Punk Rock
In Photos: Rise Against and Descendents Bring the Punk to New York City
On Friday night (July 30th), Rise Against and Descendents played one of the first big rock shows back in New York City since the pandemic started. The veteran punk acts rocked a sold-out concert at The Rooftop at Pier 17 on a beautiful night in the Big Apple. The show marked the second proper concert for Rise Against and first for Descendents since the concert industry came to a halt in early 2020. Thankfully, a clear night with low humidity greeted the bands and the fans, as the Empire State Building could be seen to the left of the stage, while the Brooklyn Bridge was visible to the right. Rising Los Angeles punk act Spanish Love Songs opened the evening’s festivities with a set of anthemic songs, including cuts from their most recent album, 2020’s Brave Faces Everyone. For many in ...
The Offspring Oust Drummer Pete Parada for Choosing Not to Get COVID Vaccine
The Offspring have apparently parted ways with drummer Pete Parada. According to the stickman, it’s because he has chosen not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 due to medical reasons. Parada, who had been the band’s drummer since 2007, explained his departure in a lengthy statement on Instagram, saying that his medical history and advice from his doctor has led him to choose not to get vaccinated at this time. He added that, as a result, the rest of the band feels he’s “unsafe to be around, in the studio, and on tour.” Back in April, The Offspring released their latest album, Let the Bad Times Roll, which marked their first studio LP in nine years. It’s also the first Offspring album where Parada played drums on the entire effort, having previously appeared on just four of the tracks on 2...
Des Rocs Announces Debut Album, Unleashes Anthemic New Single “MMC”: Stream
Rising alt-rocker Des Rocs has announced his debut album, A Real Good Person in a Real Bad Place, which will arrive September 24th via 300 Entertainment. In advance of the LP’s release, the New York-based artist has unleashed the infectious and eclectic single “MMC.” “MMC” takes the listener on a wide-ranging ride of musical genres, with a guitar-heavy intro leading into post-punk verses and a sing-along anthemic chorus. At the 3:10 mark, the tune suddenly shifts into a vaudevillian piano number, with Des Rocs momentarily taking on the role of a throwback crooner. Speaking about the song in a press release, Des Rocs said, “‘MMC’ is about people who are obsessed with being anything but themselves. It’s a roller coaster of a record that was written all at once in this kinda chaotic catharsis...
Buckcherry’s Josh Todd Wants to Front Minor Threat Reunion, Laments Lack of 21st Century Rock Stars
Buckcherry frontman Josh Todd says he would front a Minor Threat reunion if founding singer Ian MacKaye wasn’t up for it. Todd also lamented the lack of 21st century rock stars, calling the genre “faceless” since the early 2000s. Yes, you read that correctly. The singer of “Crazy Bitch” is down to front arguably the most influential straight-edge hardcore band of all-time. In fact, Todd suggested as much to original Minor Threat member Brian Baker (now Bad Religion’s guitarist) upon meeting him once. “[I told him] ‘Hey, man, if you ever want to do a Minor Threat tour and Ian doesn’t want to do it, I’ll shave my head and we’ll f–king do it!’” Todd recalled to Classic Rock magazine. “[Baker] just laughed.” Advertisement Related Video While the chances seem slim, it sounds like Todd coul...
Circle Jerks Announce 2021-2022 North American Headlining Tour
Circle Jerks have once again rescheduled their North American 40th anniversary tour. The hardcore-punk legends’ updated itinerary features a series of separate legs that run from September of this year through May of next year, with Municipal Waste, Adolescents, and Negative Approach providing support on select dates. Originally, Circle Jerks had planned to tour in celebration of the 40th anniversary of their landmark debut album, Group Sex, beginning in May of 2020. Those dates were postponed to spring of 2021 due to the pandemic, but were since delayed again. Now, the legendary band plans to hit the road for a few dates in early September (including appearances at Riot Fest and Punk Rock Bowling), before playing three shows in the Southwest in late October. From there, they’ll be back on...
Robert Fripp and Toyah Bring the Punk with Cover of Sex Pistols’ “Pretty Vacant”: Watch
Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox deliver Sex Pistols’ punk anthem “Pretty Vacant” in the couple’s latest “Sunday Lunch” performance, marking a return to Toyah’s punk roots. Over the past several months, the married pair have treated us to eccentric covers of mostly hard rock and metal classics, but this time around they celebrate the ’70s UK punk scene from which Toyah started her own music career. Inspired by bands like Sex Pistols, she garnered much success as a punk and new wave singer fronting her eponymous band Toyah in the late ’70s and early ’80s, scoring a string of hits in England. Vocally, “Pretty Vacant” arguably suits Toyah’s voice more than any of the previous covers. And, as always, she brings the fashion, this time sporting a mohawk and body paint, and wearing a barely-there s...
