when PUNK ROCK unfolded on WESTERN CULTURE it represented the UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY of a COMPLETE BLANK SLATE for EMERGING ARTISTS and MUSICIANS alike to double down on INDIVIDUAL EXPRESSION and ARTISTIC FREEDOM sans any sense of TRADITIONAL GATEKEEPING.  without being HYPERBOLIC, it actually was the PROVERBIAL STORMING OF THE BASTILLE, a GENERATIONAL ARTISTIC YEAR ZERO.  for some this represented a CREATIVE LICENSE to expand and redefine the SONIC VOCABULARY and STRUCTURAL PARAMETERS that constitute ROCK AND ROLL moving forward.  for others it symbolized an CULTURAL OPENING to transcend the EMOTIONAL DEPTHS of the FORM itself.  both POLES compromised what would become known as POST PUNK, and as evidenced in the recent MUTINY IN HEAVEN: THE BIRTHDAY PARTY (SHORE FIRE, 2023) DOCUMENTARY, no one epitomized the later more than the VOLATILE and TRANSGRESSIVE GROUP of ART-damaged AUSTRALIAN MISFITS THE BIRTHDAY PARTY. 

to this day their VIOLENT and COMBUSTIBLE LIVE PERFORMANCES that communicated an OVERPOWERING and distinctly VISCERAL SONIC EXPERIENCE are the STUFF of ABSOLUTE LEGEND.  somehow they were able to translate CRUDE, ANIMALISTIC MAGNETISM in the PRIMITIVE TRADITION of JIM MORRISON and IGGY POP with a sense of CRAFT and LYRICAL INTELLIGENCE that is PARADOXICALLY both COMPLEMENTARY and OXYMORONIC.  decades after their BREAKUP, THE BIRTHDAY PARTY remain on that SHORT-LIST of truly TRANSCENDENT BANDS that paved the way for all that followed with regards to EXPERIMENTAL UNDERGROUND MUSIC.

and in a sense that FRICTION that they depended and sustained on, both in DIRECT OPPOSITION to SOCIETY and EACH OTHER, arguably SHORTENED their LIFESPAN as a CREATIVE OUTFIT.  when they were absolute nobodies from AUSTRALIA struggling to the point of EXTREME MALNUTRITION in LONDON in the hopes of FRUITLESSLY securing find GIGS, FOOD and SHELTER, that sense of DESPERATION created a UNITY and FOCUS that was UNMATCHED by other BANDS of the PERIOD.  their LEGENDARY LIVE SHOWS were almost PERFORMANCE ARAT in how they directly confronted the AUDIENCE both sonically and with VOCALIST NICK CAVE's ON-STAGE BEHAVIOR.  as with the SEX PISTOLS before them, this initiated a COMBUSTIBLE DYNAMIC and EXPECTATION with FUTURE AUDIENCES who saw these PERFORMANCES not as a MUSICAL EVENT, but an OPEN INVITATION to FIGHT in public.  which of course grew WEARISOME over time as the BAND perceived their ON-STAGE PERFORMANCES as an ARTISTICALLY and EMOTIONALLY CATHARTIC RENDERING of their MUSICAL CHEMISTRY and REAL-LIFE, EVERY-DAY PERSONAS.  it was not an ACT or a PERFORMATIVE GIMMICK, but for AUDIENCES the PERCEPTION was DIFFERENT for some.

i remember the QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE FRONTMAN JOSH HOMME in an interview once talked about how BAND MEMBERS need to feel SECURE, COMFORTABLE and FULFILLED in their ROLE for LINEUP LONGEVITY to manifest.  i thought of this when MUTINY IN HEAVEN presented as a KEY REASON for THE BIRTHDAY PARTY's demise the fact that GUITARIST and PRIMARY SONGWRITER ROWLAND HOWARD wished to sing as well as play guitar as he had prior to joining the BAND.  this ASPIRATION was not shared by the rest of the GROUP as CAVE had long been such, even in an EARLY ITERATION of the BAND.  that PSYCHIC GAP between HOWARD and CAVE turned into a gulf that ultimately did THE BIRTHDAY PARTY in, which in the long run of things is the NATURAL TRAJECTORY of most BANDS.  PEOPLE grow apart and seek out new CHALLENGES and such was what ultimately happened to this ICONIC POST PUNK BAND.  no fireworks, just a low-key MUTUAL DISBANDING that begot other OPPORTUNITIES for all of its MEMBERS.

and its pretty REFRESHING that MUTINY IN HEAVEN didnt attempt to invent some artificially heightened drama to the NARRATIVE.  the BAND coalesced, it peaked and then it NATURALLY ebbed back into the NOTHINGNESS from which it came.  the INEVITABLE ENTROPY that defines the UNIVERSE ITSELF.  a FITTING VISUAL DOCUMENT for some a SINGULAR MUSICAL FORCE in the canon of GREAT ROCK AND ROLL BANDS of all time.  required viewing in my opinion.

ADOLESCENCE is BRUTAL.  even those of us that got through such relatively UNSCATHED are no doubt transformed and INEXTRICABLY marked by the EXPERIENCE.  and i am hard pressed to think of another GRAPHIC NOVEL that has so VIVIDLY expressed the PATHOS and INTERNAL STRIFE of that DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE than LIZ SUBURBIA's DEBUT EFFORT SACRED HEART (FANTAGRAPHICS, 2015) which follows a young WOMAN named BEN on a CULT COMPOUND sans PARENTS and ADULTS dealing with the HARDSHIPS of high school SOCIAL CLIQUES, the RESPONSIBILITY of RELATIONSHIPS and the UNCONDITIONALLY accepting of one's FAMILY in spite of their MISGIVINGS and TRESPASSES.  minus the RELIGIOUS OVERTONES and APOCALYPTIC ENDING, this NARRATIVE really hones in on the SELF-CRITICAL REFLECTION that comes with growing into ADULTHOOD and accepting ONESELF for whom they actually are.

the CHOICE to have such a TEEN DRAMA sans PARENTS, TEACHERS, RELIGIOUS LEADERS, POLICE OFFICERS and any ADULT PRESENCE is an INTRIGUING STYLISTIC and STORYTELLING DECISION, as it frees the PLOT to veer away from CLICHE TERRITORY centered around OUT-OF-TOUCH ADULTS chastising and patronizing those under their TENTATIVE CARE.  instead we effectively are presented with an ALTERNATE REALITY in which WANTON VIOLENCE, DEATH and (we find out) MURDER are COMMONPLACE with no RECOGNIZABLE ORDER or CODE OF ETHICS imposed on by a LARGER ESTABLISHMENT.  there is is a sort of UNDERSTOOD UTOPIAN ANARCHY in its stead which only further heightens the IMPASSIONED DRAMA of the STORY.  so much so that everything seems relatively MUNDANE and TRITE despite its completely ODD NATURE.  its an INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT that showcases SUBURBIA's STRENGTH as both a VISUAL ARTIST and WRITER.

in my mind's eye when reading this SACRED HEART, i could not help but think back to my time visiting my GRANDPARENTS as a TEENAGER out in RURAL NEVADA.  INEXPLICABLY they chose to effectively leave SOCIETY and relocate from MARIN COUNTY just OUTSIDE SAN FRANCISCO for a TINY DESERT TOWN literally in the middle of NOWHERE called HAWTHORNE.  this PLACE was literally the LOCATION of GOVERNMENT MISSILE SILOS during the COLD WAR so OUT-OF-THE-WAY it was from CIVILIZATION.  sadly ive been there MULTIPLE TIMES and saw its LISTLESS RESIDENTS, especially ADOLESCENTS, walking around  BORED and AIMLESS. there was literally nothing in TOWN outside of a CASINO, which was just so beyond DEPRESSING.  GRAFFITTI understandably littered the PLACE EVERYWHERE and in the distance you could see mountains that likewise were written up with VULGARITIES and EVIDENCE of PAST RELATIONSHIPS and MAKESHIFT GANG TAGS long gone by.  that END-OF-THE-WORLD vibe was PARAMOUNT to the HAWTHORNE EXPERIENCE and reading SACRED HEART took me right back to that SADE LOCALE.  when i learned that SUBURBIA HERSELF hailed from NEVADA, such made me think that she must have been well acquainted with that VIGORLESS LIFESTYLE that only comes with DELIBERATELY being far OUTSIDE the CONFINES of SOCIETY writ large.  thank god or whomever that i didnt have to stay in HAWTHORNE that long.  can only imagine what it must be like to grow up in that ISOLATED SITUATION.

