Pegboy

I'm not going to post anything else for at least 24 hours, because anything I could want to say about punk and hardcore right now can be summed up in this one post.
The first time I went to the Metro here in Chicago was to see Primus or Scatterbrain or some other bullshit funk-metal/skate rock band. That show meant nothing to me and you can clearly see that because I don't really remember it. The second show I saw at the Metro was Sunday May 26th, 1991. The show was Pegboy, Wreck and Sludgeworth. I can't tell you what Wreck sounded like, because the other two bands completely destroyed them. I specifically remember walking into the Metro wearing an "I Hate Ben Weasel" t-shirt, a pair of green army cargo pants and ten hole steel toe Dr. Martens. My hair was shaved on the sides and had a slant that started at about an inch on top and came down to just below my chin in front. I walked through the doors and was patted down by security, handed another person my ticket and walked up those stairs. This memory was much clearer than the first time I'd been there, because I felt like I was really part of something much more amazing than just another concert. I felt like this was a much bigger deal. It felt much more urgent than the stale metal scene I abandoned a year earlier and it felt like everyone knew each other. What struck me was something I hadn't noticed before, but there was no barricade in front of the stage and the few kids who were milling about were leaning right up against the stage. I had been listening to Pegboy for a few months at that point and knew the entire Strong Reaction LP backwards and forwards and was really anxious to see what they were like live.
I won't get into Sludgworth and how amazing they were, because that's a whole other post (in fact, I've made mention of them in a previous entry), but Pegboy completely blew my mind. They were so fucking intense and the aggression and anger was such a positive energy, but what truly struck me about Pegboy (that didn't really strike me until I saw them live and sang along to the songs) was how smart the lyrics were. Every single word that was sung hit home somehow and completely made sense to me. Everything from Field of Darkness to Superstar, Hardlight to Strong Reaction. Every word tugged at a heart string.
I'm writing this after coming home from seeing Pegboy play the Liars Club, which amounts to what is about the size of someone's basement and to this day, every word feels like it's sung with the same conviction as it was the day it was written. It was a real reminder why I play in punk bands, why I go to punk shows, why I write this stupid blog, why I do a radio show, why I still at 31 years old call myself a punk. It's because of the emotion. The way the music tugs my heart strings. The way these songs, these words, the way the guitars sound, the honesty that brings me back and keeps me around. If you ever question why you do what you do, whether it's listen to punk, paint graffiti, ride a skateboard or fixate over rare King Crimson records, go back and think about what brought you there the first time and more importantly, what kept you coming back for more. I don't think about my first punk rock show, because it didn't really impact me that much. I don't even think about my second one really. I think about the ones that moved me. More often than not, they were Pegboy shows. I can probably list them off right now, but I'll spare you.
So this is for Pegboy. Larry, Steve, Steve, Pierre, John, Joe. Thank you. Thank you for being one of the truly honest punk rock bands out there. Thank you for being smart and emotional. Thank you for keeping me punk and most of all thank you for still being around to keep me coming back. I love you guys.

If I could be a superstar
I´d get away would go far
and I would get away, get away from here
Sometimes when I´m all alone
a part of me starts to roam
and I could get away, get away from here

With all the things that I do
I´m tired of playing for you
I´m done wasting my time
got to live my own life
There´s nothing better to do
than sit here and playing for you
I´m not wasting my time
got to live my own life

All at once I realize
my thoughts and dreams all were lies
and I can´t get away, get away from here
If I could be a superstar
custom plane, fancy car
I could drive away, drive away from here