I've gotten so tired of the debate.  Was it the Ramones?  Was it the Sex Pistols?  Was it the MC5?  It was none of them, and yeah, I'm big-headed enough to tell you you're wrong.  Punk rock has been around as long as people have been.  It's an attitude that says that civilization as we know it is fucked, and we're not going to be a part of it.  It's saying "Fuck you, I don't care if my opinion is popular, I'm going to express it anyway!"  It's damned near everything that Woody Guthrie ever sang, it's Billie Holliday singing "Strange Fruit," it's Martin Luther nailing his edicts on the church door, and, if you believe the Christian dogma, it's Eve saying "Fuck you God, too much knowledge isn't dangerous to anyone but those in control, so I'm going to eat this apple, and I'm going to share it!"  All of this is far more punk rock than anything ever sold at Hot fuckin' Topic.  So remember, an apple a day keeps oppression away.

I'm a junky now, turning on MSNBC every night to get my election coverage fix, and this "change" word keeps popping up.  Apparently, there's a new definition of the word that I'm not familiar with. So maybe someone can help me out, because the old definition doesn't seem to work anymore.  Hitting up Websters, the following things would not be change...yet they apparently are, just ask the people speaking about it:

1.  "35 years of experience battling Republicans in the trenches" isn't change, it's business as usual for the Democratic Party...and how is being married to a politician experience, for that matter?  My girlfriend has been dating me for a few years, but she's not putting my job on her resume!

2.  Invoking the name of Ronald Reagan isn't change.  It's continuing the policies of 20-28 years ago, if that's what you actually intend to do.

3.  Turning against a president you were only too happy to rubber-stamp during his terms of office isn't change, unless you want to call it changing your mind when politically expedient.

4.  Since we're talking about changing your mind...reversing your "opinion" on policies you were a proponent of while governor just because you're running for president isn't real change.  It's just a politician being a politician.

5.  A conservative, by definition, is not a change candidate.  Conservatives believe in keeping the status quo.  You don't believe me?  Look it up!

"Change" on it's own doesn't mean shit in this election.  A change to what?  More than likely, a change in name and face only.  But anything could be a change.  Hitler was a change candidate, but there's more than a few people out there who are and were unhappy with that change. 
Why don't we throw buzzwords aside, do a little thinking, and (perish the thought) do a little research and actually chose who we think is the best candidate, instead of getting caught up in all the slogans and lip service?  If you ask me, an informed electorate would be a real change, and one for the better.

I was just reading "Cash" by Johnny Cash and came across a passage worth posting here.
"Are there still places where a young boy can leave his house after breakfast with just a fishing pole and spend the whole day rambling and adventuring alone, unsupervised and unafraid, trusted and un-feared for?
   Perhaps there are.  I hope so.  But I suspect otherwise.  I think that even if such places do exist, our televisions have blinded us to them.
   I was talking with a friend of mine about this the other day: that country life as I knew it might really be a thing of the past and when music people today, performers and fans alike, talk about being "country," they don't mean they know or even care about the land and the life it sustains and regulates.  They're talking more about choices--a way to look, a group to belong to, a kind of music to call their own.  Which begs the question: Is there anything behind the symbols of modern "country," or are the symbols themselves the whole story?  Are the hats, the boots, the pickup trucks, and the honky-tonking poses all that's left of a disintegrating culture?  Back in Arkansas, a way of life produced a certain way of music.  Does a certain kind of music now produce a way of life?  Maybe that's OK, I don't know.
   Perhaps I'm just alienated, feeling the cold wind of exclusion blowing my way.  The "country" music establishment, including "country" radio and the "Country" Music Association, does after all seem to have decided that whatever "country" is, some of us aren't.
   I wonder how many of those people ever filled a cotton sack."