i got out.

as much as 2024 was a CONSEQUENTIAL year POLITICALLY, within the COMPETITIVE WORLD of HIP HOP it was no less TRANSFORMATIONAL given the enduring CULTURAL RAMIFICATIONS of the EPIC LYRICAL BATTLE between DRAKE and KENDRICK LAMAR, in which the latter absolutely eviscerated the STANDING and CHARACTER of the former in a MANNER never before witnessed to that extent by the GENRE.  more than that, both RAPPERS seemingly represented OPPOSING POLES in the HIP HOP SPECTRUM, with DRAKE symbolizing the VACUOUS, SELF-AGGRANDIZING CRASS COMMERCIALISM and EFFECTIVE MERCENARY MENTALITY of MODERN HIP HOP with no HEART or PARTICULAR RESPECT for the HISTORY or LONGSTANDING TRADITIONS of the GENRE outside of what could directly benefit him. this while LAMAR is the WALKING EMBODIMENT of the SELF-MADE ETHOS of the most CELEBRATED RAPPERS in the HISTORY of the GAME with his ACUTE, CRITICAL SENSE of SELF-AWARENESS and an INQUISITIVE LYRICAL PERSPECTIVE centered around the SUBTLE and highly DYNAMIC INTERPLAY between COMMUNITY and the INDIVIDUAL.  for LAMAR, his PROFESSIONAL GOALS align with shining a light on the PLIGHT, AMBITIONS, STRUGGLES and SUCCESSES of his NATIVE COMPTON while DRAKE  is from TORONTO but his LYRICS reflect NOTHING of SUBSTANCE about his RELATIONSHIP with such, just BORING, EMPTY PLATITUDES about the WEALTH, WOMEN and POWER he amassed. the fact that LAMAR decimated DRAKE so COMPLETELY to the point that his SUBSEQUENT EFFORTS have failed to palliate the CONSIDERABLE REPUTATIONAL and COMMERCIAL DAMAGE to his PUBLIC IMAGE feels like a VINDICATION for all that is right about HIP HOP against the CYNICAL FORCES that serve to effectively demean and exploit such.

which brings me to the BIGZOETV YOUTUBE CHANNEL.  when the BATTLE exploded during the spring of 2024 there was understandably quite a bit of COMMENTARY ONLINE, and around then i came across BIG ZOE, this MIAMI-based PODCASTER with a MODEST FOLLOWING (around 20K) to be pretty EVEN-HANDED when examining and assessing the BROADER CULTURAL IMPLICATIONS of the FEUD with less of the LOOK-AT-ME CLICKBAIT GIMMICKRY of his ONLINE PEERS.  that and he is HUMOROUS and LIGHT-HEARTED about it all.  more IMPORTANTLY, in the WAKE of the BATTLE there has been a COLLECTIVE EFFORT of CONTINUED GASLIGHTING, OBFUSCATING, TROLLING and BAD FAITH NARRATIVE-mining by the allies of DRAKE in a futile attempt to negate and spin the IMMENSE DAMAGE he sustained somehow back on to LAMAR.  this includes, but is certainly not limited to, EVERYONE from PODCASTERS and STREAMERS like DJ AKADEMIKS, JAMIL "MAL" CLAY, ANDREW SCHULTZ, POETIK FLAKKO and ADIN ROSS among many other PATHETIC prominent SUPPLICANTS.  these are particularly TERRIBLE PEOPLE with SELF-SERVING INTERESTS outside of HIP HOP CULTURE and continually pump BAD FAITH ARGUMENTS and laughably TROLLISH BEHAVIOR towards there ADVERSARIES. 

i cant watch or pay ATTENTION to them, which to me is the WHOLE VALUE PROPOSITION of BIGZOETV.  he is continually mired in that TOXIC SHIT and reports back with MORAL CLARITY and HUMOR about what the new INEXPLICABLE ATTEMPT at a COGENT NARRATIVE of is for DRAKE and his SORRY APOLOGISTS.  as a FORMER ENGLISH TEACHER, this TYPE of DEBATE and PERSUASION intrigues me just on a purely TACTICAL LEVEL and considering OUTSIDE VARIABLES like AUDIENCE and UNSTATED BUSINESS AGENDAS (regarding DRAKE and those that publicly support and defend him) makes such eternally COMPELLING.  the fact that i agree with 95% of BIGZOETV's points is not important, more just that i appreciate his PERSPECTIVE and ABILITY to maintain OBJECTIVITY and stay RELATIVELY ABOVE-THE-FRAY when seemingly so many OTHERS ONLINE are continually losing their COLLECTIVE MINDS over this SITUATION.

and its still ONGOING.

so yeah, i look to BIGZOETV as a RESOURCE navigating this CONTINUING BIFURCATION in the CULTURE, which EERILY mirrors that of the COUNTRY ITSELF POLITICALLY.  the very fact that DRAKE chose recently to align HIMSELF with ADIN ROSS, an UNREPENTANT 24 year-old TROLL with a HISTORY of being REPEATEDLY booted off MAJOR STREAMING PLATFORMS for ABUSIVE RACIST BEHAVIOR as well as, of course, being a PROMINENT DONALD TRUMP SUPPORTER (who even groveling interviewed the man HIMSELF this past ELECTION CYCLE), just makes that COMMONALITY ring out that much more GLARINGLY. 

definitely check out the BIGZOETV YOUTUBE CHANNEL.  much RECOMMENDED.

the NEWPORT BEACH-based POP ROCK BAND SUGAR RAY was nothing if not SELF-AWARE about their WANING MOMENT in the CULTURAL LIMELIGHT, as evidenced by the ANDY WARHOL-referencing title of their 14:59 (ATLANTIC, 1999) ALBUM.  ever since they dramatically ditched their EARLIER FUNK METAL / proto-NU METAL sound that was rooted in a FORMER ITERATION of the BAND (the LUDICROUSLY monikered THE SHRINKY DINX) that found its way on their debut LEMONADE AND BROWNIES (ATLANTIC, 1995), they somehow hit COMMERCIAL PAY-DIRT with its FOLLOW-UP FLOORED (ATLANTIC, 1997) that essentially smoothed over any EDGES in their SOUND and presented a BLAND REGGAE-inflected POP AESTHETIC that won over the MASSES.  that and their CONSCIOUS MARKETING EFFORTS surrounding VOCALIST MARK MCGRATH and his BEEFCAKE IMAGE.

so its always been SURPRISING to me that their post-FAME follow-up RELEASE is actually a pretty STRONG COLLECTION of MELODICALLY SOPHISTICATED and CATCHY SONGS that include SINGLES that are more than a bit SELF-DEPRECATING, as if they are fully acknowledging their DUBIOUS CLAIM to the POP CULTURE throne and dont internally dont expect their MASSIVE POPULARITY to continue much longer.  and honestly how could they given that their rise as an UNAPOLOGETIC POP ACT came about during the HEIGHT of the NU METAL EXPLOSION of MOODY, SELF-FLAGELLATING and downright NIHILISTIC BANDS including KORN, DISTURBED, LIMP BIZKIT, SLIPKNOT, MUDVAYNE, LINKIN PARK and so on. 

in the summer of 1997, the FLOORED track "FLY" was virtually INESCAPABLE and seemed to be a SHALLOW PAEAN to BREEZY, CAREFREE LIVING and the SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FANTASY writ large.  which is why its so INTERESTING that 14:59 SINGLES like "FALLS APART," "SOMEDAY," "WHEN ITS OVER" and "EVERY MORNING" share a SONGIC and LYRICAL SENSE of MELANCHOLIA and even DESPERATION at the EPHEMERAL NATURE of ADORATION, whether such be RELATIONSHIP-based or even a META-COMMENTARY about their AUDIENCE.  its pretty INCREDIBLE and a BOLD MOVE to make a POP ALBUM around those COMPLEX TYPES of SOPHISTICATED, BITTERSWEET EMOTIONS and DYNAMICS that no doubt likely bypass most of their FICKLE FANBASE.  during that period seemingly EVERYONE had their OBLIGATORY 80s COVER, i.e. ORGY's "BLUE MONDAY" (by NEW ORDER), KORN's "WORD UP!" (by CAMEO), LIMP BIZKIT's "FAITH" (by GEORGE MICHAEL), ALIEN ANT FARM's "SMOOTH CRIMINAL" (by MICHAEL JACKSON), COAL CHAMBER's "SHOCK THE MONKEY" (by PETER GABRIEL), DEFTONES' "NO ORDINARY LOVE" (by SADE), P.O.D.'s "BULLET THE BLUE SKY" (by U2) or DISTURBED's "LAND OF CONFUSION" (by GENESIS) and so.  not to be outdone SUGAR RAY concocted a pretty BLAND COVER of "ABRACADABRA" by the STEVE MILLER BAND, which lets be HONEST, was a pretty UNREMARKABLE TRACK to begin with.

