Punk Graphics

September 2 rock show, originally uploaded by Theresa K.

One of the most important and enduring contributions of punk rock to mainstream culture is graphical.

LA's Slash magazine and its founders and core creative staff, Steve Samioff, Claude Kickboy Face Bessy, Philomena, and ace photog, Melanie Nissen made an indelible mark on the way we see things. That logo - part horror movie, part art school; that palette - urban and gritty; that design - bold.

For a great place to see the best assortment of vintage, bonafide from back in the day collection of flyers, I'd suggest visiting two remarkable repositories: Flipside Fanzine's website and my fave punk lady of all time, Alice Bag's website because she has been one conscientious keeper of the flame - whether she knows it or not!

This particular flyer is for a show coming up in NYC in the next couple of weeks. I'm helping to kick off a Labor Day Weekend where we are NOT dependent on Middle Eastern oil... one where at least my locals stay local. I'm promoting a show at Brooklyn's Union Pool with Montreal's greatest contribution to garage-punk, the double whammy of BBQ and Demons Claws. A just-added special treat will be Boston's own Turpentine Brothers who I can't get enough of.

No, this flyer isn't nearly as ragged as the original punk flyers were. I did it all on my computer. However, the bizarre sense of humor is there, intact. For that I thank Mark Sultan. More important is the music...

BBQ is Mark Sultan's one-man-band project. He was a member of the legendary bands Spaceshits and Les Sexareenos. Demons Claws are rising stars of the neo garage-punk-blooze hybrid genre... if you could so define it. Its simply trash of the greatest and highest order. Oh, and they're Canadian, from Montreal, where they prefer to speak French. Add to this mix, Yankees... that would be good old American rockers, The Turpentine Brothers, a power trio of trashy r&b, punk, garage and ghetto gospel blues.

This is the kind of punk rock genre hybridizing that made LA's X so great.

There are no boundaries.
Check out some sounds on the bands websites, all provided below, and then if you're in the 'hood, come on down. I may have some hot dogs and hamburgers for ya if you do! That's Labor Day weekend. Don't drive... rock out!

BBQ

Demons Claws

Turpentine Brothers