Amen, brother.  While I can't say I ever picked cotton, I got to experience leaving after breakfast, and with the exception of a quick stop for lunch or Kool-Aid, being able to be left to my own devices until dinner.  There was nothing like sitting at a pond with a fishing rod and a bag of bread (worked better than worms) and catching fish all day, or climbing trees, or whatever else I wanted.  I'd like to think that there's an underground to the whole "country" establishment...those of us who lived part of what it was like, or maybe none of it at all, and try to keep the traditions going as a way of remembering, or of mourning their loss.  That's what my little attempts are about on Tuesday, anyway.

Another thing that comes to mind is how easily this applies to the "new punk" scene, it's becoming less and less about pissed off kids making music and more about music making pissed off kids who aren't even sure what they're supposed to be pissed off about, and who feel the only way to express it is to shop at fucking Hot Topic.  Sad, really.  Same goes for you garage fucks, too. 

While we listen to media and everyone else kiss the pope's ass as being a great agent for change, etc., let's not also forget that when AIDS first started and all through this epidemic, his reaction was "Don't even THINK about using a condom." As many third world nations experienced overpopulation his response was "Don't even THINK about using contraception," couple with the equally destructive policy of "Those kids are on their own, at least they'll die Catholic." Even recently, the REAL motive of the church can be seen...Catholic schools all over Detroit are closing because they are no longer profitable to the wealthiest religion on the face of the earth. Shall we even go into the conspiracy of silence concerning child molestation among the clergy? I thought not. I'm not saying the pope didn't do alot of good things during his tenure. He did. That's undeniable. And I'm not lashing out against Catholics either. There's nothing wrong with religion, just with Dogma and the blind and fanatical adherence to it.

I know it's a matter of semantics, but while Kerry is getting my vote, I'm in no way a supporter of his.  Once again, in this election, we are forced to choose between eating a 10 lb bag of shit and a 5 lb bag of shit.  Of course we're gonna go with the 5 lbs, but ultimately, we're still eating shit and that's nothing to get excited about.  The fact is, Kerry voted FOR the war, and his bullshit about not thinking Bush wouldn't seize the opportunity and immediately invade Iraq is unconvincing, considering the fact that every persion in the nation KNEW he would.  In addition, he's gone on record as saying that if he knew then what he knows now about the lack of WMD's, he'd STILL vote for the war.  In addition, he's for renewal of the USA PATRIOT act...the single biggest erosion of our constitutional rights for free speech and against illegal search and seizure ever put into law.  We had a chance for a good candidate this year, in Wesley Clark, and we blew it.  Another four years without truly being represented is coming up.  If Kerry wins, breathe a sigh of relief that we no longer have to endure George W, but by all means, don't celebrate as if you won something.  All it means is that our descent into a dictatorship feeding off our fears is slowed, not stopped.