so overall 14:59 was a CALCULATED and SELF-CONSCIOUS ATTEMPT at turning the page from an admittedly HIGHLY UNLIKELY previous BREAKOUT EFFORT that was VACUOUS in NATURE through some MELODICALLY SOPHISTICATED TRACKS that acknowledged their perceived TENUOUS POSITION in an EVER-SHIFTING POP CULTURAL LANDSCAPE.  and it worked.  they stayed RELEVANT and arguably this RECORD, not FLOORED, is the TEMPLATE for all RELEASES that followed til present day where SUGAR RAY is an ON-AGAIN / OFF-AGAIN ENTERPRISE mostly on the 90s NOSTALGIA TOURING CIRCUIT.  while not the WORST RECORD in the WORLD, there are definitely PLENTY of other RECORDS from this period more WORTHY of CRITICAL INVESTIGATION than anything by SUGAR RAY, such as 311, DEFTONES, SUBLIME or INCUBUS to name a few of their far SUPERIOR major label CONTEMPORARIES.  id begin with those.

it may be me, but it feels like in recent years that EXTREME METAL BANDS are currently reaching the point at which their OVERWHELMING MUSICIANSHIP and PRETERNATURAL ABILITY to execute next-level MIND-BOGGLING FEATS of TECHNICAL PRECISION that are effectively LIMITLESS.  case in point is the AUKLAND-based TECHNICAL DEATH METAL BAND ULCERATE whose BRUTAL POST METAL-inspired DRONING ONSLAUGHTS of OVERPOWERING FEEDBACK that are abruptly punctuated with impossibly COMPLEX BLAST BEATS that bring to mind the EMOTIONAL CATHARSIS of everything from NEUROSIS to ISIS.

ULCERATE is definitely a BAND worth checking out, especially their RECENT CUTTING THE THROAT OF GOD (DEBEMUR MORTI, 2024) release.

parodies by nacrowe

check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the ENGLISH ELECTROCLASH DUO GOLDFRAPP.
​
​​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives.

and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!

a topic i never tire of revisiting or thinking about is the INCREDIBLE and UNLIKELY series of events that led to PUNK ROCK and the EVOLUTION and MASSIVE CULTURAL INFLUENCE thereof.  to me the WHOLE ENTERPRISE is in essence a VEHICLE for CORE AMERICAN VALUES of INDIVIDUALITY and SELF-RELIANCE.  just the idea that in the IMMEDIATE WAKE of the BRITISH INVASION there were these EXPERIMENTAL and mostly MINIMALIST UNDERGROUND BANDS percolating around the COUNTRY in the late 1960s and early 1970s, GROUPS like THE STOOGES, VELVET UNDERGROUND, THE SONICS, MC5 and so on that took that RAW ENERGY of THE BEATLES and pushed the WHOLE CULTURE forward with substantially INTENSIFIED SONIC AGGRESSION and CONFRONTATIONAL LYRICAL CONTENT that set the stage for PUNK ROCK in the mid-to-late 1970s.

in that EVOLUTION the NEW YORK DOLLS are undoubtedly a CONSEQUENTIAL CULTURAL TURNING POINT.  infusing both that AMERICAN-based LINEAGE of distinctly AMATEURISH GARAGE ROCK that came in the IMMEDIATE WAKE the BRITISH INVASION with the GENDER AMBIGUITY and OVERT POP HOOKS of GLAM ROCK came this SINGULAR SOUND and PRESENTATION that was both SONICALLY and MELODICALLY MEMORABLE and yet entirely ANTAGONISTIC and SOCIALLY PROVOCATIVE.  ICONIC tracks off of their SELF-TITLED TODD RUNDGREN-produced debut NEW YORK DOLLS (MERCURY, 1974) release like "PERSONALITY CRISIS," "JET BOY" and "TRASH" present a DEBAUCHED yet OBSCURE VISION of a DEPRAVED SOCIAL LANDSCAPE in which everything is up for grabs and nothing is CERTAIN and everything is FLUID including GENDER, SEXUALITY, POLITICS and the very meaning of EXISTENCE. 

i feel like the WHOLE TRAJECTORY of BANDS before the NEW YORK DOLLS, THE VELVET UNDERGROUND and THE STOOGES was about establishing a VERITABLE COUNTERCULTURE in DIRECT CONFRONTATION with the PREVAILING POLITICAL, SOCIAL, RELIGIOUS and ECONOMIC STRUCTURE in AMERICAN life in the GREAT TRADITION of a GENERATION before with THE BEATS.  for me the NEW YORK DOLLS represent a SELF-DEFINED, SELF-CONTAINED and SELF-PERPETUATING COMMUNITY and SUBCULTURE INDEPENDENT of the MAINSTREAM.  they were COHESIVE WORLD unto THEMSELVES, which is no doubt why later MUSICIANS became so ENRAPTURED in their MYSTIQUE and MYTHOLOGY, from THE RAMONES and SEX PISTOLS to AEROSMITH and KISS on down to THE SMITHS and R.E.M. and LATER BANDS like GUNS N' ROSES and MOTLEY CRUE.  it seems like every SUCCESSIVE GENERATION and ITERATION of MEANINGFUL ROCK AND ROLL of both the MAINSTREAM and SUBTERRANEAN VARIETY is SELF-CONSCIOUSLY a branch of that NEW YORK DOLLS FAMILY TREE.

what i love about the NEW YORK DOLLS is that they are the very EMBODIEMENT of CREATIVE FREEDOM and FUN.  it makes PERFECT SENSE that SUBSEQUENT MUSICIANS and MUSIC FANS have latched onto that ENERGETIC SPARK and run with it for going on half a century and counting.  and that MOMENTUM hasnt faltered or abated one bit and its maintained an EVERGREEN PRESENCE in AMERICAN CULTURE by restoring the ENERGY, ATTITUDE and REBELLIOUS SPIRIT of EARLY ROCK AND ROLL for POSTERITY.  and NEW YORK DOLLS is the ENTRY POINT to that ENDURING LEGACY.  absolute REQUIRED listening in my OPINION.

the TRANSITION from the late 70s mostly NEW YORK CITY and LONDON-based PUNK SCENES to the HARDCORE MOVEMENT that rose up all over the UNITED STATES in its wake during the 1980s is such a PIVOTAL and TRANSFORMATIVE ERA in ROCK AND ROLL HISTORY, not just because of the MUSIC itself and how it EVOLVED, but how the COMMUNITY itself CHANGED and became less corporate and more INDEPENDENT.  that CONSCIOUS SHIFT took the UNBRIDLED ENERGY of the ORIGINAL MOVEMENT, which in POLITICAL TERMS was PERFORMATIVE in NATURE,  and realigned it with already existing PROGRESSIVE-LEANING MOVEMENTS that sought ACTIONABLE CHANGE in the REAL WORLD.

such was the NARRATIVE of POSITIVE FORCE DC, a WASHINGTON DC DIY COMMUNE that was established to provide a MUTUALLY-SUPPORTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL NEXUS for YOUNG PEOPLE to promote and build COMMUNITIES and consolidate POSITIVE CHANGE EFFORTS along DISTINCTLY FEMINIST, ECOLOGICAL, RACIAL, ECONOMIC and POLITICAL FRONTS.  the DOCUMENTARY POSITIVE FORCE: MORE THAN A WITNESS - 30 YEARS OF PUNK POLITICS IN ACTION (PM PRESS, 2014) makes the POINT that PUNK in its INITIAL INCEPTION was all about the INDIVIDUAL and had a SELF-DEFEATING, NAVAL-GAZING, INWARD QUALITY to it where one DEFINED what they were AGAINST, not what they were about.  by the very FACT that it was located in and around the NATION'S CAPITAL, PARTICIPANTS of the DC HARDCORE SCENE were practically inundated with POLITICS as a matter of DAILY LIFE and the IDEA of MORAL OUTRAGE without ACTION was pretty much ANATHEMA to the ETHOS and SPIRIT of the MOVEMENT.  the INFLUENCE of POSITIVE FORCE DC lay in its ability, along with the NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS it collaborated with, was to utilize the CREATIVE CAPITAL of its MEMBERS to spur SOCIAL JUSTICE EFFORTS with PUNK ROCK as a GALVANIZING VEHICLE for such.  the improvised PUNK PERCUSSION PROTESTS the GROUP initially innovated during their 1985 REVOLUTION SUMMER CAMPAIGN, where they banged pots, pans, drums and random bits and bobs across the street from the SOUTH AFRICAN EMBASSY in protest of their OPPRESSIVE APARTHEID REGIME, are EMBLEMATIC of this GROUND-UP VISION of COMMUNAL ACTION.  and its that sense of COMMUNITIES EMPOWERMENT that comes from the MARRIAGE of ART and POLITICS that makes the POSITIVE FORCE DC EXAMPLE so POWERFUL.   

