GAD! Zine

  My musical endeavors, the GAD! Zine, and this blog can all be traced back to one inspiring cassette that I purchased when I was a kid: Faith No More's debut album, We Care A Lot. Early FNM introduced me to the sounds of punk, post-punk, metal, even a touch of rap that I could stand. The vocals were truly unique, with lyrics that could be abstract and enigmatic one moment and so utterly relateable and down-to-earth the next. The music that would accompany this new poetry was dark and menacing and catchy and unencumbered by any preconceived notions of a particular blueprint or specific style. This album completely opened my mind to not just a whole new world, but to an entire universe of creative possibilities. I've often said that if it weren't for punk rock, then I'd have been a lot more successful, but I would've killed myself. So, in a way, Faith No More saved my life.     Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled when Kolbey and I were given the opportunit...

    Chris Lee has passed away. Unless you knew him, I don't know if I can stress just how significant he was. If you did know him, you're heartbroken like me and you don't need anyone to tell you. But I have to write this.     Chris was the most recent singer of the long-running Huntsville Alabama metal band Envain and even before that had done his share of kicking ass with other bands for years. He was a thoughtful, intelligent man who threw all boundaries away the second he took the stage or barroom floor. He embodied the D.I.Y. punk rock aesthetic. He would sport patches and even tattoos of his favorite local bands. He loved them. When the singer of The Devil's Got A Hold On Me, Nate Baugh, passed away, and the band made the hard decision to turn an already-booked show into a tribute, Chris didn't hesitate to step up and sing. He made no attempt to copy his fallen friend, he just did everything he could to entertain. Blood, sweat, and tears literally followe...

[Originally appeared in Sink Approach vol. 1, self-published in 2005] Interview by  Adam Harmless and Darlene Vile In August of 2003, the long wait was finally over for fans of the legendary New York punk band the Ramones with the theatrical release of “End of the Century: The Story of The Ramones”. The critically acclaimed documentary delves deep into the pink and fleshy psyche of the now-defunct band, and exposed a highly dysfunctional but brilliantly prolific group of musicians. Jim Fields, who co-directed EOTC with Michael Gramaglia, gave us at Sink Approach insight into the exciting world of the Ramones, and the documentary filmmaking process in this in-depth interview.  SINK APPROACH : Most of the folks in the Ramones camp are life-long New Yorkers. Where did you grow up? Did you go to college? JIM FIELDS : Michael Gramaglia and I are friends from early on in high school. We grew up in southern Westechester, about 30 minutes from mid-town Manhattan. I moved to...

I recently interviewed Chad and Ruthie, the good folks behind the upcoming Dixie Danger Fest in Huntsville, Alabama. This looks to be a terrific event with some of this publication's absolute favorite bands performing. Add a pin-up contest and a raffle ( proceeds going to the zine!)  and how can you not wanna go? This interview also appears in issue 11 of the GAD! zine. -Adam Harmless GAD! - Who are ya? Chad - Name is Chad Zolynsky, vocalist/bassist for the Huntsville-based Punk Rock act Jonny & the Black Frames. When I'm not doing the standard band activities of staying up late and rocking the masses, I handle planning for the annual Dixie Danger Fest event and running my own DJ business ZMC Event Productions. I'm proud to be part of a thriving Huntsville music scene and strive to grow our community through avenues just like GAD!punk. Ruthie - My name is Ruthie Lay, aka Miss Ivana Cupcake. I have won multiple area tattoo/pinup beauty pageants, and hav...