It's kinda funny, in a sad pathethic way. As transcribe my setlists from the previous week, I've noticed at the beginning, my handwriting is fairly neat and legible, but as the night wears on, and more beers are consumed, it becomed almost unreadable. I can even tell how many I've had and how quickly they've gone down by how quickly my handwriting turns to shit. Last week, I managed to hold out until the last half-dozen or so songs. For some reason, maybe the great shows over the weekend, maybe the great crowd, or maybe aforementioned drinking, last Tuesday was louder, harder, and faster than most of my sets. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, and let me know if you want me to keep it that way or slow it down a bit. Anyway, here's the set: ADOLESCENTS- Rip it up BHOPAL STIFFS- Bottle it up GOVERNMENT ISSUE- Vanity Fair (request) HARLEY CROMAG & FRIENDS- Bad Man 4-SKINS- Jack the Lad IRON CROSS- It's a Fight (request) BLITZ- Voice of a Generation SLAUGHTER & THE DOGS- Cranked Up Really High SHAM 69- Tell Us the Truth THE BLOOD- Such Fun MINOR THREAT- Salad Days KRAUT- New Law THE DICKS- Kill From the Heart ROGER MIRET & THE DISASTERS- Kiss Me, Kill Me UNION 13- Roots Radicals NEGATIVE APPROACH- Dead Stop HANSON BROTHERS- No Emotion NAKED RAYGUN- I Don't Know UK SUBS- Universal WASTED YOUTH- Young & Bored AGENT ORANGE- Bloodstains DAMNED- Smash It Up ADICTS- How Sad SUBHUMANS- Apathy RAMONES- Blitzkrieg Bop DICKIES- Stukas over Disneyland REV. HORTON HEAT- Wigglestick EIGHT BALL GRIFTER- Little Bit SWINGING UTTERS- Fifteenth and I SUICIDAL TENDENCIES- Institutionalized THE JOLLYS- Jerry Only BANG BANG- Steps AMPS II ELEVEN- Blood Runs Black DEAD BOYS- Sonic Reducer THE DICTATORS- Avenue A GADJITS- Bad Gadjit JOE STRUMMER & THE MECALEROES- Global A Go-Go MOUTHWASH- Fool's Gold GOLDFINGER- Feel Like Making Love BUJU BANTON & RANCID- Misty Days STIFF LITTLE FINGERS- 78 rpm SNUFF- Arsehole SCREAMING BLUE MESSIAHS- I Wanna Be a Flintstone LEFTOVER CRACK- Rock the 40oz. BANG BANG- 1977 (request) KRAUT- Juvenile Justice TERRIBLE TWINS- Generation of Scars MAN, INC.- Fuck the Team GANG OF FOUR- I Found that Essence Rare DEVO- Mongoloid STIFF LITTLE FINGERS- Gotta Gettaway THE CLASH- London Calling (request) NO USE FOR A NAME- Turning Japanese JOHNNY THUNDERS- Do You Love Me? DEAD KENNEDYS- Rawhide DEAD MILKMEN- Stuart THE EXPLOITED- Dead Cities 4-SKINS- Chaos JOAN JETT- I Hate Myself (For Loving You) RICH KIDS- Ghosts of Princes in Towers THE BUSINESS- Drinking & Driving THE POGUES- Sally MacLannae VISION- Let's Break the Law AGNOSTIC FRONT- Crucified BLOOD FOR BLOOD- Livin' in Exile SECOND CHANCE NL- Stark Raving Normal BAD BRAINS- Big Takeover BAD BRAINS- Pay to Cum (request)

