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Burnett's Urban Etiquette

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Punk fans out there?

If you're a fan of the punk culture and the music then bear with me. I'll do a regular post later this afternoon but for now I have to finish writing my profile of Susie Horgan, a photographer, who as a college student 26-years-ago met and befriended a young Henry Rollins and a young Ian MacKaye in D.C. and started taking pictures of them as they were forming their philosophy to shape much of what has become the punk movement. Horgan recently published the photos in a book called Punk Love. My profile, which will run next week in Monday's paper, will include interviews with Rollins and MacKaye.

So hang tight. I need to make some progress on this article. I'll have some more insights (or drivel, depending on who you ask) in a couple of hours.

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posted by James Burnett at 1:09 PM

16 Comments:

  • Henry Rollins can be credited with some of the best Punk music ever made...He is not your typical "Punk Rocker "

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:06 PM  

  • I am embarassed. As a white person, I should no more about punk than I do. I have these friends who forced me to sit through a 3 hour (i'm not kidding) documentary on Henry Rollins one time when I visited them.

    They're a 30-ish married couple.

    Then these two characters are gonna want to have a "discussion period" to talk about it all some more.

    They're gonna tell me about "poseurs" and how young kids today--whippersnappers--think they know what punk is but really they have no f*cking clue what it means to be punk.

    You don't want to get the wrong person on this subject.

    By Blogger M@, at 2:52 PM  

  • And Henry Rollins is a very interesting character. What an awesome assignment. And kudos to the Herald for not assigning this to the intern there w/ the fucia (sp) hair.

    That's real journalism. :) I am reminded of a recent report by CNN that focussed on a northern Vermont town near where I grew up--no black people in sight.

    So what does CNN do? They send an African American reporter to do the story. And what does HE do? He returns the favor. In a town full of the most godawful low-class whites, he finds the most intelligent person in the town to do the interview.

    Some CNN reporters don't do that. Paula Zahn just got in trouble for her report on racism somewhere in the south where they went out of their way to find the most degenerate people, offending the 90% of the people in the town who were psyched about living together in racial harmony.

    I should shut up. I know I'm within an inch of getting banned from your blog.

    Anyway, I'll look forward to reading the piece.

    By Blogger M@, at 2:58 PM  

  • Matt, you're not in danger of being banned. I've only banned one person ever. And he got banned for making racist comments and trying to bait me with lowbrow critical comments about Mrs. B. You provide comic relief. You're safe;-)

    By Blogger James Burnett, at 3:51 PM  

  • JB,

    All I can say is you better have something in this book about Bad Brains, Fishbone, and 247 Spyz. Living Color nor Lenny Kravitz count in the punk-a-thon. Minor Threat and Fugazi better get a plug too.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:03 PM  

  • BD, not my book. I'm just writing about the author and the movement. And yes, Minor Threat and Fugazi get plugged. Can't talk Ian MacKaye without mentioning those bands.

    By Blogger James Burnett, at 4:27 PM  

  • Queen, I just got off the phone with Ian MacKaye, former bassist for Teen Idles, about five minutes ago. The whole story has been a blast to work on.

    By Blogger James Burnett, at 5:13 PM  

  • I can't say I'm a huge fan of punk but man, I gotta huge crush on Henry Rollins anyhow. I like that show of his on IFC...he's smart, he's nuts, and most of all, cuz I'm shallow...he's yummy lookin.

    By Blogger Lee, at 6:01 PM  

  • that sounds awesome. I have this double cd of australian punk bands..it's fun.

    By Blogger Claudia , at 7:14 PM  

  • Punk. Start with Iggy. Proceed to Lou Reed. Turn left and go directly to the antidisco movement of the seventies and do not stop until you arrive at the Sex Pistols. Go from there to New York and listen for The Tubes. As for Rollins? A lot of charm, some talent, but punk? At one time perhaps, but he's not Peter Pan.

    By Blogger Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles), at 9:20 PM  

  • Stewart, as always you give me an artistic angle to look at. When I talk to Henry again in the morning I will ask his thoughts on your theory. Funny you should mention Peter Pan, 'cause what I got out of other people associated with the development of punk was that even in their "old" age they still feel the same connection to the culture as they did in their youth.

    By Blogger James Burnett, at 11:26 PM  

  • Okay, you SOOOO need to link us to the article when it's out! I (heart) Henry Rollins! He is so talented and so interesting. Not just musically, but in his spoken word pieces also. And he doesn't buy into the whole "Rock Star" BS. *swoon*

    By Blogger Balou, at 2:11 PM  

  • A lot of my friends are punk-asses, but I don't know much about the music genre.

    By Blogger T, at 5:06 PM  

  • Will you be linking to that story here? I'd love to read it.

    By Blogger thirdworstpoetinthegalaxy, at 10:27 PM  

  • Queen, I hope I did your admiration for Henry justice ;>) We'll find out in a few days.

    Balou and ThirdWorst the story will be available at MiamiHerald.com, but I'll also throw up a post with a link to it.

    BC, you and me both (on the punk-a$$es).

    B, Ian was a great interview - very easy to talk to. I'll check out that book. And if you get a chance, head by Books & Books and check out "Punk Love," this photo collection of MacKaye and Rollins in their early years.

    By Blogger James Burnett, at 12:54 AM  

  • I'll go pick that up this weekend.

    Thanks James.

    By Blogger B, at 7:27 PM  

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