Disaster Strikes! (But I'll be at Tompkins Square Park on Saturday!)
Living in New York City isn't as much fun as it used to be!
PUNK Magazine will have a table (or two or three) as a “rain date” of sorts this Saturday at Chris Flash’s TSP punk rock event. Sadly, Labretta Suede and the Motel 6 won’t be appearing (they put on an amazing performance at the rain-shortened “Battle of the Bands” on September 28), but at least it won’t be raining. And I look forward to checking out the other bands soon the bill. You never know….
We will be giving away copies of PUNK #23 and selling some PUNK Mag merch: a few back issues, some posters, ephemera and a selection of the Overthrow/Everlast/PUNK Magazine clothing line (along with other clothing).
Meanwhile, I have to apologize to everyone who has been emailing me the week. An unexpected disaster beyond my control took place Monday morning that disrupted my ability to go online.
As you probably know, I went to Cheshire, Connecticut for an exhibition of my father’s artwork over the weekend. It was AMAZING! And I’ll have more to say soon. I got back late Saturday night and spent Sunday preparing my apartment for the installation of some new electric wiring. I previously met with a building manager who assured me that it would take just a few hours, and in only one room (that I spent days clearing out so they would have the space needed for the renovation).
I think the wiring is being done because our state government decided to remove all gas stoves and replace them with electric stoves. I already removed the gas stove from my apartment back in the 1980s. (The cost of gas was overpriced even back then.) Therefore the building manager and I agreed there would be no need to install an line for an electric stove in my apartment. I just needed to prepare the room at the front (where I store my art desk and many books and magazines).
Instead, on Monday morning at 9:00 am, I had three men enter my apartment who insisted that they needed to install a high-powered electric cord for an electric stove (that I will never use). I tried to reason with them, but it was no use. “They had their orders.” Which meant that they had to drill all over the kitchen area, creating dust and debris like I have never seen before, and move everything in the room around, creating total chaos (especially since this is also where I’ve been mailing out copies of PUNK #23 and where I have my computer… And where the bathtub and sink are located!. (Yes, I live in a crappy old New York City apartment! And yes, this is a typical New York City apartment story. I hope you’re enjoying it.)
Best of all, “The Leader” didn't understand English. It was difficult to control the situation so I surrendered to the void. I couldn't move once everything was moved around. I ended up watching daytime TV for a few hours while the electricians took over: drilling and smashing up stuff, making a lot of noise.
Everything in my life turned upside down in a few hours.
All day on Monday they drilled and screwed up my living space. It has taken me a few days to get back to “almost normal,” but this could not be happening at a worse time for me. I’m still trying to take care of business from PUNK #23 and maybe get another issue published soon.
I am not happy by what’s happening in my building. Another “improvement” they will be making soon is the installation of surveillance cameras on every floor of the building (enabling the building owner to spy on me to make sure that I don’t have a roommate or an Air B’N’B business).
This is not the America I grew up in. This is corporate bullshit, in a city ruled by people who claim that they fight against corporate bullshit. I’m not sure how or why this is happening, but it is continuing and we should all be aware of how freedoms are being taken away.
I moved into my place in the summer of 1977 (shortly before the blackout happened), using the money I got from drawing the Ramones’ “Rocket to Russia” back cover and inside sleeve drawings. When I moved in the rent was $120 a month (around $1,200 in today’s money), and I had to pay some back rent because the previous tenant (the wonderful Robin Rothman, deerfrance and Joey Ramone’s great friend), abandoned it. Previously, I lived in over ten different living arrangements. Rents were cheap. A few years later? Rents skyrocketed and I’ve been stuck here ever since—in the world’s best neighborhood.
Back in the 1970s, I dealt directly with the landlord. He’d send me a self-addressed envelope and I’d send it back with a paper check. He would call me on the phone if I was late with the payment, and understand if I had a problem that month. The renewal lease would be a single sheet of paper, I would sign and return it. Life in the 20th century was people dealing with people. Nowadays, a renewal lease arrives with dozens of pages of riders, rule, regulations etc. I don’t talk to my landlord, I deal with a managing agent.
It’s dehumanizing. People don’t interact with each other anymore. Instead we deal with corporate institutions. We’re put on voicemail and chat with bots. This is not a brighter nor better future like we were promised. It’s a dystopian existence where people are isolated, unhappy and depressed. Things have to change (although they will probably get worse). Right now? It’s like being stuck in “The Matrix” movie.
So to everyone out there, thanks for your patience. I’ve been facing a lot of adverse events with the PUNK Magazine relaunch: The rainout of the Tompkins Square “Battle of the Bands” was another disaster (special thanks to The Shadow publisher Chris Flash for giving us the rain date on Saturday). Other bad stuff happened that I can’t get into.
The energy and enthusiasm for PUNK #23 that I have been receiving from (almost) everyone has been amazing. So I am going to try to do it again. Oddly enough, I think a relaunch of PUNK is needed right now.
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Haven't heard about him before, but I agree with everything he has to say. A lot of people are waking up to the fact that the analog world was a better business model than our new digital nightmare. Thanks for the link!
Thanks for your wisdom, Ken. We need more insight into how the world works from you! Can't wait to see your latest artistic endeavor!