Interpunk

I never was a punk
I never shot junk
I never even tried it
The Counterculture passed me right by

from On The Outside, by Oingo Boingo


The above lyrics could describe me. I was never really a punk rock fan, and though I was always a champion partier, I never did the hard stuff.

I did appreciate the attitude behind the punk movement. I like anarchy and things that go against authority. But I never really wanted to listen to bands without a lot of musical skill. I've been told that I missed the point. That it's the raw attitude and the idea that anyone can do it is the appeal. That's nice and all, but I preferred to listen to someone like Frank Zappa, who was against a lot of the bullshit in society, yet he gave his messages with unparalleled musical skill and consummate musicianship.

Then again, I like some punk stuff. I always liked the old New york stuff. Bands like New York Dolls, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, Patti Smith. A lot of the NYC stuff seemed to be influenced by the Beat Poets and I preferred that to the political stance of many of the English group, as well as the aggression of West Coast punk.

I certainly never saw the appeal of going into a ring and beating the shit out of one another in the name of anarchy. That's about as smart as shooting poison in your veins, it seems to me.

But some acts I like float about on the periphery of punk. The Cramps come foremost on the list, even if I don't think they are a punk band at all. There are others that could be categorized as in various subgenres of punk rock.

When I buy something along these lines, I shop at Interpunk. Interpunk is an online store that carries all of your punk needs. They have nearly a hundred thousand items in stock and you can find all of your punk, hardcore, ska, emo music, clothing, and assorted sundry items there.

I just got an order in which I got two things.

One was the new Social Distortion album. I got the vinyl edition of Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes, which came with a free CD of the album, as well as a poster.

Social D. is one of my favorite groups. They had a harsher sound in their early days, but as time went on they began to sound more like Johnny Cash than Johnny Rotten. Lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Mike Ness is a talented guy and he hasn't bowed down to the pressures of stardom. His music is unpretentious and earthy, but it is also world weary and wise. You should give Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes a listen.

One of my favorite acts in recent years are The Aquabats. These costumed superhero rockers play an almost ridiculously energetic blend of punk, ska, new wave rock. Fun, fun stuff.

Though The Aquabats have a hardcore fanbase, they haven't made the leap to financial success. At least until lead singer MC Bat Commander co-created the children's show, Yo Gabba Gabba. The 'bats' music was always aimed at a youthful audience, but with the new album, Hi Five Soup, it seems as if they are shooting for the elementary school age group. I hate to say it, but I was sort of disappointed. Hi Five Soup is my least favorite of all of their releases.

But I'm still happy that I bought it, and I'm happy that I bought it and the Social D. from Interpunk.

But why would I choose an indie store when I could save a few bucks and shop at Amazon? I'll tell you why.

For one, the service at Interpunk is second to none. The orders ship quickly and I feel like there is a personal touch when I deal with them. Also, sometimes bands work out deals with Interpunk. I got a free signed Aquabats/High Five Soup poster with my order.

And each order earns customers store credit. It's not difficult to rack up some bucks when you choose Interpunk.

Finally, Punk Rock is an attitude. Punk always thumbed its nose to the system. Why give corporate sleazebags like Amazon more success when a little outfit like Interpunk deserves it so much more?

Check out Interpunk. They have vinyl, buttons, DVDs, tee shirts, posters, patches, and so much more. It's a great online store and when you buy from Interpunk, you'll feel good about having done so.