“I just assumed there were no gay people in punk, which is such a lie and an erasure of queer punk history.” –Allan, Grudgepacker

Cover by Eric Baskauskas
Cover photo by Albert Licano

Grudgepacker interview by Sean Arenas and Josie Wreck

Grudgepacker began in 2016 as an online handle for singer Allan before evolving into a full-fledged band by 2019. Originally formed in response to the lack of queer visibility in hardcore, the band has since grown into something far more personal for each of its members.

I only recently discovered Grudgepacker, and when I did, I was gobsmacked. Their sound and stage presence transported me back to being sixteen—a young punk searching for music that both ignited my anger and challenged my thinking. They embody everything I love about hardcore: raw, confident, and ferociously unapologetic.

Yet at their core, Grudgepacker is about more than just music—they’re about creating space. They’re part of a long history within punk, where marginalized voices no longer wait for permission to be heard. They instead take center stage and command attention. But what sets them apart is their refusal to be pigeonholed. Their latest EP moves beyond the anthemic urgency of songs like “We Like Boys” and “The Fear,” delving into more introspective territory with “Animal” and “Uninspired.” This shift proves that hardcore can be a vehicle for both political and personal catharsis.

Whether performing for queer audiences or confronting straight hardcore fans head-on, Grudgepacker is a force to be reckoned with. With each set, they channel their rage into something lasting, something meaningful.

Life Abuse interview by Devon Cahill and Matt Average

Years ago, there was this band out of Albany, N.Y. called Deathsquad that featured members from Devoid Of Faith, John Browns Army, and Hail Mary. They released a demo and a 7” EP and then stopped. They went their separate ways and became involved with other bands like Limp Wrist, Male Patterns, Das Oath, Under Attack, and Libyans. After that wave of bands wound down, Mark Telfian reached out to Dan Barker with the idea of reigniting Deathsquad—or something similar—and Life Abuse was the result.

Life Abuse dishes out crushing hardcore punk that steers clear of current trends and stands firmly on its own. Their sound is dark, dense, and layered. Words are bleak, direct, and laced with a bit of hope. These times we’re living in are incredibly dark, and it’s tough as hell to not want to throw in the towel and give up, or just check out for good. But that’s exactly what the powers that be are banking on. If you’re to learn only one thing from punk, let it be the refusal to let the bastards win, no matter how hard the fight. These sorry motherfuckers in government do not deserve your acquiescence. This music is a soundtrack and motivation to get in the fight and stay in the fight. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and it’s for life. Pick a side.

Big Clown interview by Billups Allen

Big Clown Cares… But Not About You
Memphis, Tenn. is a liberal city in a Bible Belt state. Memphis is home to many underdog musical legacies, including Stax Records, Furry Lewis, Big Star, W.C. Handy, Three 6 Mafia, Young Dolph, and Memphis Minnie, among others. Tourists come to Memphis to pay homage to its rich music history. Beneath the museums and blues trails lurks a small punk scene composed of a network of musicians and artists interested in angular and experimental punk. Among these Memphis scrappers sit Big Clown: a furious four-piece group where strong personalities orbit in astounding harmony and cooperation. Members of Big Clown stay busy in other bands, documenting shows as avid video hobbyists, booking bands in the under-toured Deep South, collecting eclectic music equipment, and making zines. One thing most people agree on is that, as a group, they champion other bands and arts and punk communities littering Route 55 from Memphis to New Orleans. With that in mind, it’s difficult to get them all in one place and focused. 

I caught up with them in their rehearsal studio recording tracks for a new album. The studio is shared by several bands and a recording engineer. As practice spaces go, it’s pretty clean. It’s outfitted with nice analog recording equipment. The only album on the wall is an autographed copy of Alice Cooper’s 1989 album Trash. Just to be sure, I confirmed Trash wasn’t recorded there. There’s no bathroom. The room reeks of weed, although I don’t think they’re smoking it. They inform me of the morning’s coffee and donut binge. While we’re getting settled, they continue actively messing with recording ideas. I try to keep them from telling all their stories before the interview starts. At some point, it behooves me to just dive in and turn on the recorder.

Queer Zine Archive Project by Liz Mason

Chris Wilde and Milo Miller founded the Queer Zine Archive Project (QZAP) in 2003. Their project is both a physical collection of queer zines and also an online collection at QZAP.org. I’ve known both of them for years. They’ve stayed with me during Chicago Zine Fest, and I’ve visited their archive in Milwaukee, where a few years ago I helped Milo collate, fold, and staple a reprint of their zine Queer Space Communism: An Illustrated Manifesto. Seeing the physical archive is a treat. Items are stored in flat file drawers, pull out files, and magazine racks. Visitors are encouraged to poke through the drawers and take things out to read them. The DIY nature of zine culture is reflected back in the way zines are housed in the QZAP collection. No gloves are necessary to look at the items, and they’re constantly running out of room for their thousands of periodicals.
I’ve also rung up zines Milo and Chris have consigned at Quimby’s for customers buying them, and I’ve tabled at many of the same zine fests as QZAP in the Midwest, because I’m only an hour away in Chicago. Zines like Chris’s 5th Grade Atelier and Milo’s Rumpy-Pumpy are hilarious and fun, and I occasionally revisit those titles in my home zine collection.

I interviewed both Chris and Milo on Inauguration Day, and suitably, when I confirmed what pronouns I should use, Milo sarcastically quipped, “My pronouns are they/them. Although it’s probably not relevant anymore because as of noon today, there are only two genders,” to which Chris (he/him) joked, “Intersex people, you’re on your own.” The way they riff on each other does not surprise me. They have known each other for two and half decades.

One Punk’s Guide to Exploring Punk’s Relationship with Alcohol by Adam Moore

The author reflects on his journey with alcohol, growing up in the U.K. DIY punk scene. He explores how deeply embedded drinking culture is in society, highlighting how the punk scene can lead to both self-destruction and inspiration. Drawing from his experience with moderating alcohol intake, Adam offers practical advice for those aiming to reduce their drinking.

“I just want us to think about the beautiful inefficiency of all the amazing things we can accomplish when we try to do things well instead of being efficient.” –Sean Carswell (instagram)

“‘Lunatic Fringe’ is about anti-Semitism. The words ‘lunatic fringe’ mean exactly what you think they do: the lunatic fringe of the far-right, the extremists with the most vile ideology imaginable, the people who warp history and twist facts to suit their perverted worldview.” –Jim Ruland (instagram)

“Sometimes I think the shittier your parents are, the better friends you have, because you need that family system. People need people.” –Lorde Destroyer

“The theft of corporate intellectual property will always have a home in punk rock!”–Rev. Nørb (instagram)

A Day with Joey Ramone. “even our heroes do average human stuff.” –Yvonne Drazan

Clown shortage.  –Art Fuentes (instagram)

“I’ve taken the world’s stupidest joke immensely further than it was ever intended to go.” –Rhythm Chicken (instagram)

“The trans community right now is not okay. This is a tense moment in history.” –Willow Kenneth

And photos from the lovely and talented:

Chris Boarts Larson

Mari Tamura

Albert Licano

This issue is dedicated to the memories of Alex Petralia, Al Barile, Brian James, and David Johansen.

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