Showing posts with label John Holmstrom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Holmstrom. Show all posts

Thursday, September 26, 2024

PUNK Magazine is back with a new issue and a battle of the bands in Tompkins Square Park

East Village resident John Holmstrom, the co-founder, editor, and illustrator of PUNK Magazine, is ready to release a new issue (Punk #23) with a free show in Tompkins Square Park. 

On Saturday from 2-6 p.m., Holmstrom (with some help from The Shadow) is hosting a Battle of the Bands. 

Here's more info from Holmstrom's Newsletter:
It’s happening! We will be printing a new issue of PUNK Magazine in time for the Sept. 28 Battle of the Bands at Tompkins Square Park. This will be the first new issue since ... 2023! 
It will be printed in the same format as PUNK #1: Reverse quarter fold, 24 pages, only on newsprint instead of offset paper. This issue is meant to be a "Temporary Thing" (as Lou Reed said in a great song). 
Despite many efforts to revive PUNK Magazine over the years, I've been unable to get back on our feet. BUT! It looks like this one just might be successful. I still believe that the print medium is better than the internet: It lasts longer. It doesn't keep track of who reads it, doesn't spy on everything you do. And it's so much fun to work with people to put together a magazine! Web stuff is too often a solo project… 
So here we are: A new issue of PUNK Magazine is on the way. This issue is devoted to the upcoming Sept. 28 event at Tompkins. I'm not expecting to get rich, just want to promote a few bands I like. Which was my intent back in 1975, when I discovered the CBGB scene.

Free copies of the new PUNK will be distributed during Saturday's show. 

Previously on EV Grieve

Saturday, May 18, 2024

At the start of Joey Ramone Weekend at Metropolis Vintage

Photos and text by Stacie Joy 

Ahead of Joey Ramone's birthday (May 19!), East Village resident John Holmstrom, the co-founder, editor, and illustrator of Punk Magazine, is hosting a special celebration of the lead singer of the Ramones in the basement at Metropolis Vintage, 803 Broadway and 11th Street.

I stopped by the longtime shop last evening as Holmstrom's "Cartoonist Jam Session" was just getting started. 

As Holstrom put it, a group of artists and cartoonists "will be scribbling drawings on huge murals that will be auctioned off to raise money for the Lymphoma Foundation." (Ramone died of lymphoma in 2001 at age 49.) 

Among the early arrivals... illustrator Cliff Mott...
... and SVA student Noah Zeines...
Elsewhere, I talked with owner Richard Colligan, who started the business on Avenue B in 1990...
... and sales associate Skeleton Boy...
Tonight's festivities include Monte A. Melnick, the Ramones' tour manager, hosting a "Rock ‘N Roll High School" screening in the Metropolis basement...

Friday, May 17, 2024

A Celebration of Joey Ramone this weekend at Metropolis Vintage

Joey Ramone was born on May 19. In addition, 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the Ramones' first live show.

To honor his memory and celebrate his life, East Village resident John Holmstrom, the co-founder, editor, and illustrator of Punk Magazine, is hosting a special Joey Ramone Weekend in the basement at Metropolis Vintage at 803 Broadway at 11th Street. 

As Holstrom wrote in his newsletter: "A bunch of artists and cartoonists will be scribbling drawings on huge mural that will be auctioned off to raise money for the Lymphoma Foundation. So feel free to hang out with a bunch of crazy artists who love the Ramones..." 

Joey died of lymphoma on April 15, 2001. He was 49.

The mural event is tonight (around 7 p.m.). On Saturday evening, Monte A. Melnick, the Ramones' tour manager, is hosting a screening of "Rock ‘N Roll High School" at Metropolis.

   

The annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash at Bowery Electric on Sunday night is sold out.

Thursday, December 22, 2022

A Punk Magazine-Iggy Pop holiday 'Loser' extravaganza at Metropolis

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Iggy Pop recently announced that he has a new record, Every Loser, (his 19th studio album) coming out next month. 

As part of this release, there's also a new edition of Punk Magazine (No. 22 for those of you keeping track) — 47 years after the very first issue. This edition is available along with the record via Iggy's website

Ahead of this release, East Village resident John Holmstrom (above), the co-founder, editor and illustrator of Punk Magazine, provided a sneak preview of the edition on Saturday night at Metropolis Vintage on Broadway and 11th Street.
The party included some Punk fans and contributors, such as illustrator Bruce Carleton and East Village-based photographer Godlis...
In a recent newsletter, Holmstrom provided the back story on how this Every Loser issue of Punk came together. 

