The Punk Singer

Documentary film is one of my favorite genres. I will almost always watch a doc on just about any topic. I’ve seen films about everything from skateboarding to freemasonry. I love the idea that someone could have so much passion for a particular subject that they would make a film about it just to share that passion with others.

I came of age just as the riot grrrl movement was at its peak. As an angry/snotty teenager, I was definitely the target audience, but I could never relate to it for some reason. It’s not that I did not identify with feminism, the combination of the bad music and abrasive characters (notably Hanna) were a complete turn off for me.

I’m really struggling to say something positive about this film, but I am at a loss for words. I watched it in hopes that I would get a better understanding of where Hanna is coming from. I gathered nothing from this other than the fact that Hanna is still a bratty teenager trapped in a 40 something (apparently failing) body.



I understand that she was prominent in advocating a very important movement, but what did she actually contribute? Just the music alone from Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, Julie Ruin, etc. is so sophomoric it is almost embarrassing. Let’s face it; Kathleen Hanna is not a great lyricist. He rants resemble something I wrote in 10th grade. Her voice is earsplitting at some points, musically and just in general. They even address her “valley speak” vernacular in the film, but there is still no excuse for it.



Her stories are so self indulgent that I almost feel sorry for her. Just hearing Hanna describe how she “was SOOO wasted” while hanging out with Kurt Cobain is awful. I do not dislike Hanna because of her ideas or her past, I dislike her because she has nothing of substance to say. I feel like Hanna is the face of the riot grrrl movement in the same vain that Sid Vicious is the face of punk rock. Neither contributed anything to their respective genres excerpt for an aesthetic that certainly gives them far more credit than deserved.



I would love to see a doc on other key players from this movement like Kim Gordon. In some ways, I would Courtney Love (bitter rival) a more positive feminist than Kathleen Hanna. I guess if this film or the music of Bikini Kill encourages a young woman to further investigate feminism than that's one good thing to come out of this train wreck. I do respect her for her intentions; I just wish she had a more tactful way of expressing them.

New Order

Well, it’s been more than a week since I went to Dallas with Ruth & John to see New Order and I am still reeling in excitement. I’ve talked about my love for New Order before so you can imagine what a big deal this was for me. New Order hasn’t been to the US in almost a decade and I’m sure it’s been a lot longer since they’ve actually been to Texas. This show was only one of seven dates on this tour. Sure it was way too crowded and hot, but it was well worth it. We did see a few idiots wearing Joy Division t-shirts as expected and I’m certain there were more than a few people there who could only count two New Order songs. For a band who's been around for over 30 yrs, they sound great. It’s nearly impossible to put into words what a wonderful time we had.

Last fall I flew to San Francisco to see Peter Hook perform Joy Division’s second album, Closer. As memorable as that show was, it still felt very bittersweet. I recall saying immediately afterwards, “well that’s probably as close as I will ever come to seeing New Order.”



Fast forward to Friday, October 12, 2012, and it still felt like I was dreaming. It didn’t really register until they played Bizarre Love Triangle. It’s funny because Bizarre Love Triangle and Blue Monday are probably my least favorite New Order songs since they are the most overplayed. However, I used to sneak into the local gay bar back home with my fake ID to dance the night away to Bizarre Love Triangle when I was only 15 yrs old. I was also dancing to a lot of Pretty Hate Machine era Nine Inch Nails, but that’s a whole other story all together. Who would have thought, years & years later, I’d actually be dancing while New Order played that very song.



My all time favorite New Order song is by far Regret which they did not play. They have such an extensive catalog, it’s nearly impossible to narrow down a set list. The show went on for well over an hour & a half. I still feel like there are so many more songs I’d like to see performed. The encore consisted of four Joy Division songs. The Joy Division tribute was mesmerizing, but secretly I was wishing for more New Order songs. I already saw those songs performed once before, but I think everyone else really appreciated it nonetheless. It’s not always about me and honestly I cannot complain.

