The Grumpy Punk Presents: History Lesson (1982): We Destroy The Family: Punks vs. Parents Part II
(Featuring a KABC-TV Public Affairs Presentation of a special broadcast, “We Destroy The Family: Punks vs. Parents.”)

Continuing our presentation of the infamous KABC-TV broadcast from 1982, we bring you Part II of our “We Destroy The Family” series.  In Part II, Paul Moyer continues his “expose” on the Punk Problem in America, by interviewing the Hodgins’ Family (Rod, Carolyn, Rod Jr. & Rhonda), as they discuss the problems that exist in their formerly happy household.  To accompany today’s installment, I include some of The Grumpy Punk’s favorite songs from the period.  (Here’s a link to Part I, as it was several months ago that we ran this previous episode.)

In a lot of ways, this is the beginning of Reality TV as we know it.  The TV Crew is very clearly leaving out a lot.  They focus on both the parents and kids worst clips, and really paint them all as entirely dysfunctional.  However, as someone who knew a lot of kids like this, they are probably leaving out stuff like the parents own alcoholism, the sense of community that the punk scene offers, and the moments when the family is acting like… well, a family.  The problems exhibited here are not new, or even that terrible, but really just the way life is.  Parents and kids will always clash over ideals like this, and while it doesn’t mean that it is the end of suburban life as we know it, the horrible truth is that very soon, Green Day will dominate the pop charts, punk will become completely co-opted into popular fashion and culture, and Dubstep will become just as reviled as this was.  And you really should see how pleasant these kids are on film.  Here’s the link:

Special thanks again to DJ Swill, who clued me into this video.  He and The Grumpy Punk have been really good friends for years now, and we bond over this kind of music.  It is, no matter how you slice it, my bread and butter, the kind of music that really gets me going, and makes me happy.  Hopefully, you can gleefully laugh at a once naive time in our past.

Here’s this week’s History Lesson.

Enjoy!

We Destroy The Family Part II

01.) We Destroy The Family: Punks vs. Parents * KABC-TV * A Public Affairs Presentation
02.) Suburban Home * The Descendants * Milo Goes To College
03.) We Destroy The Family * Fear * The Record * Slash Records
04.) Programmed Children * McRad * Dominant Force
05.) I Don’t Care * The Kids * The Kids
06.) I Believe I’ll Have Another Beer * Fear * Have Another Beer With Fear
07.) Sheena Is A Punk Rocker * The Ramones * Rocket To Russia
08.) Dance With Me * TSOL * Dance With Me
09.) Mom & Dad * The Theoretical Girls * Theoretical Records
10.) What’s Your Problem * Circle Jerks * Group Sex