Book of the week – the gunk punk undergut

We never Learn
The gunk punk undergut 1988-2001
Eric Davidson
Backbeat Publishing

What is this punk rock monster that has evolved? So many different interpretations to a form of music and a word that was meant as a derogatory put down towards a fellow human. So many different forms and so many directions and tangents.

I’m often accused of being narrow minded when it comes to my musical tastes but my refrain of there’s being so many different types of punk to listen to does tend to fall on deaf ears. I understand that but my mind will remain narrow as long as there’s people doing their own thing regardless of record sales and not with a profit motive.

One of the many ‘scenes’ that emerged from the punk was the us hardcore underground movement. When bands started booking their own tours and organizing their own lives. This, of course, branched out into a myriad of further scenes. Punk rock being the roots of a huge tree with many different branches. One such branch was the garage “gunk punk” scene. Bands like rocket from the crypt, super suckers, hellacopters took influence from the garage sound of billy childish and prior to that the nuggets era. Eric Davidson was in new bomb Turks and experienced this scene first hand.

Here he chronicles that movement, with tales of the expected. It’s rock n roll, it’s self mutilation, it’s debauchery. Almost the opposite to what my punk rock is but still I feel a kinship, a bond with these outsiders because they released their own records. They didn’t wait for someone to do things for them they went and did it themselves. And really enjoyed themselves in the meantime (well those that lived to retell the stories said they did anyway)

niallhope