Nick Farkas of 77' Montreal

Nick Farkas has been booking and running live punk shows around Canada since the 80's. He seems to have hit his stride in more recent years running large scale music festivals like '77 Montreal and Heavy bringing in people from all over to visit the lovely city of Montreal, QC. This year’s '77 Montreal festival encompasses performances by big punk acts like Bad Religion, Pennywise, Streetlight Manifesto and more. Punknews resident photographer/writer Stephen McGill spoke with founder Nick Farkas about the festival, his hopes and wishes for the festival and punk music in Montreal.

Ramona on their new album

There are about 10 places you can hang out in Passyunk, a neighborhood in South Philadelphia, if you’re a young adult punk. It’s a stretch of the city where if you spend enough time in it, you are bound to get to know the people who call it home. So when Punknews' Eric Rosso messaged Ramona - comprised of guitarist and vocalist Diego Merano, bassist and vocalist Abby Vickderman, and drummer Shannon Ledbetter - on Facebook with a suggestion of meeting up for an interview at his favorite local dive bar and they came back with a suggestion of their favorite local dive bar, it was a familiar South Philly conversation and a difference of a couple blocks. As Abby noted in the interview, “I go to here and about four other places.”

As mentioned above, if you live in the area, you are bound to have had a previous interaction with almost everyone from the neighbrohood eventually.. About a year ago, Rosso wrote a review for a Lawrence Arms’ show in Philadelphia for Punknews where Ramona opened up. In the review, he used the wrong adjective describing them, switching ‘endearing’ to ‘enduring’ describing them as “standard variety pop-punk.” It was something the band jokingly brought up as soon as he hit the record button. After the good natured ribbing, they discussed their new album, the differences between the Seattle and Philadelphia scenes, and what the band hopes to accomplish with the release.

Seth Anderson talks about recording his new album in seven days

Seth Anderson is somewhat of an anomaly. He’s a singer-songwriter who often gets booked for punk rock shows and festivals. He’s a punk rock soul with a gentle, yet powerful voice who has a knack for melody and vivid storytelling. With an album out on Joey Cape’s (Lagwagon) One Week Records and a couple albums in the works, he has been touring relentlessly. Punknews' Pete Vincelli caught up with Seth at a recent show in Asbury Park, NJ to talk about Pouzza Fest, recording with Joey Cape, and some of his musical influences.

Getting ironic with Bracket

Long-running California act Bracket’s new album, Too Old to Die Young, comes out tomorrow, May 31st on Fat Wreck Chords. Punknews editor Jeff Sorley, who spoke with the band extensively for a story on their history in 2016 prior to the release of The Last Page, got back in touch with band members Angelo Celli and, briefly, Zack Charlos to talk about their new album, the luxury of taking your time when recording it yourselves, growing old and, regretfully, Alanis Morissette.

Pouzza Fest mini interviews (Part 2)

In continuation with our Pouzza Fest coverage, we bring to you three more mini-interviews. Pouzza Fest is a kick-ass three-day punk music festival held in Downtown Montreal, Quebec. The festival starts tomorrow and will continue until Sunday. They have about 178 acts set to perform this weekend, including a panel talk, Yoga for punks, and a baseball tournament. For more information on the festival, you can click here.

Today, we have here some mini interview responses from Boston's Save Ends, Brooklyn's Answering Machine and Paris, France Guerilla Poubelle, see below.

BA of Sloppy Seconds on the reissue of “You Can't Kill Joey Ramone”

Junk rockers Sloppy Seconds are famously fans of Ramones, drawing their genius-disguised-as-stupidity aesthetic from the Queens Foursome, as well as their love of AM pop melody. Ten years ago, they released their ode to the sadly departed Joey with the snappy "You Can't Kill Joey Ramone" 7-inch.

Since Joey's birthday is this weekend and since the release is long since out of print, the band is re-releasing the 7-inch through Failure Records & Tapes. To that end, Punknews' Tom Trauma caught up with vocalist BA for a quick chat about the re-release. Check it out below.

Pouzza Fest mini interviews (Part 1 )

Pouzza Fest season is amongst us! Pouzza Fest is a three-day punk party in downtown Montreal, Quebec. The festival is happening this Friday, May 17th to Sunday, May 19th, 2019. The party will include about 178 acts from all over this globe. For more information on this weekend's festivities, you can click here.

Today we have a few mini interviews from some of the bands playing this year's festival. We have ska party band The Planet Smashers, and Japanese skate punk band Stone Leek five short questions, see below.

Too Many Voices on their new EP, Long Island hardcore, and good books

Every scene has a few local gems that most people outside the area haven’t heard nearly enough about. Long Island is no different, and one of those "local gems" is Too Many Voices. The band plays melodic punk that is at once clever, engaging, and contemplative. With the release of their latest effort, Catch Me If You Can, Too Many Voices offer seven thoughtful, catchy, and well-written punk tunes that will satisfy those who like their punk full of melody and those who like their punk full of introspection. The release is a great introduction to a band that should be playing through all of our stereos at this point. So, Punkews' Miike Musilli sat down with Eric and Jeff to talk the band’s history, their recording process, and old Long Island hardcore punk.

Fat Mike on Cokie the Clown

Last week, Fat Mike released a solo album as his alter-ego, Cokie the Clown. You're Welcome is not a fun album. It's not catchy. It doesn't "rock." In fact, it is, by far, the darkest release of Mike's career. It is also one of the boldest statements in punk music this decade.

2018 was a rough year for the NOFX founder. Following an off-the-cuff remark made by Mike at Punk Rock Bowling 2018, Nofx found that they were pariahs. Their shows for the entire year were canceled by venues and promotors. Punk in Drublic festival, which was formed in conjunction with Stone Brewing Company, severed the band from their own namesake and went on to insult and berate them. On top of that, he went through his second divorce.

You're Welcome pulls no punches- it is track after track of personal tragedy and does not come up for air during the entire run time. And, that's not to mention the video for "Negative Reel" which literally ends with Mike beating himself bloody in the face. Straight up, people are confused, challenged, and even worried. To try to understand this bold, if difficult, new work, Punknews' John Gentile spoke to Mike about the release, his mindset, and his dark days.

East Bay Ray on the new Dead Kennedys TRIPLE live album

Those whirling, tumbling, whipping riffs that are charged by spaghetti westerns, surf rock, and psychedelic garage in equal parts- that's the sound of East Bay Ray, guitarist and founding member of Dead Kennedys. Through his reverent-meets-irreverence style, the man helped formed the skeleton of hardcore punk and shattered that structure in what seemed like a singular strike. As far as punk guitarists go (and guitarists in general), this guy is heavy duty.

Perhaps as a way to show that punk is an ever changing animal, Ray has dug through the DK archives and found three complete, unreleased live shows, which represent the Kennedys in different phases. Included in the set (out April 26 on Manifesto Records), is the famed Skateboard Party live show which exhibits the band at their most crazed, during the Plastic Surgery Disasters era. Yet, just as they mastered hardcore, they broke away from it and on the third disc, The Farm, the band is recorded during their more complex Frankenchrist era, which has almost no live documentation.

Now that the set is about to be released, Punknews' John Gentile spoke to Ray about the live shows, his history, and how to make a good set list.

Bands on “What the Descendents mean to me”

Few bands have been as influential on punk rock as The Descendents. to that end, Staffer Pete V reached out to a bunch of bands and asked them what the Descendents represent. Check out a bunch of bands pontificating on the boys below.