The Punk Rock Museum

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The Punk Rock Museum
The Punk Rock Museum
EstablishedApril 1, 2023 (2023-04-01)
Location1422 Western Ave, Las Vegas, Nevada, US 36°9′14.544″N115°9′37.85″W / 36.15404000°N 115.1605139°W / 36.15404000; -115.1605139
Founder "Fat Mike" Burkett
Pat Smear
Website www.thepunkrockmuseum.com

The Punk Rock Museum is a 12,000-square-foot space dedicated to the punk rock music genre, which opened on April 1, 2023. [1] Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, the museum was founded by "Fat Mike" Burkett of the band NOFX, and developed by Burkett and production manager Lisa Brownlee. It is governed by a ten-person collective of musicians and museum investors including Burkett, co-founder Pat Smear (The Germs), and skateboarder Tony Hawk.

Contents

History

The Punk Rock Museum was founded by NOFX frontman Mike Burkett, also known as Fat Mike, and developed by Burkett and production manager Lisa Brownlee. [2] [3] It is governed by a ten-person collective of musicians and museum investors including Burkett, co-founder Pat Smear (The Germs), and skateboarder Tony Hawk. [2] Burkett invited Canadian punk rock musician Talli Osborne to become the museum's spokesperson, who would be responsible for representing the museum at punk music events. [4]

Layout

The museum houses more than 1,000 artifacts documenting the history of the punk rock music genre from its birth to the present day. [5] The exhibits, contributions by bands and members of the worldwide punk community, include fliers, artwork, clothing, and instruments used in recordings and on tours by notable punk musicians. [6] Prominent features include molds for the signature helmets of Devo and a photograph of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain sitting on a couch, with the accompanying couch. [1] Founder Burkett has stated the museum is planned as all-inclusive, inviting punk musicians globally to submit memorabilia, stating "We'll let anybody into our world unless you're really annoying. Or a rock star. You can't act like a rock star, because then you get kicked out." [3] As of 2023, guided tours are offered by punk musicians themselves, including members of The Vandals, Social Distortion, and Less Than Jake. [7] [6] The museum plans to create travelling exhibitions of its collection in the future. [3]

Housed inside the museum is The Triple Down, [8] a dive bar; The Jam Room, a room with donated musical instruments for visitors to utilize; and a chapel offered for weddings and wakes. [1] There is also the Wall of Insignificant and Unknown Bands, where punk bands of any background are invited to post their band fliers. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Germs (band)</span> American punk rock band

The Germs were an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1976 to 1980. The band's "classic" lineup consisted of singer Darby Crash, guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom and drummer Don Bolles. They released only one album, 1979's (GI), produced by Joan Jett, and were featured in Penelope Spheeris' seminal documentary film The Decline of Western Civilization, which chronicled the Los Angeles punk movement. The Germs disbanded following Crash's suicide in 1980. Their music was influential to many later rock acts, and Smear went on to achieve greater fame performing with Nirvana and Foo Fighters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NOFX</span> American punk rock band

NOFX was an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. Bassist/lead vocalist Fat Mike, rhythm guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin were original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every release by the band, although Sandin departed briefly in 1985, only to rejoin the following year. El Hefe joined the band in 1991 to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the best-known iteration of the lineup.

Skate punk is a skater subculture and punk rock subgenre that developed in the 1980s. Originally a form of hardcore punk that had been closely associated with skate culture, skate punk evolved into a more melodic genre of punk rock in the 1990s similar to pop punk. Since then, it has predominately featured fast tempos, lead guitar playing, fast drumming, and singing. Occasionally, skate punk also combines the fast tempos of hardcore punk and melodic hardcore with the catchy hooks of pop-punk.

<i>Punk in Drublic</i> 1994 studio album by NOFX

Punk in Drublic is the fifth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on July 19, 1994, through Epitaph Records. The title is a spoonerism of "Drunk in Public".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Smear</span> American guitarist (born 1959)

Georg Albert Ruthenberg, better known by his stage name Pat Smear, is an American musician. He was the lead guitarist and co-founder of Los Angeles–based punk band The Germs and a rhythm guitarist for grunge band Nirvana. After Nirvana disbanded following the suicide of frontman Kurt Cobain, drummer Dave Grohl went on to form Foo Fighters, with Smear joining on guitar. Smear left the band in 1997 before rejoining as a touring guitarist in 2005 and being promoted back to a full-time member in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Real McKenzies</span> Canadian Celtic punk band

The Real McKenzies is a Canadian Celtic punk band founded in 1992 and based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are considered the founders of the Canadian Celtic punk movement, and were one of the first Celtic punk bands, albeit 10 years after The Pogues. Founding member Paul McKenzie has been the only continuous member of the band since its inception.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Hefe</span> American musician

Aaron Abeyta, better known as El Hefe or simply Hefe, from el Jefe, is an American musician, best known as the lead guitarist and trumpet player for the American punk rock band NOFX. He started playing guitar at the age of 13, but he states that he started taking it seriously at the age of 15, joining his first band. He joined NOFX in 1991 and his first recording with the band was his contribution to their EP The Longest Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Me First and the Gimme Gimmes</span> American punk rock band

