Tag: Punk Rock

Over The River And Through The Woods, The Monsters Off The Road We Go! Album Review and EU Tour Dates

Forty years hasn’t mellowed these Swiss troublemakers. The Monsters turn daily frustration into a noisy mix of garage punk, boogie and grunge on Off The Road We Go!

The Monsters Off the Road We Go! Album Cover
Available to pre-order on CD and digital download through Bandcamp.

Release Date: Oct. 16, 2026

Forty years ago, the youth revolution was in full swing in Bern, Switzerland. Young people were pushing back against conservative traditions, BEDS ARE BURNING, clubs were forming, and a new music culture was taking shape. Somewhere in that chaos, The Monsters were born, and they’re still going strong with the release of Off The Road We Go!

Back then, they probably never heard of The Munsters, the sitcom comedy from America, but one can’t help but wonder if they knew. One might think there’s some similarity, but honestly, there isn’t! The band consisted of Beat-Man, Yves and Oli, three young musicians who weren’t exactly virtuosos yet. That turned out to be part of the point. They simply wanted to play covers of their favourite rockabilly, garage and punk records, but they were so inexperienced that they turned to writing simpler original songs that made sense to them.

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At Fan Expo Canada, There’s Gonna Be A Rock And Rule Reunion! Will There Be Surprises?

…. and the book that’s also out to reveal the behind the scenes of the production is there to preserve that special piece of animated Canadiana punk rock history! It’ll only complement what’s said during the Rock and Rule Reunion.

rock and rule reunion behind the scenesThis year, FAN EXPO Canada is hosting a prime time Saturday reunion panel and special screening of Nelvana’s 1983 animated cult classic, and yes this is Rock And Rule reunion that won’t be visiting other events. It’s a one-off special event that also includes a screening of the classic.

And Verne Andru, credited on the film as Verne Andrusiek, will take the stage alongside director Clive Smith and fellow Nelvana co-founders Michael Hirsh and Patrick Loubert to talk about this unique piece of animated history, and for Hirsh, he will have his new memoir, Animation Nation: How We Built a Cartoon Empire, ready, and Loubert’s appearance is being billed as a rare, historic one. Even Andru’s new book, Rock & Rule Behind The Scenes, is ready to dive into the history of, and serve as an archive for those long-time fans.

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All Hail The Metal Messiah! Vividly Restored to 4K, at Fantasia Film Festival and Coming to Home Video Too!

Canadian International Pictures screened the 4K restoration of Tibor Takács’ Metal Messiah at Fantasia Film Festival, and if you missed it, fret not. A Blu-ray release is expected to be announced later this year.

Metal Messiah 1978 Movie Poster
Played at Fantasia Film Festival on July 25, 2026 at the Salle J.A. De Sève

Because I wasn’t born in time and be of the right age to witness Metal Messiah back in 1977, whether in theatres, if it ever reached Victoria’s Roxy or Vic Theatre, or later on VHS, discovering it now feels surreal. With it’s recent 4k remaster, some scenes only look that much more cosmic when considering the how well it’s been colour balanced. Although some video artifacts remain, this movie would not be what it is, a product of the times. Even today, I wasn’t sure what to expect from a story so deeply rooted in an era still firmly rooted in The Cold War.

Today, it’s a cult film that embodies the raw spirit of Toronto’s early punk movement. And when looking back at my own discovery of the stylings of Iggy Pop and Ziggy Stardust, I’m sure either would’ve appreciated what writer-director Tibor Takács (The Gate, Sabrina the Teenage Witch) accomplished here. What he made feels like hard-boiled detective fiction colliding with This Is Spinal Tap, only with a far more philosophical edge.

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Terror Awaits When Nash The Slash Rises Again!

A stylish and thoughtful documentary, Nash The Slash Rises Again! examines the life, sound, and legacy of one of Canada’s most singular musical innovators, celebrating an artist who turned performance, technology, and mystery into something unforgettable.

Nash the Slash Rises Again! Promotional Tour TrailerOpens at Select Theatres March 13

Nash the Slash is an original. A living Phantom of the Theatre, unafraid to obscure himself, he’s often seen performing wrapped like a mummy, minus the Egyptian motifs, instead donning dark sunglasses and a stiff top hat. When we see him in Nash the Slash Rises Again!, he’s not just a silent film star, but a silver age minx. He exists in a space where noir sensibilities thrive. Nearly everyone knows the name, even if the sound itself feels ephemeral, electronic, and ahead of its time.

What’s presented in Tim Kowalski’s documentary brilliantly honours him like a living memorial. Rameses the Great would be jealous. When this musician doesn’t predate the theatrical shock of early Pink Floyd or Alice Cooper, but feels spiritually adjacent to them, evolving along a parallel creative wavelength. One suspects they’d have relished sharing a stage had the opportunity arisen.

With interests leaning heavily into the horror film genre, shock becomes part of the live experience for those fortunate enough to witness him perform. Not every show has him embodying The Invisible Man, but the theatricality remains central. His life and career are explored in thoughtful detail through Tim Kowalski’s documentary.

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With (S)KiDs, It’s Not Just But Still Rock and Roll to Me

The beauty with independent animated works is that they don’t have to play by the rules. For (S)KiDs, the creators must make sure the message is heard, not just blasted.

(s)kids movie posterAvailable to stream on YouTube (free, see below)

The year (S)KiDs take place in may seem unusual, but it feels appropriate to show what teenage life was like back in the early 90s. In a nutshell, I can’t help but think this film is Smells Like Teen Spirit meets The Breakfast Club. This song released by Nirvana in 1991 is more than age-old to reflect upon what this film is about.

Here, this animated film looks at the life of Scotty (James Priestner), a self prescribed punk poet who finds life in a new town difficult. Although he finds a few friends, others soon label them skids, not typical outcasts. Although this derogatory term is not in vogue these days, to escape that label is tough. Molly (Michele Garceau), Billy (Will Letos), and Craig (Les Solis, who also directed this film) are fairly chill, but the fact they all have demons is more telling as the film progresses through their final year at St. Elmo’s High School.

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AmPm is Changin’ Stranger Things to a Dance Tune with DJ Shigge!

‘Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless)’ gets reimagined by Japan’s AmPm and DJ Shigge!

AMPM's Stranger Things Album CoverJapan’s masked production unit AmPm made their debut with 2017 hit single ‘Best Part of Us’, building an audience all around the world.

AmPm has a new single titled ‘Stranger Things,’ and it has nothing to do with the Netflix show of the same name. Instead, this seventh single is a dance track that reimagines ‘Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless)’, the timeless 1990s hit by Crystal Waters, which has more recently found new audiences around the world via the sampling scene. Ever since this masked production unit made their debut with the 2017 ‘Best Part of Us,’ audiences world-wide have been captivated by their sound, and there’s good news!

This track will also be included in their still to be named upcoming album and the theme will be about global travel.  Links to where this song can be heard at Spotify and Apple Music. Full listings of where else it can be streamed at are listed here.

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