Naughty By Nature

A classical ensemble that would make even the Ramones proud.

Leave it to San Francisco to spawn the first-ever Punk Rock Orchestra—a group that took shape after local godfather of punk David Ferguson issued a call to arms in the form of a Craigslist ad for musicians to play "classic punk tunes on classical instruments. As proven by the massive response, more than a few like a hint of Chopin with their anarchy.

The 50-odd piece orchestra has real punk cred: Since the 1970s, Ferguson has worked in various capacities with everyone from Johnny Rotten (post-Sex Pistols) and Billy Bragg to Henry Rollins and the Butthole Surfers. After founding the locally based nonprofit Institute for Unpopular Culture, he’s now working on the release or re-release of 30 albums, including a live recording of SF band the Avengers opening for the Sex Pistols’ final Winterland show in 1978. The new compilation out this month from PRO, Weapons of Mass Deconstruction, is "a history of punk from 1977 to 1997".

Whether you’ve witnessed their shambolic engagements at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and Studio Z or heard local lore about recording sessions at George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch (with Grammy Award-winning sound engineer Leslie Ann Jones), the PRO remains an enigma. The nature of the group doesn’t seamlessly blend with the punk anthems they perform (think "London Calling"). Slightly dissonant, it sometimes sounds like a bunch of rockers who’ve crashed a classical-music rehearsal. But that seems to be the point. The orchestra even features several punk-rock personalities—from an opera singer decked out in an S&M-inspired ensemble to conductor John Gluck, resplendent in tails emblazoned with a metal-studded "Rock Is Dead" message.

To see the PRO live is to believe it. Sure, your ears are confused (are they playing the Buzzcocks or Beethoven?) and your eyes seem to be playing tricks on you (the flutist didn’t just do a Billy Idol impression, did she?), But that’s the best part—the only-in-San Francisco part. Classically speaking, you’ve just been punk’d.

--MG