Wednesday, September 16, 2009

“Are those Cuckoo Punks Really Dancing?"


Part 1
In honor of the Circle Jerks poll…

The loads of live footage you are about to see in this documentary is JAW DROPPING. This was shot AT THE TIME (that’s right, no 20/20 hindsight). I’ll leave it up to you to think about (or remember?) events in the documentary and what that era was like (and I wonder if any DC readers caught some of these shows).

Lightning in a bottle: true early 1980’s California hardcore-punk chaos, stupidity, brilliance, trouble, defiance and much more caught fast and loud and often all at the same time. And while it certainly ain’t all fun and games, it sure is an intense snapshot.

As for the music: every second of the show footage (trust me, even thought there is tons of live footage coming up, it will seem like it is over before your synapses explode in the voltage power surge of disbelief at what your brain is processing…). This HAS to contain some of the best HB strut pit footage EVER caught on film…that roaming spotlight catches some serious action.

The bands are raging, and the interviews strike a truly expansive continuum that ranges from Socrates references to total punk ignorance to, to…well…you’ll soon see.

Oh yeah…Black Flag Damaged era fans…hold on to something tight before you start this...

-Agent A.



Part 2

Circle Jerks, kick in part 2, 1:50 in… after Casey Royer’s (D.I.) hilarious take, and the Circle Jerks DETONATE the place!!! Roaming spotlight after about 2:30…when the Circle Jerks play “Trapped” it is utterly incredible….and, holystomp, THAT is a pit at 3:00! To be continued...

7 comments:

Isaac Golub said...

Wow. Brings back memories. This place was scary as shit for a 12 year old kid trying to embrace punk rock. Mom thought I was at the movies, nope... I was 2 blocks away at a hole in the wall punk club that smelled like bigfoots dick. Loved it and hated it. I saw FEAR there one time and I was up front taking boots to the head with the big kids, and Lee Ving saw me getting owned. He stopped mid song and said, "Hey pussies give this kid a break, wanna say something?" Handed me the mic.... (quick Isaac think of something VERY punk...) "Suicide isn't the answer.... there IS NO ANSWER!!" (fuck I'm retarded... should have just walked away)Applause!!! Someone picked me up and I was pit bound on some dudes shoulders... Hero for a moment, clown for a lifetime. RIP Cuckoo's Nest/Concert Factory.

Saw Slayer there once... Now THAT was embarrassing.

Cheesegrater said...

Cuckoo's Nest was in COSTA MESA, not H.B. as is oft stated.

Ben Edge said...

I like the direction this blog is headed (e.g., So Cal, early 80s).

For me, TSOL steal the show in this doc.

Rollins is still green at this point. True or false: this is the first So Cal Black Flag show with Rollins singing???

Anonymous said...

Wow, pretty cool material.
Is it out on dvd or, eh, torrent anywhere?..cant find it..

thanx

AJ

Cheesegrater said...

Ben,

I too have read that the first Rollins show was at the Cuckoo's Nest. Would seem possible based on his shaved head and attire (jeans, no shirt).

js said...

First Rollins BF show was in NYC.

Jeff Boetto said...

My buddy from high school lived right across from Jack of TSOL when we were little punksters. That guy is very cool and awesome, but I'll tell you this: If you knew half the stories about him I would think that guy is more intimidating than any of the so called hard bands ever were. That was back when you had to have some serious guts to go to shows!