Yup, your humble DJ flew solo again last Tuesday, and thanks to everyone for coming out. We had a great crowd, starting pretty early and staying late. Not bad for a school night. I'd like to think it was the music, but alcohol is a pretty powerful thing, so I'll give credit where credit is due. For those that didn't make it to Alvin's this past weekend, sorry, but you missed out on two AMAZING shows. Leftover Crack was great, and you couldn't fit a razorblade between all the people there to see them. The Vibrators were one of those shows to brag about seeing. A great band, a great set, and a small, intimate crowd. Anyway, here's last Tuesday's set: BOUNCING SOULS- We're Coming Back THE DAMNED- Neat Neat Neat THE CLASH- Career Opportunities UK SUBS- Universal SHAM 69- Action Time Vision TIGER ARMY- Nocturnal NEKROMANTIX- Who Killed The Cheerleader RANCID- Brothels COCKNEY REJECTS- Oi Oi Oi RAMONES- Pinhead (RIP Johnny, at least that's one less Republican Vote in NY) THE HENTCHMEN- Poor Sherilee GOLDFINGER- Man in a Suitcase NOCTURNAL- Tell Me What You're Feeling US BOMBS- Jaks DEAD KENNEDYS- Winnebago Warrior MOJO NIXON- UFO's, Big Rigs & Barbecues DEAD MILKMEN- Big Time Operator THE BEAT FARMERS- My Baby's all Liquored Up SCREAMING BLUE MESSIAHS- I Wanna Be A Flintstone CEMENT POND- Doing the Best I Can KRAUT- Unemployed JOHNNY THUNDERS- Pirate Love DICTATORS- California Sun EIGHT BALL GRIFTER- Little Bit THE DICKIES- Communication Breakdown NAKED RAYGUN- Rat Patrol THE DICKS- Shit On Me HANSON BROTHERS- No Emotion HARLEY CROMAG & FRIENDS- Bad Man GOVERNMENT ISSUE- World Caved In TSOL- Peace Thru Power ADOLESCENTS- No Way CIRCLE JERKS- I Just Want Some Skank/Beverly Hills YOUTH BRIGADE- Sink with California BLACK FLAG- Six Pack THE EXPLOITED- Son of a Copper SCREAM- Laissez Faire COCK SPARRER- Working SOCIAL DISTORTION- Making Believe JOAN JETT- I Hate Myself for Loving You PERE UBU- Final Solution THE STOOGES- I Wanna Be Your Dog GRANDE NATIONALS- Me Me at the Hotel THE HELLS- He's the Devil (But I Love Him So) DION- Runaround Sue PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-Kitty GOLDFINGER- The Kids are Alright LEFTOVER CRACK- Nazi White Trash BUCCANEER /w/ RANCID- Bruk Out DAG NASTY- Circles THE GERMS- Communist Eyes AMPS II ELEVEN- My Life is Shit (But Hey, Thanks for Asking) BANG BANG- 1977 AGNOSTIC FRONT- Gotta Go NEGATIVE APPROACH- Nothing BAD BRAINS- Pay to Cum MINOR THREAT- Filler BHOPAL STIFFS- Road to Bhopal MDC- Chicken Squawk NO USE FOR A NAME- Turning Japanese GOLDFINGER- Just Like Heaven SNUFF- Arsehole COCKTAIL SHAKE- A Fool and His Monkey DEAD BOYS- Caught With the Meat in Your Mouth THE ROTTERS- Sit on My Face, Stevie Nicks DAY GLO ABORTIONS- Aargh Fuck Kill VISION- Let's Break the Law UK SUBS- Limo Life LAST RESORT- King of the Jungle DEAD MILKMEN- Punk Rock Girl MAN, INC- Fuck the Team FLIPPER- Ha Ha Ha FAITH NO MORE /w/ BOO-YA TRIBE- Another Body Murdered BLOOD FOR BLOOD- Ace of Spades SECOND CHANCE NL- Stark Raving Normal BEASTIE BOYS- Egg Raid on Mojo DESTINATION- The Ghoul Show PIL- Public Image WIRE- Ex Lion Tamer ATARI TEENAGE RIOT- Kids are United THE DICTATORS- Two Tub Man BIG BLACK- Bad Penny BLACK FLAG- My War THE CLASH- Clash City Rockers CITIZEN FISH- Choice of Viewing 4-SKINS- CHAOS PETER & THE TEST TUBE BABIES- Maniac ROGER MIRET AND THE DISASTERS- Radio, Radio IRON CROSS- Crucified KRAUT- Juvenile Justice BLITZ- Razors in the Night CHOKING VICTIM- 5 Finger Discount UK SUBS- Warhead RICH KIDS- Ghosts of Princes in Towers SEX PISTOLS- No Feeling DAY GLO ABORTIONS- Wake Up America THE BUSINESS- Drinking & Driving BANG BANG- G8

(I saw, I conquered, I came) The word for the first 3 hours last Tuesday was DEATH. We were gonna close it up early and go home, thinking everyone must have been burnt fromt he long weekend. But lo and behold, the dedicated drunks came out around midnight, and there was alot of ya. DJ Spag was a no-show due to other committments, and I spun solo. No set list, because I was feeling like a lazy bastard and didn't think anyone was actually gonna show up. For those who did, thanks alot and hopefully, we'll see ya this Tuesday.