in the NARRATIVE of POSITIVE FORCE: MORE THAN A WITNESS, the PROVERBIAL WRENCH thrown in the MACHINE was the rise of NIRVANA and what that meant regarding the DIY NATURE of PUNK ROCK that was now being CORPORATIZED to some extent.  such spread the GOSPEL throughout the COUNTRY and the WORLD, well beyond the CONFINES of INDEPENDENT CHANNELS, but at what cost?  now KURT COBAIN was known for his PROGRESSIVE POLITICS and promoting ORGANIZATIONS and BENEFITS that championed LGBTQ+ RIGHTS as well as taking RIOT GRRRL ACTS on as OPENERS, so he did what he could with his PLATFORM, but having such underwritten ultimately by a MULTI-NATIONAL CORPORATION leaves such with a COMPLICATED LEGACY.  FAIRLY or UNFAIRLY, the DOCUMENTARY presents FUGAZI as a COUNTEREXAMPLE of a MUCH-REVERED IAN MACKAYE-led BAND that maintained their DIY ETHIC while consciously doing countless REGULAR BENEFIT SHOWS and supported LOCAL COMMUNITY-run CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS in the CITIES and TOWNS they played in.  thus ultimately maintaining their VALUES in the PROCESS.  maybe i misread this ARGUMENT, but i dont think comparing COBAIN and MACKAYE is particularly HELPFUL, even within the CONTEXT of the 1990s PUNK SCENE.  both are ADVOCATES that made CERTAIN BUSINESS DECISIONS and both did what they could as a result of such.  especially decades later this PURITY TEST is a bit TRITE and ultimately COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE if your goal is attempting to spur PEOPLE to COMMUNITY ACTION. 

just meet them where they are.

POSITIVE FORCE: MORE THAN A WITNESS is a SHORT but IMPACTFUL DOCUMENTARY that serves as an INTELLIGENT PRIMER into the DC HARDCORE SCENE and the PROGRESSIVE POLITICS at the heart of it, not to mention its LONG-LASTING LEGACY that continues into the 2010s when this FILM was constructed.  the PARTICIPATING INTERVIEWEE LIST is pretty INCREDIBLE, with the POSITIVE FORCE DC CO-FOUNDERS MARK ANDERSEN and MARK JENKINS involved as well as NOTABLE MUSICIANS such as IAN MACKAYE (MINOR THREAT, FUGAZI, THE EVENS), KATHLEEN HANNA (BIKINI KILL), DAVE GROHL (SCREAM, NIRVANA, FOO FIGHTERS), JELLO BIAFRA (DEAD KENNEDYS), IAN SVENONIUS (NATION OF ULYSSES), ALLISON WOLFE (BRATMOBILE), LAURA JANE GRACE (AGAINST ME!), DANBERT NOBACON (CHUMBAWAMBA), BENJI MADDEN (GOOD CHARLOTTE), TED LEO (TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS) and OMAM EMMET (BEEFEATER).  i have to state plainly that in RETROSPECT it is quite UNFORTUNATE that ALLEGED SERIAL RAPIST JUSTIN SANE (ANTI-FLAG) is prominently utilized in this DOCUMENTARY, serving as a REPRESENTATIVE of the NEW GENERATION of MUSICIANS forwarding the POSITIVE FORCE DC BANNER into the future.  a few years after this FILM SANE has been ACCUSED of having SEXUALLY ASSAULTED some 60 WOMEN and UNDER-AGED GIRLS (one as YOUNG as 12) around the GLOBE and he skipped out to IRELAND before he could be formally brought to TRIAL in the UNITED STATES.

given such, i really wish that the DIRECTOR would consider re-editing this FILM.  there has to be other PROMINENT DC HARDCORE-influenced or LIKE-MINDED MUSICIANS and BANDS (especially ALTERNATIVE ROCK, POST-HARDCORE and METALCORE) from LATER GENERATIONS (DAVEY HAVOK (AFI), RANDY BLYTHE (LAMB OF GOD), KNOCKED LOOSE, GEOFF RICKLY (THURSDAY), CONVERGE, DARYL PALUMBO (GLASSJAW), TURNSTILE and even STEVE AOKI just to name a few OBVIOUS CHOICES) that would be PERFECT for the SAME ROLE in the DOCUMENTARY. 

​just a THOUGHT.

my senior year 9/11 happens and i move from the MIDDLE EAST where my FAMILY was stationed to SACRAMENTO to finish out HIGH SCHOOL with an UNCLE.  in a LIFE of UNEXPECTED, ABRUPT, DRAMATIC and outright ABSURD RELOCATIONS, this one was up there.  my NEW SCHOOL was somewhat of an ANTICLIMAX, with STUDENTS there into things i was not interested in, like FOOTBALL, CARS and CHRISTIANITY.  aside from seeing TOOL on their LATERALUS (VOLCANO, 2001) tour that year, the other NOTABLE CULTURAL HIGHLIGHT i encountered was being introduced to AUTHOR TOM ROBBINS by my ENGLISH TEACHER.

the ASSIGNMENT was a CAPSTONE PROJECT in which you had to present a NOVEL read OUTSIDE of CLASS that was from an EXTENDED LIST of POSSIBLE OPTIONS.  my LITERAL QUESTION was "WHICH BOOK IS THE MOST OFFENSIVE?" and i was summarily pointed towards ANOTHER ROADSIDE ATTRACTION (DOUBLEDAY, 1971) which warranted the need for a SIGNED PERMISSION SLIP from my RELATIVE.  which was FUNNY at the time since he tried to assess whether this BOOK was TOO CONTROVERSIAL and ADULT-THEMED for me.  i remember looking at my POOR UNCLE and saying something to the EFFECT of "SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT, I COUD HANDLE SEEING DEAD BODIES IN MY PRETEENS IN AFRICA, BUT CAN'T HANDLE A STUPID BOOK."  so yeah, he signed it.

previous to ROBBINS i was introduced and somewhat FAMILIAR with the enduring LITERARY MECHANISM that is the UNRELIABLE NARRATOR, but i was UNPREPARED for a deliberately UNRELIABLE AUTHOR.  ROBBINS has this way of deviating from the PLOT with a LONG, DETAILED ASIDE that can last ten to twenty pages, whereby whatever train of thought you were originally following has long since left the station.  ANOTHER ROADSIDE ATTRACTION follows the CONVOLUTED EXPLOITS of an OBSCURE group of ROADSIDE ATTRACTION HUCKSTERS who may or may not have come across the LITERAL CORPSE of JESUS CHRIST.  obviously the POTENTIAL MANIFESTATION of such even existing EXPLOSIVELY calls into question the SUPPOSED DIVINITY of CHRIST, but these DEBASED DEGENERATES are more concerned with the FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS of possessing what could be the GREATEST ROADSIDE ATTRACTION in RURAL WASHINGTON STATE.

what i appreciate about ROBBINS' WRITING is how FREE and INVENTIVE his AESTHETIC is, where literally nothing is TABOO (RELIGION, SEXUALITY, DEATH, GENDER POLITICS and so on) and everything is FODDER for a COMPELLING, EXTENDED DIVERSION that does little to move the NARRATIVE forward.  ROBBINS is essentially a LITERARY TERRORIST just intentionally duping READER EXPECTATIONS and placing COPIOUS RED HERRINGS so often that one just lifts any SEMBLANCE of HOPE for a COHERENT UNDERSTANDING of events.  that 'ANYTHING GOES' MODUS OPERANDI effectively empowers the READER to fully discard any QUIXOTIC BELIEF in the PLOT tying together nicely as only LITERATURE and TRITE STORYTELLING can do.  to me such makes his FANTASTICAL and ABSURD NARRATIVES paradoxically that much more BELIEVABLE. 