It started with a text this past July from the record's producer, Andrew Watt, who is a Punk fan (especially Mutant Monster Beach Party in issue No. 15). 
This guy, Andrew Watt, said he wanted me to devote an entirely new issue of Punk to Iggy's new album. He wanted it to be an authentic Punk magazine, with the whole scraggly, hand-lettered mess of photos and comic strips we usually came up with. 

"What was your last issue number?" he once asked.

"Twenty-one," I replied. (Our CBGB Tribute!) 

"Then this will be Punk magazine Number Twenty-two," Andrew said. (And to be honest? He stuck to this promise all the way through. This is an authentic Punk Magazine. I enjoyed complete creative control throughout.) An entire issue devoted to Iggy Pop… Great idea, right? How could I say "No!"? So I agreed to do it. What could go wrong? 
And... 
Andrew told me how he was sure I would like the new Iggy LP. I have to admit I was skeptical at first. You know: "That’s what they all say." A few weeks later, he sent me the tracks, and I was blown away. "Best Iggy Pop solo LP!" I gladly told him. By now, I would have killed an army of Nazi Disco Zombies to produce this new issue of Punk Magazine that details Iggy's amazing career and highlights his amazing new album! 

To me, Iggy was the first "Punk." He started it all, the most important person in the history of punk rock, best musician, most influential, etc. Once I heard this amazing new Iggy LP I started putting ideas together and researching everything about Iggy I could find on the Internet. I have to admit I hadn't kept up with all of the intimate details of Iggy's career since the 1970s, but he was always there. I always noticed that he was up to this or that. 

There's a lot about Iggy Pop on the internet, but most of it refers to The Stooges and Iggy's drug years before he cleaned up his act in the early 1980s. Well, yeah, these are all interesting stories, but mostly old and retold many times over. 

So rather than tell the same old dismal stories about "The Depths of Drug Addiction" or track down the many photos where he cut himself on stage, I decided to focus on Iggy's amazing creative career and his work: a bunch of great studios LPs, lots of quotable Iggy quotes, a massive number of film roles, (too many music videos to list), etc. So I got started on putting together the magazine.

This issue of Punk can only be purchased through the official Iggy Pop website

You can subscribe to Holmstrom's newsletter here

Previously on EV Grieve:


Thursday, October 3, 2019

The Hep Cat T-shirt line debuts Friday night at Metropolis Vintage



Metropolis Vintage is playing host tomorrow night (Friday, Oct. 4) to friends John Holmstrom and Aid MacSpade as they launch their new Hep Cat T-shirt line.

Per the invite: Holmstrom and MacSpade "brainstormed their Hep Cat character back in the 1980s, a beatnik-style creature who loved to get high within the pages of High Times. Hep Cat seemed to have a life of his own, and his enduring popularity has now led them to produce three unique T-Shirt designs, which will be debuting at the party."

The two East Village residents will be doing a signing and hanging out for the unveiling of the ... John Holmstrom dressing room.

Holmstrom, the co-founder, editor and illustrator of Punk Magazine (and creator of the Metropolis logo), adorned the dressing room with a variety of illustrations encompassing his work with the Ramones as well as other publications...




[Sales associate Skeleton Boy checks out the new dressing room]

The event is from 6-9 p.m., where there's free beer and pizza and the punk-garage sounds of DJ Drew Redmond.

Metropolis is at 803 Broadway between 11th Street and 12th Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Q-and-A with John Holmstrom, founding editor of Punk Magazine

John Holmstrom on the CBGB movie and the East Village of 2013

A visit to Metropolis Vintage on Broadway

Thursday, September 5, 2019

At Gallery 72, everything that John Holmstrom did with the Ramones



East Village resident John Holmstrom, the co-founder, editor and illustrator of Punk Magazine, is bringing together the huge catalogue of work he created for the Ramones for an exhibit starting tonight at 72 Gallery.

Here's more about the exhibit, titled "All the Stuff I Did With the Ramones":

John first met the Ramones at the very dawn of the New York Punk Scene. As the founding editor of Punk Magazine at the age of 21 in late 1975, Holmstrom's work became the visual representation of the punk era.

