opening night reception to The Sidewalk Project, a Los Angeles non-profit whose initiative is to enrich the lives of the Los Angeles’ houseless community. Through various mediums including art, music and film, The Sidewalk Project aims to be socially active in houseless communities around the world. They work directly on the street to share in a sense of connection and well-being. A video providing a more intimate look at The Sidewalk Project can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLMoZm9ddCA

Funds donated from the Punk Rock & Painbrushes Holiday Art Show will go directly to the streets and also assist with providing the art mural to Skid Row the very next day, working with houseless artists and the community at the “Holiday Sidewalk Party.” Punk Rock & Paintbrushes will also be raffling off a collaborative art piece created by PRPB artists, with all profits to benefit The Sidewalk Project. More information on the “Holiday Sidewalk Party” on December 16 can be found at: www.instagram.com/The_Sidewalk_Project

The Innerspace Gallery is located in downtown Los Angeles at 110 Winston Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013. The Punk Rock & Paintbrushes group art exhibition will also be open on Sunday, December 16 from 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sponsors for Punk Rock & Paintbrushes Holiday Art Show include: KROQ, Bulleit, Stickevape, The Sidewalk Project, and Romantic Rock.

For more information, visit:
https://www.instagram.com/punkrockandpaintbrushes
https://www.instagram.com/romanticrock/
http://romanticrock.net/

Punk Veterans Down By Law To Release 11th Album, “All In”.

PUNK VETERANS DOWN BY LAW TO RELEASE 11TH ALBUM, ‘ALL IN,’ ON AUG 3RD
**STREAM THE NEW SONG “REBRAND IT” NOW AT BROOKLYNVEGAN.COM**

Seminal punk band Down By Law has announced today, plans to release their 11th, full-length album, All In, on August 3rd via Kung Fu Records under exclusive distribution through Cleopatra Records, Inc. In anticipation for the release, the band has partnered with BrooklynVegan.com to debut the record’s first new song, “Rebrand It.” Fans can also pre-order the record now at iTunes.

Stream “Rebrand It” now at BrooklynVegan.com: https://bit.ly/2N6YtG6

Dave Smalley: “One of the things that I’ve always loved about DBL is that we absolutely respect our musical roots, yet still sound like ourselves. “Rebrand It” is all about that – never forget the past, but also forge the future. Even has a loving tribute to the Bad Brains. One of my favorite thematic songs Sam and I have ever written.”

Sam Williams: “I think this song is the most traditional DBL sounding song on the album. It purposely displays a few of our most obvious influences that’ve been heard from the first album, on.”

For nearly 30 years, Down By Law has been a staple in the LA punk rock scene, influencing generations of bands and transcending musical trends along the way with their bold and adventurous musical style. After releasing 10 albums, the band has found a new home with Kung Fu Records and Cleopatra Records, where they’ll release their first record in 5 years, All In, on August 3rd. The forthcoming album also marks the return of the classic 90’s lineup, featuring Dave Smalley (ALL, Dag Nasty), Sam Williams and John DiMambro, convening for the first time in almost 20 years and joined by drummer Jack Criswell.

Follow the band at https://www.facebook.com/dblpunkrock/ for additional updates.

All In Tracklisting:
1.) Aperture
2.) Boredom
3.) Rebrand It
4.) Carousel
5.) Mountain
6.) End of Rhyme
7.) Undone
8.) Then and Tomorrow
9.) Infatuation
10.) Ride
11.) Mannequin
12.) Dear Fate

For More Information:
https://www.facebook.com/dblpunkrock/
http://cleorecs.com/
https://twitter.com/cleopatrarecord
https://www.facebook.com/CleopatraRecords/

Book Review: “Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout”

“Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout”

Author: Laura Jane Grace w/ Dan Ozzi
Hachette Books
Hardcover 320

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Tranny” is the intimate story of Against Me!’s enigmatic founder, weaving narrative of the band’s history, as well as Grace’s, with dozens of never before seen entries from the piles of journals Grace kept. More than a typical music memoir about sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll “Tranny” is an inside look at one of the most remarkable stories in the history of rock.

Like the in your face title suggests “Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout” pulls no punches and is direct and extremely real in its approach. First time Author Laura Jane Grace paints a gritty picture of her unique journey not only through her transition from male to female but also the path her and her band mates took as they navigated a completely different type of transition being that of moving from small independent records labels to the major label markets. From an outsider looking this may seem like a no brainer however Grace does a great job of describing the bands hardships as it clearly was not all big checks, fancy cars and massive notoriety.

“Tranny” is a real life account of two very different types of transitions. The two run parallel with one another providing an interesting continuity which keeps the reader’s attention page after page. The realness taken from Grace’s journal entries do a tremendous job and showcasing the inter turmoil she felt not only as an artist in a changing music market but also on a direct personal level as it relates to her own internal and external transformation from male to female. You will be extremely hard pressed to find another story like that of Laura Jane Grace’s “Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout”.

 

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Book Review: Keith Morris’s “My Damage: The Story of a True Punk Rock Survivor”

“My Damage: The Story of a True Punk Rock Survivor”
Author: Keith Morris w/ Jim Ruland
Da Capo Press
Hardcover: 309 pages

Our score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Keith Morris is known the world over as the real deal, a seminal figure in hardcore punk, revered by any fan of the genre. As a co-founding member of Black Flag and as the front man for the seminal west coast punk band Circle Jerks “My Damage” is a memoir that covers not only covers Keith’s forty-year history in music but also his struggles with his health and drug use, told straight through the eyes of someone who shared the stage with just about every major figure in the industry.

