Stevie G: Spirit of punk in the air at launch night

I recently attended the launch of the Punks Listen Fanzine at UCC Library and was on one of the s with a diverse group of music obsessives, sharing memories of gigs and music through the lens of punk.

Punks Listen is the latest benefit publication from DIY punk group Hope Collective, who originate in Dublin. They have composed an impressive array of contributions, from the likes of Esme Young, Holly Johnson, Jimmy Destri, Will Sergeant, Bill Drummond, Marcella Detroit, and many more, and they also brought a great to UCC Library for the evening.

They included Claudia Hernadez (33RPM Records), Cormac Donovan O’Neill (Pebbledash, Therapy Horse), Jesper Pedersen (Upstart Festival), Jim O’Mahony (Comet records), and Julie Landers (I Dreamed I Dream). I featured on a that included another really interesting chat and I ed Michelle Rumley (promoter, Tinnitus Promotions), Danièle Tort (DJ, researcher, podcaster), John Byrne (DJ, music archivist and writer) and Niall McGuirk (Hope Collective / publisher).

The format of such events is generally informal and relaxed and as I left UCC on the sunny spring evening I couldn’t help but be inspired by chatting to so many music lovers. We are all from different backgrounds, with different musical paths and different tastes, but the spirit of punk was definitely in the air.

The main thread through our initial discussion revolved around the importance of spaces for people to create and to inhabit. The lack of such spaces these days is a favoured topic of mine. Michelle Rumley spoke of the gigs she put on in Bradleys and the PrintShop, which were important spaces for those bands and artists not always getting an opportunity elsewhere, and she also complimented Nudes/Dali, which hosted her most recent event last weekend. Niall spoke of bringing Fugazi to Ireland and about building a community of promoters and gig-goers in the pre-internet age of 30 or so years ago.

We all agreed that the music scene is somewhat lacking in venues, particularly for young people. Everything here in Ireland is associated with alcohol, meaning licensed premises are often reluctant to host teenagers and young people. Non alcoholic events are not often possible and it obviously excludes a lot of youngsters (and others).

Young people are by their very nature the very people most active when it comes to music and youth culture, and it was as a teenager myself that I first became obsessed with the punk and hip-hop. I those days just waiting to turn 18 so I could go out. 

Obviously, back then, things were a bit more relaxed on the doors and we were all going out by 15 or 16, but by the early 2000s, I was chatting to many youngsters who told me they could not go to any gigs.

Community has always been at the heart of the music scene and all speakers spoke of this.

I when the online community was first active in the early 2000s and a bunch of youngsters vowed to take it upon themselves to make a difference. Coolaboola was born out of such frustrations, and resulted in four teenage girls putting on multiple indie shows in various venues that were all ages. I mentored the girls a little, and I it was a refreshing addition to the scene in Cork.

The ultimate thing I took from punk rock was the attitude that you can do anything you want yourself if you put your mind to it. It was more a DIY attitude than anything else, and it should also be ed that punk rock first day was also a reaction against something. Lots of the best art and music and movements come from such reactions, and with punk it was a reaction against the old middle of the road bloated corporate music establishment as well as a reaction against the government and other authority. Hopefully, the Cork youth of 2025 will continue to find similar energy in their own space to express themselves.

Record shops remain an integral part of the music community and offer a great space for music fans of all ages to gather. We have Plug’d, Music Zone, Bunker, and more, and this Saturday the legendary Irish Jack will be spinning some of his favourite 60’s vinyl on his 1966 Hi-Fidelity record player from 3.30pm on Record Store Day! The legendary mod remains as ionate as ever and his music knowledge and taste is better than ever too!