He featured the band on the cover of Punk Magazine issue #3 — helping to cement them as the quintessential punk band and Joey Ramone as the silhouette to be replicated in countless teenage bedrooms to this day. John went on to have a long collaborative relationship with the band — most famously illustrating the album covers Rocket to Russia and Road to Ruin.

This show give a rare opportunity to see Holmstrom's long-lasting collaboration displayed as a single body of work. One which still feels as fresh and vibrant today as it did when the ink first hit the paper.

The opening reception is tonight (Sept. 5!) from 6-9 at Gallery 72, which shares space with The Great Frog, 72 Orchard St. between Broome and Grand. (The folks behind The Great Frog created the gallery space in their rock 'n' roll ring shop and boutique.)

After tonight, you can check out the exhibit from noon to 8 p.m Tuesday through Sunday until Oct. 18.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Q-and-A with John Holmstrom, founding editor of Punk Magazine

John Holmstrom on the CBGB movie and the East Village of 2013

Friday, May 18, 2018

High times tomorrow with John Holmstrom's 'Stoned Aged' at Metropolis



East Village resident John Holmstrom, the co-founder, editor and illustrator of Punk Magazine, will be at vintage-clothing outpost Metropolis tomorrow signing copies of his new publication (zine!), Stoned Age.

Stoned Age "intends to bring back the fun of 20th century marijuana culture, when it was the choice of hipsters, beatniks, jazz musicians, hippies, and other misfits," per tomorrow's invite.

Holmstrom, who illustrated the covers of the Ramones albums "Rocket to Russia" and "Road to Ruin," will be in the store from 1-3 p.m., though there are activities happening all day at Metropolis, including DJ Drew Redmond "spinning old-school punk."

Metropolis is at 43 Third Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Q-and-A with John Holmstrom, founding editor of Punk Magazine

John Holmstrom on the CBGB movie and the East Village of 2013

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Metropolis Vintage unveils new signage designed by Punk magazine co-founder John Holmstrom


[Image via Instagram]

The sign went up today at the shop, 43 Third Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

And to commemorate the new design...

Come in and get a FREE button and sticker with our new redesign logo by #johnholstrom of @thepunkmagazine

A post shared by Metropolis Vintage (@metropolisnycvintage) on


Metropolis Vintage has been in this spot since 1995 ... Richard Colligan first opened the store in 1990 at 96 Avenue B between Sixth Street and Seventh Street...

[Courtesy of Richard Colligan]

Read an interview with Colligan here. Read more about John Holmstrom, an East Village resident, here.

Saturday, January 23, 2016

John Holmstrom's 'Punk' playlist


[John Holmstrom photo by Stacie Joy]

The exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first issue of Punk Magazine continues at Howl! Happening at 6 E. First St. between the Bowery and Second Avenue (through Jan. 30).

On Jan. 15, I interviewed founding editor (and East Village resident) John Holmstrom on East Village Radio. (Unfortunately, the show is not archived.) Holmstrom picked the playlist for the show, and included comments about each song... sharing it here now...

1. "You Drive Me Nervous" by the Alice Cooper Band
The first punk rock band I saw live and it changed my life forever...

2. "Kick Out The Jams" by Blue Oyster Cult
BOC was a truly twisted, crazed live heavy metal band that had Patti Smith and Helen Wheels as lyricists, and whose managers convinced CBS Records to sign The Dictators. And of course, the MC5 created punk rock by getting The Stooges signed to their record label.



3. "I Wanna Be Your Dog" by Iggy Pop and The Stooges
This was the prototype punk song, covered by so many punk rock bands over the years.



4. "Get Out of Denver" by Eddie and the Hot Rods
Eddie and the Hot Rods were the first band from England labeled "punk." Here's why. The pub rock scene was the biggest influence on the English punk scene.



5. "Riot In Cell Block No. 9 by Doctor Feelgood
Another "pub rock band from England. The Ramones opened for Dr. Feelgood at the Bottom Line in early 1976... Just the most amazing show.

6. "Bad Girls" by the New York Dolls
This was the first band I went to see at a small club: like Club 82, the drag club. Didn't like their fashion sense but love the music.



7. "My Generation" by The Patti Smith Group
Patti had a lot to do with putting CBGB on the map, she and her band made some great music, I need to give them props.

