One Nine Nine Four: a 90's punk documentary

One Nine Nine Four is a documentary about the birth, growth and explosion of the SoCal 90s punk scene. Featuring nineties trademarks such as Rancid, NOFX, Pennywise, Bad Religion, Offspring, Warped Tour, Epitaph, Fat Wreck Chords, Lookout records, among others.

S.E.V.I.L.L.A. City

SFDK's first video clip from their highly anticipated sixth album, Siempre Fuertes 2, is called S.E.V.I.L.L.A, an ode to their hometown, the andalusian capital. Featuring cameos from Jesuly, Dogma Crew, El Límite and the Malviviendo guys. Album comes out November 24th.


Also from Sevilla, Tote King is releasing his documentary "Tengo que volver a casa" (I have to return home) on December 11th. Done by Xclusif & Conflict Films and filmed in Sevilla, Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Valencia and Alicante. Features appearances by La Mala Rodríguez, Juan Solo, Ernesto Sevilla, Pachama Crew, La Excepción, Dive Dibosso, Shotta, Felipe Reyes, Chico Ocaña and Antonio Orozco.

Some piece of the history of Puerto Rican Punk

Here some late 80s-early 90s video gems from Puerto Rico's pioneering punk bands. Intro to doc "La Decandencia del Cuchifrito", Abuso Legal (Oi/Punk from SJ), Sham Pain (Hc/Punk from Carolina), Rechazo Social (Punk Rock from Bayamón), Hypocrite Solution (Hc/Punk from Sábana Grande) and Corrupted Society (Hc/Punk from Isabela).

Then, via Boricuas Bestiales, an interview with Puerto Rican descent-Connecticutian Jeff Spaz, founder of Computer Crime Records.

This label released in 1991 the seminal "V/A House Arrest" featuring Frontside Generation, Sham Pain, Subculture Underground and Hypocrite Solution. They also released the first recordings by Sham Pain, Golpe Justo and Hijos de Nadie.

In 1993, CCR released the first Puerto Rican punk documentary "La Decadencia del Cuchifrito" featuring Volcanic, Hijos de Nadie, Fobia Estatal, No More, Resistencia, Descojón Urbano, Sham Pain, Golpe Justo and Abuso Legal.

Intro "La Decadencia del Cuchifrito"


Abuso Legal Live 1989


Sham Pain-No Más


Rechazo Social Live 1991


More Vids:
Hypocrite Solution Live 1988
Corrupted Society Live 1988

Interviews/Articles: (In Spanish)
Jeff Spaz from Computer Crime Records
Computer Crime Records Discography

The Limits of Control by Jim Jarmusch

Jim Jarmusch's new film is called The Limits of Control. Starring is Isaach De Bankolé with supporting roles by John Hurt, Bill Murray, Gael García Bernal, Tilda Swinton, Óscar Jaenada and Paz de la Huerta.

The loner (De Bankolé) travels throughout various Spanish cities meeting with strange characters in Cafés who exchange with him matchboxes containing instructions in codes. Several vignettes with repetition of sequences, stunning photography and minimalist dialogues.

The mysterious characters talk to the loner about music, art, bohemian life and other themes that reflect Jarmusch's view. It is constructed very smoothly but without the unity of his prior work, although the nudity and the multilingual scenes is a reference to this other films. Overall is an art film that has a lot of abstract messages, with non-acting performances that are followed by the camera. Definitely, his most incoherent film and not for everybody (specially those not familiar with his other work).

Defensa Personal Release Party

The release party of Correa Cotto's album was in La Respuesta (Santurce, Puerto Rico). It started at 1:00 am with Velcro in the turns. The first mc was Profound, from New York, who rapped in english and one song in spanish. He forgot the lyrics on one of his songs and the crowd did not respond after that. Next was The Kings of Mic, J'Rebu, Guajiro and Embajador, who rocked the stage with their energetic set. These puertorican hip hop pioneers were dressed in camuflage resembling their No Mel Syndicate days.

Correa Cotto was presenting every mc while Velcro was at the control putting the beats. Then came Babalú Machete from barrio La Marina in Isabela, Puerto Rico (West Side). A veteran of the local scene sang his gangsta-rap hits "Gángsters de Borinken" and "Cosa de Borikua", as well as some english tunes from the Infinite Clip recordings. This mc can truly flow in both languages perfectly and the crowd was singing along excited. Definitely the highlight of the show.

The west side invasion continued with Mayaguez/Añasco's own, Desde el Campo. Only 2/3 of the group came on stage but rapped very tight. They began with their hit "Me Gusta" and followed with "Puerto Rico", "No creo en promesas", featuring Shaggy from Absoluto Independiente, among others. In their set, they invited a spoken word guy who recited a poem. The set ended with a freestyle/improv by the two mc's, Fico and Souldier.

It was quite late and we left without seeing the remaining acts (Velcro, Nébula and Correa Cotto) that we have seen in other occasions. Very good show but it began rather late for my taste.

