As 2013 kick-starts our lives in this new, post-apocalyptic world that we now live in, it is important to know that you have accomplished something to help make the world a better place. In this mini-cast, I review some e-mail I got from a listener, and how I was able to save a holiday near and dear to their heart. It was very sweet, and in response I played a bunch of a band they requested – Adickdid – and talk about my plans this year. It’s a little bit of everything today, and that’s just the way we like it.
Many shows are currently in production, and the new year will see a variety of new (and old) subjects revisited as we discover what, exactly, our program will be like moving forward. We are enjoying the discovery ourselves, and how that you do, too.
In the meantime: here’s some vintage riot girl awesomeness, in response to the need for more Adickdid in our Eugene Celebration series of shows. Episode III of that series in on the way. This is just a small taste.
Enjoy!
We Saved New Year’s Eve
01.) Mail Box * Adickdid * Dismantle * G Records
02.) Falling * Adickdid * Slaughter on 13th Street * Self-Released.
03.) Ask Nicely * Adickdid * Dismantle * G Records
04.) Stare Right Past You * Adickdid * Dismantle * G Records
In the mid ’90’s, a group of punky anarchists started a movement called Resist & Exist. The goal was to put on music events, workshops, and allow attendees a chance to forge new friendships and contacts for ‘zine writers, musicians, artists and activists. Primarily organized via message boards, newsgroups, and a variety of websites, these events were happening all over the US, and was rather successful for the simple fact that a lot of folks got to meet, watch a number of bands, and have a good time. In spite of the fact that it happened in 1996, which seems like decades since people were first introduced to the concept of punk rock, a number of people freaked out in Eugene, leading to some of the most hilarious Local News Footage I have ever seen.
Trying to explain Eugene OR to people who never lived there has proved to be rather hard in the years that have passed since I lived there. The best way to make sense of it is to explain that the town is equally comprised of the Ken Keasy type refugees who were counter-culture, creative activist types, and on the other side, UofO Duck supporters. The town was fueled equally by LSD and touchdowns, and this split seemed to run through the entire town to some degrees. You could walk from The Whiteaker Neighborhood – where I lived – to the UofO campus, and you would watch as the weirdos became fewer and fewer, and you ran into more and more people wearing school colors, driving trucks, and were ready to beat the shit out of you. I was lucky enough to never get jumped, but I had a number of friends who were not.
This split seems to manifest itself almost entirely when you listen to the news footage that was broadcast by KEZI, the local ABC affiliate, as they try to make sense of Resist & Exist. As news casters struggle to decide if “punk rockers” or “punkers” is the more appropriate noun to be using, it starts to become apparent why neither side can see the other for what it really is. The police are confused why there is no “leader,” and how something like this could be organized using “The Internet,” while it seems mind numbing to the other side how camping in public spaces, and trying to foster these kinds of workshops and music events, could be construed as “bad.” All of this seems to have been repeated in a number of ways when thinking about the Occupy Movement that has been going on recently, though I worry that the comparison does not bode well for the Movement, considering how well Resist & Exist went in Eugene.
In the end, one person died, a large number of people were arrested or incarcerated for no good reason, a handful of violent assholes took advantage of the situation to beat the shit out of other kids who just wanted to participate in the event, and the city of Eugene provoked and manipulated anyone who wanted to compromise, to the point where the WOW Hall pulled out their support for the event, and everyone was reduced to putting on shows under bridges using generators, while dodging police the entire time. As someone who fed out-of-towners with stolen food, and let a number of people camp in our yard, I was pissed. Though, in hindsight, I’m much more angry that I worked the entire time, instead of participating. I guess my youthful enthusiasm seemed to think that there would be another time.
To go with the samples from the Newscasts, I’ve also selected more wonderful music from the fair burg in question. I tried to focus a little more on the Icky’s Teahouse scene, as they were name checked several times in the Newscasts, as well as being the kind of music that was the backbone of the Resist & Exist Fest. However, I also included a number of tracks from the fantastic Panic on 13th Music Blog, as well as selections from my personal collection of music. I recommend that you check out both of these sites if you are interested in more music from this amazing town. In the two episodes I’ve done, I’ve barely scratched the surface. That being said: if you happen to have been in one of the bands that I’ve featured in these shows – or you were in a band in Eugene and you are noticing your music is suspiciously absent from these shows – please contact me! I would love to expand the scope of these programs, and we can do it… together.