8. "(I Live For) Cars And Girls" by The Dictators
I picked up the first Dictators LP, loved it to death, played it for Ged Dunn Jr. and Mr. McNeil, and it inspired us to start a magazine. Oddly, enough, everyone in the band hates it!

9. "Judy Is a Punk" by the Ramones
I like the first Ramones best, it's very close to what they sounded like live at CBGB.



10. "New Rose" by The Damned
First punk band from England to release a record, tour the states, play at CBGB, etc. This was punk rock before it became formalized.



11. "Rocket USA" by Suicide
They often opened for the Ramones, and were the first-ever band to call themselves "punk." Even though people would now call this techno, Suicide was truly a punk rock band.

12. "I'm on E" by Blondie
I just love this song. It runs through my head whenever things are going bad and I am out of money, energy, whatever. Blondie were so much fun to work with, open to everything.



13. "Carbona Not Glue" by the Ramones
The best song by the Ramones, could have been a hit single if not for the lyrics.



14. "I Wanna Be Me" by the Sex Pistols
I always liked their B-sides better than the singles. The lyrics are brilliant, and aimed at people in the media (like me).

15. "Ready, Steady, Go" by Generation X
I always liked their debut album so much. "Purist" punks hated them: too pretty, too polished. In a way, they were the blueprint for pop-punk bands like Green Day, Blink 182, etc.

16. "Ain't Nothing To Do" by the Dead Boys
Great American punk rock band. Amazing live performances.



17. "Teenagers From Mars" by the Misfits
We planned a cover story on The Misfits, but couldn't do it: we were forced out of business unexpectedly.

18. "I Wanna Be Famous" by The Bullys
Great NYC punk band that still performs live.

19. "I'm a Boy" by The Bullys

20. "Against All Authority" by the Bullys
Brilliant song by them IMO.



Exhibition details:
Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
All events are free
Howl! Happening: An Arturo Vega Project, 6 E. First St. between the Bowery and Second Avenue

Previously on EV Grieve:
Q-and-A with John Holmstrom, founding editor of Punk Magazine

John Holmstrom on the CBGB movie and the East Village of 2013

Thursday, January 14, 2016

A celebration of Punk Magazine starts tonight; plus EVG on EVR



The first issue of Punk Magazine debuted on Jan. 15, 1976... on this occasion, Howl! Happening is presenting an exhibition commemorating the 40th anniversary of the first issue, which featured cover-boy Lou Reed as drawn by founding editor John Holmstrom.

The exhibition showcases work by Holmstrom, an East Village resident, as well as some of the artists and illustrators who contributed to the magazine during its three-plus year run, including Robert Romagnoli (who replaced Robert Crumb at The Village Voice) and Ken Weiner, who will be drawing "Ugly Portraits" during the opening tonight. There will also be artifacts from the magazine, including the Sex Pistols Puppets featured on the cover of Punk No. 14.

The exhibition continues through Jan. 30 at the Howl! Happening gallery space on East First Street. The opening reception is tonight from 6-8. Visit Howlarts.org for updates and a full schedule of events during the exhibition.

Details:
Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
All events are free
Howl! Happening: An Arturo Vega Project, 6 E. First St. between the Bowery and Second Avenue

Meanwhile!

Tomorrow morning (Friday, Jan. 15!) from 10-noon, I'll be talking with Holmstrom and some other Punk alum for an interview airing on East Village Radio. Listen in via dashradio.com/EVR or the Dash Radio app.

The show will be rebroadcast at some point during the weekend. (I will update with the time...)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Q-and-A with John Holmstrom, founding editor of Punk Magazine

John Holmstrom on the CBGB movie and the East Village of 2013

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Remembering Arturo Vega: 'there might not have been the Ramones without his support'


[Photo by Curt Hoppe from March 2013]

Arturo Vega, the artistic director for the Ramones who created their iconic logo, died this past weekend. He was 65.

John Holmstrom, the founding editor of Punk Magazine who designed two of the Ramones best-known album covers, shared some stories about Vega with Maximum Rock'n'Roll, including:

“But his loft on East 2nd Street – wow! He had his paintings on display, hundreds on Ramones t-shirts in a huge closet, and Joey and Dee Dee lived there. And it was almost on top of CBGBs, so when they would perform there, they’d often hang out at home, then walk downstairs into the club and play their set, then go back upstairs. Arturo was kind of supporting them in those early days, so in a way there might not have been the Ramones without his support.