Rise Against on Songs That “Take You to Dark Places, But They’ll Never Leave You There”
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public | RSS Rise Against’s Tim McIlrath sits down with Kyle Meredith to discuss Nowhere Generation, the Chicago punk band’s ninth album. The frontman talks about who the Nowhere Generation is and who these songs are directed at, how what the American Dream means and stands for has changed, and what the older generations have done to the Earth and society. Related Video McIlrath also takes us back to Rise Against’s mainstream breakthrough, Swing Life Away, and how it gave the band permission to write softer songs, like this LP’s “Forfeit”. He also touches on their eventual plans for Ghost Note Symphonies Vol. 2, and the hope that ultimately grows from their song...
Bad Religion and Alkaline Trio Announce Rescheduled 2021 US Tour
Bad Religion and Alkaline Trio will finally get the chance to embark on their co-headlining tour after postponing the outing due to the pandemic. The originally scheduled trek was supposed to kick off in March 2020, the same month the concert industry shut down, but will now launch this October. The newly rescheduled 30-date tour kicks off October 15th in Riverside, California, then makes its way east before returning to the West Coast for a final gig on November 26th in Los Angeles. War on Women will serve as support for the entire run. “This tour is special,” said Bad Religion singer Greg Graffin in a press release. “Not only are we celebrating the return of live music, but we get to do it with Alkaline Trio, who are such a great band, really excited about this!” Related Video Alkaline T...
2021 Punk in Drublic Festivals: NOFX, Pennywise, Less Than Jake, Sick of It All, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and More
NOFX have announced two 2021 editions of their Punk in Drublic Craft Beer + Music Festival, one in Denver and the other in Worcester, Massachusetts. The veteran punk band will headline both events, which are scheduled for July and September, respectively. The Denver edition will take place July 17th at Sculpture Park, and features Less Than Jake, Sick of It All, Get Dead, Potato Pirates, and more acts to be named. The Massachusetts event happens on September 25th, at the Palladium Outdoors in Worcester, and includes The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Pennywise, Get Dead, and more bands to be announced. Related Video Tickets for both Punk in Drublic events go on sale this Friday (June 25th) via the official festival website. Last month, NOFX announced they were dropping off the 2021 Punk Rock Bow...
Chubby and the Gang Announce New Album The Mutt’s Nuts, Share “Coming Up Tough”: Stream
Chubby and the Gang have announced their new album, The Mutt’s Nuts, due out on August 27th via Partisan Records. The London punk five-piece also shared the LP’s lead single, “Coming Up Tough”. Produced by Jonah Falco of Fucked Up, The Mutt’s Nuts features lyrics rooted in UK political issues that include worker’s rights, inequality, police brutality, government failure, and gentrification. The album’s sound mixes influences from artists like Hank Williams and The Bobby Fuller Four with Brooklyn-based ’50s girl groups and British blue-eyed soul. The blistering “Coming Up Tough” addresses government failure in modern London and the school-to-prison pipeline. “You did some crime, you weren’t that wrong,” frontman Charlie Manning Walker (aka Chubby Charles) yells into the mic. “They sen...
Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass Turns Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated” into “Vaccinated” with Help from Jack Black, Amy Lee, and More
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-06-04T20:49:40+00:00“>June 4, 2021 | 4:49pm ET Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass has reworked the Ramones classic “I Wanna Be Sedated” into a timely tune called “Vaccinated”, and he’s recruited a number of his celebrity friends for the music video. The comedic musician changed the words of the legendary punk tune to promote COVID-19 vaccinations. He sings, “Twenty, twenty, twenty-four hours from now/ I’m getting vaccinated/ Waited so long that I wrote down this song/ I’m getting vaccinated.” Among those joining Gass in the music video is his Tenacious D bandmate Jack Black, who prances around in doctor’s scrubs and a pair of giant needles. Also making appearances are Evanescence singer Amy Le...
Rise Against to Take Over Consequence’s Instagram
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-06-03T23:00:46+00:00“>June 3, 2021 | 7:00pm ET Rise Against have one helluva day lined up on Friday, June 4th, and they’re taking over Consequence’s Instagram to chronicle the celebratory events. The day marks the release of the melodic hardcore outfit’s ninth album, Nowhere Generation, which is big enough news in its own right. What’s even cooler is that the band is getting the ultimate honor of having June 4th proclaimed “Rise Against Day” in the city of Chicago by Mayor Lori Lightfoot. To celebrate both occasions, Rise Against are making an in-store appearance at Reckless Records, where frontman Tim McIlrath will perform an acoustic set for 50 lucky fans, and the entire band will...