I also want to give a special shoutout to Josh Jones, who was not only in the band Artless Motives (and a number of others), but maintains the Icky’s Teahouse site (and the MyFaceSter+ Page). It was on his Tumblr page that I was able to track down the KEZI footage, which I remember seeing some of when it was originally broadcast, and kept cursing myself for not recording it. Fortunately, he did. Josh was in a few of my favorite Eugene bands when I lived there, and continues to make great music to this very day. I am making it my personal goal to get him on the show in the fairly near future.
Next Week: A Live Performance by Moth Hunter! Fuck Yeah! For those particularly observant folks who might have seen my posts when I accidentally tipped my hat earlier, there was some confusion as to when we would be able to record, how we would do it, etc. But as of this writing, this is a guarantee, and we’ll be bringing it to you in the next program. For those not “in the know,” Moth Hunter is one half of the duo Knuckle Children, and he allowed me into his private studio to record the performance. I’m pretty stoked, as he has been a guest on this show before, and has only gotten better. I’m really looking forward to doing more stuff like this, both with him and with other guests, as I work out the technical challenges that made this one hard to sort out. I really appreciate his efforts to work with me on this, and I know that if you dig experimental, circuit-bent weirdness, then you will LOVE this show when it drops.
And, of course, we’ve got some other great stuff int he works, too. Things are really shaping up here in Historic St. John’s, and we’re excited to bring it to you, one week at a time.
See you in seven!
Resist & Exist: A Eugene Celebration Part II
Introduction: Growing By The Minute
01.) The Punk Rocker Gathering That’s Growing By The Minute * KEZI Local News * 1996
02.) Headline News * The Readymen * Restless
Part I: Rape, Rob & Pillage
03.) [Live Excerpt] * Holy Rodent * 1993?
04.) Most Of Them Are Not Violent People * KEZI Local News
05.) This Fascist Thing * Bovine Impulse * Panic On 13th
06.) 12 Creeps Living In Here * KEZI Local News * 1996
07.) Lame Week * Not My Son * American Devil
08.) Rape, Rob & Pillage * KEZI Local News * 1996
09.) Cuddle * Bicker * Universal Choking Sign
10.) The Crowds Of Punk Rockers * KEZI Local News * 1996
11.) To Protect & Serve * Circus Tents * Circus Tents
12.) What The Threat Was Gonna Be * KEZI Local News * 1996
13.) How Many Pacifists Does It Take To Kill A Cop? * The Spoils * Live At Icky’s 1993
Part II: The Punker Convention
14.) Punker Convention * KEZI Local News * 1996
15.) Viva Albuquerque * Los Mex Pistols Del Norte * Esta Noche We Ride
16.) Officer Dick Grimes * KEZI Local News * 1996
17.) We Are Products Of * Products Of Society * Punk Out Of Springfield
18.) The Whiteaker Neighborhood Is Scared Of The Punkers * KEZI Local News * 1996
19.) Social Anxiety * Some Cheap Christ * Some Cheap Christ
20.) Police Are Already Here * KEZI Local News * 1996
21.) ?? * The Outclass * KWVA Radio
22.) Punkers, Elementary School Children, & Gay Pride Events * KEZI Local News
23.) Don’t Crowd Me * The Falling Spikes * 13th St. Revisited
24.) 500 vs. 30 * KEZI Local News * 1996
25.) Status Quo * Piglet * Not Ralphing At Your First Keg Party
Part III: Hopeless & Pathetic
26.) The Violent Nature Of Some Of Those Punks * KEZI Local News * 1996
27.) Death March * Pecus Gravitas * Eyeeee
28.) Every Day, More Punk Rockers Arrived * KEZI Local News * 1996
29.) Living In The Sewer * The Redundants * I Hate The Redundants
30.) Hopeless & Pathetic * KEZI Local News * 1996
31.) Too Many * Cap Gun Suicide * Bloodstains Across Eugene 2
32.) How Can Folks Get Involved? *KEZI Local News * 1996
33.) Killing Cops * Artless Motives * Everything But The Kitchen Sink
