The CBGB Film

 

I was invited to fly down to Savannah, Georgia to check out the filming of the CBGB movie, and boy, are my arms tired! But seriously, this was one of the coolest experiences of my life. Producers Brad Rosenberg and Jody Savin treated me like a movie star and director Randy Miller got me so involved in different stuff that I feel like, well, maybe this is gonna be my big break in the movie business. So watch out, Hollywood!

I bought an iPhone especially for this trip, and packed it with my luggage. I haven't figured out how to use it yet, so most of my photos are still stuck in cyberspace. But the most amazing thing was that the one and only Wayne Kramer messaged me as soon as I got to the film set in Savannah, Georgia! I could not figure out how to reply to his messages, but luckily he was on the film set. I was like: "How the fuck did Wayne Fucking Kramer find me down here and become my first-ever message on my iPhone?" (and thrilled, really, that he wanted to meet up with me. You know, a fan forever, and honored that he even knows who the heck John Holmstrom is.)

I've known thw guy off and on for a long time. I can't say we've always been close buddies but we're part of the "Mutual Respect and Admiration Society for Punk Rockers Who Are Still Alive" thing that people develop over the years. The older we get, the more we love each other.

Wayne, in case you didn't know, was the original leader of the MC5, and had more to do with punk rock than I could ever hope to take credit for. he got The Stooges signed to Elektra, MC5 was the house band for the White Panthers (whose Minister of Information, Tom Forcade, became PUNK Magazine's  financial angel). So what the heck was Wayne Kramer doing on the film set for this F'N movie? The mind boggles, but I sort of hope he was there as the grandpapa of punk rock to give his official blessing to the project. So right away I was curious to see what was happening with the filming--I found out soon enough what was up. More details in my next blog. 

Anyhow, Wayne was nice enough to take me and some other people out for dinner... And I got to meet his wonderful and beautiful wife Meredith. We bonded over bread, duck and tuna dishes and Wayne and I are now brothers from different mothers. It was awesome.

No one asked me, but... I would hire Wayne to do whatever for whatever, he is in an amazing place. I felt his focus and determination... It was like a buzz-saw. Wayne Kramer is totally ready to do something great again, even though he's at his age. He is not retiring and he is not some lazy retiree. He still understands rock 'n' roll!

I feel the exact same way. I have something I want to do, and I just do not think that my age should be a roadblock.

Here's to hoping that the two of us get to work together someday! 

Okay, I've been getting this question a lot from people, especially from a few people working on the CBGB film. When I get questions like this, I know the filmmakers are doing their jobs when it comes to the history of punk rock... This was a big deal back then! It's also been a persistent, nagging question, one we even had to deal with in 1975-76.

That "Springsteen Thing"

 

Whether or not you liked Bruce Springsteen's music in 1975, you had to deal with "The Phenomenon" first. Springsteen appeared on the covers of Time and Newsweek magazines around the same time in 1975... BEFORE he sold many records or concert tickets. So, a lot of us rock 'n' roll fans felt like we were being sold a bill of goods. And, in fact, the music industry seemed ready to jump on the "Bruce" phenomenon and create some kind of "pre-fab" phenomenon, often in the name of "punk rock." Also, this was right around the time that big corporations were suddenly in charge of rock music. Coincidence?

Springsteen was probably the first music  star who benefited from publicity like this before achieving commercial success. Please school me in this if I am wrong, OK? 

 

See this magazine cover? This is what the music industry wanted "punk rock" to be: a boring, ugly imitation of Springsteen-mania. (Although to be honest, there was no "mania" behind "Broose" at the time.)

Ged Dunn, Jr. was a big fan of Springsteen in 1975, he had all of his records and played them in the Punk Dump back in the day. I also have to admit that I think "Born To Run" is a great rock 'n' roll song by any standards you want to apply, it was like the signature song of that amazing, wonderful time that we were beginning the magazine: Fall/Winter 1975. "Tenth Avenue Freezeout" was another special favorite of ours at that time since we lived on Tenth Avenue at the time and we were freezing out asses off! In fact, I feel bad that Bruce Springsteen himself, who seems to be a decent human being (from all reports he is NOT not an ugly "rock star" whose ego is out of control, and does much anonymous cool stuff) has had to deal with this kind of thing. More respect to him.

So... when I asked Lou Reed about Springsteen during my interview with him for PUNK #1? We both knew what those questions meant. We were deconstructing the Springsteen myth.

I have to think that Bruce Springsteen himself understood all of this more than anyone else. He allied himself with so many NYC/CBGB musicians, in a very quiet way, so that I was always impressed by his later collaborations:

1. Robert Gordon: "Fire"

2. Patti Smith Group: "Because the Night"

3. Lou Reed:"Street Hassle"

4. Ramones: "Hungry Heart"

I am sure I am missing a few... Also, Little Steven from Springsteen's band made his own efforts to reach out to the NYC punk rock community. When he filmed "Sun City," his video statement against apartheid in South Africa, I remember how Joey Ramone was very honored to be a part of a big project like this. If you look at the big names Little Steven brought together for that video, and appreciate the underdog status of the Ramones back then, you'll appreciate how Joey felt. This really was a big moment for Joey. And Steven has done a lot of the whole Joey Ramone Foundation, so I also respect him for that.  

So I come here to praise Springsteen Not to bury him. 

 

I've been working with a group of filmmakers for a few years whose first production, War Against the Weak, is now on kickstarter.com.

It's a very good documentary, and has won a boatload of awards. But it's also very depressing because it's based on a book (see above) that covers the United States' involvement in the horrific genetic experiments that Nazi Germany were involved in... Of course, the full extent of the good old USA's involvement in all of this is up in the air. When i I worked as a journalist at High Times magazine I found out more than I wanted to know. The CIA conducted many mind-control experiments with LSD on unsuspecting people. But the stuff in this film is over the top.

Anyhow, I hope everyone who can will support the film... Mostly because these talented people have ambitions beyond this film... Also because this is an important movie which has won a boatload of awards and which should get out there... And also--this is a cheap and easy way to get into movie production. Kickstarter.com has become the tool of choice to get ANY project started or finished. So if you've never checked it out before? 

www.kickstarter.com

Check it out:

War Against the Weak