July is "Punk Month" on the Independent Film Channel. The lineup includes "SLC Punk!", "Henry's Film Corner" (that's Henry Rollins), and "Punk: Attitude," an IFC original documentary directed by the bedreadlocked punk rock music video auteur Don Letts. Nerve interviews Letts about his film.

Why make a film now about the "attitude" of punk?

I got asked a year ago to make a documentary on punk rock. I don't know about here in the U.S., but in England, punk rock has never gone away. Every other year there's a punk rock revival. I was kinda over it. And then I thought, Why do people keep going back to this particular time? And I realized that what we were really talking about was the counterculture. And counterculture didn't start and certainly didn't end with punk rock. I realized there's always that emphasis on the late '70s incarnation of punk, but that's a disservice. The counterculture isn't something that began in '77. When Jerry Lee Lewis jumped on that piano that was punk attitude. Chuck Berry. Buñuel movies. Lenny Bruce is punk rock. Albert Camus: punk rock. It's not just about music. It's the way you do what you do, not what you do.

rue_

Calgary, AB

May 2005

JUL 05, 2005 04:55 PM

mmhmahm! SLC Punk. Wow I haven't watched that movie in ages...Heroin Bob is a god.

Idjit

HOPEFUL

I'm lost

JUL 05, 2005 05:11 PM

Jesus was a punk.

Roethke

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

JUL 05, 2005 05:46 PM

I know people who grew up with Stevo and Heroin Bob from SLC Punk. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's a true to life depiction of SLc, not having grown up in that era, but it is pretty close to the mark.

Viola

SUICIDEGIRL

North Carolina, USA

JUL 07, 2005 11:14 AM

I kind of wish I had TV for this. It happens to be my month of getting back to my silly teenage punk-rock roots before I'm no longer a teenager.

Nice headline.

PointBlank

New York, NY

November 2004

JUL 07, 2005 11:18 AM

It'd be pretty punk if the IFC theater in NYC would stop fighting with the projectionists union.

Autrix

San Francisco, CA

January 2004

JUL 07, 2005 02:53 PM

awesome *runs to the tv for july*

Subrosa

San Francisco, CA

July 2004

JUL 07, 2005 02:55 PM

Idjiit said:
Jesus was a punk.

One_Pure_Thought

East Greenwich, RI

October 2003

JUL 07, 2005 03:17 PM

Roethke said:
I know people who grew up with Stevo and Heroin Bob from SLC Punk. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's a true to life depiction of SLc, not having grown up in that era, but it is pretty close to the mark.

So those characters are based on real guys, or are you talking figuratively?

plasticfangs

Portland, OR

OLD SKOOL

JUL 07, 2005 03:43 PM

Thats the thig about punk to me. While in recent years, the asethetic of punk rock has been completely "bought out", the attitude is still around...and still relevant.

The problem is that everyone who identifies with the punk ideal has their own idea of exactly what being "punk" means..and often bicker about anything that doesn't fall exactly into line with their own list of criteria.

I really enjoyed "SLC Punk", because it wasth story of one man's expereinces. And I thought their was a lot of humor, and humanity, to the story.

I also like Henry Rollins. I don;t always agree with him, I don;t even like his music. But I think he is an interesting voice, with some unique insights. I'm curious to see what he offers.

PS - The most interesting book I ever read about the punk movement is "Head On" by Julian Cope...even though it's only a minor segment of a larger story. Highly reccomend it.

Destro

Washington, PA

OLD SKOOL

JUL 07, 2005 04:02 PM

Idjiit said:
Jesus was a punk.

jesus was a hippie.

plasticfangs

Portland, OR

OLD SKOOL

JUL 07, 2005 04:03 PM

Destro said:

Idjiit said:
Jesus was a punk.

jesus was a hippie.

Actually, he was kinda both...(like X was!)

JohnClement

Silver Spring, MD

January 2004

NOV 03, 2005 03:29 PM

My boss bought me Punk Attitude as a going away gift when I quit. It isn't very good.
It felt like they rushed through everything after CBGBs and the Kings Road stuff.

Jeff_Fries

Humptulips, WA

September 2003

NOV 03, 2005 04:42 PM

Nngghhaa... must... reclaim... everything... subversive... as 'punk'...

surlyclown

Los Angeles, CA

March 2004

NOV 03, 2005 11:33 PM

Woot, this was originally posted on my birthday...so, um...that means that...um...that...huh?

*Though I really liked "SLC Punk!"*

BOARDS:

TOPICS:

I'm lost

June 2005

JUL 05, 2005 04:48 PM

Calgary, AB

May 2005

JUL 05, 2005 04:55 PM

Idjit

HOPEFUL

I'm lost

JUL 05, 2005 05:11 PM

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

JUL 05, 2005 05:46 PM

SUICIDEGIRL

North Carolina, USA

JUL 07, 2005 11:14 AM

New York, NY

November 2004

JUL 07, 2005 11:18 AM

San Francisco, CA

January 2004

JUL 07, 2005 02:53 PM

San Francisco, CA

July 2004

JUL 07, 2005 02:55 PM

East Greenwich, RI

October 2003

JUL 07, 2005 03:17 PM

Portland, OR

OLD SKOOL

JUL 07, 2005 03:43 PM

Destro

Washington, PA

OLD SKOOL

JUL 07, 2005 04:02 PM

Portland, OR

OLD SKOOL

JUL 07, 2005 04:03 PM

JohnClement

Silver Spring, MD

January 2004

NOV 03, 2005 03:29 PM

Humptulips, WA

September 2003

NOV 03, 2005 04:42 PM

Los Angeles, CA

March 2004

NOV 03, 2005 11:33 PM