Category Archives: music

Destroying Something Beautiful: The Autopsy of a Punk Cover Song–An Interview with Nick “Animal” Culmer of The Anti-Nowhere League

Posted on February 26, 2018 by oldpunkone

Off and on since 1982 I have thought about the role of rock and roll/punk covers of songs and how they can change the form and/or meaning of the song. One of my favorite cover songs of all time is … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-nowhere league, indie, metallica, music, punk, punk rock, ralph mctell, Uncategorized | Tagged music, punk rock | Leave a comment

YOU GOTTA ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE IN THIS TOWER OF SONG-SO DON’T LET IT GET YOU DOWN

Posted on January 8, 2017 by oldpunkone

It’s kind of like déjà vu all over again to look at the opening paragraph from my last year’s review and see the following: Reflecting on a year (let next year not be yet another one) marked by terrorism … Continue reading →

Posted in austin, indie, music, punk, sxsw, Uncategorized | Tagged beat kitchen, charles bradley, coachella, diet cig, Empty Bottle, glenn branca, Guns N roses, haelos, Hideout, King Khan, King Sunny Ade, LCD Soundsystem, Lollapalooza, matchbox, Negative Scanner, nighbeats, party static, Ponys, sleater-kinney, sxsw, The Mekons, The Specials, thee oh sees, wicker park fest | Leave a comment

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON, OR NOT AT ALL

Posted on March 24, 2016 by oldpunkone

There is a reason why events unnerve anyone. At SXSW everyone can find a different story. And that story plays out differently with every choice you make. Imagine: when you choose to eat at one restaurant you are turning down … Continue reading →

Posted in austin, indie, music, punk, sxsw, Uncategorized | Tagged charles bradley, Cosmonauts, Death Valley Girls, diet cig, downtown boys, Fear of Men, haelos, Iggy Pop, jon dwyer, joy division, matador records, oscar, party static, sxsw, The Foreign Resort, thee oh sees | Leave a comment

EXHUMING MEMORABLE PERFORMANCES TO BURY OUR 2015

Posted on December 25, 2015 by oldpunkone

Reflecting on a year marked by terrorism and racial tension, it is sometimes hard to divert focus from the dark side of the force and concentrate on the things that have made this a very good year. A family gathering. … Continue reading →

Posted in indie, music, punk, sxsw | Tagged Algiers, Andy Gill, Chicago, Constellation, Corin Tucker, Empty Bottle, Follokzoid, gang of four, Hideout, Iggy Pop, jon langford, Julie Ruin, Kathleen Hanna, Lollapalooza, Lu Edmonds, matador records, Mekons, MPV, music, Negative Scanner, Nels Cline, Pitchfork, Public Image, Riotfest, Sally Timms, Schubas, sleater-kinney, sxsw, The Foreign Resort, widowspeak, Wire | Leave a comment

IN A BATTLE OF TITANS, ART BEATS COMMERCE IN A SHOOTOUT @ SXSW 2015

Posted on April 7, 2015 by oldpunkone

“To Hell With Poverty,” the Gang of Four tells us, “we’ll get drunk on cheap wine.” In 1981, when the song was first recorded, the literal context was king in that Margaret Thatcher had been Prime Minister for 2 years … Continue reading →

Posted in austin, indie, music, punk, sxsw | Tagged Alvvays, Andy Gill, Best Coast, Death Valley Girls, gang of four, Kay Odyssey, Lust for Youth, Metz, No Age, Prince Rama, Public Service Broadcasting, Rat Fist, Shivas, Songhoy Blues, sxsw, The Damned, The Lemons, The Zombies, Twin Peaks | Leave a comment

OLD, NEW, CLOSE AND FAR AWAY—MEMORABLE PERFORMANCES OF 2014

Posted on January 12, 2015 by oldpunkone

Last year there were many memorable/euphoric experiences, some that came when I least expected it. Like when walking out of an art party in Hong Kong where I was drinking beet and pomegranate juice mixed with vodka and served in … Continue reading →

Posted in indie, music, punk | Tagged Anti-Flag, Bare Mutants, Beets, Bryan Ferry, Cerebral Ballzy, Cosmonauts, Dee Dee Penny, Dum Dum Girls, Eddie C. Campbell, eternal summers, Fear of Men, Habibi, Ides of March, Jim Peterik, jon dwyer, Jonathan Richman, joy division, Juan Wauters, Julie Ruin, Kathleen Hanna, Ken Vandermark, kraftwerk, Lurrie Bell, Mars Williams, Negative Scanner, New Order, Peter Hook, Publis Service Broadcasting System, Sonics, Stiff Little Fingers, television, The Clean, The Foreign Resort, thee oh sees, Twin Peaks, Youssou N'Dour | Leave a comment

FEAR OF MEN-THE BEST OF THE OPENING ACTS OF 2014 SO FAR

Posted on July 13, 2014 by oldpunkone

Who cares about opening acts at concerts? What is their purpose anyway? Is it to set the stage for the headliner? Make sure the audience buys sufficient drinks so the bar can make some dough or allow enough time for … Continue reading →

Posted in indie, music | Tagged Fear of Men, jessica weiss, kanine records | Leave a comment

I’VE BEEN WAITING MY WHOLE LIFE TO SEE TELEVISION–BRADFORD COX (OF DEER HUNTER) SAID THAT

Posted on December 22, 2013 by oldpunkone

I saw Television last on its comeback tour in 2007. For some reason it felt much different for me this time. It could be any one of a variety of reasons—-I went on a pilgrimage to Austin to Fun … Continue reading →

Posted in indie, music, punk | Tagged deerhunter, marquee moon, television, verlaine | Leave a comment

The top 12 performances by “new” bands in 2012

Posted on January 20, 2013 by oldpunkone

Since music is such a mature medium it is hard to tell whether everything old is new again. But music can’t change time, and whatever influences modern bands have, it is nice to there are still bands that music that … Continue reading →

Posted in indie, music, punk, Uncategorized | Tagged bleached, Duchess Says, Dum Dum Girls, Hollows, Lotus Plaza, The Black Ryder, thee oh sees, widowspeak | Leave a comment

2012– The 12 Best of the Old

Posted on January 6, 2013 by oldpunkone

More than any recent year, it seeme like 2012 brought around more old groups then ever, including many either reunited or back for one more (last?) tour. And I am not talking about PBS-backed reunions either (although I am waiting … Continue reading →

Posted in indie, music, punk, Uncategorized | Tagged Beat, Bruce Springsteen, Dbs, Elvis, Graham Parker, Iggy, Jesus, Messiah, Mission of Burma, olmara portuando, Paul Collins, Peter Case, Peter Townsend, Pliimsouls, punk rock, shonen knife, Tav Falco, The Who | Leave a comment