As the Times noted, Vega was instrumental in getting the City to name part of East 2nd Street Joey Ramone Place.


Previously on EV Grieve:
Q-and-A with John Holmstrom, founding editor of Punk Magazine

John Holmstrom on the CBGB movie and the East Village of 2013

Friday, March 1, 2013

John Holmstrom on the CBGB movie and the East Village of 2013


In part 1 of our interview with John Holmstrom yesterday, the Punk Magazine founding editor talked about launching the publication with Ged Dunn Jr. and Eddie "Legs" McNeil that chronicled the burgeoning NYC punk scene and seeing the Ramones for the first time at CBGB in 1975.

Today, Holmstrom, who has lived in the East Village since the mid-1970s, discusses putting the recently released "Best of Punk Magazine" compilation together as well as his feelings about the neighborhood today.

Why did you think the time was right for "The Best of Punk Magazine" collection?

I didn't decide that the time was right — I had been trying to get this book done since the 1980s! I was able to get a small collection of Punk Magazine material together when I was the publisher at High Times, but we had no budget for promotion. So when it sold great in book stores regardless, I figured that a full-fledged collection could do well.

I shopped the proposal around in 2008, after trying to work with Legs on a similar project, which he seemed disinclined to make happen. He was too busy with other projects so I moved on. Then the economic meltdown happened and we couldn't shop the book proposal for a while. Then once it was accepted, I missed a few production deadlines because the whole thing was just so much damn work. I still feel burnt out from it all!

However, as in 1976, I seem to have accidentally brought the book out at the right time. There seems to be a resurgence of interest in all this stuff right now. Which is great, since I did worry that it was being forgotten forever, once again.



Was there a particular issue or feature that you enjoyed revisiting? Maybe something that you hadn’t looked at for some time?

Although I have pretty much memorized all the Punk Magazine material so it's imprinted on my brain forever and ever, I always loved "Mutant Monster Beach Party" the best — even though it sold poorly and became our death knell in a way.

In fact, the main reason I wanted to publish the book was to make this available to the public: MMBP but everything else as well. A lot of people kept bugging me to either reprint back issues or somehow make the material available: not everyone enjoys biding on eBay, I guess.

The most gratifying thing about getting this book out is that I have found out that a lot of people agree with me! They think that MMBP was our high point. At the time, no one made a big deal about it.



I understand that you did some consulting on the CBGB biopic. Depending on if you’ve seen any rough cuts or the final print — what are your thoughts on what you’ve seen?

Please help me quash this rumor: I did no consulting whatsoever on this film. I did meet with the filmmakers early on and showed them Punk Magazine, I might have loaned them a few issues. But they never really consulted with me about anything.

They did send me a film script and asked me for my thoughts but they pretty much ignored all of my suggestions — by that time it was much too late for them to make any significant script changes since they were filming in just a few weeks! It turns out that they had their own plans for me — they wanted to be able to use Punk in the movie, and I enjoyed their script so much I gave them permission to use the magazine however they wanted to. Then it turned out that they wanted to use Mary Harron, Legs and I as characters in the film. They even flew me down to watch the filming of the scenes with my character!

I thought the three actors: Peter Vack (portrays Legs), Ahna O'Reilly (playing Mary), Josh Zuckerman (playing me!), did an amazing job. I wanted to interrupt them during every scene and tell them how everything happened back in the day, but I knew that would be the height of unprofessionalism so I resisted the temptation. And after a while I observed how they were playing it in their own way and figured this was the best way for it to happen.

I did see a rough cut — the filmmakers again flew me to see it a few months ago. Naturally there's no way for me to have an objective opinion but I thought it was great. I loved it. The test screening audience also liked it: After the movie, they asked the 20-person focus group if they liked the film, and every single one of them raised their hand.

Of course, there was some nit-picking afterwards, and I think all nit-pickers will have a field day dissecting any and all mistakes that were made. But what no one can argue with is that the film is a funny and nice tribute to CBGB and the whole punk rock scene. Everyone wishes it could have been longer so it could include more people, but all you have is 90 minutes. So at the end, this is the story of CBGB, how Hilly started the club and how it sort-of accidentally became the home of punk rock.

