The Punk Group
International Rock Stars
By: Disc Jockey Gregarious
Portraits By: Gregarious
When I asked someone about Portland's The Punk Group, I was told they were a novelty act. I hate novelty acts. Boorish attempts at humour is always very unfunny.But contrary to what a marketing executive or booking agent might think, the Punk Group is not a novelty act in the slightest. Although humour is a vital part of their personalities, they are far from the ilk of the Weird Al's and Ray Stevens's, aligning themselves more parallel to artists like Ween, Television Personalities, Redd Kross, Camper Van Beethoven,They Might Be Giants, Beastie Boys, The Monochrome Set, and Robyn Hitchcock.
Armed with Boss DR-5 beats, the sensational Korg MS-2000, a Line6'd guitar and Line6'd bass, The Model and the Sex Object recorded "International Rock Stars" in the Brian Applegate's basement on his Tascam 8track reel-to-reel. Gary Numanesque fat synth riffs bounce around tight, crunchy guitar spanks. OMD'ed new wave sounds compliment Johnny Ramone power chords (Brain owns a guitar once used by the Bowery guitar legend).
The Punk Group isn't afraid to be spontaneous before becoming self conscious and most importantly, socially conscious. resulting sometimes in an Adam Sandler juvenility (Magic Caret Ride: "Take a magic carpet ride on my face") or sometimes conjuring up more surreal images like "Sickness Sticks" which in it's entirety goes:"Sickness Sticks. Left hand kitchen, right hand bathroom."
Put on your white sun glasses, invite Kristen Dunstr over to drink some Heineken, play this CD and then sit back and let the magic unfold.
