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Video: Cinematical interviews creators of 'American Hardcore' »
Posted by: Alexia 3 years, 1 month agoDirector Paul Rachman and writer Steven Blush use Blush's 2001 book "American Hardcore: A Tribal History" as a jumpingoff point. They trace the rise and fall of key bands like Black Flag, Minor Threat and Bad Brains, while mining the social history of the period through fans and critics who flesh out how this movement actually got going. The good news is that many of the key players took it easy on the drug front, so interviews with musicians like Henry Rollins are lucid, funny and precise.
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Alexia
Documentary filmmaker, interactive mediaist, with a background in theatre and writing. Avid non-fiction reader.
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Comments: 31
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loudawg
Sept. 20, 2006, 12:17 a.m.This movie is definitely on my radar to watch. I'm probably a generation younger than these guys, but was inspired by all those bands and the subculture of hardcore.
I enjoyed the commentary from the writer / director but they're pretty out of touch or cynical if they can't find expressions of radicalism in today's youth culture. Look forward to a full review when this comes out in the States.
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WorkerSS
Sept. 20, 2006, 12:18 a.m.I just want to say thanks to Jello Biafra.
I remember bringing home "FRESH FRUIT FOR ROTTING VEGETABLES" and showing my mom the lyrics and her thinking they were great which got us into a political discussion, at the time I had no idea who people like Jesse Helms were or how much my parents didn't like Reagan or how much of a freak Anita Bryant was, Ah...good family time as a teen.
All thanks to growing up in Hawthorne,Cali home to one of the best punk rock bands ever "Red Cross" though I'm not sure if either of these bands made onto the "Hardcore" list.
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WorkerSS
Sept. 20, 2006, 12:35 a.m.Just play "Double Nickels on the Dime" the link between then and now.
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Gabe_Damage
Sept. 20, 2006, 10:02 a.m.Dead Kennedys, Agent Orange, Black Flag, Misfits, Factions, Social Distortion, nostalgia... De mis epocas de cuando andaba en mi Skateboard Vision Street Wear, que años... No olvidemos la Trasher Magazine!!!
=)
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Origin
Sept. 20, 2006, 10:44 a.m.About time they made a movie about the most creative period in american music EVER.. never before or since has an explosion of originality, creativity and free thinking in american music occurred. people try and say nirvana and grunge this and that. but they forget before kurt ever picked up a guitar or dope, bands like black flag, the bad brains and countless others forged a unique sound, expressed themselves freely, built a network of friends, clubs and scenes all across the country WITHOUT THE "HELP" of the music industry. the revolution that began could have destroyed the corporate music machine. The disaffected, disillusioned and down right anti-socials had something of their very own. Unlike grunge, this music was from the heart and WITHOUT a paycheck. And in it's time was considered dangerous, anti-parent and vile. Too bad that instead of killing corporate rock, most of the scene's proponants eventually embraced the music industry and became part of the machine.
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Alexia
Sept. 20, 2006, 12:33 p.m.loudawg & Origin, are you guys hearing anything today that could qualify as "radical" in the way that Steven Blush defines it in this interview? I ask because I had a very good friend who was in the punk scene in San Francisco and when it died, her anger and energy and, really, raison d'etre went with it. I was never into punk, but really like the impact I've always seen it have on those who were in it and - as you say - what it did for the musicians' creative expression. I live with a struggling musician and always worry how she's going to succeed in the age of payola. Any thoughts?
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Origin
Sept. 20, 2006, 1:13 p.m.When you consider the context of the time, Nothing today is as radical as the 80-86 movement. The only music scene that pushes any envelope's anymore is Death Metal/Extreme Metal. But nothing compares to the "freedom" that the early 80's punk scene evoked. There was a social cultural war going on then between the kids and the establishment. the status quo was completely against the music and thoughts of this scene. Today we have politicians who were part of it. Skate parks are erected for kids and the punk style of music is in commercials.
As a young kid in 84-86 i remember that this scene consisted of the most ANTI-EVERYTHING free thinkers i have ever known. I think hundreds of years from now the words of jello biafra and other will be studied. your musician friend is in trouble. The music industry uses musicians like disposable mops. we lose they always win. thats why i do graphic design now. the genesis of this music is as impactful as the early days of jazz..
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Origin
Sept. 20, 2006, 1:19 p.m.what made it soo radical is that in the 80's these bands HEAVILY criticized the government to the point of being the worst critics of the government. the entire scene was united AGAINST the type of administration we have now. The ideas of sexism against women is wrong. women became equals in this scene. the idea that having an opinion was valid in the reagen world was HUGE... today we are not easily shocked but songs like HOLIDAY IN CAMBODIA were shocking then. Today Death Metal is the only scene that pushes suck envelopes, however the scene is mostly based on fantasy/horror (but based on real events and ideas) and musicianship...
the old scene was a movement... a catalyst for change.. punk today is about funny hair, spikey belt, hot topic, green day and singing about relationships...
