A lot of people have an ‘out with the old, in with the new’ mindset. Whenever something stops being hot in the moment, it becomes disposable for something else instead. This is a big problem in music, largely focused on what an artist has done lately. However, ideally, we’d want our newer stars to draw attention to the rich history of a given genre. That’s what Zack de La Rocha is hoping for with the star punk band Turnstile.
In an interview with Binaural (captured by Consequence), the Rage Against The Machine frontman talked about how Turnstile was taking charge with punk and hardcore music today. Ultimately, he hoped that with the stylistic resurgence, some of that love would eventually trickle down to the forefathers of the genre like Bad Brains and The Clash.
“It’s interesting to see how this style is resurging. I don’t know if it will have the same impact, but, once again, there are a lot of kids who are discovering it for the first time. And they are doing so through their first experience with bands like Turnstile,” Zack de la Rocha explained.
“Afterward, they start discovering Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Negative Approach, The Clash… So these bands occupy a really interesting space, like a sort of bridge. I hope that through them, people look back at the original groups.”
Zack De la rocha Gives Turnstile Their Flowers and talked About the future of punk
Then, de la Rocha lauded legendary photographer Glen E. Friedman for his work in documenting the punk rock scene for decades. He argued that without his presence, bands like Rage Against The Machine and Bad Brains might not have made the lasting legacy they have today.
“Personally, I don’t think a band like Turnstile could exist without something like Bad Brains. And I don’t think Bad Brains would have gotten the visibility they have without Glen’s insistence and perseverance in promoting them,” Zack de la Rocha shared.
“A lot of people would have never discovered that band if it hadn’t been for him. He will tell you the stories himself; he has quite a few. An artist has to do what they want to do. And I think everyone needs to raise their voice to try and make the world better,” Zack de La Rocha continued.
“There are too many problems. Too much is going on. You can’t just sit idly by and do nothing… I mean, first and foremost they are musicians, but they are also activists. They pick up their instruments to practice that activism and make themselves heard more.”
Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images
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