34.) What Is It That Makes You Think These Folks Are Dangerous? * KEZI Local News * 1996
35.) Barefootin’ At Yer Own Risk * Cathead * In Loving Memory Of Harold
36.) 500 Punks Rule *KEZI Local News * 1996
37.) Call In Dead * The Wristrockets! * Humans Are Stoopid
Part IV: Tips On Where To Shoplift
38.) A Man Dressed Like A Punk Rocker * KEZI Local News * 1996
39.) Track 22 * 200 Yang
40.) It’s Hard To Get Hard Answers * KEZI Local News * 1996
41.) Lucy * Billy Jack * Wrestling The Bald Headed Champ
42.) Drunken Chaos Fest * KEZI Local News * 1996
43.) What Makes * Johnson Unit * Panic On 13th
44.) Since The Punkers Came To Town * KEZI Local News * 1996
45.) Still Haunts Me * Snakepit * Soul Like A Goat
46.) Chaos Days Festival * KEZI Local News * 1996
47.) Love * KPANTS * “Love” b/w “Hospital”
48.) Tips On Where To Shoplift * KEZI Local News * 1996
49.) Todd Sparrow * Redmond Shooting Stars * Demo Tape
50.) Icky’s Teahouse * KEZI Local News * 1996
51.) It’s So Dark * Bottled Hungarian * Positively 13th
52.) Where Will All The Punks Sleep Tonight? * KEZI Local News * 1996
53.) No Role (In Society) * Pecus Gravitas * Eyeeee
54.) Broken Windows & Trespassing * KEZI Local News * 1996
55.) My Own Worst Enemy * The Hoogendoorns * We Are The Hoogendoorns
55.) It Should All End Sunday * KEZI Local News * 1996
Epiloge: Punk On Punk Violence
56.) Eraser * Oswald 5-0 * “Eraser” b/w “Felony Flats”
57.) Punk On Punk Violence * KEZI Local News * 1996
I lived in Eugene from 1994 until the year 2000, when I moved to Portland. In that time I was in one band, wrote a fistful of ‘zines, and drank beer with my friends. I also listened to a lot of music. In this show, I make a solid effort to feature a much of the great music that Eugene has had to offer over the years. A lot of amazing bands came out of the Eugene scene, many of which are still playing and performing. While the years that I lived there were only a small slice of the history of this town, I’ve expanded the content of this show to include a number of bands that I’ve discovered since I moved away. It’s a veritable cornucopia of music that sets the context for life in this unusual town.
A show like this could not have been done without help, and I want to thank two websites that really made this show possible. Panic On 13th is an excellent music blog that features releases by a number of Eugene bands. This site is fantastic, and all the links lead to amazing discoveries that I’m still sorting through. I cannot recommend this site enough. While I still had a number of my own contributions that I could donate to this show, this site really made it possible. Give them the love and respect they really deserve.
I would also like to thank the Icky’s Teahouse Online Music Library. While I only used a few selections that I got from this site, I should point out that they do host recordings by my old band, Cathead, but recordings by a number of other bands that I was really fond of, and I can already sense a few sequels in the works. This site really draws attention to bands that had little more than a cassette release, and it’s great to find a way to hear this music again.
In addition to these sites, there are a few people without which I wouldn’t have the interest in this music that I do. Isosceles Diego (also known as The Ramen City Kid) is not only an important friend who introduced me to a number of amazing bands, local and otherwise. He was the brain behind the fantastic ‘zine, Ramen City USA, which I used as a guide on more than one occasion.
Syd Louse and kissu d’salyss were two people I met when I started taking classes at LCC. Meeting them, and their group of friends, has established a core group of friends that I still know to this day. They also played in Cathead with me, and both continue to play music to this day.
