News story from 1985 about punk scene in Boise

Save vs. Death found this great three-part news story about Boise's punk scene in 1985. Punk in Boise, Idaho (1985)

[#1 posted by zuzu , December 11, 2008 10:04 AM]

SLC Punk (Salt Lake City)

[#2 posted by violet222 , December 11, 2008 10:27 AM]

Yah, folks in Boise have been laughing about these (and pointing out friends in them) for a while. Living in Boise, the most depressing thing about these videos is how they show how badly our TV news has deteriorated compared even to the 1980's. While this isn't award-winning journalism, at least it takes some time to explore the scene. If this were produced by the same channel today, it would be 2 minutes total and show how punks just really want to eat your babies.

[#3 posted by five , December 11, 2008 10:36 AM]

wait, so you're saying it takes about ten years for cultural phenomena to hit boise?

i don't buy it for a second.

[#4 posted by noen , December 11, 2008 10:37 AM]

How punk are you really if you meet in an American Legion hall?

[#5 posted by grimshaw , December 11, 2008 10:40 AM]

The 30 seconds of SNFU's "I'm Really Scared" during the radio show bit in the first segment brought back vivid memories!!

[#6 posted by Anonymous , December 11, 2008 10:45 AM]

Ha, love that it ends with the anchor saying, "Looks like fun."

[#7 posted by Marcelo , December 11, 2008 10:49 AM]

SLC Punk was the first thing I thought of. It even takes place in 1985. Great movie. Fun reporting too.

[#8 posted by Cubsicle , December 11, 2008 10:51 AM]

I immediately thought of SLC Punk as well. You're right, great movie.

[#9 posted by Shawn Wolfe , December 11, 2008 10:52 AM]

Here's a similar segment from the local news in Columbus, OH from the same year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaOlNfC8_xQ

[#10 posted by jahknow , December 11, 2008 11:10 AM]

harDCore

[#11 posted by awd , December 11, 2008 11:10 AM]

Punk scene in Boise, meet the ukelele steampunk scene of Arvada, Colorado. Big show this friday night with art of shitty kitten. dnote.us, myspace.com/theinactivists.

[#12 posted by hillx075 , December 11, 2008 11:18 AM]

@ Noen

I think that you would be surprised. Ever seen Fugazi in a school gymnasium? The Stooges have played their fair share of legion halls, as have just about any 80's DIY touring punk acts.

[#13 posted by Cinnamonbite , December 11, 2008 11:32 AM]

WTF?!?!?!?!
Hey, I was trapped in Rexburg in 1984-1985 and I WAS the punk scene. All of it. Who the hell are THOSE posers? I never saw them when I went to Boise to escape the tedium

[#14 posted by Peaceflag2007 , December 11, 2008 11:33 AM]

what a great historical document!

I find they all look completely, completely, ridiculous and that goes double for the radio host!

[#15 posted by Cubsicle , December 11, 2008 11:38 AM]

American Legion halls are actually the perfect size and type of location for punk shows in my experiences.

[#16 posted by chronophobe , December 11, 2008 11:52 AM]

RE: #4 posted by noen , December 11, 2008 10:37 AM
How punk are you really if you meet in an American Legion hall?

Are you joking? The whole DIY punk scene has relied strongly upon places like Elks Lodges, VFWs, American Legions, community centers and churches - anywhere that would rent a space for cheap. This is especially true in cities and towns with no clubs or bars that would have punk bands play. DIY means not having to answer to any jerky club owners. Even more DIY: people have and do hold shows in their houses/basements.

PS: Converge, arguably one of the country's most revered metalcore bands, still plays churches and rented halls.

[#17 posted by mcgringostarr , December 11, 2008 11:53 AM]

"How punk are you really if you meet in an American Legion hall?"

I felt pretty punk having driven all the way from Jersey to play in that Boise one.

[#18 posted by i_r_beej , December 11, 2008 11:54 AM]

punx not dead.

[#19 posted by grimshaw , December 11, 2008 12:22 PM]

@ NOEN - the American Legion thing, halls are also sometimes the only option for all ages shows.

@ Peaceflag2007 - I bet some of those kids you think look ridiculous took a few punches from the straight world for daring to act differently, even as late as '85.

[#20 posted by nigelfootpowder , December 11, 2008 12:37 PM]

"It's called a 'gig'"

thanks newsguy for hipping us to this crazy new lingo!

Although, it's pretty amazing to me that the local news concluded the report with the anchor saying "Sounds like fun!" instead of this being "Punk- the exotic disease infecting our youth."

[#21 posted by philipb , December 11, 2008 12:46 PM]

It's really easy to pick this apart but actually it's not a bad piece of news coverage. The reporters have an open mind to the topic and at the close one mentions that it "looks like fun" to which the other agrees.

As violet222 rightly states, today it would be a 2 minute fear-mongering piece on the degradation of society complete with the obligatory hand wringing pop-psychologist interview.

