This is a thread from Craigslist spawned by an angry rant from our only disgruntled former-member. We put it here for your amusement.
Reply to: anon-7369961@craigslist.org
Date: Fri Dec 13 17:12:53 2002
It's just another swindle. Why?
If you love punk rock and the idea of covering punk songs on classical instruments, then you'll HATE the people behind this so-called "Punk Rock Orchestra".
If you love playing classical instruments but have no idea what punk is about, then you might enjoy participating in such a "wacky" project.
The whole idea is bound to be a failure because of the people behind it. It might be entertaining to a small crowd, holding cocktails at some corporate gathering (which BTW is part of the "orchestra's" target audience), but not by anyone who is passionate about truly alternative, musical projects. The "orchestra" reminds me of a comedian which doesn't understand the humor within his own jokes and therefore becomes a joke himself.
Another thing is the choice of the songs, which are being covered. Even if the members of this "orchestra" are lame, at least you would think that they could pick some descent songs for their repertoire, right? No way! Instead the vast majority of the chosen "compositions" are forgotten 80's New Wave songs, that in no way are fundamental to the punk rock genre.
If you were at the Dead Kennedy's and FEAR gig at Studio Z, then there is a big chance that you came across the person responsible for the musical direction of the "orchestra". Remember the guy in a Donald Duck hat, playing Dead Kennedy's songs on the accordion, at the bus stop? Well, that's him. He was SO "wacky" and "spaced out" while playing the songs. What's funny is that at the PRO meetings he is so stiff and doesn't even smile. You can tell that he is paranoid about someone not taking him seriously, while he tells everyone what to do.
I'm sure that the members of the PRO are surprised how many people flake on them. I am proud to be one of the flakes. They truly suck. I would recommend changing their name to the "Donald Duck Orchestra".
The reason why I wasted my time on writing about them is because both PUNK ROCK and being a musician mean a lot to me. Therefore each time I see their posting on Craigslist I feel offended by the fact that many people can be mislead, as I was, by their use of the words PUNK ROCK in their name and posting title.
Without remorse,
K
Reply to: sirmillardmulch@sirmillardmulch.com
Date: Fri Dec 13 19:25:48 2002
I just HAD to speak up about this. I am surprised that someone who claims to be to so passionate about Punk Rock would even attend the Dead Kennedys show. Isn't it counter-productive to financially support a "Punk" band who wants to be in Levi's commercials against the will of the most important founding member, Jello Biafra? Hey, I guess that only counts if you consider The Dead Kennedys to be politically significant, like I do. What happened to the cause / meaning, or do THEY belong at Disneyland now? I'd say that even calling them The Dead Kennedys is false advertising, whether they own the name or not.
Even more surprised that someone who is so passionate about classical music would criticize a group of people trying to extract musical meaning from a genre of music that constantly gets slammed for being non-musical. Quite a bold endeavor, but it can be done.
Looks to me that after stepping back and considering the big picture here, an accordian player dressed as Donald Duck and The Dead Kennedys you saw play are on equal ground as far as how seriously they should be taken. You can extract your own meaning from that statement.
I have personally never met anyone associated with the Punk Rock Orchestra, but I am glad that they exist. At least give them credit for not advertising themselves as something they aren't. But hey... maybe that will change once I meet them or see them perform. Until then I commend them, and I hope they can prove you wrong. We'll see.
Glad you spoke up, though. It's good to see some non-violent debate.
For anyone who wants to know more about this, visit the Insitute For Unpopular Culture's Website at http://www.ifuc.org, I think they run the Punk Rock Orchestra. I could be wrong.
And "The Dead Kennedys" site can be seen at http://www.deadkennedys.com.
You can form your own opinion.
-Sir Millard Mulch (My authentic posts will have my e-mail address in the headers from now on. I apologize for all those people posting garbage under my name in the past week.)
Punk Orchestra !!! Yeah!!
Reply to: anon-7374827@craigslist.org
Date: Sat Dec 14 00:06:59 2002O
k. this is to all you newbies that weren't here when the shit was coming down...Way back in the olden days we had a guy name of D. J. Leibowitz and he hung out at the Mab and On Broadway...he took all those great punk tunes and played them on piano. He loved the music, we had a great time listening to him...IT'S CALLED HAVING A SENSE OF HUMOR, PEOPLE !!! If I could read music I'd join the orchestra, my wife can but she doesn't like punk...so there. I miss Dirk.
THE punk rock "orchestra" JOKE Re: Punk
Reply to: see below
Date: Mon Dec 16 17:56:51 2002
Without commenting specifically on this particular ensemble, I must tell you, "K", that in your musical career/life, you will encounter LOTS of people 1) who you don't personally like, 2) whose choice in musical repertoire you don't agree with, and 3) whose musical ability you think sucks. I've been a musician for most of my life, and my best advice is to get over it. Posting some anonymous rant on Craigslist (especially given that everyone in that group probably knows exactly who you are) is both a waste of your time and a weenie thing to do. Besides, where that kind of behavior will get you is never getting to play with anybody because nobody will ask you!
re: The Punk Rock Orchestra Joke
Reply to: anon-7435009@craigslist.org
Date: Tue Dec 17 11:49:53 2002
Sorry I'm so late on this thread but I saw these guys last month in Potero Hill and K is right. They don't do all punk. They do some X and DKs and some other stuff (a rocking version of Suicidal Tendencies "Institutionalized" with 20 people on stage, violins, violas, trombones, flutes etc) but they also do Uncontrollable Urge by Devo. I don't consider early Devo New Wave like this guy apparently does (New wave is flock of Sea Gulls and Frankie Goes to Hollywood and sh*t like that). They're more like post-punk, american underground. That's the closest the orchestra got to playing new wave all night. I wish I could remember what else they played but I just don't.