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in San Francisco in 1995. The band's lineup consists of Spike Slawson, CJ Ramone, Joey Cape, Pinch and John Reis. Dave Raun, Chris Shiflett, and Fat Mike are former members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Kids on LSD</span> American hardcore punk band

Rich Kids on LSD (RKL) is a Californian hardcore punk band formed in 1982 in Montecito, California, a suburb of Santa Barbara. They were associated with the "Nardcore" scene of West Coast hardcore that evolved out of nearby Oxnard. Their music expanded over the years from Nardcore to a mixture of hardcore infused with rock and metal elements. This style, along with touring, made them very popular on the European scene, especially among skaters in the 1980s and 1990s. Guitarist Chris Rest was the band's only consistent member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fat Wreck Chords</span> American independent record label

Fat Wreck Chords is an independent record label based in San Francisco focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett and his wife at the time, Erin Burkett in 1990. As of 2009 Fat Wreck Chords has released over 300 studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erik Sandin</span> American drummer

Erik Sandin, is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the punk rock band NOFX, and former member of punk rock band Caustic Cause. He was a founding member of NOFX when they formed in Hollywood, California, in 1983.

<i>The War on Errorism</i> 2003 studio album by NOFX

The War on Errorism is the ninth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on May 6, 2003, through Fat Wreck Chords.

Rock Against Bush was a project mobilizing punk and alternative musicians against the 2004 U.S. Presidential re-election campaign of George W. Bush. At its core was the idea of using music to create an anti-war, pro-peace sentiment, similar to counterculture music movements of the 1960s and 1970s, such as Woodstock. The effort inspired Australian punk bands to start Rock Against Howard.

<i>Wolves in Wolves Clothing</i> 2006 studio album by NOFX

Wolves in Wolves' Clothing is the tenth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. At 46 minutes, this is NOFX's longest studio album.

<i>Never Trust a Hippy</i> 2006 EP by NOFX

Never Trust a Hippy is an EP by the American punk rock band NOFX, released March 14, 2006 through Fat Wreck Chords. Released a month in advance of the band's tenth studio album, Wolves in Wolves' Clothing, the EP includes two tracks from the album and four others recorded during the album's recording sessions. The EP was made available for streaming on March 12 via Alternative Press.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casey Royer</span> American singer and drummer

Casey A. Royer, is an American musician and an early pioneer of the hardcore punk rock genre in Orange County. He named and formed the band Social Distortion as a teenager. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Royer is best known as the lead vocalist for Southern Californian punk rock band D.I. and as a drummer for the Adolescents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fat Mike</span> American musician

Michael John Burkett, known professionally as Fat Mike, is an American musician and producer. He was the bassist and lead vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX and the cofounder and bassist of the punk rock supergroup cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Burkett started out with his first band False Alarm in 1982. Throughout the NOFX's existence, he and rhythm guitarist Eric Melvin were the only band members who stayed since the beginning.

<i>Self Entitled</i> 2012 studio album by NOFX

Self Entitled is the twelfth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on September 11, 2012 through Fat Wreck Chords.

<i>First Ditch Effort</i> 2016 studio album by NOFX

First Ditch Effort is the thirteenth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX, released on October 7, 2016.

Talli Osborne is a Canadian punk rock musician and public speaker. Osborne has shared the stage with the bands NOFX, Lagwagon, and Against Me! since becoming involved in the Toronto punk community. She was named spokesperson for the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas in 2022. Born without arms and some bones in her legs, she has given motivational talks centered on her life experiences and topics such as body positivity at speaking events in Canada and the United States.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Goldstein, Michael (April 23, 2023). "Punk Rock, The Music Las Vegas Would Never Play, Now Gets A Museum There". Forbes . Archived from the original on July 23, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Benzine, Vittoria (October 14, 2022). "Leather Jackets, Ripped T-Shirts, and a Gallery Where You Can Thrash on a Guitar: America's Only Permanent Punk Rock Museum Opens in Las Vegas". ArtNet . Archived from the original on July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Trivett, Ben (April 8, 2023). "NOFX's Fat Mike gives us a sneak peek at the new Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  4. ↑ Nickerson, Cara (August 25, 2022). "Canadian punk legend Talli Osborne picked as face of new Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas". CBC Hamilton . Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  5. ↑ Kuta, Sarah (October 21, 2022). "A Punk Rock Museum Is Coming to Las Vegas". Smithsonian Magazine . Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Alexandra, Rae (May 4, 2023). "Las Vegas' Punk Rock Museum Has a Treasure Trove of Bay Area Treats". KQED . Archived from the original on July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Ladouceur, Liisa (April 11, 2023). "10 Punk Rock Museums Around The World That Prove Punk Will Never Die". Spin . Archived from the original on July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  8. ↑ Bracelin, Jason (July 14, 2023). "Booze in Pringles cans: Explore Vegas' newest dive-bar-to-be". Las Vegas Review-Journal . Archived from the original on July 22, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
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