#punketterespect

[punketterespect]

All-Percussion Art-Punk Outfit Pulsallama Were Born from the Freewheeling Spirit of NYC’s ’80s Downtown Scene

A recent reissue of their only album celebrates the playful spirit of the 12-woman group.

[punketterespect]

“Fuck Off” by Wayne County & the Electric Chairs /////

Listen to this whole song.

Listen all the way through to the end where she says, "If you ain't got time to take a walk with me on my meat rack, then you can just get the hell out of my breadline!"

This is a song from back when music was saying something.

"Fuck Off" is the last track on "Rock N Roll Resurrection," which was originally pressed in 1978.  

Jayne County, if you aren’t aware, is the badass queen of sass. And she doesn't want any of your flumadiddles. Jayne built her empire as a performer in the '70s & '80s NYC punk scene, first with Queen Elizabeth, then with her influential band Wayne County & the Electric Chairs, a reference to Detroit punk bands who came from Wayne County. I'm sure you could guess, she's known for her surprising stage antics and filthy mouth. To this day, Jayne County is widely considered the first transwoman to front a punk band. 

My good friend Sue R. System recently sent me a photo of a pin from 1976 with a drawing of Jayne County and the phrase "The Future is Female" around the edges, a phrase that, as far as I know, came out of the ’70s lesbian separatist movement-- I wouldn't be surprised to learn there is a deeper-rooted history however. (And though largely embraced as a highly forward-thinking phrase, it has seen cultural criticism as being transphobic as of late.) The image on the pin speaks for itself-- what an icon!

Just an unfriendly reminder that this blog is a call to pay respects and bow down to the punk queens who came before you. 38 posts in & we're just getting started. So now’s your chance - if you’re gonna be a piss-baby, or you don't want a piece of that action, then baby, fuck off.

[punketterespect]

Patti Smith Set the Stage for Bikini Kill

I don’t normally write about incredibly media-famous artists (or counterculture superstars) like Patti Smith or Kathleen Hanna. It’s not because I don’t revere them– I absolutely do. I just don’t think I have anything new to say about their work or legacies. (I would, maybe, however, if given the chance to interview them!)

Here’s a response-piece I wrote on 50Thirdand3rd after seeing both artists live at Riot Fest last week. 

[punketterespect]

SONG: “Take Down the Flag” by Barbie Army

I posted about Barbie Army a while back. Revised and added to the OP a bit, featured a new song, and posted it on 50third & 3rd. Check it out!  

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Uncovered Venus Fly Trap Recordings!

Had the pleasure of posting long-lost recordings from the mid-’80s band Venus Fly Trap (members of the Comateens, Nursery School, Dizzy & the Romilars + E Street Band) accompanied by a mini-interview with the stellar Ramona Jan, the Fly Trap’s songwriter, currently of JANTURAN.

Article on 50 Third & 3rd

Songs-from-the-vault on Disappearing Media You Tube channel. 

[punketterespect]

“Erase You”  by ESG /////

I have so much god damn respect for ESG. They influenced artists across genre after genre– disco, funk, hip-hop, punk. 

Throughout the ‘90s, hip-hop producers sampled the shit out of their incomparable brand of mutant South Bronx funk– and thanked them with “album credits.” Everyone wanted a piece of their work, from Wu-Tang, Kool Moe Dee, Big Daddy Kane, Gang Starr, TLC, and more.  In 1992, ESG commented on this, releasing an EP called Sample Credits Don’t Pay Our Bills. 

Of course everyone sampled these ladies (who were originally a group of 4 sisters), ripped them off, wanted to be them (like, Everyday Street Gangsta / Everyday Serving God couldn’t switch up his stage name acronym?). Their entire catalog is mind-blowing. People call it funk and hip-hop but it is also punk as fuck. This song, along with may others, including “Watching” (best video link I can find) from What More Can You Take? (listen to the whole thing), highlights one of the clearest and most frustrating aspects of the music industry, a microcosm of the world we live in: men’s annoying egos. 

Frankly, I’m shocked when people don’t realize this: One of the direct goals of the patriarchy is to devalue women. Men want women around to take their ideas and claim them as their own. (Notice how women who get pushed to the front tend to have to be “given” the opportunity by men?) They want women to ogle them for reinventing their own creations. To top it off, they only wanna lift women up as long as they can possess them (fuck them, claim them, make money on them), and then just throw them away when they aren’t getting enough attention. 

ESG addresses this in with a big “fuck you” in a handful of their lyrics. I think this song is one of the most powerful. 

“ERASE YOU. FLUSH YOU LIKE MY TOILET.“ YAS. 

As far as I understand, this recording is from a 1991 release. I’ve been making a point to focus on punk from the ‘70s & ‘80s— but the band started playing in the late ‘70s and I read somewhere, though I’m not sure if it’s true, that they played this song back then. 

[punketterespect]

“Don’t Wait” by the Barbie Army /////

The genre I like to refer to as “brat punk” started long, long ago. And it was before the Riot Grrrls.

Formed at the University of Chicago, the all-girl punk crew The Barbie Army billed themselves as a “Blues Freak Show” to get some of their earliest gigs. Just read this punk database wikipedia page for more “details” that I don’t want to regurgitate, ok?

I’m sharing this song because it’s really good. I mean, like, really good. Sweet, sassy vocals drenched in fuzz guitars and a poppin’ chord progression with cool little bass and lead-guitar solos. I interpret the song’s lyrics to be about going forward, not waiting around for people who aren’t treatin’ ya right. Sure, you can still love ‘em– you don’t gotta like ‘em– but the people you need will come back around if they truly care about you.    

My favorite lines come at the beginning:

“If you happen to think of me 

Won’t you please do it carefully? 

You can’t throw something away you never had

But you had me…”

And then some stuff about a girl from Highland Park with huge diamonds, like girls from Highland Park have. The Barbie Army has some really great songs. One of my other favorites is Oliver. 

So, ya know, just be strong, DON’T WAIT AROUND, honey. 

[punketterespect]

“Push Button Drive” by Dizzy & the Romilars

Remember back in like 2007 when all those dorky, lovable boys talked about how great bands like the Unicorns were? (They are really great, to be fair.) You know how people are, like, all into Blondie? You know how everyone is like “omg the B-52s!!!!!” ?? 

Well, hey, look people have been making really fun music for a really long time. 

And the more obscure, the cooler right? I really want to know more about this band, tbh. Here’s the first song I heard by them, and really all I know are some of their tracks and that their singer is super cool and I’m kind of in love with her? Also, here’s a live version. 

You may know her as “Art Mom” from an episode of Wife Swap (I don’t remember that episode, but will be watching it soon.) But mostly, just check out her art. Ok? Ramona Jan was a recording engineer when she met Nic North with whom she co-founded the Comateens in 1978. 

If you know more about this cool quartet from the early ‘80s, please let me know! In the meantime, check out this fun-ass keyboard & danceable beat coated with sweet vocals with chanty back-ups, “Push Button Drive.”