Also, with 20 members, the band is more of a chamber orchestra than an actual orchestra. But I don't blame the folks in "Punk Rock Orchestra" for not calling themselves the "Punk/Post-Punk/American Underground Chamber Orchestra". It just doesn't have the same ring.
And anyway, who died and made K the band name czar? He doesn't seem upset that the Dead Kennedys don't have any dead members, or that none of them is named Kennedy.
Lighten up, K
P.S. The night I saw this band, there was like 130 people in the room, so I wouldn't call that a failure, especially since they haven't been around for that long, I think.
RE: The Punk Rock Orchestra Joke
Reply to: see below
Date: Wed Dec 18 23:50:47 2002
Wow this thread is getting heated!! I live around the corner from Facility 3, I think the Punk Rock Orchestra has played there at least twice. I have seen 2 shows. the first show had a small crowd but the second show was packed, 140 -150 I would say. Both shows had their flaws but you can tell that the time beween the 2 gigs was used for practice, the 2nd show each group was tighter, and the more these guys play together, the better they will get. I think they are all forced volunteers or jail birds or something like that.
Anyways the reason I posted was because of this "punk rock or not" stuff.. when I got into "PUNK" it included bands like DEVO, X, Talking Heads, Blondie, The Ramones and the Cramps. None of these bands are considered "punk" now. They were all, at the time, bands that broke the mold. Bands that gave the finger to the "stadium rock" bands of the era. When you see a band name like "Punk Rock Orchestra" you dont know what to think, thats why I checked them out. Their name fits them like a glove. There were some punk rock looking people and there were some "orchestra" looking people. They play orchestral versions of Punk Rock tunes.
Obviously K you have some bitter feelings towards them, maybe you werent punk enough for them?? or maybe you have no talent and they kicked you out. I think it is unfair to publicly slam someone because you have personal issues with them. Why dont you let us in on the "WHOLE" story, what would the Punk Rock Orchestra say about you? You are posting anonymously so maybe you dont want us to know??
My advice to you K is to relax. Maybe you should rent "SLC punk" then you'll realize that we are all posuers anyways!
Klaus S. Ualk
the Donald Duck Orchestra
Reply to: anon-7474488@craigslist.org
Date: Thu Dec 19 11:36:49 2002
I would like to thank those, who wasted their time writing (in most cases) pathetic replies to my Donald Duck Orchestra posting from last week. Thank you for giving me a short tutorial about what punk is and how good of a musician I must be. It appears that Miss Cleo and Deborah Harris have read my anonymous posting. Nobody somehow mentioned why the "orchestra" is one of the last places where Jello Biafra would sing as a guest? Also why won't anybody post the whole song list for everyone else to see? I won't argue about the importance of the 70's scene at CBGB's, the Roxy in London and even the Mab here, but Talking Heads, Blondie are classic POP bands, even though they started out in the punk scene. So did Adam Ant. Why not cover his songs? I'm sorry but they did not "break the mold" as someone stated. Bands like MC5, Stooges and NY Dolls did that for them. They were just followers for a short time, but that's off topic. Relax people and face the fact that the "orchestra" is just lame and that there's nothing more to be said :-)
Yawn,
K
re: The Donald Duck Orchestra
Reply to: anon-7499730@craigslist.org
Date: Fri Dec 20 18:06:41 2002
Dear K, Thanks for the suggestion of the name "Donald Duck Orchestra." We are seriously considering it, however we our worried that it may invoke lawsuits from our corporate bed buddies at Disney, so we may not be able to use it. But we really will take it if we can because we owe you such a debt of gratitude. Because of you, we now have a regular rehearsal schedule with a calendar posted on our website. We also understudy every ensemble player, in case of emergency, and so that no individual can jeopardize the show or the project in the way you did. We make the schedule clear to all potential members at the outset, so we don't get any flakes any more. We get good, solid, committed musicians.
For those of you still tuned in to this thread, you may decide for yourself is K is truly "punker than thou". You can visit the Punk Rock Orchestra website at http://www.punkrockorchestra.com. A bunch of our MP3s are posted there. Or you can come to our next string ensemble gig on Saturday, Jan 11 at the Voodoo Lounge ($6). Personally, I don't care who thinks we're punk, even Jello Biafra. Labels are the tool of the record industry, used to manipulate the unthinking into buying records. Only people who are easily manipulated by marketing geniuses believe in fundamentally pure genre.
John Gluck (I'm proud of my name)
Punk Rock Orchestra
P.S. If you have a better attitude than K and are classically-trained musician, please audition. See the URL above.
re: Hey "K" and the Donald Duck Orchestra
Reply to: norecords@hotmail.com
Date: Fri Dec 20 18:23:10 2002
... and what is your point about the orchestra? It's not "punk"? And you were at the DK reunion? Huh? What do you do for the local punk scene? What does any of that matter...? Punk means a lot to you, and you think they're making a joke of it? Because they cover Devo or X or the Sex Pistols or the Misfits or whatever...? Huh? I could see it if they covered Discharge or Anti-Cimex or any of the countless GREAT punk rock/hardcore bands that have existed, but instead you're put off because they cover boring old K-Tel punk/wave...? Oh for fuck's sake.
paul
in the wake of the plague
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