Two Threads, Blogged
It has been another busy-ass couple of weeks and it’s September already. Insert your own wake up Billie Joe joke here.
Vegan Camp Out was a rad time the weekend before last, thanks to Tree and Danny for hooking us up. Book Yer Ane Fest XIII tickets sold out within fourteen hours of going on sale, madness. There’s shit going on, we’ll keep y’all informed. Much love and respect to Pete Nicol and all involved at St3veFest also.
One of the best things about being involved in MTAT, the basement and DIY punk in general is seeing sick new bands emerge to rip it up.
Fresh Dundee punks ALLDEEPENDS played their first show on Saturday night and slayed it; nine zero messin’ punk bangers like Mischief Brew, Choking Victim, Dead Milkmen, Minutemen, etc, in twenty-two minutes; fucking great stuff.
I had a couple rants on twitter today and I figured they fairly well represent the dichotomy of my feelings towards the state of the contemporary music industry, or more specifically punk/hardcore scenes. I dunno, but I’m trying to get back into the habit of writing outwith 240 characters. Doing a new zine with thoughts towards the book and that.
As ever, any shit-talk, aim it at me. “I note your view, with interest”, as Mick would say.
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“Hardcore” in 2019; twelve shirt designs, zero records; liking Slipknot and playing one finger riffs; choreographed onstage “chaos”; kicking your pedals out whilst spin-kicking; on-stage photographers; toxic sausage party; one Slayer riff; aesthetic > action.
I should clarify the photographers thing; I’m massively pro-photography and film. Many friends are incredibly talented live music photographers, subtle and respectful. It’s something else when photographers occupy the stage and become the inescapable central focus.
Done a lot of moaning on and it paints an unbalanced picture, there are posi stories too. Met a kid last night, I’d already checked his band but didn’t say. He was super enthused, talking about how his band have felt unwelcomed in some scenes, like the odd ones out, the queer kids playing pop-punk being shunned and talked down to by elders.
He had done his homework, clearly, and was polite, direct and just himself. He told me he felt more comfortable at his first show in the basement than any other place they’ve been. That heartens me.
If we can reach one kid who takes something beyond aesthetic or social capital advancement, to have them positively engage and think critically, then I think that’s a victory. God knows it takes forever to get comfortable in your own skin, let alone a new scene, if ye ever do.
His band are pretty good too, I’ll definitely be putting them on a show in the near future. He followed up with an email today, kept it simple, and I responded upon reading. I tried not to be “The Dreamcrusher”, as I was called at work once. “Fuck You, Old Man” includes me.
I’ll suffer a thousand macho dickheads it it means I can help one blue-haired nose-pierced kid and their three piece pop-punk band get out the garage and into a basement. Who knows, might even reach some other folk too?!?
My exasperation comes from the “I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed” school of thinking, illustrative of greater frustration, scenes being microcosmic and all. The “alternative” scene, punk in particular, can be so much more than that, just as we humans can be. We are agents.
Also, my friend who hasn’t been out to a show for a long time, due to various factors, went to a show for the first time in years without getting totally steaming. Another pal I met through punk at the basement hit 8 weeks sober yesterday. Punk can be such a positive force.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; never trust a hardcore kid who doesn’t know their punk, or, as my friend Neil pointed out, their 80s thrash.
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Stoked for Uniforms jamz this weekend, Queequeg’s Coffin EP launch next weekend.
Aw the best.
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