At Starbucks the young woman behind the counter said,
“I like your shirt!”
“You like G.B.H.?”
She gave me an intense look of inwardness.
“Yes…like Minor Threat and…China White!”
“Yup!”
“No one listens to Punk anymore.”
“Only the old punk folk!”
I was referring to myself. She gave me a sheepish smile while giving me a receipt for two Grande Café Lattes.
It was the first time we were in this Starbucks. Walking the streets here in the evening is pleasant. Noticing the many closed storefront businesses along Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena made us wonder. Our conclusion was that the businesses that offered a service survived. This is where the people mingled. As colorful clusters around most coffee shops here. Foundations of parking lots, businesses and apartments went up above this! This gave me a dreamy concern. I imagined living this way.
“John, After the kids grow up and are on their way, maybe we can get an apartment and live this way?”
“It might not be so bad.”
“I wonder if they allow cats?”
It was because of a longtime friend that we were out here, a few miles from out hometown. The Laemmle Theater a couple blocks from our home closed down about three years earlier. Once down the street from us now Pasadena was the nearest one.
My punk rock heart asked me,
“Do you really want to see another film about punk rock, I mean didn’t you experience the real deal already!?”
“I don’t know? A friend told me that the film has “girl energy,” it seems like I could use some of that!”
Researching the film I was pulled to it more and more. I decided to get a ticket online and drive out to see it alone. Husband jumped aboard and said,
“We can visit the Yard House or Lucky Baldwins after the show!”
This we did later.
We Are The Best does have “girl energy,” it has something more that touched me deeply too. Something, that I must say, defines the punk rock experience for me! It always has and it always will.
Since its creation and migration around the world. punk rock , has been raped-skated-and-donated!! What this film brings forth in a true way is the experience of punk rock. The film puts you in the world of three 7th graders. Three thirteen year old girls that don’t fit in! So they reach out to music, each other and to other punks.
Having guys call you ugly and being ignored by popular culture are two real initiations into the punk rock girl experience.
It is all about rebellion, ideologies, music and fun! The film is sweet, innocent and honest! Defining that having a band and friendship is more important then the guys you’re sleeping with.
I enjoy the freedom the girls have to get around on subways. The film is based in Stockholm Sweden during the 1980s.
After the film and a nice long walk I found myself perching at the Yard House with a dark beer before my gaze. The monitors were all about Hockey. I am naturally repelled by organized sports as well as the commercials. The ones before the film were awful too…Porsche to Lexus commercials. Madmen designed to get that needed uplift. Why did we pay money to watch commercials as well?
Anyway, I thought upon Bobo, Klara and Hedvig and how the punk culture was portrayed in the film compared to my real experiences. As I sipped my beer I made my usual under the breath insult about the Kings game. With wide eyes and mouth grinning,,
“Hate the Sport!!”
Adding another rebellious beat to this old folk punk heart of mine.
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http://www.laemmle.com/theaters/6
http://www.yardhouse.com/CA/pasadena-restaurant/
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