From page 1 to page 309 “My Damage” keeps the reader’s attention making this a hard book to put down. Through candid accounts of Black Flag/Circle Jerks front man Keith Morris’s early struggles within the Hermosa Beach community to the reincarnation of “FLAG” close to 40 years later the book covers immense ground in an easy to follow format which for readers who may not be as familiar with Morris’s work is a great feature. The books drive matches that of the author as it moves quickly and is unrelenting in details. No matter how edgy or unsettling the story may be Morris pulls no punches and tells the story as it was from his perspective. No phony names or reader friendly versions here folks.

The sheer realness of “My Damage” makes this book appealing to not only punk rock music fans but to readers looking for a candid takes-no prisoners approach to storytelling. Keith cuts out the unneeded drab and quickly gets to the guts of his life and his experiences in the music business. At times over shadowing those story is his struggles with drugs and alcohol which at several points made me question just how the author is still with us and able to recount his journey in detail he does. “My Damage: The Story of a True Punk Rock Survivor” is a must read for biography and music fans.

 

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Film Review: “A Fat Wreck: The Punk U Mentary”

“A Fat Wreck: The Punk U Mentary”
Director: Shaun M. Colon
Writer: Greg Pratt
Open-Ended Films/ Leaders & Flares/Charlie Uniform Tango
Runtime: 84 minutes

Our score: 5 out of 5 stars

“A Fat Wreck: The Punk U Mentary” is half inspirational story of chosen family and community and half debauchery as it tells the story of Fat Wreck Chords founder Fat Mike (bassist for the band NOFX) and his ex-wife Erin-Kelly Burkett. “A Fat Wreck” has it all from the birth, growth and struggles the label has endured over its 25 years to the thriving label we know today who continues to put out some of the best punk rock albums year after year.

If you were into punk rock in the 1990’s then chances are you at one time or another listened to a Fat Wreck Chords released album or band. Group’s such as Strung Out, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name and Propagandi and many others were fortunate enough to call Fat Wreck Chords their home while at the same time making a phenomenal impact on the evolution of punk music. “A Fat Wreck: The Punk U Mentary” is the story of that monumental label and the bands who helped define 90’s era punk rock. From candid interviews with label founders NOFX bassist Fat Mike and his ex-wife Erin to clips and interviews with the multitude of bands who have made up the labels roster during its past 25 years through today. For the first time in one spot the entire story of how this small independent label grew from a bay area basement to one of the most recognized and respected labels in punk rock. It’s all here!

How can you not like a killer punk rock soundtrack, fresh interviews and puppets!? Yes I said Puppets! “A Fat Wreck” from beginning to end is pure gold. If you were/are a fan of 90’s era punk rock then you owe it to yourself to watch this. The film is more than just another documentary about a group of musicians and a label that kick started a lot of careers, Underneath all of that is a refreshing story of family, unity and fun that everyone needs to check out.

Book Review: Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk”

“Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk”
Author: John Doe w/ Tom DeSavia and Friends
Da Capo Press
Hardcover: 227 pages

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk” was written by X vocalist/bassist John Doe along with help from Tom DeSavia and laundry list of who’s who from the late 70’s and early 80’s L.A. punk scene. For the first time in one place the true story of a scene often overlooked is told in all of its gritty and grimy detail by none other those who experienced it and by those who helped create it. This is not your typical memoir however as this book tells not only of how the scene began and developed but also how it went on to change music forever.

Before I get into my review of the book I want to point out that if you are unfamiliar with the scene this book documents or the bands that appear grab a copy of Penelope Spheeris film “The Decline of Western Civilization” as a majority of the people’s names and a lot of the places featured in the film coincide with those who are also in the book. After a very brief forward by Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong we are quickly whisked back to the not so glamorous side of Los Angeles. Just a few brief years before hair metal would dominate the sun set strip bands like X, Black Flag and the Minute Men were the bands to go see. John Doe does a great job recounting his stories from this era with vivid detail and truthfulness that make you want to keep turning the page. As an added element to Doe’s story there is often even more colorful commentary provided by other musicians or friends who were there to experience everything as well. Not only does this add different angles to a previously told story but it fills in gaps with intricate firsthand accounts. For me this only pulled me further into the already captivating story. To go along with the stories there are several black and white photo sections which are chocked full of rare photos that by themselves are worth the price of the book.

From cover to cover Doe and DeSavia and crew nail it. Aside from actually being around during this specific time I don’t think you could get any closer nor could it be anymore real. There were a few times when I wished Doe had kept going from his perspective as sometimes when the story teller switched you were in a sense re-reading some of what was just told however, that aside “Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk” is a great book for not only punk rock fans and music but for those wanting to learn about a period of time in Los Angeles that isn’t sugar coated with all the normal glitz and glamour LaLa Land is often associated.

 

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Book Review “Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life as a Ramone”

“Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life as a Ramone”
Author: Marky Ramone w/ Rich Herschlag
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Touchstone

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When punk rock reared its spiky head in the early seventies, Marc Bell had the best seat in the house. From his early days with one of America’s first metal bands Dust to CBGB’s staples Wayne County and Richard Hell and the Voidoids. Marc was there. In 1978 Marc Bell joined The Ramones becoming Marky Ramone and that’s where the real story begins. “Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life as a Ramone” is an honest look inside the world of a punk icon.

Over the course of the books 400 plus pages Marc/Marky takes us on a journey like no other. From his early years growing up on the mean streets of New York City to his countless adventures around the globe with The Ramones it’s all here. Sure there have been several other books from Ramones members recounting their times with the band but for me those stories took more of a back seat as Marky’s tales of getting his first record deal to performing with the transsexual Wayne County during the early seventies when even the mention of transsexual behavior was something that was just not done, were the ones that grabbed my attention and made this book really stand out. T hough I questioned some of the books editing its 15 pages of color photos and the books straight forward approach makes this a must have for not just Ramones fans but for fans of music in general.