does it make a sound? Actually, not too bad a crowd last Tuesday. A few people not into how cool they appear defied convention and showed up before midnight, and we had a lot of fun, or so I'm told, as my beer consumption reached epic porportions, as is evidenced by my decaying handwriting skills on the set list. Anyway, come see us on a Tuesday at Alvin's. Good music, no cover, cheap booze. Guaranteed to be free of "dawgs," "Hollas" and "Shout Outs." SET LIST FOR TUESDAY, AUG 31 DEAD MILKMEN- Surfin' Cow CULT OF THE PSYCHIC FETUS- Run CRAMPS- Peter Gunn TIGER ARMY- Power of Moonlite MR. BADWRENCH- Sweet Little Girl EIGHT BALL GRIFTER- Behind The Lines LINK WRAY & THE WRAYMEN- Rawhide SOCIAL DISTORTION- When She Begins ELVIS HITLER- 10 Wheels For Jesus RANCID- The Brothels MINOR THREAT- In My Eyes BEASTIE BOYS- Egg Raid on Mojo GENERATION X- 100 Punks THE DAMNED- Love Song THE MISFITS- Rat Fink DEAD BOYS- Ain't Nothin' to Do REAGAN YOUTH- Degenerated H8 INC.- The Winning Will Lose BANG BANG- G8 BLACK FURIES- ROCK CITY CRIMEWAVE HANSON BROTHERS- No Emotion KRAUT- Juvenile Justice THE GERMS- Lexicon Devil IRON CROSS- Live For Now SUBHUMANS- Apathy THE GENERATORS- Dead at 16 THERAPY?- Screamager (Request) THE PARTISANS- No U-Turns JOHNNY THUNDERS- Personality Crisis BUZZCOCKS- Orgasm Addict SECOND CHANCE NL- Stark Raving Normal THE CLASH- Complete Control UK SUBS- Party In Paris THE NUNS- Do You Want Me On My Knees BIG BLACK- People Like That? (Live) DEVO- Mongoloid PIL- Public Image THE BUSINESS- Suburban Rebels COCK SPARRER- Watch Your Back EIGHT BALL GRIFTER- Spit On My Grave SNUFF- Arsehole THE METEORS- If You Don't Wanna Fuck Me Baby, Baby Fuck Off DEAD BOYS- I Need Lunch (request) CHEECH & CHONG- Earache My Eye MAN, INC.- Swagger ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE- I Hate People CIRCLE JERKS- When the Shit Hits The Fan RED ELVISES- Boogie Woogie UNION 13- Roots Radicals ADAM ANT- Beat My Guest ADICTS- How Sad BLACK FLAG- TV Party AC/DC- It's a Long Way to the Top (request) THE STOOGES- I Wanna Be Your Dog (request) BUTTHOLE SURFERS- 22 Going on 23 NO USE FOR A NAME- Turning Japanese RUNNIN' RIOT- Alcoholic Heroes DROPKICK MURPHYS- Barroom Heroes JIM CARROLL- People Who Died SHAM 69- Hurry Up Harry DOA- Let's Fuck JUDGE DREAD- My Dingaling BILLY SQUIER- The Stroke ALICE COOPER- Is It My Body THE HELLS- He's the Devil (But I Love Him So) THE STRANGLERS- 5 Minutes THE JOLLYS- 7173 GENERATION X- Ready Steady Go THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA- Mach 5 THE COCKTAIL SHAKE- A Fool and His Monkey THE DICTATORS- Pussy & Money (request) THE FELLS- Don't You Just Want It THE RAMONES- Somebody Put Something in My Drink WAYNE HANGCOCK- That's What Daddy Wants ELVIS PRESLEY- Hound Dog THE BUSINESS- Drinking and Driving BLOOD FOR BLOOD- Still Fucked Up AGNOSTIC FRONT- Pauly the Dog HARRY BELAFONTE- Banana Boat Song (Day-O) So there ya go, kiddies. For everyone who was there, thanks for coming and hope ya had fun. For those who didn't, hope to see ya next week. Yeah, I know it's a school night, but be irresponsible, take a chance, venture south of 8 mile! Walter