you dont have to be that CYNICAL to appreciate that having CHRIST's UN-ASCENDED CORPSE in the CURRENT MODERN AGE would be quite the LUCRATIVE MONEY-MAKER, much like how ALIEN TECHNOLOGY in the NICOLAS ROEG SCIENCE-FICTION FILM THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH (BRITISH LION, 1976) likewise was FINANCIALLY exploited with all the unanticipated CORRUPTING  POWER and STATUS that followed suit thereafter.  ROBBINS' PERSPECTIVE on HUMAN NATURE thus is something i have INTERNALIZED, especially in the mind-numbingly PROVOCATIVE ERA of DONALD TRUMP where nothing is TABOO or OFF-LIMITS and everything feels like a HACKNEYED REALITY TELEVISION PREMISE.  even something as SACROSANCT and PURE as the SON OF GOD is DILUTED and DEPRIVED of MEANING by its ASSOCIATION with a DEPRAVED HUMANITY.  you also wonder if FOLLOWERS even care about PHYSICAL PROOF anymore, so CONSUMED with their own AGENDA and SELF-IDENTITY mired in the very PROPAGATION of such, which is the of course the MAIN CRITIQUE of religion and its CREATION thereof found throughout the likewise HILARIOUS and INTELLIGENTLY-CONSTRUCTED MONTY PYTHON FILM LIFE OF BRIAN (HANDMADE, 1979).

i loved this NOVEL as a TEENAGER and it definitely had an IMPACT on my EXPECTATIONS as a READER and the OUTER LIMITS of what the FORM could achieve moving forward.  have to say, i didnt find it especially OFFENSIVE or CONTROVERSIAL though.  guess youd have to be a pretty UNSOPHISTICATED and JOYLESS CHRISTIAN for that to be the CASE.

aside from THE NEW YORKER, there is arguably a none more REPUTABLE and DISTINGUISHED AMERICAN PUBLICATION for LONG-FORM JOURNALISM and EXTENSIVE THOUGHT-PIECES on a VARIETY of SUBJECTS (ECONOMICS, CULTURE, TECHNOLOGY, THE ARTS, POLITICS, SCIENCE and FOREIGN AFFAIRS) than THE ATLANTIC.  due to its PRESTIGE and CLOUT within AMERICAN CULTURE, the MAGAZINE is essentially afford the ABILITY to sit on UPCOMING STORIES and let them marinate until absolutely READY for PUBLICATION.  this allows for MAXIMUM IMPACT and the EARNED TRUST with their READERSHIP that editorially their PRODUCT and ATTENTION-TO-DETAIL is SECOND-TO-NONE and the ABSOLUTE PINNACLE of what JOURNALISM has to offer.

which is why its INTRIGUING that they decided to join the CROWDED FRAY with the CURRENT PODCASTING RACKET, which is arguably the ABSOLUTE ANTITHESIS of such.  way too often PODCASTS are completely DISPOSABLE, where CLICK BAIT and HOT TAKES reign and EXPERT WONKS are replaced by HACKS, HAS-BEENS and WERE-NEVERS.  in a sense i understand the RATIONALE of establishing a MULTI-PRONG DISTRIBUTION STREAM where all of its TENTACLES, PODCASTS included, are essentially EXTENSIONS of the MAIN BRAND and its CORE COMPETENCY (i.e. JOURNALISTIC RIGOR).  and RADIO ATLANTIC hosted by SENIOR EDITOR HANNA ROSIN is, like THE NEW YORK TIMES' wildly POPULAR THE DAILY, specifically a revisiting of PAST STORIES with INTERVIEWS with THE ATLANTIC JOURNALISTS and WRITERS themselves.  its pretty much like INFORMATIVE PUBLICITY for the MAIN JOURNALISTIC PRODUCT itself.

UNFORTUNATELY i dont believe ROSIN has the REQUISITE CHARISMA or EXPERTISE in this PARTICULAR MEDIUM, which is highly REDUCTIVE, EPHEMERAL and INTERCHANGEABLE and in essence trades on SHORT-TERM SUGAR HIGHS rather than anything that could be described as SUBSTANTIVE.  such are the SO-CALLED "CONTENT WARS."  the REASON the HACKS are so GOOD at the AURAL MEDIUM of PODCASTING is that they are COMPELLING and ENTERTAINING in-the-moment.  being a COMPETENT EDITOR or IDEAS PERSON who doesnt have to rely on SHORT-TERM VERBAL COMMUNICATION but can THOUGHTFULLY and DECISIVELY ruminate and digest INFORMATION at their own PACE and in time formulate a COGENT CRITIQUE and TREATISE thereafter is an absolutely SEPARATE PROFICIENCY that is not rewarded in the WORLD of PODCASTING.  i am a REGULAR READER of THE ATLANTIC and LISTENER of RADIO ATLANTIC, but the later is always CAPTIVATING to me in how it never seems to entirely work as a PRODUCT for the FORM. 

it feels like a SQUARE PEG in a ROUND HOLE.

which is probably what it should be at the end of the day.  their SUPERPOWER is producing QUALITY and IMPACTFUL WRITING on CULTURAL ISSUES RELEVANT to that PARTICULAR AMERICAN MOMENT.  PODCASTING is just an AWKWARD FIT for that ELEVATED SKILLSET.  but i am still listening nonetheless and will continue to be moving forward UNABATED.

the on-brand SNARKY debut PEACE THRU VANDALISM (EPITAPH, 1982) EP by the ORANGE COUNTY PUNK ROCK veterans THE VANDALS is essentially a COMPELLING DOCUMENT of a SCENE in TRANSITION back in the early 1980s with the WAVE of HARDCORE coming out of the outer counties SURROUNDING LOS ANGELES at the time.  as such SEVERAL of the TRACKS provide ATTENTION to what it was like to be a part of a VOLATILE COMMUNITY that was ACTIVELY TARGETED and OPPRESSED by the POLICE and LOCAL BUSINESSES, as HYPERBOLIC as that now sounds.  but it was a fact of life being a MEMBER of the UNDERGROUND PUNK ROCK COMMUNITY in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA back during the REAGAN years.

from DOCUMENTARIES such as CLOCKWORK ORANGE COUNTY (ENDURANCE PICTURES, 2012) and AMERICAN HARDCORE (SONY, 2006) to COUNTLESS BOOKS on the FIRST and SECOND WAVES of the LOS ANGELES PUNK ROCK SCENE including ALICE BAG's VIOLENCE GIRL: A CHICANA PUNK STORY (FERAL HOUSE, 2011), GREGG GAFFIN's PUNK PARADOX: A MEMOIR (HACHETTE, 2022), JOHN DOE's UNDER THE BIG BLACK SUN: A PERSONAL HISTORY OF L.A. PUNK (DA CAPO, 2016) and KEITH MORRIS' MY DAMAGE: THE STORY OF A PUNK ROCK SURVIVOR (DA CAPO, 2016), much has been made about the LEGENDARY COSTA MESA VENUE CUCKOO'S NEST and its PATRONS' violent ALTERCATIONS in the streets with the NEIGHBORING COUNTRY BAR ZUBIE'S of which it shared a COMMON parking lot.  quite literally PUNK ROCK FANS felt, with GOOD REASON, as if they were being literally hunted down by a REDNECK CULTURE drunk on its own AUTHORITY.  this SITUATION is famously immortalized in the TRACKS "URBAN STRUGGLE" and "THE LEGEND OF PAT BROWN," the later being a CUCKOO'S NEST REGULAR who was a FRIEND of the BAND and was beyond RECKLESS and single-handedly fought the RIVAL REDNECKS and even some COPS sans backup.  a FOLK HERO of the SCENE basically.

