8 Old-School Punks Doing New Things

Music Lists

The punks in 7 Seconds proclaimed “I’m Gonna Stay Young ‘til I Die!” and those in the Descendents later questioned “What Will I Be like When I Get Old?” While these old-school rockers are no longer quite the youth of today, some still rage in their own ways. Here’s living proof that punk (or at least the people who made it) isn’t dead, yet.

1. Greg Attonito (The Bouncing Souls)
The Bouncing Souls’ Greg Attonito and his wife singer/songwriter Shanti Wintergate form the duo Play Date, writing and performing music for kids (kind of like The Doodlebops or The Wiggles, but without the goofy names). Spreading their sweet messages of love and imagination, Play Date will tour east coast pizza parlors, backyard parties and zoos this summer in support of their second album, We All Shine. An exclusive sneak stream of their lead single “Ninja Pajamas” featuring rapper P.O.S. can be found here.

2. Rusty Pistachio (H2O)
H2O guitarist Rusty Pistachio is the metalsmith behind Pnut Jewelry, whose one-of-a-kind charms, lockets, cufflinks and more adorn many of punk’s biggest names. The artist is currently at work on jewelry lines for AFI’s Davy Havok, Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba and Chris Hardwick’s Nerdist empire.

3. Jack Grisham (T.S.O.L.)
T.S.O.L. singer Jack Grisham has transmuted his lyrical storytelling into book form, releasing both Code Blue and Untamed on award-winning poet Iris Berry’s Punk Hostage Press. Code Blue (the title of which actually comes from a T.S.O.L. song) is finding new life as a short film, soon, too.

4. Tim Kerr (Big Boys)
Tim Kerr, former Big Boys (and Poison 13) guitarist, is now living in Texas and painting full-time. His work has been exhibited in England, Germany, and throughout the United States, most recently appearing in the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, Ala. He says he’s also come “full circle” back to photography and playing Irish music, things he did before punk rock.

5. Dito Montiel (Major Conflict)
After penning his 2006 memoir A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, Major Conflict’s guitarist Dito Montiel began writing and directing movies. His latest films include 2014’s Boulevard starring Robin Williams and Man Down, due out this October, with Shia LeBeouf.

6. Alice Bag (The Bags)
Lead singer of the legendary Bags, Alice Bag just released her second book, Pipe Bomb for the Soul, a follow-up to her memoir, Violence Girl. She still performs music and reads excerpts from her work.

7. Michelle Gonzalez (Spitboy)
Once the drummer for the all-female San Francisco hardcore punk band Spitboy, Michelle Gonzalez now serves as an English and creative writing professor at Las Positas College in Livermore, Calif. She’s also an avid blogger with a forthcoming book Spitboy Rule: Tales of a Female Punk Band is due out in spring 2016 on PM Press.

8. John Joseph (Cro-Mags)
When he’s not growling on stage with the still-active thrashers in Cro-Mags, singer John Joseph keeps busy with a number of mental and physical projects. He’s authored two books, gives walking tours about the History of Art, Crime, Drugs, and Punk Rock on the Lower East Side, and regularly participates in triathlons.

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