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Newsflash: Green Day Is NOT PUNK. Just Another Cliche
Yeah yeah… you heard the news. Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong got mad and smashed a guitar onstage. Everyone online started freaking out and saying how “punk rock” he still is… blah blah. Even iHeart radio (who hosted the event) said it was “one of the most epic punk rock sets in recent memory”. Whatever. Now not shocking news or anything, but the band has apologized and sent their front man to rehab. But look man… you can call it whatever you want. An egotistical sad man who knows his new record is going to bomb, a guy who is mad he got cut short to appease Usher, or just another rich aging rock star who forgot his place in the world, but let’s not get it twisted… Green Day is not punk rock.
I take great offense to the idea they are.
Oh sure, they may have been at one time, when they were on Lookout! records, but even the band has distanced them selves from their own past citing how young they were when they wrote their “punk” songs. You will notice me using quotes around the word “punk”. I do that because you don’t have to play traditional “punk” music to still have the underground edge and attitude that people respect… but let’s face it… Green Day lost it all in the early 90′s make no mistake.
When you play the MGM Grand, when you are an MTV darling on their award shows, when you are played on iHeart radio for Pete’s sake… you can’t claim my DIY way of life.
Here’s a news flash GREEN DAY… and anyone else who thinks what they did is cool…
My life.. our life, is hard. It’s rough. Even as I type this, I face an uncertain employment future in 30 days, I’m living on a shoestring budget. My home has forgone luxuries like cable and XBox live so we can keep the wheels on the truck spinning and heading to other towns to spread our music message. It rarely pays for itself. I sometimes wonder why I do it. But let me say… that I can’t see us doing anything else.
So when a forty something aging one time cool singer who has made record companies millions of dollars throws a temper tantrum onstage and people call it punk, it makes me sick to my stomach. That’s not punk. There is no struggle in that. I think about my friends in bands who try to make a living on music, and how they would kill for a chance to play a show that big or a stage like that. All this guy did was break a guitar any of my friends wish they could afford. All I see, is a rich washed up drug addict who is a cliche. That’s not what we podcast about. That’s not what we promote.
The Freakouts
Members : Ash Kay-Vocals Porter-Guitar Meg-Bass Allen-Drums Steven-guitar
Contact :: Website Reverbnation Facebook
Documentary “One Nine Nine Four” leaked onto YouTube.
Animal Train
Animal Train — Austin, TX
Members :: CJ: Vox Rich: Guitar Jeremy: Drums, Vox Chris: Bass, Vox
Bio :: The band was formed in 2007 by Rich and CJ who relocated from Upper Darby, PA in 2011 and met up with Jeremy and Chris to form our current lineup. We are all about supporting our community, friends, and living the D.I.Y. = Freedom philosophy. We are always looking to partner up with others to do shows and house parties.
Contact :: Reverbnation Facebook Website
Just GoToxic Fuse
Toxic Fuse
Members :: currently.. Toxic Fuse-guitar/vocals, Mellisa-drums/vocals, Stephanie-keyboard/vocals, Dave Dagger-bass…. other musicians that have played with me in the past. Chris Benson-guitar/bass, Micaela Benson-tambourine/vocals, Brittany Canchola-tambourine/vocals, Andy Palmer-drums, Dave Sulak-guitar, Alister Urie-guitar, Ian Ordonez-keyboards, Johnny Angel-tambourine/vocals, Eric Martinez-guitar
Bio :: Toxic Fuse is basically a dude who has way too many records and instruments, and spends way too much time listening to music and writing songs… ugh. i was turned on to punk rock at an early age.. when i was around 11 or so.. i got into skateboarding and by the time i was 15 i was pretty much obsessed with darby crash and skating.. i was in the Army Barbers at age 15 playing guitar w/Jamie Kirkpatrick on bass and vocals and Paul Massey on drums… didn’t play much after that until i went to Victoria College and hooked up with Trey Robles who later played in the Distractors and then Hardfeelings.. thats when i got more into really early blues (like pre war blues), rockabilly and tons of 60′s garage (like the Sonics).. also at that time the whole 90′s garage revival was going on so i was really into the whole Mummies, Rip Offs, Makers, art damaged punks like Lord High Fixers, Sons of Hercules.. etc.. thats when i started the Alcoholic Helltones with my wife Mellisa Ann… we played together for like 10+ years and put out some records.. and had some really good times/shows.. then in 2005 i started doing Toxic Fuse songs only, and pretty much quit the Alcoholic Helltones (my own band) because i wanted to play some more personal songs… here i am today still playing, probably should’ve quit while i was ahead… i still love punk, garage, rnb, rnr, blues, psyche, free jazz, chaino, hasil and pretty much anything creepy, strange, ugly or desperate… i like to cry when i get hurt so, it’s o.k. i’m used to it already… Contact :: http://www.myspace.com/toxicfuse http://www.helltones.com http://www.youtube.com/user/thetoxicfuse thetoxicfuse@yahoo.comLarry and His Flask
Larry and His Flask — Oregon Punk Folk Rock
Members: Jamin Marshall Jeshua Marshall Ian Cook Andrew Carew Kirk Skatvold Dallin Bulkley
Bio: Musical anthropologists interested in the study of just how fast a band can evolve need look no further than the six upright, upstanding men in Oregon’s Larry and His Flask.