Today PUNK is another product on the shelf back then it was THE REAL ALTERNATIVE... had punk not imploded the music industry would be different.
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Alexia
Sept. 20, 2006, 3:02 p.m.Origin: thanks for your thoughts. What about Rage Against The Machine? They came right at the end of the death of punk and had, it seemed to me, a lot of that same energy, drive & passion. You don't know of any "Just f-it!" type bands out today? And, in your opinion, what would such bands have to do to make an impact? I'm not talking about success , i'm talking about honest IMPACT. There seems to be so much to rebel against today? I feel like the working poor should be starting bands, you know?
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Alexia
Sept. 20, 2006, 3:06 p.m.zonkra: Actually, in my opinion, no, it's not. The filmmakers made the film because they had a connection to that era and that music and the power of it. They made the film - as they say in the interview - as an attempt at a clarion call to young people today.
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Origin
Sept. 20, 2006, 4:59 p.m.Alexia. Zak was in a hardcore band before Rage called Inside Out during the late 80's early 90's resurgance.. However Rage doesnt get props on the level of the original HC bands. Rage was for the mainstream. They did not have the same drive or passion. WHY? henry rollins, black flag, the bad brains, all lived in vans. they had no money, no radio airplay, no huge tours, no limos, no magazine ads, no MTV... they played with ****** up equipment and drove all over the place on a shoe string budget not eating for days sometimes.. They lived their music, they infected the country with the attitude that there was another way to life. whether right or wrong, they struggled. Rage is corporate rock compared to black flag and the bad brains.
i think any band that screams about politics or personal issues can make an impact but you cant go back to the past.. thrash metal and grunge both raised issues and awareness but nothing as unique as 80-86 punk hc.
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Origin
Sept. 20, 2006, 5:05 p.m.And today with the internet and technology its harder to make any impact. every band is instantly accessible. what makes anyone stand out? why go see bands live when you have the web and all it's contents? know one cares today. the same pop tarts and boring rehashed crap is on the radio just like it was then. sting or bruce springsteen may write a song about this or that and the middle aged fans may listen and feel touched but then they get into their lexuses and go home to their 4000 sq foot homes.
their is no more imagination in music.. bands have websites and photos and videos. they shove their emails down your throat and act huge before they make a dollar. music today is a career choice. the power of music to protest society has been bastardized and abused to the point where it's now a joke.
for god's sake their are now christian extreme metal acts. things are confused and the kids are lost between iPods and myspace.. its over.
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loudawg
Sept. 20, 2006, 6:58 p.m.alexia, the coup are a great example of radical hip hop. but i think gangster rap is radical - not progressive, but radical in the sense of being DIY (sometimes financed by illicit activities) and anit-authoriarian (e.g. f*** the police, etc.).
Truth be told, i'm pretty out of touch these days too, but I attribute my lack of awareness of any 'radical progressive envelope pushing' subculture to my cultural distance from it and not the fact that people / kids / don't make it. I think it's cynical to think that young people are apathetic.
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mamasan
Sept. 20, 2006, 8:51 p.m.When I got outa high school punk hit big in San Fran.
I was always hanging out at the Mabuhay.
Called the Mabuhay gardens. Phillipine eatery by day, wild west punk club at night.
Very Crazy!!
No one can compare to those bands and the raw we do not care if we make any money attitude.
But those were my wild days. The kids now got a new thing and to them it will matter more to be online instead of inline to see some totally off the wall band.
Oh yeah and then it was after hours hot tub parties!
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mamasan
Sept. 21, 2006, 10:36 a.m.anger dont be sad its over.
every generation has its time.
Just think of the good times you had.
Today is different but still matters to those who live it.
Rock n Roll Hoochie Koo.
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LeBlog
Sept. 21, 2006, 11:42 a.m.solid interview and good questions by Frank.
there was a very cool link recently on BoingBoing which features 10 podcasts about landmarks in DC around the growth of the DC Punk Scene. Includes some solid interviews.
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captinlu
Sept. 23, 2006, 1:20 p.m.Yeah, well, you got people like the guy that's got a flyer thing next door at CBGB's settin' rumors off about me sayin' I don't play guitar and this and that. Hey! I'm here tonight! I'm the only guitar player in the band!*****...
Update: We did, incidentally, find out something about the guy and the flyers that ******ed off Vinnie so much. Next door at CB's Gallery, there was an exhibition called "American Hardcore." Steven Blush and publisher Feral House organized this exhibition of art, photos, flyers, and assorted junk in support of the Feral House release of Blush's new book, American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Unfortunately, we don't know exactly what was said about Vinnie, and we're not sure if Blush was the guy who Vinnie was talking about. But at least we know what he was talking about.
January 2002
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