"PIRATE'S LIFE" is about a few of THE VANDALS' BANDMEMBERS going on the FAMOUS DISNEYLAND ATTRACTION PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN on acid and "ANARCHY BURGER (HOLD THE GOVERNMENT)" is a likewise LIGHT-HEARTED PARODY of the RIGHTEOUS, SOCIO-POLITICAL SCREEDS passing as SONGS by their stridently ULTRA-AGGRESSIVE HARDCORE PEERS at the time.  in COMBINATION these two SONGS set the table for the rest of their career, providing a SONGWRITING TEMPLATE that infused the TRANSGRESSIVE SONIC ASSAULT of HARDCORE with a LYRICAL PERSPECTIVE that was CONFRONTATIONAL, but more SARDONIC and BIOGRAPHICAL and far less HIGH-MINDED or explicitly POLITICAL.  tis STRAIN of PUNK ROCK, often tagged MELODIC HARDCORE was likewise innovated by the likes of DESCENDENTS and BAD RELIGION, and influenced COUNTLESS, SUBSEQUENT PUNK ROCK and POP PUNK BANDS notably including NOFX, LAGWAGON, FACE TO FACE, BLINK-182, NEW FOUND GLORY, SUM 41 and so on.

in RETROSPECT my take is that the CONSCIOUS INCORPORATION of HUMOR and SELF-DEPRECATION into the MIX was NECESSARY as it opened up the LYRICAL OUTLOOK to become more SELF-REFLECTIVE and INWARD-LOOKING, as HARDCORE hitherto seemed more about defining ONESELF against an other, whether that be the GOVERNMENT or the POLICE or some other GENERAL CONCEPTION of SOCIETY at large.  in making fun of ONESELF there is a sense of SELF-ACCOUNTABILITY or at least a RECOGNITION that you as an INDIVIDUAL are a PARTICIPANT in the SYSTEM itself.  are there BANDS that are guilty of taking their COMICAL PERSONA a bit too far to the point of being a PREDICTABLE CARICATURE of themselves after a FEW ALBUMS?  absolutely.  but overall, the INCORPORATION of HUMOR doesnt dull the edge of THE VANDALS SOCIETAL CRITIQUES embedded in their MUSIC, if anything its ENGAGING PRESENTATION allows for such to burrow ever more deeply in one's PSYCHE through repeat listens and long-since MEMORIZED and INTERNALIZED PUNCH-LINES.

PEACE THRU VANDALISM is definitely a CLASSIC HARDCORE ALBUM from the period that is well worth checking out.

in a POP LANDSCAPE where seemingly everything is either COMMODIFIED, consciously OVERSEXED or patently UNREMARKABLE, its always PLEASANT to come across a COMPELLING ARTIST like ALLIE X who is genuinely INTERESTING and following her own INDIVIDUAL CREATIVE PATH.  at least that is the sense i get from listening to her ELECTROPOP / SYNTH POP SOUND and artfully IDIOSYNCRATIC MUSIC VIDEOS.  it doesnt come off as WEIRD for WEIRD's sake in the least, rather the TRANSMISSION of a VIBE or FEELING, and of the COMPLICATED VARIETY.

ALLIE X is a SINGER-SONGWRITER to keep an eye on moving forward.  definitely worth checking out.

parodies by nacrowe

check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the EXTENSIVE PRODUCTION WORK of NOTED MIXER, ENGINEER and PRODUCER BRENDAN O'BRIEN.
​
​​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives.

and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!

the BEASTIE BOYS' SOPHOMORE FULL-LENGTH PAUL'S BOUTIQUE (CAPITOL, 1989) over the past few decades has been near universally REVERED as a LANDMARK HIP HOP ACHIEVEMENT in PRODUCTION and AESTHETICS that stands out even within a MUCH-HERALDED ERA, the SO-CALLED GOLDEN AGE OF HIP HOP, that is routinely credited with being the point at which the GENRE itself blossomed into a MATURE ART FORM.  but when it came out a few years after their hit debut LICENSED TO ILL (DEF JAM, 1986), it fell far short of COMMERCIAL EXPECTATIONS and was considered a FAILURE at the time. 

part of that was due to the fact that BEASTIE BOYS painted themselves in a corner with their FRAT BOY IMAGE and JUVENILE LYRICS that virtually define LICENSED TO ILL in the PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS.  the MEMBERS themselves, ADAM "AD ROCK" HOROVITZ, ADAM "MCA" YAUCH and MICHAEL "MIKE D" DIAMOND, where all fiercely INDEPENDENT-MINDED VETERANS of the DOWNTOWN NEW YORK HARDCORE scene and took on that PUERILE LYRICAL PERSPECTIVE largely as an INSIDE JOKE, but what they thought of initially as PURE PARODY and PERFORMANCE ART quickly manifested into something else entirely, especially in light of their CONTROVERSIAL TOUR in support of their DEBUT that incorporated SEXIST BANTER and even an over-sized INFLATABLE PHALLUS.  in essence they were considered a NOVELTY ACT by both the INDUSTRY as well as their FORMER LABEL, including PRODUCER and DEF JAM RECORDS CO-FOUNDER RICK RUBIN.

so the GROUP unceremoniously departed from their NATIVE NEW YORK CITY and relocated to LOS ANGELES, signed with CAPITOL RECORDS and sought out to reinvent themselves.  they subsequently hooked up with the PRODUCTION DUO THE DUST BROTHERS (BECK, TENACIOUS D, LINKIN PARK, TONE LŌC) and GIFTED BRAZILIAN ENGINEER / MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST MARIO CALDATO JR on a FOLLOW-UP that, along with PRINCE PAUL's STELLAR PRODUCTION on the DEBUT DE LA SOUL ALBUM THREE FEET HIGH AND RISING (TOMMY BOY, 1989), is widely-considered the GOLD STANDARD and CULTURAL HIGH-WATER MARK of SAMPLING in HIP HOP PRODUCTION. 

bear in mind that this is still half a decade away from their COMPLETE LYRICAL TRANSFORMATION on CHECK YOUR HEAD (CAPITOL, 1992), which is post-MCA's CONVERSION to BUDDHISM and his COMPLETE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and CONTRITION towards MISGUIDED MISOGYNY in their PAST CATALOGUE, so the CHEEKY, YOUTHFUL, and frankly CHAUVINISTIC BRAVADO on TRACKS like "SHAKE YOUR RUMP," "TO ALL THE GIRLS," and "HEY LADIES" are very much still in FULL EFFECT.  "EGG MAN" in particular is the IMMATURE NARRATIVE of the BAND egging RANDOM PEOPLE during their time in LOS ANGELES, a FAVORITE past-time of theirs back then.  so LYRICALLY and CONCEPTUALLY PAUL'S BOUTIQUE is very much a TRANSITIONAL RECORD and a moment in time for the GROUP as they sussed out their post-DEF JAM IDENTITY and really experimented with the form itself.  i'd argue that that NEW BEGINNING of sorts begins on CHECK YOUR HEAD and continues until the end of their career together.  

what is INTERESTING about PAUL'S BOUTIQUE in the GREATER CONTEXT of HIP HOP is that it marks the CULMINATION of a PRODUCTION STYLE that absolutely cannot be REPLICATED today due to contemporary RIGID CONCERNS over COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT.  THE DUST BROTHERS essentially raided their VINYL COLLECTIONS for SHORT SNIPPETS of MUSICAL INTERLUDES and RHYTHMIC BREAKS and INGENIOUSLY re-contextualized them in an AURAL PASTICHE of sorts.  thus transforming them in TERMS of TEXTURE, STYLE and SUBSTANCE.  these days producers either attempt a RE-RECORDING of a DESIRED SAMPLE, a PROCESS know as INTERPOLATING, or just OUTRIGHT LICENSE the SAMPLE from the COPYRIGHT OWNERS, which can be prohibitively EXPENSIVE and lead to PRODUCTION DELAYS. 

