Punk Rock Songs about New Jersey

Punk Rock songs about New Jersey seem like a no-brainer, don't they? People yell a lot in Punk Rock. People yell a lot in New Jersey. Don't be too startled by this alarming similarity and don't get too hot and bothered, because I'm only going to treat you to my two favorite examples. NJOK by the band Detention, and the slightly more abrasive (and considerably less complimentary) Hoboken_Sucks by Äss (featuring WFMU's Brian Turner on guitar).

Detention is more famous for their oft-deified track "Dead Rock & Rollers" -- a song that I happen to know enjoys iTunes space on the personal computer of Irwin Chusid, which I recently stole from him. (The computer, not the song.) I understand that the band still plays live from time to time, and that the Shields brothers of said band own a gym somewhere in Jersey Centralia.

The legacy of Äss is somewhat more mystical. After channeling and re-interpreting only the best parts of Action Swingers -styled brutality, the members of Äss drifted to other projects, as varied as brickface and stucco installation to making pilgrimages to the Burning Man festival, where one member personally stuck his head into the Goat of Truth's papier mache ass and achieved enlightenment. Or something closely approximating it, if your standards are low.

I'm sure that somewhere right now, some ex-member of irrelevant, podunk Jersey hardcore band #227 is firing up their angry email finger in order to tell me what a gross misinterpretation I'm giving to their scene by not mentioning their band's song about the tough streets of Mahwah (image by Google Image Search), former Governor Tom Keane's weirdo accent, or the chemical fire that burned for years underneath the Pulaski Skyway (image by Burt Schlatter ). Well, things are tough all over. Like I said, I was only gonna mention my two favorites. Perhaps you can find validate your teens while perusing the formidable recollections of this man? 

In addition to Brian Turner, many other WFMU staffers have spent time behind the shrieking mic and raging guitar. Pseu Braun and Diane Kamikaze were both a part of the local miracle that was Children in Adult Jails , Chris T  wielded an axe of some ferocity in The Nihilistics, and Dan Mackta tore shit up in A Priori.

Now that I've outed everybody, I'm thinking I should probably get out of here before a horde of the above staffers start massing in the parking lot screaming for blood and vengeance.

Comments

[Old Punk Man]

the Misfits covered New Jersey pretty well.
certainly much better than Fountains of Wayne.

my list of the best punk songs of all time is here: http://www.punkdays.com

I don't think anyone besides the Misfits were from Jersey

is WFMU better than KFJC?

[dan]

we wrote a song called jersey girl... about a crazy girl we know!!!

[JFC]

Check out these gems from alamogordo including Under the Landfill and other teen age 1980's cold war teenage punk paranoia.

http://latestcoolthing.blogspot.com/2009/02/nj-punk-rock-alamogordo.html

[JT]

Detention also have a great song called "Beach" about the beaches of NJ and their 3 ft waves.

[lan]

I came across this site while surfing net for band / music DVD/CD. This site got some nice collection. Check it out http://www.smartpunk.com/music/dvds.html

[T]

Cyanamid, "New Jersey is a Mall" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emU6_6tOEZs