The weird thing is that... back in the 1970s? It was not the "Home of Punk Rock." All those bands, except for maybe the Dead Boys, avoided that label like it was Poison or any other 1980s hair metal band's name.


[John Holmstrom, left, and friends]

What are your feelings about the East Village of 2013?

Like I have always felt about it: It's a nice place to live, but I wouldn't want to visit there.

I am lucky enough to have a cheap rent, thanks to rent-stabilization. On the other hand, if we didn't have it, I probably would have moved to Philadelphia or Detroit or someplace a long time ago. Even so, it's an expensive place to live.

The worst thing about this part of town is how NYU has displaced so many residents and businesses, and how so many laws, regulations etc. have been kicking the nightlife to the curb. All of Manhattan is becoming a huge, gated community.

I never felt all that unsafe living here, even when I was robbed a few times. So what's the difference when you get robbed a little bit every day by high prices for everything and having someone break into your apartment and steal something? Not much, really, except you can stop the break-ins but you can't stop the high prices. I always vote for the "Rent Is Too Damn High" guy, for instance.

But even he couldn't stop this. This is my main grievance with all politicians: They always take the credit or get the blame for social forces beyond their control. This economic problem happening all over the country — except for places like Detroit or Philadelphia where no one wants to live. But the 1970s were so wonderful because the publishing industry was still thriving, there was still a strong middle class, and even though the country was in a recession and New York was going bankrupt, we were still in much better shape than we are now. Sad, isn't it?

Then again, that's what New York's East Village was when I moved here. No one in their right mind wanted to live here.

Do you think NYC will ever see the spirit of that era again?

Nope.

First of all, the cell phone and social media have made everyone narcissistic; doctors are making people crazy with anti-depressants (which block creativity, so all the rebellious teenagers like me are now placed on meds!), and well, I could go on and on and on.

The worst thing to me is that I believe climate change is real, and I don't think the world is doing enough to stop it. Especially after Hurricane Sandy, I am afraid that by the end of this century, my beloved Manhattan Island will be submerged under many feet of water.

Hey — it's not like this is the first time civilizations have been submerged. Like Donavan sang: "Hail, Atlantis!"


------

Find John Holmstrom's blog here.

Find the Punk Magazine site here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Revisiting Punk Art

Q-and-A with John Holmstrom, founding editor of Punk Magazine

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Q-and-A with John Holmstrom, founding editor of Punk Magazine



John Holmstrom was a 21-year-old SVA student during the summer of 1975 ... a time that saw him buy "The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!" (which he said "totally rewired" his mind) and experience the Ramones at CBGB.

"The Ramones and Dictators represented a sea change in rock 'n' roll, and I was burning to become a part of it before it took off and became part of the mainstream," he writes in the prologue of the recently released "Best of Punk Magazine."

Soon after, Holmstrom did become part of the scene when he, Ged Dunn Jr. and Eddie "Legs" McNeil launched Punk Magazine in late 1975. For 17 issues, Holmstrom and an array of photographers, writers, illustrators and the musicians themselves chronicled the punk scene... featuring colorful (and, often, off-color) interviews with everyone, really — Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith and Richard Hell, who starred in "The Legend of Nick Detroit" for issue No. 6's cover. The magazine ceased publication in 1979. (There were various special issues in subsequent years.)

Holmstrom continued his career as a writer, editor and cartoonist, spending time at High Times and Screwed, among others. He still lives in the East Village today. The "Best of" compilation (co-edited with Bridget Hurd) puts all the issues together with plentiful behind-the-scenes details. It was released in December. I waited until Holmstrom's schedule eased up a bit to ask him some questions about the start of Punk and other various topics... (Part 1 or 2.)


[Holmstrom from December at the New Museum, via Facebook]

You had a lot of balls to launch a publication at the time called Punk. Not really a question. What were you thinking?

"Punk rock" was a well-known term to readers of CREEM magazine, so when I asked Legs and Ged what they would call a magazine about comix, fashion, news, and punk rock and Legs suggested, "Why not just call it Punk"?

