Evolution of Man

The hardcore punk movement of the 1980s might have been best known for ripsaw guitars and out-of-control speed, but it was the anti-establishment ethos, powered by a wave of rigid middle fingers, that continued to live on after the music slowed down. With a DIY mentality and distaste for corporate...

By John Linn

April 23, 2009

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The hardcore punk movement of the 1980s might have been best known for ripsaw guitars and out-of-control speed, but it was the anti-establishment ethos, powered by a wave of rigid middle fingers, that continued to live on after the music slowed down. With a DIY mentality and distaste for corporate America and contemporary politics, bands like the Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, and the Cro-Mags tried to do more than just have their music enter in one ear rattle its way out the other - they wanted it to cause some serious commotion in between. It's why former lead singers of those bands, Jello Biafra, Henry Rollins, and John Joseph, respectively, have all gone on to reach people though spoken word.

Friday night, Joseph will be in town as part of "Play the Wall," a night of spoken word, poetry, music, and film with a distinctly punk rock bent. Joseph will likely talk about his rocky NYC youth, his time in the Cro-Mags and on tour with Bad Brains and Bloodclot!, and give some excerpts from his books, The Evolution of a Cromagnon and, his latest, Meat is for Pussies. There will also be a screening of Mas Alla Del No Futuro, a Colombian documentary that chronicles the late 80s punk movement that arose from the drug-fueled violence and gang warfare in the city of Medellin. To throw in a little flavor of South Florida, the Clap will perform with thought-provoking hip-hop act Secondhand Outfit, while P. Scott Cunningham and David Landsberger deliver poetry.

Catch "Play the Wall" starting at 9 p.m. at Cinema Paradiso, located at 503 SE 6th St. in Fort Lauderdale. Tickets cost $7. Call 954-525-3456, or visit fliff.com.
Fri., April 24, 9 p.m., 2009

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