There are also a number of people that influenced my life in a big way, and only a few were mentioned in the show. Hopefully, as I continue this series I will manage to credit everyone who deserves it. Until then, a very special thank you to: Chris Brooks, Jesse Ransom, Lyra Cyst, Brian who is called Brian, the folks that lived at The Blitzhaus & The 19th St. House, the staff at House of Records, Green Noise & Happy Trails, all the members of all the bands, and anyone else we knew back in the day. You guys are all incredible.
Full disclosure: this show is not going to encompass the entire Eugene scene. There are just too many bands. I went from a five hour show to this slim production you hear now, and left at least 30 other bands off the playlist. But the subject of this show has really gotten me excited, so I’m already planning parts two and three. If you were in a band in Eugene at any time, and would like to submit your music for future episodes, please contact me at blasphuphmus [is-at] gmail [ditty-dot] com. I would be more than happy to include your band, too.
And, for that matter, if you were in any of these bands, and you like to comment on your participations in them (or, happened to live in Eugene at any time, and has some memories they would like to share on a future show), you can reach us on Skype at: blasphuphmus. Feel free to leave a message, and it will end up in a future episode. There are a million good stories about bands in Eugene, and there is no way that I know them all. I would love to hear your side of the story.
This show is really near and dear to my heart, and I had a lot of fun putting it together. Stay tuned next week, as I’ll be bringing you our 14th Anniversary show, where I’ll be digging up clips of my airchecks from the earliest days of this program, when I was on KWVA in Eugene, Oregon. This should prove to be… interesting.
See you in seven.
The Grumpy Punk Presents: A Eugene Celebration
Introduction
01.) Eugene, OR * The Varicoasters
02.) Theme * Los Mex Pistols * KWVA Radio
Part I: Got To Get Right Out
03.) Freedom Attack * Attack and the Fun * Freedom Attack 7″
04.) One Step Closer * The Undertakers * Slaughter on 13th Street
05.) Jesus 4 Sale The Treatment * Pollen Count
06.) Sometimes * The Black Dahlias * Slaughter on 13th Street
Part II: We Are Angry And We Have Guitars!
07.) Salt Pepper Ketchup Flavor * 200 Yang * Hot Taste
08.) Track 02 * 200 Yang * Free Samples
09.) Humor Demons * E-13 * No Mercy For Swine EP
10.) Welcome To The Truth * Artless Motives * Everything But The Kitchen Sink
11.) My Own Way * The Redundants * I Hate The Redundants
12.) Weekend Christian * Piglet * Not Ralphing At Your First Keg Party
13.) I Am Undecided (SOPA) * /root_DIR
14.) Apathetic Media Slave * Young Death
15.) Idiot * Cathead * The Album
16.) 49er Stomp * 9th Life
Part III: Anxious
17.) Another Journey By Bus * Johnson Unit * Panic On 13th
18.) Keep Steady * Readymen * Restless
19.) Attraction / Distraction * Mondale * Square Roots Radicals
20.) Alien Girl * The Crabs * Alien Girl EP
21.) Teenage Chainsmokers * The Wristrockets! * Humans Are Stoopid
22.) When I Was * Redmond Shooting Stars * Down In Front: Outtakes + Unreleased 24 Songs
23.) Jungle Law * Thee Headhunters * Jungle Law EP
24.) Pretty Girls * Billy Jack * Wrestling The Bald-Headed Champ
Part IV: A Short Narrative About Surviving
25.) Short Narrative * Snakepit * Panic On 13th
26.) Be In A Country Band w/ Me * Honey Vizer * I Wish We Could Go To The Moon
27.) Guns-Guitars-n-VCR’s * Holy Rodent * Pollen Count
28.) Track 14 * 200 Yang * Free Samples
29.) Tour of Eugene * Zombie Toolshed * Positively 13th
30.) Look At The Girls * Moose Lodge * New World Babies
31.) Decay * Snakepit * Positively 13th
32.) Self Destruction * Johnson Unit * The Triangular Effect
33.) Preyed Upon * Oswald Five-O * Pollen Count
34.) Animal Box * Robert Christie * The Way of Things
35.) Flatland Radio * The Flatlanders * Flatland Radio
36.) Amazing Grace * 13th Ave. Parking Lot Choir * The Way of Things
Mid-Valley Mutations 