Formed by brothers Jamin and Jesse Marshall in 2003, the Flask (as the band’s expanding army of fans calls them) spent its first half-decade stuck in a primordial, punk-rock goop, where a blood-sweat-and-beers live show took priority over things like notes and melodies. Don’t misunderstand: The band was (somewhat) skilled and an absolute joy to watch, but the goal was always the party over perfection. Over the past two years, however, Larry and His Flask has gone from crawl to sprint at breakneck speed. First, Jamin Marshall moved from gargling-nails vocals to drums. Guitarist Ian Cook became the band’s primary voice. And a trio of talented pickers and singers — Dallin Bulkley (guitars), Kirk Skatvold (mandolin) and Andrew Carew (banjo) — joined the family. (And no, you didn’t miss something. No one is named Larry.) Determined to make music for a living or die trying, the six brothers set out in a van, intent on playing for anyone, anywhere at any time. From coffee shops to dive bars and street corners to theater stages, the Flask honed their sound and show through experience, attacking each gig like buskers who must grab and hold the attention of passersby in hopes of collecting enough change to get to the next town. By 2009, Larry and His Flask’s train began gaining steam. The band’s new songs are a blurry blend of lightning fast string-band picking, gorgeous nods to old-school country, and sublime multi-part harmonies, all presented through a prism of punk chaos. The boys have grown and changed, yes, but their shows are still gloriously physical displays of live music’s sheer power. In other words, keep your eyes peeled, or risk taking the heavy end of Jesse Marshall’s flailing, stand-up bass right between the eyes. A slot supporting the Dropkick Murphys in the Flask’s hometown led to an invitation to open for the Celtic punk kingpins across the eastern half of the United States, as well as an opportunity to finally record their new, twangier sound. The result is Larry and His Flask’s three-song, self-titled 7″ record, pressed in a limited run that’s quickly being snapped up by the band’s new fans, who’ve been clamoring for a sip of aural hooch to call their own. In mid-2010, the Flask is holed up in their crash pad in Central Oregon, working on songs for their first full-length, playing gigs here and there, and, in the words of Jesse Marshall, “fixing the van and all our broken shit” in anticipation of the next leg of a lifelong tour. Keep up with the band’s never-ending tour schedule at www.larryandhisflask.comRETURN TO CINDER
The DIY Ethic.
OMBG shirts – Iron on transfers
OMBG Buttons – I didn’t make these.. but the lovely Miss Brooke Duncan did from Stick It To Me Buttons.
OMBG Stickers – I made all of these (except the top one, that one is made by the Sticker Guy it’s a full color print on vinyl for inside or outside usage) It was kinda fun to figure out how to get this to work.. but basically, they are pretty pro looking with a gloss finish.
Old Man Caps – Did this with iron transfers.
OMBG Bags – Hand stenciled and painted by yours truly.
OMBG Tanks – Hand stenciled and painted by yours truly.
OMBG Bags – Sewn, Stenciled, and painted by yours truly.
Josh Caterer
Listen now:
[audio:http://www.meltedzipper.com/podcastMusic/joshcatererInterview.mp3] Interview at Fitzgerald’s – Houston, TX
The Smoking Popes – Indie/Punk Rock band from Chicago
Members: Eli Dixon Caterer – Guitar Josh Caterer – Vocals/Guitar Matt Caterer – Bass Neil Hennessy – Drums
Bio: “Ever wonder what a traditional saloon singer would sound like backed up by a punk band? The Smoking Popes take that concept one step further: They’ve created a unique kind of music that some listeners are describing as ‘hyperkinetic tear-jerkers’.” Los Angeles Times Smoking Popes built a relationship with their legion of fans and fellow musicians by melding raw songs about bittersweet heartache with soaring melodies, power chords and punk spirit. Wielding such musical influence is remarkable, and their latest album This is Only a Test is perfect proof that their sparkling lyricism and ineffable charm is still intact. This is Only a Test is the Smoking Pope’s first ever concept album, exploring the life of a fictional high schooler. The album hits the street on March 15th, sparking a spring tour to celebrate, beginning at SXSW in Austin.
This is Only a Test’s songs explore themes of identity, musical aspirations, love and teen suicide.” Singer/Guitarist Songwriter Josh Caterer explains, “When I first got the idea to write from a teenage perspective, the individual songs came really quickly. I wrote a song a day for five days. That’s half the album in less than a week. I never write that fast! Each song stands alone as a snapshot from this kid’s life. The story doesn’t unfold like a narrative. It’s more like a collage.” Recorded at Chicago’s Atlas Sound in 2010, the album was produced by Mat Allison (Alkaline Trio, Lawrence Arms, and The Menzingers).
Some may assume that This is Only a Test is autobiographical but Caterer lays that notion to rest, saying, “The main character on this album is definitely a creation. He’s not me. Well…he’s similar to me, but he’s not limited by the realities of my own experience. I created a character that basically has the same view of the world that I had when I was in high school, but he’s his own person and he does some things that I never did.”
Smoking Popes first burst onto the scene in 1991 and released several albums on various local labels. They signed to Capitol Records in 1995 and re-released Born to Quit¸ one of Smoking Popes landmark albums, to an even larger fan base gained by touring with bands like Jawbreaker and Jimmy Eat World. Praise from SPIN, Alternative Press, Rolling Stone and Billboard arrived with the re-release and later that year, “Need You Around” was also featured in the hit movie Clueless. Musical icon Morrissey raved: “Did you ever hear Born to Quit? It’s by the Smoking Popes. I thought that album was extraordinary, the most lovable thing I’d heard in years”.
In 1997, the Smoking Popes released Destination Failure. The album challenged the idea of what a pop punk band could do, with lyrics that told tales of love and longing with heartbreaking details. To the shock of many, Smoking Popes decided to throw in the towel in 1998. In 2005, rumors started flying that the band would perform again. Their sold out reunion show at Chicago’s Metro on November 11th sparked a resurgence of Smoking Popes fans, leaving the crowd yearning for new material. The band was re-energized and reformed for good, releasing Stay Down in 2008 and in 2010, Its Been a Long Day, a compilation of songs released on rare vinyl singles.
