As 2023 wound down, my wife and I found ourselves enjoying New Year’s Eve festivities at the home of some good friends of ours. As the time inched ever closer to midnight, we all moved into their living room and turned on the television so that we could watch the mythical ball drop in Times Square in New York City. In order to do that, we ended up watching a show that has been on the air for a long time, called Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. The show broadcasts from Times Square and was hosted for many years by Dick Clark, the man who brought us American Bandstand. Unfortunately, Mr. Clark passed away a few years ago. Since then the New Year’s Eve show has been hosted by Ryan Seacrest. As our hosts turned on their TV that night, the image we were greeted with was a live performance by the band Green Day. They were playing their new single “Dilemma”. While “Dilemma” is a standard rock song that has a good beat and is easy to dance to, it is actually a serious song about addiction and recovery. Green Day have often used the standard rock song format to disguise social messages. This tendency has often led critics to charge Green Day with straying from their punk rock roots and selling out to corporate interests in pursuit of record sales.
So there I was on New Year’s Eve watching a slickly produced television show that featured a band singing about addiction while surrounded by shiny, beautiful partiers all fist pumping and jumping around, completely oblivious to the meaning of the song. It was a spectacle that was anathema to what punk rock has always meant to me and those of us who follow the genre. Green Day’s performance lacked passion. For a song about addiction and recovery, their performance was devoid of emotion. Even the band members looked bemused and somewhat bored. One thing that remains true about good punk music is that the emotion and intensity and the connection with the audience are all very real. The Green Day portion of the show was pre-packaged for easy consumer consumption. On New Year’s Eve you are not supposed to think weighty thoughts. You are just supposed to party. But Punk is Punk. You never have to fake it when what you are bringing to an audience is real. If you want to see the difference between a real punk rock band and the drivel that was peddled by Green Day on New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, allow me to introduce you to one of the most intensely emotional bands in music history, At the Drive-In. After watching this band’s blistering sets, you will never accept Green Day-esque music as being punk ever again. At the Drive-In is as real as punk music gets. Buckle up!
At the Drive-In formed in El Paso, Texas in 1994. The band was created by guitarist Jim Ward and singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala. The classic At the Drive-In lineup was filled out with guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, bassist Paul Hinojos and drummer Tony Hajjar. Right from the very beginning, when At the Drive-In were playing shows in the basements of their friend’s homes or in tiny community halls or school auditoriums, they were known for the literate nature of their lyrics but even more for the absolute needle-in-the-red intensity of their live shows. At the Drive-In brought it every single night, no matter the venue, no matter the size of the audience. As it turned out, At the Drive-In was really two bands in one. Ward, Hinojos and Hajjar were sonically loud, faithful adherents to punk rock’s more hardcore roots, while singer Bixler-Zavala and guitarist Rodriguez-Lopez (both with huge heads of hair) were visually-striking performance artists whose musical inspirations included Psychedelic bands such as early Pink Floyd. Bixler-Zavala and Rodriguez-Lopez barely ever stood still while on stage. They jumped, ran around, screamed, stage dove, you name it, all the while singing songs that became increasingly literate and substantive as their career evolved. Ward, Hinojos and Hajjer tended to remain stock still, thus anchoring the stage, while Bixler-Zavala and Rodriguez-Lopez ripped it up. One of the things that helped At the Drive-In gain recognition was that they toured relentlessly. Word-of-mouth reviews spread quickly across Texas (where they toured first), and then across America (where they toured next). It was during one such pit stop along the highway that the band played for an audience of nine. That show would end up being a turning point in their career. Among those nine people watching the show were members of a record company who had heard about the legendary nature of the At the Drive-In shows and came to see it for themselves. Even though the audience was small, the band ripped into their catalogue of songs and put on a killer show. They were offered a contract on the spot. Three albums later, the band released one of the most lauded and respected punk rock albums of all time, Relationship of Command.
Relationship of Command contained many songs that highlighted the growth and maturity of the band’s songwriting and musicianship. The song “One-Armed Scissor” proved to be the most impactful tune on the album. “One-Armed Scissor” is written in a Jack Kerouac stream-of-consciousness style and speaks to the emotions felt by the band as they gained popularity, thus forcing themselves to become more vulnerable in front of larger and larger numbers of people. It isn’t easy to put yourself out there, but as the song lyrics state, “Is this the comfort of being afraid?” and “I’m a million miles away, will you get this letter? I write to remember”. “One-Armed Scissor” became one of the first punk songs of the 1990s to crack the rock charts. It also led to the band being booked on late night talk shows such as Late Night with Conan O’ Brien and The Late Show with David Letterman. And that is where the trouble began for the band.
