Razorcake Podcast #536 with Martin Wong of Save Music In Chinatown

Who knew that the Save Music In Chinatown all-ages benefit matinee fund raisers for the music program at Castelar Elementary would last longer than the actual punk rock shows at the neighborhood’s old Hong Kong Cafe? First-wave punk bands like Black Flag, Germs, Go-Go’s, Dils, X, and Bags played in Chinatown from 1979-1981, and now survivors of the scene and their musical progeny are back with little kids dancing in front and cookies and coffee at the bake sale. Looking ahead to the fourteenth show in the project’s fifth year, we talk to the its main toiler Martin Wong (ex-Giant Robot magazine) about the cause and play music from the upcoming show (Hurry Up, The Unhushables) as well as bands who have played in previous lineups (Alice Bag, The Crowd, Ford Madox Ford). Take a listen!

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Tracklisting:

Bangs, “I Want More” (Call and Response10”, Punk In My Vitamins)

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The Thermals, “No Culture Icons” (No Culture Icons 7”, Sub Pop)

Hurry Up, “Wasted” (Self-titled LP, Army Of Bad Luck)

Cringer, “Step Back” (Karin 7”, Lookout)

J Church, “Sound of Mariachi Bands” (Camels, Spilled Coronas, and the Sound of Mariachi Bands LP, Broken Rekids)

Big Drill Car, “Take Away” (Batch LP, Cruz)

MIA, “Edge of Forever” (After the Fact LP, Flipside)

– – –

The Unhushables, “Finally Surrender” (One in a Million, Self-released)

Supernova, “Chewbacca” (Calling Hong Kong 7”, Goldenrod)

The Crowd, “Here Comes the Fall” (Surf Ghetto Riot LP, Hostage)

Alice Bag, “Turn It Up” (Blueprint LP, Don Giovanni)

Ford Madox Ford, “Let’s Work Together” (This American Blues LP, Porterhouse)

– – –

Adolescents, “American Dogs in Europe” (Manifest Density LP, Out Of Vogue / Concrete Jungle)