Nirvana in Edmonton

The History of Punk, Class #16

The Edmonton Free School
Monday November 18th 7:00PM
Location: Humanities Centre 1-14, The University of Alberta
All-Ages & All-Welcome

“Let’s find a new way to smash a guitar” 

Punk has long been connected with politics and activism. Reacting against mainstream values has taken on many different forms – from style of dress, to song lyrics, to organizing protests.

In this class, we will trace punk’s role in engaging youth with social movements. We will also examine whether or not punk continues to be a relevant form of protest in the West, like it is in other parts of the world.

Finally, we will extend the discussion to include other faucets of youth culture – what is the broader relationship between music and politics for the millennial generation, and what ways are they rallying against injustice and authority?

Readings:
“Somebody needs to figure out a new way to smash a guitar”
“Personal Expression vs. the Powerful’s Repression”
“Pussy Riot’s plight is only one example of mistreatment by authorities”
“Why Music Needs to get Political Again”
“Past-tense Pop”
“Punk spoke up for angry kids. Why won’t today’s bands follow suit?”
“Frank Turner’s (a)political stance is part of a post-ideological culture”
“At least youth protest culture is not stuck in the 80s, like its critics”
“The Many Sides to Nowhere”
“Vote for Joe!”
“White Noise Inferiority”

Playlist:
The Clash – “Know Your Rights”
The Stranglers – “No More Heroes”
The Smiths – “Shakespeare’s Sister”
Dropkick Murphys – “Take ‘Em Down”
The Offspring “Kill the President”
“Punk Band Pussy Riot Protests in Cathedral of Christ the Saviour”

Billy Bragg traces Americana…to Britain

Billy Bragg in The Guardian: “whisper it … but the British invented Americana”

Jon Savage traces the early Cleveland Punk Scene

Jon Savage in The Guardian: “Cleveland’s early punk pioneers: from cultural vacuum to creative explosion”

HipHopHEADS symposium: HipHop Kulture

The History of Punk, Class #15

The Edmonton Free School
Monday November 4th 7:00PM
Location: Humanities Centre 1-14, The University of Alberta
All-Ages & All-Welcome

“Taking Punk to the Edge” 

In the first class of the new semester, we will look at musicians who pushed limits on stage. From Iggy Pop to GG Allin, punks took live performances in directions never seen before, but often imitated since. We will also screen the 2011 documentary Last Fast Ride: The Life, Love and Death of a Punk Goddess, on the Insaints’ frontwoman Marian Anderson.  

Following the film, we will discuss the various factors that drive people to jump on stage and charge through the boundaries of what’s considered acceptable.

Documentary starts promptly at 7PM (since it’s being taken off YouTube at 8PM)

Readings:
Please Kill Me, pp. 38-41, 66-67.
Gimme Something Better, pp. 315-316.
Going Insaints
GG Allin: Remembering the GGreat American Hero
Iggy Pop’s Letter to a Fan, 1995

“Having Milk ‘n’ Cookies with GG Allin,” Flipside, No. 55, 1988.

Playlist:
Iggy Pop and the Stooges “Live at Cincinnati Festival 1970”
Iggy Pop and the Stooges “Rare Documentary Footage” 
The Plasmatics “Masterplan” 
The Plasmatics “Butcher Baby”
Nina Hagen “Naturträne”
Blondie “X-Factor” (CBGBs 1977)
The Go Go’s “We got the Beat”
Black Randy and the Metrosquad “I Slept in an Arcade”
The Insaints “Whore” 
The Insaints “Carry On” Gilman (1993)
Thrill Killers “Return of the Living Dead”
Thrill Killers “Bloodbath”
GG Allin “You Hate Me and I Hate You” 
GG Allin “No Rules” 
GG Allin “on Jerry Springer”
GG Allin “Carmelita”
Iggy Pop “on the Tom Snyder Show, 1980”