We Owe You Nothing: Punk Planet: The Collected Interviews Daniel Sinker (Editor) Akashic Books, 2001 352 pages US$16.95 Available from Amazon

I found the prospect of reviewing We Owe You Nothing: Punk Planet, The Collected Interviews a bit intimidating. I'm not the biggest expert on punk rock music. I was wrong to be fearful. The book is a virtual lesson in "punk" music, and it taught me that I had been a fan all along. Sure, I’ve always appreciated bands like the Clash, the Ramones, etc., and the great impact these bands have had on modern music. I’ve always thought of punk as a late 1970s thing that died not long after Sid Vicious did. But that's not what punk is about. Punk is about a "do it yourself" lifestyle, and many artists I never thought of as punk fit in. Think Thurston Moore, Sleater-Kinney... These are artists that do things their own way. They don’t give up their ideals or sell out (even if they sign to a major label). That’s Punk Planet.

Daniel Sinker started Punk Planet magazine in 1994 when he was nineteen years old. Sinker wanted to write about music that wasn't being covered in the main punk zine of the time, Maximum Rock n Roll. Maximum Rock n Roll was ignoring bands that were suddenly considered "not punk" because of the post-Nirvana infatuation of the music industry and the mainstream media in the punk rock scene. The zine was also ignoring bands that were too underground to draw much interest.

Sinker started Punk Planet with the mantra "Why can’t we do this?" Obviously he’s had much success mixing DIY ethics with music and politics. Punk Planet was even awarded an Utne Reader 2000 Alternative Press Award. So like Daniel Sinker, I will review We Owe You Nothing with no fears, the under the mantra "Why can’t I do this?"

Sinker is, of course, the driving force behind We Owe You Nothing, which collects many of the best interviews from the pages of Punk Planet magazine. Sinker has picked twenty-five essential interviews, each reflecting a different side of the marriage between punk music and politics.

The book is divided into six sections:

• Trailblazers and punk icons (such as Ian MacKaye, Jello Biafra, and Black Flag)
• Musicians suddenly flung into the media spotlight (such as Chumbawamba and Sleater-Kinney)
• Artists and designers who have made their way designing records sleeves and drawing DIY show posters
• Artists that do things their own way—even when that means following a new path (Negativland)
• Activists and groups that work to change the world, and
• Rockers who have wandered away from punk, but find their punk rock roots are still important.

The collection showcases interviews with musicians, distributors, label owners, producers, filmmakers, graphic designers, artists and activists. Each interview begins by bringing the reader up-to-date with the interviewee and the interviewee’s past. The interviewers don’t ask the boring questions many journalists ask artists. They ask the fundamental question of "why?" and they do so in a way that brings out the best in their subjects.

One thing that sets Punk Planet apart from most other music magazines is its serious commitment to politics. Musicians speak out about such issues as homophobia, women’s rights, racism and mental health awareness. Not only does Punk Planet cover musicians who make politics an important part of their musical agenda; it makes serious issues a part of its own agenda. The section "In Her Kiss, I Taste the Revolution: Punk & Politics" sees a focus on the partnership of punk and politics. Striking interviews with Central Ohio Abortion Access Fund and Voices in the Wilderness help to spread awareness of these organizations and their sociological concerns. Central Ohio Abortion Access Fund helps women gain access to abortion by offering transportation, money and support. Voices in the Wilderness is a humanitarian organization that works to end sanctions against the people of Iraq and brings medicine and supplies into the devastated country. Coverage of such organizations and issues makes We Owe You Nothing a good read for punk rockers and activists alike. It's enlightening to hear the whys, instead of just the hows behind the two groups.

One complaint about We Owe You Nothing is its relative lack of women writers. Of the twelve interviewers and introduction writers featured in the collection, only one is a woman. Such an omission leaves me wondering if punk is a world dominated by white males. Still, women get a voice in the book. They are heard loud and strong in interviews with Kathleen Hanna, Sleater-Kinney, Mordam Records' Ruth Schwartz, and Jody Bleyle. Other minority voices are heard from as well, but the white male voice dominates, though these males are working to change the status-quo.

All of the interviews in We Owe You Nothing are presented in simple Q & A format, except one. "Black Flag: an oral history" stands out because it presents the voices of Black Flag’s members (Greg Ginn, Keith Morris, Chuck Dukowski, Dez Cadena, Henry Rollins, Bill Stevenson and Kira Roessler) speaking on the band’s history. Each member tells the story in his/her own words. In this same way We Owe You Nothing reads as an oral history of punk. It gives the people who made the scene a chance to speak. We read the words of punk icons such as Ian MacKaye and learn of his life, lived the way he wanted to live it. Through his words we learn of the do-it-yourself way he runs his band, his label, his music, his life. MacKaye has worked hard to make his home in Washington, D.C. a community. His interview, and all of the other interviews, show the importance of collaboration in punk, the importance of independent labels, and the importance of maintaining one’s own voice.

If one of your favorite artists is interviewed within the pages of We Owe You Nothing, this is a great place to find out more about them. Most interviews allow underground heroes to wax poetic on their favorite subjects: music, slamming big corporations, leftist politics, etc. They are all fighting the good fight, as it were, but sometimes they get so self-righteous that you feel like slapping them in the face. So what if you heard about their band for the first time in the pages of Spin magazine? Does that make you uncool? The women of Sleater-Kinney seem unsettled about the new fans who've discovered them and attend their shows because of to the group's coverage in the mainstream media. Thankfully, others -- even people as underground as Jody Bleyle (from the disbanded groups Team Dresch and Hazel) -- are savvy enough to figure out that they can use the mainstream media to spread their message. These artists realize that no matter how people found their music, it's just good that they've found it.

Some interviews may make you angry, but they'll make you think and question your own beliefs in the process. One notable exception is the interview with tacky "Tubthumping" sensation Chumbawamba. I kept getting knocked down as I thumbed through pages of rhetoric from these former anarchists, who see bar culture as reform. You're left to wonder just what they've had to drink after their whiskey drink and their lager drink. Could it be a pretentious drink?

Most interviewees, though, show great respect for the subjects they discuss. Reading the Thurston Moore interview shows that there's great artistry behind his actions, despite the fact that he's signed with Geffen Records. It's quite interesting to read about the great lengths Steve Albini went to avoid major label record companies, even while producing a band with the exposure and large wallet of Nirvana. You see the personality of Negativland's frontman Mark Hosler, as he plays with squeaky toys while explaining that the band's album Over the Edge 3: The Weatherman's Stupid Come Out Line may not be released due to legal issues regarding samples contained therein. Jem Cohen discusses the fascinating artistic process he went through to document Fugazi in the film Instrument.

Most of the people featured in We Owe You Nothing speak from the left side of politics. One exception is Frank Kozik, the man behind Man's Ruin records. His life experiences have brought him to a place where he sees the value of capitalism and he loves living in the US of A. His intelligence and articulation are enough to make the most liberal of punks rethink their views, even if just for a moment. Though most readers of Punk Planet would disagree with Mr. Kozik, it is refreshing that the magazine and book have given him an outlet for his views.

Even if none of your favorite artists are found in the pages of We Owe You Nothing, the book is still an engrossing read. These unique individuals are consistently engaging, and they make you want to check out their music and art. Hey, the book might even inspire you to pick up an instrument, write your own zine, or start an activist organization or independent business. The collection is likely to be a coffee-table treasure to devotees and an introduction to new readers destined to be turning the pages of new issues of Punk Planet that are hopefully coming soon to an indie retailer near you.

-- Beth Lashley