[#22 posted by hassan-i-sabbah , December 11, 2008 1:05 PM]

Goddamn punks!Grrr!

[#23 posted by violet222 , December 11, 2008 1:16 PM]

In 1980's NH the best punk shows were at the VFW hall.

[#24 posted by Nephilim , December 11, 2008 1:52 PM]

Oh man, this brings back memories. Makes me want to dig out my old Angry Samoans, The Adolescents, and Fear albums.

[#25 posted by zour , December 11, 2008 2:15 PM]

Compare this to the fearmongering about punk culture in most media at the time (see the Quincy episode http://www.boingboing.net/2008/09/19/quincy-punk-episode.html ) or any number of movies where all street gangs are mohawked punks (see 1990's Punk Vacation: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0376098/ ).

It is surprisingly a balanced take. Plus, Boise was home to Septic Death and Pushead - any place to spawn that kind of shit must have something interesting going on.

[#26 posted by noen , December 11, 2008 2:23 PM]

chromophobe et al.
"Are you joking?"

Yes, I was joking. The irony is funny.

[#27 posted by Blondy , December 11, 2008 2:32 PM]

Zour, your karma points are through the roof for mentioning Pushead and Septic Death! I wish you were the news reporter.

[#28 posted by prodpoke , December 11, 2008 4:23 PM]

someone living in idaho in 1985 without internet knew about alien sex fiend? GASP

[#29 posted by lightrocker , December 11, 2008 4:35 PM]

Nazi Spud Punks Fuck Off!!!

[#30 posted by ryansara , December 11, 2008 4:57 PM]

It looks like the reporter now works for CNBC:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15838105/

Wonder if he remembers doing those stories and would want to comment?

[#31 posted by JohnOboise , December 11, 2008 8:18 PM]

WTF?!?!?!?!
Hey, I was trapped in Rexburg in 1984-1985 and I WAS the punk scene. All of it. Who the hell are THOSE posers? I never saw them when I went to Boise to escape the tedium

You went to Boise to escape the tedium?

I find they all look completely, completely, ridiculous and that goes double for the radio host!

Funny, that is exactly what that host said when this thing surfaced, to his horror. And his teenage son said something similar when the video swept through Boise High a few weeks ago.

[#32 posted by snazzzybird , December 11, 2008 8:51 PM]

They all look so clean.

[#33 posted by chefjeff9 , December 11, 2008 10:43 PM]

WTF?!?!?!?!
Hey, I was trapped in Rexburg in 1984-1985 and I WAS the punk scene. All of it. Who the hell are THOSE posers? I never saw them when I went to Boise to escape the tedium

"Cinnamon bite I WAS ONE of THOSE POSERS From the Boise news feature in 1985 you tool." I feel sorry you were stuck in Rexburg, No doubt the spawn of a Morman or enrolled in what was then Ricks College.
I assure you the Boise scene was alive and well and we had a lot of shows -7 seconds, Beyond Posession, Slayer, Dead Kennedy's, NOFX, to name a few as well as our local bands, SOC, Septic Death, LD50, House of Dolls, Tree People, Grind, Pugs (Mikey RIP), Haggis, and many others. You only needed to take the time to look.
your loss my friend ad of course not ours.

[#34 posted by ridl , December 12, 2008 12:34 AM]

I really, really like that there was a band named Haggis.

[#35 posted by Takuan , December 12, 2008 12:45 AM]

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=K5X4kLpNJzU&feature=related

[#36 posted by chefjeff9 , December 12, 2008 1:49 AM]

still IS a band named Haggis! :-)

[#37 posted by grimshaw , December 12, 2008 6:30 AM]

@ CHEFJEFF9 - Beyond Posession!! Right on - did Stretch Marks or Personality Crisis ever come through? If anyone is interested in reading some well written autobiographical and biographical works on the the early Canadian punk and HC scenes you should check out Chris Walter's books: http://www.punkbooks.com/

[#38 posted by Anonymous , December 12, 2008 7:50 AM]

wow .... that kid is wearing a Psychic TV UNCLEAN T-Shirt (in 1985). very very nice. Ive only ever seen one other UNCLEAN shirt and that was mine (in 1988).

[#39 posted by Anonymous , December 12, 2008 10:47 AM]

Stretch Marks came through with Youth Brigade. Look here. (http://www.markhanford.com/gallery/v/flyers/moreflyers_0075.jpg.html)

[#40 posted by grimshaw , December 12, 2008 12:35 PM]

@39 ANON - Thanks for posting the flyer collection link! I see SNFU came through as well! The DRI, Poison Idea, Septic Death show must have been mental.

[#41 posted by Glossolalia Black , December 13, 2008 6:27 PM]

I was 13 in 1985, with the fortune of living in DC at the time, but also being too young to go to some of the really good shows.

White eighties kids make me giggle.