Brian (Entropy)
SPB: What do you think the internet has done for the word of mouth punk scene?
Brian: As far as how it effects underground punk rock, the internet is both a blessing and a curse.
It's obviously made it way easier to spread news, learn about shows and, most importantly, discover new music. But it's that easy for everyone to get the word out, so there ends up being an overload of information. Suddenly people just dipping their toes in are being invited to every show from Boston to California and every band on earth is vying for their attention which predictably gets to be a bit much.
When I started going to shows in the ‘90s, I would be stoked to get a flyer and know when and where the next show was. I'd wonder about the band I'd never heard of with “from Boston” under their name and would be excited to see them. Now when promoting shows, the dynamic has shifted so that you're basically bothering people who may or may not even be interested. I mean, half the people logging in to look at porn for three minutes to get a proper wank in before getting on with their day just aren't that interested that Puking Chloroform are playing at the Ritz next Thursday night.
The ease of internet promotion can cause a lazy complacency that belies the urgency in message that should always be present in punk rock, and that part of it just plain sucks. The ability to quickly reach people the world over is an amazing force that's easy to underestimate, however, so it's a mixed bag.
