Punk rock is loud.
Punk rock is rude. Punk rock is in your face. It makes no apologies. There’s not a chance it will invite you in for a cup of tea and a cucumber sandwich. Not a chance. And that’s the point. It’s not polite; it’s been upsetting people for years. And punk rock music’s in a neighbourhood near you.
I’m Stewart Pedley and I’m the singer and guitarist for Whitianga punk rock band Corrosive Moses.
Listen: punk rock agitates, but it always has something to say. Ever since it cursed and spat its way into the beige and regimented mindset of the mid-70s, it’s been loud in calling out the bullshit and challenging the rules. Bands like Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, and The Clash in the UK, and Ramones, Television, and Richard Hell and the Voidoids in the US, were, respectively, fearless in their rejection of establishment, corporate mainstream, and authority. They became an indignant reaction to dire social conditions. Not everyone had a slice of the pie, so backs were turned and flags were raised. Things were done their way.
And punk rock’s not gone away since. As the adage goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Fugazi, Rancid, Bad Religion, and a fistful of others kept the torches burning through the 90s. And now, in this time of widening divide, as Governments, news outlets, and social media pump dissonance, confusion, and divisiveness – as the rich get richer and the poor – well, the poor get ignored – and the disadvantaged are not seen or heard – it’s no surprise that punk rock is there, making a racket and raising a voice. You can cover the cracks with concrete but the weeds keep coming through.
There is a groundswell of punk subculture nationally and internationally. British band IDLES and Aussie punkers Amyl and the Sniffers both performed sold out NZ shows this year. Punk doesn’t necessarily look like the mohawks and safety-pins of the 70s – that got ruined by cliché. But the attitude is the same: do it yourself, on your own terms; make some noise; do it with meaning!
Corrosive Moses – Gabe Johnston on bass, Leo Magri on drums, and I – came together just before lockdown 2020. Immediately we found our sound: high energy songs; songs that made you feel; songs that made you think. And the songs came quickly. With tunes in hand, we set out organising gigs in bars and basements, back-alleys and barns. We would play places that suited our attitude and approach. We leapt at the chance to be a part of the Whitianga Skatepark opening – punk rock goes hand-in-hand with skate culture (several years later, the plight of the much-delayed Tairua Skatepark build, following 30 years of opposition from a vocal, personally invested and, notably, well-off minority, inspired Corrosive Moses crowd favourite, ‘Let The Kids Skate’). We had something to say. And it was unifying to see people excited by our music as we said it. Word spreads. Since then, we’ve opened the main stage at Wellington’s seminal Newtown Festival and, at the end of last year, for international headliners Sublime with Rome at their sold-out Coroglen show. But we have our sights set on bigger things; we’re taking this on the road.
Coinciding with that is the release of our full-length album, produced, recorded and mixed by local legend and award-winning producer Dave Rhodes. It’s an energised album, packed with tight, concise songs that get to the point: the intentional dividing of societies by governments (‘One Fine Day’ and ‘The Ignorant Will Talk The Most’); people’s seemingly increasing inability to tolerate those with differing viewpoints (‘Ship Out At Sea’); intergenerational violence (‘Big, Big Man’: “You’re just like your father now, / A big fish in a little pond. / Who are your sons gonna learn it from?”); and economic disparity (‘Limboland’: “Frustration kicks in a town like this; / The poor stay poor and the rich get rich. / The factory fence is tagged with ‘Fuck The Man!’”). The subjects may be weighty, and the music may be fast, with a ton of attitude, but the songs are exhilarating. We defy you not to be moving and singing to them in the end.
To celebrate the release of our first single and video, “Buttercup”, filmed by friend and director Fauze Hassen, we are throwing an all-ages event at the Whitianga Town Hall on July 19th. Our band will be supported by DJ SunRay, with live music from Smokefree Rockquest semi-finalists TheBand.com and Hauraki’s finest ‘shed punk band’, Commodore 65. Food and bar will be available. Tickets can be purchased from Hula cafe, iSite (in person or by phone – 07 866 5555), and (subject to availability) at the door on the night. Adults $20; under 16s, $10. Get in quick!
What’s with all the noise? Find out for yourself. Here comes Corrosive Moses!
Brought to you by Coromind and Hula Café, with support from Coast2Coast Building Services, Liquorland Whitianga, and iSite Whitianga.
Words by Stewart Pedley
Photos – Chani Achille / Credits: Seth Media
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