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15 bands that defined LA punk in the ’80s, from Black Flag to the Go-Go's
As the 1980s began, most of the world was under the impression that punk rock failed when the Sex Pistols imploded at the end of their 1978 U.S. tour. Bassist Sid Vicious then drove the final nails into its mainstream coffin via self-administering his own fatal dose after allegedly murdering girlfriend Nancy Spungen in New […]
Tony Hawk's Weekend Jam, featuring Descendents, the Vandals and more
Tony Hawk has announced the lineup for Tony Hawk’s Weekend Jam, a festival bringing together music and skateboarding. The multiday event will take place in Las Vegas May 12-15. The artist roster for the Weekend Jam brings together a wide range of artists, with a strong showing from pioneering punk artists. Among the acts are […]
“Redefining Feminism in Punk: Los Angeles” celebrates women in music
The Linda Lindas, Hole’s Patty Schemel, Backstage Pass and more appear in the latest episode of Dr. Martens documentary film series. Titled “Redefining Feminism in Punk: Los Angeles,” the episode highlights the important role of women in the history of punk. The footwear brand announced their 2021 “Dr. Martens Presents: Music & Film Series” lineup […]
The 10 best punk drummers of the 1970s displayed great skill and power
“You’re only as good as your drummer,” Clash singer/rhythm guitarist Joe Strummer lamented in their documentary Westway To The World, as he recounted Nicky “Topper” Headon’s firing ahead of 1982 breakthrough LP Combat Rock’s tour. “Drumming…like nailing a nail into the floor,” he continued. “It’s so precise—the beat has to be there!” Mind you, the […]
X’s John Doe talks recent ‘ALPHABETLAND’ LP, how to stay fresh and more
X grew from the fertile soil that was Los Angeles’ late ‘70s punk scene. Singer/bassist John Doe answered an ad that rockabilly guitar virtuoso Billy Zoom placed in local classified ads paper The Recycler. It sought musicians for a band along the lines of the Ramones. “Two bass players answered that ad,” Zoom told Razorcake […]
AltPress Weekly: Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, Poppy, UPSAHL and more
Welcome back for another AltPress Weekly. Every week, we highlight the things we want you to check out. We always keep you up to date about what’s happening at Alternative Press. We’ll also bring you our latest music finds, from longtime favorites to brand-new releases. We’ve got another week of new music discoveries and other exciting […]
Dave Grohl invites daughter Violet onstage to cover X's “Nausea”—watch
Dave Grohl has once again proven that he’s one of the coolest guys in music. During a performance at this year’s Lollapalooza festival, the artist invited his daughter Violet onstage for a cover of X’s classic punk song “Nausea.” The family friendly set also included a rendition of “Happy Birthday” dedicated to his other daughter […]
Orville Peck has announced dates for the fall Drive Me, Crazy tour
Orville Peck has announced dates for his fall Drive Me, Crazy tour. The country singer with an alternative flair will play over a dozen shows across the United States, starting at Nashville Pride Sept. 18 and ending at Madison Square Garden. There, Peck will open for Harry Styles Oct. 30 and 31. Between those dates, […]
20 artists who defined the sound of nü metal from past to present
Whether or not you lived through the golden age of MTV and JNCO jeans, the discovery of the nü-metal phenomenon was an awakening for any generation. Slamming orchestrated metal intensity in the same track as raw, off-the-cuff hip-hop energy sounds like a contradiction. In many ways, the genre seemed like a musical oxymoron that would […]
AltPress Weekly: Eyedress, Syd, boyband, the Velvet Underground and more
Welcome back to AltPress Weekly. It’s hard to believe we’re already at our fourth installment of our weekly roundup, which gathers up everything we want you to check out. Each week, we showcase longtime favorite tracks and brand-new cuts. We also focus on all the things happening at Alternative Press, as well as the latest […]
These 11 singers steered the course of punk and hardcore in the ’80s
The idea of compiling a list of the greatest punk singers of the ‘80s might seem a bit odd. After all, this was when hardcore rose and quickly dominated all things punk. And let’s face it: Hardcore vocalists are more noted for bellowing than actual singing, per se. Not that late ‘70s punk harbored many […]
15 artists who draw influence from the Clash’s dynamic punk spirit
Some promo copywriter at the Clash’s American label, Epic Records, came up with the questionable slogan “19 songs by the only band that matters” for the sticker that appeared on the face of 1980’s U.S. release of London Calling. While singer/guitarist Joe Strummer, lead guitarist Mick Jones, bassist Paul Simonon and drummer Topper Headon didn’t […]
10 old-school punk bands who created the blueprint for the hardcore scene
1979: As far as the American record business was concerned, punk rock was finished. They’d spent a packet on the Sex Pistols, Ramones and Dead Boys, and those albums seemingly shipped straight to the cut-out bins. The Pistols self-destructed at the end of their U.S. tour the previous year, and now that Sid Vicious kid […]
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 […]
10 essential ‘70s punk bands from Los Angeles you should already know
Punk was, by design, meant to be small and regional. True, bands might break out and become national or even international. But the overarching idea was keeping things small and accessible. You wanted to be able to reach out and touch your favorite band in a small sweaty club, maybe have a beer with the […]
These 15 punk guitarists of the '80s set the standards for the future
Welcome to Alternative Press’ list of the 15 greatest punk guitarists of the ’80s. As the timeline shifted from the ’70s into the new decade, the music changed. Punk had morphed from stripped-down, high-speed rock ’n’ roll with a nasty attitude. It was now faster and louder than the already fast and loud sound, with […]
Here are 15 forgotten punk albums you’ll wish you discovered sooner
You think you know your punk history? You’ve studied protopunk, punk rock, post-punk, hardcore, grunge, pop punk, garage-punk and every other hyphenated subgenre spinoff? You know your Stooges and MC5 and New York Dolls and Flamin’ Groovies? Your Ramones and Heartbreakers and Blondie? Well, that’s cool. But do you know about the stuff that fell […]
These 15 punk albums from 1983 will still floor you decades later
In the ’80s, many a cloth-eared critic and social dullard thought punk was just a mindless fad. Here in 2020, we know better than our parents ever did. But there’s still time for them to catch up. Because these punk albums of 1983 haven’t lost any of their potency. This APTV video rundown shows exactly […]
These 15 punk albums from 1982 paved the way for so much that followed
We’re pretty sure you’ve heard the old aphorism: “Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.” It’s a statement that’s always been universally prescient. However, it might not apply to these choice punk albums from 1982. This APTV video revisits that awesome year for some groundbreaking releases. If anybody really wants to […]
These 12 punk albums of 1981 are rich in sound and fury
Welcome to our look-back video at some of the best 1981 punk albums. While the foundation of punk rock was already in place by the late Seventies, there were still possibilities to be explored. We’re still thanking all the deities for that. Historically speaking, the Eighties have been frequently referred to as “the Me decade.” […]