SET LIST

Elegia
Crystal
Ceremony
Age of Consent
Love Vigilantes
Isolation
Here to Stay
Your Silent Face
Bizarre Love Triangle
5 8 6
True Faith
The Perfect Kiss
Blue Monday
Temptation

Encore:
Atmosphere
Shadowplay
Transmission
Love Will Tear Us Apart




I really tried hard not to cry. I will admit that I did get a bit emotional during Your Silent Face and I just couldn’t help it by the time they played Temptation. I guarantee you there was not a dry eye in the building once Atmosphere started. The haunting video by Anton Corbijn playing in the background was beyond eerie. The videos of the show online do no justice because the energy at this show was completely exhilarating. Ruth got some good pics that you can find on her tumblr page. I didn’t get a chance to take photos; such are the perils of being short. You might hear Ruth and I screaming like school girls in these videos so be prepared. The live projections and lighting only added to the captivating concert. All the flashing images of Ian Curtis and Joy Division really gave me chills.



I've been fortunate enough to see most of my favorite artists live. I've see Elvis Costello & Billy Bragg on several occasions. Just this year I got to see Jesus and Mary Chain. This concert is definitely on the top of my list along with Prince and Descendents (1997). It was truly an experience I will remember forever. Now if I could just see The Replacements, The Clash, and Jawbreaker my list will be complete. I won't hold my breath on those.

Special thanks to Ruth & John for accompanying me. No thanks to all the football fans attending TX/OU Weekend while we were in Dallas.

mixtape of life

Have you ever wondered what the mixtape to your life will be? It's been on my mind a lot lately. Here's a few gems i've picked up along the way so far.

My birth
Hands down "Love Me Tender" by The King. It's the song my daddy used to sing to me as long as I can remember. He even got me a little music box that played it for me when he was gone.


My death
I've always been a bit unconventional therefore, my funeral will be the same. What better way to go out than to have Queen & David Bowie sing "Under Pressure" while your coffin is being lowered into the ground. What a victorious song for a closing curtain.


My adolescence
My mother worked a lot when I was young. She would drop me off at her friend's home who was a secretary at the catholic school I attended each morning at 6:00am. I'd sit and eat my ziploc bag of dried cereal and watch TV until it was time to carpool to school. We didn't have cable at home so I was psyched to be watching the Flintstones Kids and music videos all morning. I was at the age when music started to become more relevant in my life. New Order's Republic had just came out and "Regret" was the best song I had ever heard. I still relate to that song more than anything else I can think of. All my friends were listening to Nirvana, Pearl Jam, RHCP, Soundgarden, etc. I couldn't relate to that stuff, it was so angry. I wanted to hear silly songs by The Cure, New Order, and Moz. I had no idea how important New Order was or who the hell Joy Division was for that matter. All I knew was that I was in love with that song for the rest of my life.


dating
I can correlate nearly every Jawbreaker song to a certain relationship or former flame in my life. At this point, I have nothing but fond memories of those times because they were good lessons learned. I curse Blake for making me fantasize about the same kind of heartache and pain he went through. However, I'm grateful he continues to seduce me with his witty lyrics. The song that started it all was "Want." I'll never forget the boy in 8th grade who called me and played that song over the phone. If I knew then what I know now about love, I would've hung up the phone a long time ago.


Friendship
The Descendents are the kind of band that make people connect. When you're flipping through someone's record collection/secretly judging them and you find "I Don't Want To Grow Up" it's like an epiphany. You know this person has felt the same as you before. You know they're kind of weird and awkward just like you. I have the best memories singing along to "Hope" on long road trips with my friends. Then I actually got to drive Houston in the spring of 1997 not only to see them play, but meet them as well. Your Descendents friends are the kind of people you want to hold on to for the rest of your life.


Man, I could go on and on, but I'll stop right here because my mixtape is just beginning. There's so much more to come.