PAUL'S BOUTIQUE PRE-DATED court cases that set the INDUSTRY STANDARD for SAID LICENSES so it is very much an DOCUMENT of a place and time in HIP HOP history.  and that is largely its LEGACY.  its INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION is what it is CELEBRATED for in retrospect way more than its OVERALL CONCEPT or LYRICAL CONTENT.  as such it is not one of my personal GO-TO BEASTIE BOYS ALBUMS, my DISTINCT PREFERENCE being the JOVIAL but SOCIALLY-AWARE later OUTPUT that marked the SECOND PHASE of their career starting with CHECK YOUR HEAD.  all that being said it is a LANDMARK RECORDING well worth checking out for any WOULD-BE HIP HOP HEAD and should be considered required listening, no doubt.  a DECENT enough INTRODUCTION would be my personal FAVORITE TRACKS "HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER" and "LOOKING DOWN THE BARREL OF A GUN."

there is a CERTAIN ROMANCE with the NARRATIVE surrounding UNDERGROUND MUSICAL SCENES, where a CRITICAL MASS of LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS coalesce, make ART and provide a NEW IDENTITY to an ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY.  even just the mentioning of PLACES like SEATTLE, LAUREL CANYON, MEMPHIS or PORTLAND evoke SOUNDS and IMAGES of PROMINENT MUSICIANS, RECORDING STUDIOS, LABELS, ZINES, RADIO STATIONS and EVENT SPACES from years past.  the WE FUN: ATLANTA, GA INSIDE/OUT (WALTER O. ROBISON PRODUCTIONS, 2009) DOCUMENTARY is a seemingly HAPHAZARD and highly IMPRESSIONISTIC concurrent LOOK at the EXPERIMENTAL and highly INSULAR INDIE ROCK SCENE in ATLANTA in the late 2000s. 

it seems pretty OBVIOUS viewing the FILM that the PARTICIPANTS were FAMILIAR with the PRODUCTION TEAM and even considered them an INSIDER within the SCENE itself, which has ADVANTAGES and DRAWBACKS.  there seemed to be no FILTER when seemingly INEBRIATED MEMBERS of DEERHUNTER, THE BLACK LIPS, CARBONA, KING KHAN AND THE SHRINES, SUBSONICS, MASTODON, THE SELMANAIRES and THE COATHANGERS were being interviewed, but most of these CONVERSATIONS were pretty MEANDERING and decidedly UNINFORMITIVE.  so the WHOLE EXERCISE in that sense felt like a [LITERAL] WASTED OPPORTUNITY.  plus many of these MUSICIANS seemed to be consciously attempting to act provocatively ON-CAMERA, making them seem rather PERFORMATIVE and INAUTHENTIC in NATURE, at least more than i suspect the were behind closed doors during NORMAL GIGS.  i would have preferred something a little less CHUMMY and a bit more SUBSTANTIAL because this UNFORTUNATELY feels more like an ASSEMBLAGE of BEHIND-THE-SCENES B-ROLL FOOTAGE then a PROPER DOCUMENTARY attempting to be OBJECTIVE and provide PERSPECTIVE on an EMERGING CULTURAL SCENE.

but maybe that was the point.  the ETHOS of the ATLANTA SCENE seemed to be very MERCURIAL, ETHEREAL and OF-THE-MOMENT and any PROFESSIONAL AMBITIONS of GREATER EXPOSURE seem MUTED at best, or even consciously SELF-SABOTAGING as evidenced by a SCENE where a fire extinguisher going off and effectively ruins the OPPORTUNITY for SEVERAL GROUPS participating in a MASSIVE shoot for the COVER of a local MAINSTREAM PERIODICAL.  NATIONAL GLORY doesnt seem to be in the cards with this CROP of MUSICIANS as told by the FILM, which is INTERESTING in retrospect given that MASTODON is such a HUGE METAL BAND (arguably the next SCION of SLAYER, METALLICA, and BLACK SABBATH in the POPULAR CONSCIOUSNESS) and THE BLACK LIPS, DEERHUNTER and THE COATHANGERS are all nationally touring, WELL-ESTABLISHED INDIE ROCK / PUNK ROCK BANDS in their own right CELEBRATED far outside the ATLANTA metropolitan region. 

but at that moment of filming the MAKESHIFT DIY INSTITUTIONS that emerged around these BANDS with NONTRADITIONAL, highly MAKESHIFT VENUES like BASEMENTS and (no joke) a STRIP MALL SPACE that specializes in polo played with bumper cars.  same with the LOCAL DIE SLAUGHTERHOUSE! RECORDS who released many of these GROUPS.  money wasnt the MOTIVATING FACTOR here, but making ART and establishing a COMMUNITY definitely was.  and if anything else, this DOCUMENTARY showcases the INTIMACY and INSULARITY that comes with a small SUBTERRANEAN SCENE of WEIRDOS.

definitely not the most INFORMATIVE, WELL-CONCEIVED or WELL-EXECUTED FILM dealing with MUSICIANS ive ever come across, but a DOCUMENT that is worth checking out for FANS of INDEPENDENT MUSIC nonetheless.

the OBSCURE DELINEATION between ENCOMIUM and EXPLOITATION is pretty THIN indeed and the BIOGRAPHICAL GRAPHIC NOVEL GODSPEED: THE KURT COBAIN GRAPHIC (OMNIBUS, 2003) created by the WRITING DUO BARNABY LEGG and JIM MCCARTHY with ILLUSTRATIONS by FLAMEBOY consciously walks that DELICATE LINE in stride.  written in FIRST PERSPECTIVE, the COMIC attempts to provide a SOBER TAKE on the TROUBLED INTERIOR LIFE and SOCIAL DYNAMICS of a MUCH-BELOVED CULTURAL ICON.  there are no REAL REVELATIONS on that accord, given that EXISTING BIOGRAPHERS like CHARLES CROSS and MICHAEL AZERRAD have long since established the ENDURING NARRATIVE of a particularly DIFFICULT UPBRINGING and UNSETTLED FAMILY SITUATION, being a CHILD of DIVORCE who ping-ponged unsuccessfully between PARENTS and RELATIVES throughout his ADOLESCENCE that spurred a deeply ENTRENCHED, LIFE-LONG SENSE of NEGATIVE SELF-IDENTITY that was sadly SELF-DEFINED as being UNLOVED, UNWANTED and PERENNIAL ALIENATION.  even gaining WIDESPREAD FAME and RECOGNITION for his ART, finding LOVE and becoming a FATHER was not enough to effectively counter such INTENSE EMOTIONS of ISOLATION ultimately. or at least such is the often PERPETUATED MYTHOLOGY surrounding the ICONIC FRONTMAN for the SEATTLE ALTERNATIVE ROCK BAND NIRVANA, KURT COBAIN.

what makes GODSPEED a COMPELLING GRAPHIC NOVEL is the STARK artwork by FLAMEBOY which really dredges into BOTH POLES of COBAIN's COMPLICATED PERSONALITY.  those being the COMPASSIONATE, ATTENTIVE and ENGAGED MUSICIAN / VISUAL ARTIST as represented by his PERSONAL AVATAR of CREATIVITY and LIFE-FORCE with the inclusion of his ADOLESCENT MAKE-BELIEVE FRIEND BODDAH, depicted with BRIGHT COLORS and CHILDLIKE ENTHUSIASM, and the unquestionably DARK CORRIDORS of his MIND where his HOPELESS, NIHILISTIC DESCENT into DRUG ADDICTION and SELF-ISOLATION seemingly offered no OPTIMISM or DAYLIGHT, which are depicted in MUTED COLORS and GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS of SELF-HARM.  these TWO POLES which ping-pong at times in QUICK SUCCESSION showcase the TORTURED NATURE of COBAIN's CULTURAL LEGACY in VIVID DETAIL, which in my OPINION is a VISUAL ACHIEVEMENT.

my only GRIPE is with the NARRATIVE itself and not the VISUALS of GODSPEED, since this GRAPHIC NOVEL infers that COBAIN's SUICIDE was INEVITABLE and that ultimately he was a VICTIM of his own SUCCESS.  three decades since his PASSING and i still dont buy that MUCH-PERPETUATED CONCLUSION.  he had CHOICES.  unimaginably PAINFUL and DIFFICULT DECISIONS regarding his MENTAL HEALTH, CAREER and RELATIONSHIPS (both PERSONAL and PROFESSIONAL), but they were there.  i did not know the GUY, i was in early elementary school when he DIED, but there is always ANOTHER OPTION regarding SUICIDAL IDEATION and helping proliferate the ENDURING MYTH that his DEATH was somehow INEXORABLE is quite the DANGEROUS MESSAGE and id even argue blithely REPREHENSIBLE.

so yeah, GODSPEED is a DEFINITE MIXED-BAG since it veers too much into HAGIOGRAPHY in my OPINION.  a GRAPHIC NOVEL LOVINGLY-DEPICTED but is COMPLICATED and CONTROVERSIAL, much like COBAIN himself.

i havent made much of a SECRET of the FACT that ive been pursuing an MBA DEGREE PART-TIME these past few years, specifically focusing on SUPPLY CHAIN, and that JOURNEY has meant that im usually seeking out INFORMATION via FINANCIALLY-MINDED PUBLICATIONS, PODCASTS, BUSINESS MEMOIRS and even YOUTUBE CHANNELS. this INCLINATION has resulted in me going down several ONLINE RABBIT-HOLES that i would not have pursued even a few years ago regarding PERTINENT topics i have no PERSONAL CONNECTION to such as FASHION and LARGE-SCALE TEXTILE / GARMENT / APPAREL MANUFACTURING.  which brings me to the recently discovered YOUTUBE CHANNEL for  the WEST YORK-based SHIFT FASHION GROUP a BOUTIQUE FASHION CONSULTING FIRM based out of CANADA.

the CHANNEL quite obviously is a MARKETING VEHICLE for attracting new POTENTIAL CLIENTS with their VAST INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE regarding DESIGN, BRAND DEVELOPMENT and the minute TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS of the MANUFACTURING of CLOTHING. it doubles as a resource for educating CONSUMERS about the PRODUCTION and QUALITY CONTROL ASPECTS of the APPAREL TRADE so that they may make INFORMED CHOICES regarding what pieces have INTRINSIC VALUE based on QUALITY of MATERIALS, DESIGN and PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES and which are just PRODUCTS of MARKETING CAMPAIGNS and UNADULTERATED HYPE.  most EPISODES find HOST JOE NG literally disassembling GARMENTS on a table and explaining the MYRIAD of TECHNICAL DECISIONS that went into its PRODUCTION (i.e. TYPE OF TEXTILE, STITCHING, SCREEN PRINTING, COLOR DYING) and how such affected its QUALITY, DURABILITY and ultimately MONETARY VALUE.

