poison idea

Inside the Pacific Northwest punk movement, from the Sonics to Sub Pop

From the Sonics to the birth of Sub Pop, this is the history of Pacific Northwest punk. See how the genre transformed over the years.

The 10 best punk drummers of the '90s, from Dave Grohl to Tobi Vail

The ‘90s was the moment when the experiments wrestled control of the laboratory away from the scientists. Suddenly, punk rock — the ragged step-sibling of rock and pop — was squarely in the mainstream of culture, after years of ruling the underground. It spawned alternative music and the latter’s most successful subthread, grunge. Grunge was […]

These 15 classic albums made 1996 a crucial year in punk history

1996: President Bill Clinton was squaring off against Kansas Sen. Bob Dole in a successful bid for a second term in the White House. On April 3, former math professor Ted Kaczynski was arrested in his remote Montana cabin, suspected (correctly, it turns out) to be American domestic terrorist the Unabomber. Conservative public policy bulwark […]

10 guitarists who brought punk rock firmly into the 2000s

As we exited the ’90s and entered the new millennium, pop divas, prefabricated boy bands and rappers bragging about conspicuous consumption and how poorly they treated women ruled the airwaves. Meanwhile, what passed for “rock” was the white guys who beat you up in high school P.E. class who’d discovered hip-hop and figured it’d sound […]

15 punk albums from 1992 that thrived in the era of grunge

The mood of 1992: “We won!” Nirvana’s Nevermind sold by the truckload hourly. All anyone could talk about was alternative rock and grunge. Record biz execs walked around that spring’s SXSW convention in Austin in floppy, artfully unwashed hair, just-purchased flannel shirts and ripped jeans. You’d pass a line of them in the parking lot […]

These 15 punk albums of 1990 set the tone for the decade

Welcome to the best punk albums of 1990. True, the Sunset Strip glam metallers’ omnipresence seemingly denied punk ever happened. Oddly, the bands all wore shredded Sex Pistols or Ramones T-shirts, grasping for some sorta punk credibility. They’d never get it. That was more speed metal’s province. Yet, speed-metal kings Metallica, who continually cited punk […]

Kurt Cobain’s guitar is the most expensive ever sold at auction

Back in May, it was announced that Kurt Cobain‘s MTV Unplugged acoustic guitar was going up for sale. On June 19, the auction for the Nirvana frontman’s iconic guitar began and shortly after the auction launched, the guitar reached $1 million with four bids. Now, we know just how much the MTV Unplugged guitar has sold for. Read more: Police […]

Kurt Cobain’s ‘MTV Unplugged’ guitar bids already hit $1 million at auction

Back in May, it was announced that Kurt Cobain‘s MTV Unplugged acoustic guitar is going up for auction. Well today, June 19, the auction for the Nirvana frontman’s iconic guitar has started. Bidding is currently taking place at the time of this article being published. The guitar is expected to break records during Friday’s auction. […]

Here’s how you can own Kurt Cobain’s iconic ‘MTV Unplugged’ guitar

If you ever dreamed of owning your own piece of rock music history, now may be your chance. This week, it has been announced that the acoustic guitar Nirvana‘s Kurt Cobain played during their legendary MTV Unplugged In New York performance is heading straight to auction in June. However, you are going to have to […]

Poison Idea going on indefinite hiatus

Hardcore-punk icons Poison Idea have announced that they are embarking on an indefinite hiatus, and therefore cancelling all upcoming tour dates. In an official press release, the band cite health issues and personal matters as the reasons for their abrupt discontinuation. Further details on the band's future will be announced at a later date. Listen: Sonic Poison […]