At the Drive-In cut their musical teeth playing small venues, at times and in ways that worked for them. They had no external pressure placed on their shoulders. They were undiscovered darlings who were putting their all into every show. Then came fame and recognition and expectations from fans, promoters and from record companies. After years of non-stop touring, the business of being in At the Drive-In became too much for everyone and the joy ebbed away. When that happened, the two distinct groups that had always existed within the band started drifting away from each other even while on tour. The band fractured, and dissolution became its fate. After famously walking off stage after just three songs during a music festival in Australia, it was announced that At the Drive-In was going on hiatus. That hiatus turned out to be more permanent than the temporary recharge that was first hinted at. Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez left together and formed a new band called The Mars Volta (the name of which is based on Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini’s penchant for referring to changes in scene as a “volta”). Jim Ward, Paul Hinojos and Tony Hajjar formed a more standard punk rock band called Sparta. Over time, there have been attempts at reunions, but nothing permanent has come from it. Also, several of the members of each band have worked on each other’s songs. But the manic intensity of At the Drive-In fizzled away for good, leaving only silence in its wake and a musical void that has proved difficult to fill.
This brings us to the bigger question posed by this post: what makes a song a true punk song? As I have maintained throughout this series, punk rock has always been more than just the lyrics sung and the notes played. Being a true punk rocker is as much an attitude and a lifestyle, as it is anything to do with record sales or a band’s music catalogue. So while a band like Green Day has racked up millions of record sales around the world during the course of their career, is their New Year’s Eve performance still what stands as being punk? I say no. A great big resounding NO!!! But you don’t have to take my word for it. Here’s what we’re going to do. Firstly, I am going to ask you to watch Green Day’s performance of their song “Dilemma” from the New Year’s Rockin’ Eve TV show. Pay attention to the on-stage presence of the band members, their level of emotion, their interest in the audience and so on. As well, watch how the audience interacts with the song as it goes on. Are they connecting to the lyrics, or are they just mindlessly bopping to the beat? For me, there is a phoniness about this whole performance. But you may like it. We’ll see. Please check it out first so that you have a basis for comparison when it comes to At the Drive-In.
Next, I have three different videos for the song “One-Armed Scissor” by At the Drive-In. I think it is important to watch them all and to watch them in the order that I list them. First of all, I have a fan-created lyric video. I want you to watch this one first because it will give you a sense of the lyrical content of the song. To be honest, there is so much happening on stage during this song that it is easy to misunderstand the song lyrics. Furthermore, the lyrics to this song are more descriptive and poetic than they are linear. Don’t be put off by that. “One-Armed Scissor” is about feeling alienated from reality. It is about struggling to stay grounded as fame beckons and privacy and control begin to slip away. Watching the lyric video first will give you a better sense of what the song means. Personally, this is one of the best lyric videos I have ever seen, It is very well put together.
The next two videos for “One-Armed Scissor” are live performances. You simply have to watch these performances to even begin to comprehend the unbelievable ferocity that At the Drive-In brought to the stage each night. The first video is from their debut on The Late Show with David Letterman. I doubt his audience had any idea what they were in for when At the Drive-In launched into “One-Armed Scissor” on stage at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City. Compare this performance with what you saw Green Day do on New Year’s Eve. In my mind there is no comparison at all. One performance is by a pure punk band and the other is by a band that has lost its way. It is not an exaggeration to say that when the album Relationship of Command came out and “One-Armed Scissor” was released, that the buzz surrounding the band as being the next big thing in rock music was similar to when Bruce Springsteen was being dubbed as the future of rock as well in the 1970s. The hype was very real.
The final video of At the Drive-In performing “One-Armed Scissor” comes from a live show in the band’s home city of El Paso, Texas. As an introduction to the song, Bixler-Zavala recounts the journey that the band had taken to get to the point when they were breaking out around the world. He tells the audience about how it all started in El Paso and how grateful the band was for their support. Then they start “One-Armed Scissor”. The point of me showing you this is to illustrate how true punk bands connect with their audiences. Unlike Green Day and the New Year’s Eve audience, this El Paso crowd welcomes At the Drive-In warmly and sings along with every lyric of this song. The strength of the relationship between audience and band should be obvious. The passion is evident on both ends of the relationship. This audience understands what “One-Armed Scissor” means and wraps the band in the warmth of their embrace…which is the appropriate response to a song about the fear of losing the ability to stay grounded in the face of newfound fame.
As I end this post, I want to stress that I actually like some of Green Day’s music. I like a good rock song as much as anyone else does. But I think the days of people referring to Green Day as a punk band have been over for a good while. When I think of real punk rock, I am thinking of the almost absurd energy unleashed by a band like At the Drive-In. I am sorry that they broke up as quickly as they did, but I would rather that than to have them morph into bloated carcasses of bands who have sold out and lost their way. At the end of the day, one of my mottos in life is that you never have to fake it when it is real. I believe that about love, about my friendships, and I believe it about my music. Whenever I need a reminder of what it is that I like about music, I watch one, two or all three of these videos for “One-Armed Scissor” by At the Drive-In, and I leave the experience spent and fulfilled and grounded.