FULL DISCLOSURE: i am an OVERWEIGHT, CAUCASIAN, CARHARTT-wearing (mainly because of its GENEROUS fit) TROGLODYTE who has absolutely no interest in MODERN STREETWEAR CULTURE or HIGH FASHION whatsoever. 

but the minutiae of CONSIDERATIONS and DEEP INTENTIONALITY of these PRODUCTS and their MANUFACTURING, which is what SHIFT FASHION GROUP specialize in, is something i can appreciate from a BUSINESS STANDPOINT.  the fact that NG is deconstructing PRODUCTS by MUCH-REVERED BRANDS like SUPREME, KITH, FEAR OF GOD, AMIRI, STONE ISLAND, UNIQLO, LULULEMON, BALENCIAGA, ALO, COMME DE GARCON, RHUDE and so on for me is of PRACTICAL INCONSEQUENCE, outside of the fact that those FIRMS command a FOLLOWING that they are either undercutting or serving well with their DESIGN and MANUFACTURING DECISIONS.  and the DUDE certainly does not hold back with his OPINION and seems CONFIDENT and extremely WELL-VERSED in his TRADE, which is why i find this YOUTUBE CHANNEL so APPEALING even though the SPECIFIC PRODUCTS hold no APPEAL on my PSYCHE. 

perhaps if they were talking about SIMILAR decision-tree SCENARIOS regarding another ECONOMIC SECTOR such as the PRODUCTION / DESIGN of GUITARS and RELATED PRODUCTS like AMPLIFIERS and PEDALS, then id be more BIASED and deeply AFFECTED / COMPROMISED by their EXPERT CRITICISMS.  but an EXPERT is an EXPERT and in today's INFORMATION LANDSCAPE were everyone has a [MISINFORMED] OPINION it is nice to find CERTAIN NICHES were i feel i can learn something NEW about a SECTOR and WORLD of PRODUCTION i hadnt really previously considered in any DEPTH, like FASHION.

plus NG is ENTERTAINING, so the SHIFT FASHION GROUP is definitely worth checking out if you have an INTEREST in the topic.

so how does one go about following-up on what is UNIVERSALLY considered one of the GREATEST ROCK N ROLL DEBUTS of all-time and an EPOCH-MAKING CULTURAL PHENOMENON in its own right that was the VAN HALEN (WARNER BROS, 1978) ALBUM.  in the case of VAN HALEN II (WARNER BROS, 1979), you literally try to recreate it. 

and i guess there is a LOGIC to that, so really why not?

the TEMPLATE essentially came down to some MID-TEMPO, MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD RADIO SINGLES ("DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY," "BEAUTIFUL GIRLS,"), an INSTRUMENTAL SHOWCASE ("SPANISH FLY"), an AGGRESSIVE BARNBURNER ("D.O.A.") and the OBLIGATORY COVER ("YOU'RE NO GOOD").  what did it all add up to?  a seemingly UNDERCOOKED FOLLOW-UP that doesnt hold up to VAN HALEN's INCREDIBLE DEBUT.  you get the SENSE that when the BAND released their DEBUT ALBUM that they were pulling all the stops on a go-for-broke GROUP EFFORT that was an ALL-KILLER-NO-FILLER SITUATION.  on VAN HALEN II you already have a DISTINCT SENSE that the SPONTANEITY, HUMOR and ENERGY that made VAN HALEN so ENJOYABLE was not CODIFIED and FORCED as DIFFERENT FACTIONS within the GROUP laid claim to their INDIVIDUAL SONIC FIEFDOMS.  case in point is VOCALIST DAVID LEE ROTH's over-the-top SCHMALTZY PERSONA on "BEAUTIFUL GIRLS" that is still CRINGY to listen to, almost like some OUT-OF-PLACE, POOR MAN's VAUDEVILLE ACT that NOBODY wanted or asked for. the REVELATORY "ERUPTION" SOLO off of VAN HALEN was a ONE-OFF WARM-UP that turned into the SONIC INTRODUCTION-OF-ALL-INTRODUCTIONS to a NEW GUITAR DEITY in EDDIE VAN HALEN, but the ACOUSTIC "SPANISH FLY" of VAN HALEN II shares none of that OFF-THE-CUFF BRAVADO and feels more like a NAVEL-GAZING RECITAL for a VIRTUOSO TECHNICIAN with no HEART.  even the NON-SINGLES off of VAN HALEN (like "I'M THE ONE," "ATOMIC PUNK," "JAMIE'S CRYING" and "LITTLE DREAMER") had a POTENT IMMEDIACY  and PATHOS to them that made them INDELIBLE and TRANSCENDENT, whereas on this RUSHED FOLLOW-UP that sense of URGENCY is all but replaced with a seemingly SMUG COMPLACENCY that the BAND had long since arrived and were basically coasting.

the EXCEPTION to all of this SELF-APPROBATION is the TRACK "D.O.A.," which in all likelihood is my all-time FAVORITE VAN HALEN SONG.  its just a decidedly NASTY ROCK N ROLL SONG that oozes sex with its SLINKY opening GUITAR RIFF and PUMMELING DRUMS that make this PAEAN to living dangerously on the run from the POLICE sound like a FUN TIME.  this SINGLE TRACK is a REMINDER of what VAN HALEN was capable of when in TOP-FORM, which on subsequently rushed FOLLOW-UP RECORDINGS were few and far between, the other NOTABLE EXAMPLE being "LOSS OF CONTROL" off of WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST (WARNER BROS, 1980).  its been documented that NON-STOP TOURING and OUTSIDE INTERESTS took their toll on the BAND starting with the SUCCESS after their DEBUT and resulted in HALF-COOKED RECORDING SESSIONS until EDDIE put his CREATIVE foot down on 1984 (WARNER BROS, 1984), which of course FAMOUSLY resulted in the DEPARTURE of ROTH.  one wonders, and it is one of the GREAT WHAT-IFs in ROCK N ROLL HISTORY, of what an already LEGENDARY BAND could have accomplished had EDDIE done so much earlier in the IMMEDIATE WAKE of their INITIAL SUCCESS.

honestly, as if you couldnt tell, im not a FAN of VAN HALEN II.  but "D.O.A." is a criminally UNDERRATED BANGER of a TRACK for the AGES.  definitely check that SONG out if nothing else.

i recently became aware of the OAKLAND-based INDIE ROCK band FAKE FRUIT, which is fronted by the INIMITABLE SINGER-SONGWRITER HANNAH "HAM" D'AMATO who has a LYRICAL AESTHETIC all her own.  the SONGS, especially those on their recent sophomore MUCHO MISTRUST (CARPARK, 2024) RELEASE, are PUNCHY with MELODIC HOOKS galore and LYRICS that delicately feel UPBEAT and OPTIMISTIC TONALLY but undergird a deeply SARDONIC VIEW of the WORLD.

this BAND really does hit a SWEET SPOT for me in terms of their ATTITUDE, AESTHETIC and STELLAR SONGWRITING.  FAKE FRUIT is definitely a BAND i look forward to keeping an eye on for years to come.  very much worth checking out.

parodies by nacrowe

check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the early ROCK N ROLL PIONEER and TRANSCENDENT 20th century AMERICAN CULTURAL ICON LITTLE RICHARD.
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