...and sometimes you're the windshield. Last night, we felt like the fuckin' bug. Either people aren't aware that on Tuesdays, Alvin's hosts the two greatest DJ's to ever fuck up a song cue and blame it on the equipment, or maybe you just think we're too cool for you. It's OK! We'll train the right applicants! Besides the aformentioned geniuses (DJ Spag and DJ Mugshot, your humble blogger), Alvin's also has no cover, and $2 drinks from 9-2. So drop by next week for Punk, Pabst, and no porn 'cause we love you and don't want you going blind ya fuckin' degenerates! AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, buy the DJ's a beer! Below is last Tuesday's setlist, for those inclined to give a fuck. Until next week, drink beer, pee blood, and leave a ring.

Walter (I drink Rolling Rock)


VAN HALEN- Hot For Teacher (Kelly's Fault)
SLOW ROOSEVELT- Hot for Teacher (WTF was he thinking?)
12 ANGRY STEPS- Poor Boy
THE BUSINESS- Get Out While You Can
EIGHT BALL GRIFTER- Tiny Bit
DEAD BOYS- What Love Is
DROPKICK MURPHYS- Dirty Glass
JERKY BOYS- Drinking Problem
HUSKER DU- Eight Miles High
BLITZ- Youth
4-SKINS- Chaos
MODERN LOVERS- Roadrunner
RUNAWAYS- Cherry Bomb
HELLS- Little Girl
DESTINATION- The Ghoul Show
GORILLAZ- Punk
MINUTEMEN- Corona
RAMONES- Don't Open That Door
MISFITS- Violent World
SEX PISTOLS- Johnny B. Goode/Roadrunner
CIRCLE JERKS- Golden Shower of Hits (Jerks on 45)
THE MAKE UP- They Live By Night
THE RICH KIDS- Ghosts of Princes in Towers
ADAM ANT- Beat My Guest
THE ADICTS- Troubadour
ELECTRIC SEX CIRCUS- Cut Your Head Off
DICTATORS- Who Will Save Rock 'n' Roll
THE NIPS- Nervous Wreck
ROGER MIRET & THE DISASTERS- Run Johnny Run
BLACK FURIES- Rock City Crimewave
BANG BANG- Steps
FAITH NO MORE- Let's Lynch the Landlord
GRANDE NATIONALS- Meet Me At the Hotel
MEATMEN- True Grit
THE HENTCHMEN- Virginia Dare
SNUFF- Arsehole
GOLDFINGER- Just Like Heaven
GENERATORS- Dead at 16
DEAD KENNEDYS- Pull My Strings
YELLOW SCAB- My Sharona
DAG NASTY- Circles
THE CLASH- White Riot
ALICE COOPER- Is It My Body
THE DICKS- Kill From the Heart
SWINGIN' UTTERS- Fifteen and I
NO USE FORA NAME- Turning Japanese
MAN, Inc- Go Fuck Yourself
FEAR- I Don't Care About You
COCKTAIL SHAKE- A Fool and His Monkey
KUNG FU- Kung Fu
CHOKING VICTIM- In Hell
THE FELLS- Don't You Just Want It
THE ROTTERS- Sit On My Face, Stevie Nicks
THE EXPLOITED- Sex & Violence
COCK SPARRER- Runnin' Riot
BLACK FLAG- Louie Louie
THE DICKIES- You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)
PURE BASTARD EXTRACT- Satan Fun
HENRY ROLLINS- My War (remake from Rise Above CD)
DROPKICK MURPHYS- Pipebomb On
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS- Suspect Device (SEE THEM ON THURSDAY AT ST. ANDY'S!)
ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT- I Drink Blood (by request)
NEGATIVE APPROACH- Dead Stop
DOA- Let's Fuck
BAD BRAINS- Pay to Cum
BLOOD FOR BLOOD- Livin' in Exile
THE BUSINESS- Drinking and Driving
AGNOSTIC FRONT- Gotta Go
THE BLOOD- Done Some Brain Cells Last Night