I liked the four-letter word as a magazine title! However, as it turns out — we weren't even the first Punk magazine. Billy Altman called his college newspaper in Buffalo the same name. But I saw all the graphic elements in my mind as soon as we chose that name: 1950s juvenile delinquent comic books, EC Horror comic books, Marvel comics, Will Eisner's The Spirit, film noir, stark use of black and white, etc. So liked the name — at first. Sometimes I think it caused so many
headaches I would have been better off calling it "Teenage News" or "Electronic Comic."


[Holmstrom's first editor's note, via 98Bowery.com]

Are people surprised to hear that this was a serious business endeavor?

No one has asked me about that yet. But, like I said in the book, Ged, Eddie and I were all very serious about being successful and "Creating The 1970s" and all that. I think my connection to a real lawyer helped us incorporate as a business, and my connection to a professional printer got our product looking like a real magazine instead of a fanzine. When Thom Holaday came on board he got us into writing a business plan and all.

Anyhow, my point is that we were not a bunch of goofy kids putting out a 'zine for free drinks, as has been portrayed.


[Holmstrom during the Punk days. Photo by by Marcia Resnick via Facebook]

How did you view yourself at the time during Punk's run? An insider? Outsider? Just someone who loved music?

I was a total outsider who unfortunately was forced into becoming an insider very quickly and without any preparation nor guidance. I didn't know anyone from "the scene" and then as soon as the magazine came out I had to deal with everyone from everywhere. And usually as adversaries!

How do you choose 10th Avenue at West 30th Street to be your first office? Seemed a little — far-removed.

It was all we could afford, and the only place I could find. The usual asking price for an office, $300 a month back then, was a lot of money! And we needed a lot of space.

A worst-case scenario for that office would have meant that we would have to kick in $65 per person to keep the lease. If we brought in another person, it could be just $50!

Also, my roommate in Brooklyn was on my ass! He was all like: "Hello! Earth to John! You have to move in a few days! Nice knowing you but get the fuck out of here, dude!"

Yes, it took us a long time to get to CBGB but on the other hand we weren't far from the Port Authority Bus Terminal nor Penn Station — and all the subways by those places.

Was was your reaction to seeing the Ramones for the first time, Aug. 24, 1975?

I wasn't all that shocked by the noise and thunder and fast pace of the music, to be honest. Unlike Ged and Legs, I had seen a lot, and I mean a lot, of heavy rock 'n' roll bands before then. Just to name a few of the more loud and fast rock 'n' roll bands: The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Alice Cooper, The New York Dolls, The Magic Tramps, Lou Reed (Rock 'N' Roll Animal tour), Blue Öyster Cult, etc.

In fact, BÖC was probably the heaviest band I had seen before the Ramones. Their appearance on July 16, 1973 at the Schaefer Music Festival was one of the craziest shows I ever saw. The audience became so crazed that by the end of the show the first rows of metal chairs had become a twisted mass of scrap metal — their time on this Earth as useful objects had come to an end.

I remember that the drummer threw a bunch of drumsticks out to the crowd and I fought several people to grab it, but then it ended up being a showdown with one twisted heavy metal fan who snarled at me: "IF YOU DON'T LET GO OF THIS I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!!!" and everything about him convinced me that he was telling the truth. So I let go. I never saw a band drive the audience into a frenzy like that before or since.

I went to see every band I could, so I ended up sitting through a lot of bands I didn't like: The Eagles, Black Oak Arkansas, Rush, The Allman Brothers, Grand Funk Railroad, etc.

So by the time I saw the Ramones I was so sick of long guitar solos and drum solos and endless encores and the band playing to the audience and bands that spent a lot of time tuning up on stage. These were all the things that the Ramones studiously avoided, so I loved it. Best of all, they dressed like me: blue jeans, sneakers, t-shirts — I just couldn't afford a leather jacket like they wore. I had also lived across the street from the Hell's Angels for a short time and certainly didn't want to compete with them on any level. And I knew that CBGB was their hangout in 1975.

The whole experience of seeing them at CBGBs was, to me, what it must have been like to see The Beatles at The Cavern Club or The Rolling Stones at the Crawdaddy Club. I felt like I was seeing "The Future of Rock 'N' Roll."

Tomorrow: Thoughts on the East Village of 2013 and CBGB the Movie.


[Richard Hell as "Nick Detroit" via "The Best of Punk Magazine"]

------

Find John Holmstrom's blog here.

Find the Punk Magazine site here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Revisiting Punk Art