Pictures vía Hip Hop Boricua Blogspot.com

Inglourious Basterds by Quentin Tarantino

The latest flick by writer/director Quentin Tarantino is Inglourious Basterds, based on the italian movie "Quel maledetto treno blindato". Starring are Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth (horror movie director), BJ Novak (The Office), Mélanie Laurent and Julie Dreyfus (Sophie Fatale in Kill Bill). With cameos by Mike Myers and Sam Jackson's voice.

To Nazi-occupied France is sent a US guerilla command led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Pitt) to kill as many nazis as possible. The Basterds are blood-thirsty jew mercenaries who terrorize SS and Gestapo soldiers because of their out of control manners of killing them.

Like prior Tarantino's films, the storytelling is divided by non-linear chapters and the dialogues prime over all. Gory, funny and entertaining as only the eccentric director can make it happen. Also, with references to his prior films and a twisted take on the Nazis (From Minister of Propaganda, Goebbels to the newbie nazi officer). Superb performance by Waltz as nazi Col. Hans Landa, who dominates the screen entirely and speaks perfectly in german, french, italian and english. Two-hour and a half tour de force film, who is definitely one of his best films yet. Run to see it!

Funny People by Judd Apatow

The third film by comedy writer/director, Judd Apatow, is named Funny People. Starring are Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, Eric Bana and Leslie Mann. The story of the comedian, George Simmons (Sandler), who after being diagnosed with a terminal illness decides to hire up-coming comedian, Ira Wright (Rogen), as his personal assistant and ghost writer. Both of them have failing careers, Wright's roommates Leo Koening (Hill) and Mark Taylor Jackson (Schwartzman) have better gigs than him and Simmons lives a lonely superficial life while still loving his ex-fiancee Laura (Mann), now married to aussie business man Clarke (Bana) and with two girls (both played by the real-life daughters of Apatow and Mann; Maude and Iris Apatow).

Apatow's proves himself again as a comedy genius. Original stories with an actual entertaining plot to it. Mixing romance and drama with those jokes for laughing-out-loud. Sandler and Rogen complement each other very well on-screen. Sandler's unforced jokes with a serious face makes jokes funnier and Rogen's witty punchlines are off-the-hook. Overall great acting by the ensemble cast and great cameos by rappers RZA and Eminem, and comedians Paul Raiser, Sarah Silverman, Andy Dick and Ray Romano. Good soundtrack, real video footage from Sandler's beginnings, fake movies made just for the film , pop-culture references and unconventional storytelling makes this film, Apatow's best effort yet. If you wanna laugh your lungs out, run to the big screen right now.

Tetro by Francis Ford Coppola

Tetro is the latest film by acclaimed writer/director Francis Ford Coppola. Starring Vincent Gallo as Tetro, Maribel Verdú as Marina, Carmen Maura as Alone, Leticia Brédice as Josefina and Alden Ehrenreich as Bennie.

Bennie goes from New York to Buenos Aires to visit his long-lost brother Tetro, who is living a very pathetic life as a failed playwright. Tetro's girlfriend, Marina, helps Bennie as she gives him Tetro's unfinished play. Bennie decides to finish it and discovers the real reason why Tetro left. Bennie prepares the play and it gets into the hands of literary critic, Alone. She invites them to participate in the important Patagonia Festival. While there receiving the prize, their famous orchestra conductor father dies.

The film has the typical themes of Hollywood films like family relationships, opposed siblings, love or tragedy. But Coppola's film is very minimal aesthetically, shot in black and white but with color flashbacks. Inside this simple history, Coppola combines weird theater plays, cinema references, argentinean tango, female nudity and absurd dialogues. Gallo's and Ehrenreich's performances help the film throughout the end, because it clocks past the two hours.

Is not a masterpiece but seems like a personal and low-budget film that the director would do thirty years ago, prior to his hit saga (The Godfather). Although it is predictable at times and too lengthy, it is fun to see mid-level and unknown actors do an unconventional film penned by an established Hollywood director.

Limp Wrist at Madrid

Limp Wrist, the legendary queer hardcore punk band, played at the madrilean venue, Sala Boite (looks like a strip club without the poles). The opening act was the local punk band, Muletrain. I have seen them a couple of times (opening for The Adolescents, twice) and it was their best performance so far. They get me bored easily because their songs are too long, they sang in a very bad english and every song sounds the same.

Almost an hour later, Martín (former Los Crudos frontman), Paul, Andrew and Scott came on stage. Hot pants, vests and biker hats were part of their wardrobe. They played a lot of songs from their discography with a tremendous energy. Martín crowd-surfed and sang in the pit with the young spaniard "moshers". He dedicated the song "Ode" to Darby Crash (Germs), Gary Floyd (The Dicks) and other pioneer gay punks. The last song was their classic "I love Hardcore Boys, I love Boys Hardcore". Overall was a good show but kind of short. Anyhow was worth it, only for the main act.

Pure Hell

Prior to the Bad Brains, there were a few all-black punk bands in the late 70s. Pure Hell, began in Philly in 1974 then move to NYC and the UK. They released a single called "These Boots and Made for Walking" b/w "No Rules". Here's a short documentary on them.