The link to the video for the song “Dilemma” by Green Day can be found here.
The link to the lyric video for the song “One-Armed Scissor” by At the Drive-In can be found here.
The link to the video for the song “One-Armed Scissor” by At the Drive-In from their appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman can be found here.
The link to the video for the song “One-Armed Scissor” by At the Drive-In from their El Paso homecoming show can be found here.
The link to the official website for Green Day can be found here.
The link to the official website for At the Drive-In can be found here.
***As many of you may know, the title of this series, Who’s Punk?! What’s The Score?! comes from a lyric from a song called “Boxcar” by a great band called Jawbreaker. I would consider it a favour if you took a moment and visited their official website. They are still a vital touring band and have great merch available for purchase. The link to their website can be found here. Thanks.
***As always, all original content contained in this post remains the sole property of the author. No portion of this post shall be reblogged, copied or shared in any manner without the express written consent of the author. ©2024 http://www.tommacinneswriter.com
Well, that was quite a musical ear opener first thing in the morning. I faithfully followed your instructions but, while I admire their energy and enthusiasm, punk rock seems to induce a sort of anxiety in me. I can see your point about Green Day not really being punk when compared to this band. Thanks for introducing a new to me group🎶
Punk rock is not the only type of music I like but I do like it. The energy feels like waves in the ocean to a surfer. By contrast, Keri and I both agreed that we felt the inclusion of Classical 103.1 in the background for our get-together the other day was lovely. I have a wide range of taste. Most of all, skill combined with heart is what I am after, regardless of genre. I just felt that Green Day was mailing it in during the broadcast and the over-the-top response of the audience was unnatural and phoney. On the other hand, At the Drive-In never ever mailed it in. They gave it their all every night. That contrast between mailing it in and giving it your all was what I was going after today. Thanks as always for giving it your all and listening to the music and reading my words, Your presence is greatly appreciated.
I did have a listen to both the One-Armed Scissor and Green Day clips. While I don’t disagree that Green Day’s performance was not necessarily Punk Rock, I don’t think the audience for that New Years would be wanting to see what the One-Armed Scissor performance offered. I guess it’s all about expectation’s, if I tune into a mainstream ‘traditional’ annual program I’m not looking for teenage angst, spitting on stage or ripping off one’s shirt. The genre debate for Green Day as you eluded to is not a new thing, they are of course not the first nor the last to have that argument linger. I think by now fans generally know what they are going to get with Green Day. Artists evolve or they go out of style and/or end for a number of reasons. Green Day will never be that same band they were in 1994 but I’m like you, Green Day makes some great music and one of the most successful bands ever. I might be able to present that same arguments about Elvis. What we saw on the Las Vegas stage was not “The King of Rock and Roll” by any stretch. Always enjoy your writing Tom. One thing for sure you really make me think and that’s never a bad thing.
I guess it is a phoniness thing that bugged me on NYE. “Dilemma” is not a song to party to and yet, there were the happy dancers partying as if it was a happy tune…and there was Green Day providing the soundtrack to it all and not seeming to care that their work was being misinterpreted. That’s why I contrasted it with At the Drive-In. They were never not real. The intensity of that performance may not have been was a NYE show called for but they never mailed it in. I still enjoy my music, my movies, my literature, etc. to be real and original. That interests me. Thus, I find “One-Armed Scissor” in all three videos to be far superior to what I watched on TV with Green Day. Just for context, my favourite concert ever was Iggy Pop and the Stooges in Toronto in the 1990s. I like all types of music but I appreciate effort that comes from the heart. Mailing it in doesn’t work for me at all regardless of who it is. End of rant. Thanks as always for your interest in my musings. Your comments are always appreciated Randy.
I hear you. I though about Iggy when I was writing my response as you may have guessed with the ‘shirt off’ remark. Wow that would have been a show to see!!
I tend to agree with Randy but can also see your point, Tom. It does seem to be a bit odd to feature a band singing about drug addiction and mental illness on what is supposed to me a festive occasion. That said, I do like “Dilemma” and many other songs by Green Day and actually look forward to their new album scheduled for January 19. I agree their music isn’t traditional punk. I would call it pop grunge, pop punk or pop rock.
I also like “One-Armed Scissor” by At the Drive-In, a band who are entirely new to me. I agree their performance looked more engaged than Green Day’s but feel that song would have been even less appropriate to be featured during a New Year’s Eve program.
All I can say is I’m really glad I didn’t watch that TV special with Ryan Seacrest who shall be say isn’t exactly my favorite TV host. Instead, I opted for PBS and their broadcasts of a great concert by The Doobie Brothers from their 50th anniversary tour (reminding me of the show I attended from that tour last July) and a great documentary about The Everly Brothers.
I did watch the ball drop in New York City as well but picked CNN.