by the Toronto Star
This poster looks like any other you might pass by on a downtown streets.
Yet despite the almost juvenile artwork so obviously intended to shock and repel, its gently torn corners and adolescent angst tell a significant but largely unsung history of Toronto.
When it comes to punk rock’s origins, we typically look to the Ramones in New York City and the Sex Pistols in London, but forget that the Toronto of the 1970s unleashed its own burgeoning punk movement.It was a scene that came up hard and fast and sent Toronto reeling with its subversion. A crossover of art school aesthetics and street-wise sensibilities, Toronto punk rode high on the unbridled energy of its scenemakers, who, fuelled by sheer boredom, were on a mission to create a culture they could call their own.
To no one’s surprise, the media of the day treated punk like a dirty word, causing the general public to spurn it as a hostile, repulsive gimmick. Before raucous streams of noise started hurtling from the stage, before rips and tears set into the fashion of the day, Toronto’s palette held only shades of grey.
Bars closed at 1 a.m. You couldn’t even leave the table with a drink in your hand to mingle, so the nightlife was dismal.
Queen Street West was a strip comprised of fabric stores, greasy spoons, and abandoned spaces. The city’s bar scene consisted mainly of bands playing a predictable succession of cover songs. Music overall wasn’t any better. Excessive rock and bloated prog bands dominated the airwaves.
And then, somehow out of this frigid cultural landscape, a small circle of people created a radical new blueprint for change.
Part of the proof is in this poster. This past spring, as I started writing a book about the local punk scene, it was these old posters that made me realize how much this youth movement shaped the Toronto we know today.
Though often dismissed as eyesores, today’s massively postered telephone poles are actually the legacy of a cultural upheaval. Before punk, those poles were bare.
But when local punk acts first started sprouting up, word of mouth was all they had when it came to publicity, so promoting a show meant getting creative. Armed with scissors, markers, paste, and lots of attitude, the Toronto punk scene effectively engendered what is now a tradition in DIY advertising.
But as this poster suggests, punk wasn’t immediately seen as anything influential...[READ MORE]
Avail - "Southbound"
Crumbs - "All Style"
Dillinger Four - "How Many Punks"
Green Day - "Private Ale"
Jawbreaker - "Sea Foam Green"
Promise Ring - "Scenes from France"
Queers - "Surf Goddess"
Vandals - "Judy is a Punk" (Ramones cover)
MUSIC
Featured Album: Why? - Elephant EyelashI've been a fan of Why? ever since I was first introduced them via music blogs. Part indie rock, part indie rap, Why? is the kind of artist you'll love or love to hate...the decision is up to you.
According to a Prefix Magazine review,
Why? (the singer, not the band) is most famous for his participation in Clouddead, the experimental hip-hop group that is proving increasingly influential. But Why? (born Yoni Wolf) has fashioned his solo project into a full-fledged band of the same name that includes Matt Meldon, Doug McDiarmid and his brother Josiah. On Elephant Eyelash, Wolf met halfway between his old group and his new bandmates, who seem to hail from somewhere in the Slanted Enchanted vicinity.
Shuttling between the multi-tracked free association of “Crushed Bones” and the summery pop of “Sanddollars” makes for a nice little trip through good enough indie rock, and by the time it’s over you’re just about ready for your mom to tuck you in and turn out the light. Not that there isn’t any emotional heft here, especially on album highlight “Gemini (Birthday Song).” This is an unambitious album in the best way. But then, Elephant Eyelash is an album for you to find and love for yourself if you are so inclined, so what can I do but sing along and nod?
Why? - "Crushed Bones"
Why? - "Rubber Traits"
Why? - "The Hoofs"
Why? - "Yo Yo Bye Bye"
Why? - "Sandollars"